Her feet touched the white line. She stood alongside the
others. She was barely five feet. The others towered over her. She was a dwarf.
Her heart pounded much faster than usual. The air was thick
with nervousness. But more than anything there was a sense of calm. This was an
escape from everything else that engulfed her mind; her soul; her existence. The
pitch, the wet grass, the long hours of torture ahead. All
an escape.
It wasn’t like she didn’t have enough of torture already.
Almost every day she awoke to the yelling and screaming combined with the
overwhelming stench of alcohol. It began with muffled voices but no longer were
there attempts to keep it quiet. Over time they kept getting louder and more
violent. It became an everyday affair. She was unwanted there. Sleep helped her
escape most of it. Closing her eyes transported her to a world where everything
was quiet and peaceful. During the daytime however, she usually bore the
leftover brunt of the previous night’s wrath. Either in the form of abuses and
taunts or the occasional physical onslaught. Such matters are seldom confined
within the sanctity of a home. The entire neighborhood obviously knew and they
made it obvious too. She was even more of an outsider now and again for reasons
she had no control over. Looking her best wasn’t exactly her priority and that
brought more ostracism.She anyway wasn’t one to be identified by what she wore
owned or came from. She couldn’t care less.
Here however, she loved pain. Looked forward to it, in fact.
For the first time she had found solace with her eyes open and while listening
to everything around her. She subjected her body to much more than what the
others could endure. Every day made her stronger. Her fragile and tiny being
gained confidence with every passing session. She began to look forward to the
toughest of challenges. She wanted to overcome them all. And overcome them she
did. Over time the others began looking to her for strength. Drawing from her
resilience.They knew who she was and where she came from. They loved her for
what she was and the best she inspired in all of them.
Many a season later. The walls still failed to
keep the discord at bay. The doors failed still to stop the stench of alcohol
and hate. She didn’t need to pretend to sleep and find peace anymore.She found
it with on the wet grass. Yet again she stood with her feet at the white line;
stood side by side with the others. She was still the tiniest and most fragile.
And there she was towering over all of them. She was a giant. She was
invincible.
