C H A P T E R O N E

It was the mid of December. A day of the winter season; it was cold and chilly. The clouds were grey, the sky was hazy and all the leaves on the tree had withered.

The setting suited Kim's life. She was in love with winter because it described her very well; a thing nobody could do. The grey clouds depicted the wistful thoughts that always lingered on her mind. The sky's haziness, like the obscurity of her life. The leaves that withered, like her heart that lost all love. She was sad; it wasn't the Seasonal Affective Disorder, she was just, sad.

Life was an aspect that she could never understand. She hated it because it was cruel and merciless. How others go through with it, she didn't know. But she knew it was easier said than done.

As she walked down the pavement, her feet dragging her somewhat heavy body, the roar of the busy vehicles echoed through her ears. Her mitten-covered hands were inside her sweater's pockets and her head hung low, as if she was ashamed for being around the people of the vicinity.

Winter break only alleviated the burden of school. At the same time, it brought her to the reality that she was all alone, not friends, not even one. Everyone else at school had big plans. She liked to think that she had big plans as well; visit the City Park, Community Library and the Java Shop.

So to the Java Shop she went. After she received her steaming hot latte, she exited the shop with a chilly zephyr playing with her short shoulder-length auburn hair.

Sip by sip, step by step, she found contentment in the way the hot latte made her feel. She realized that even she had petty things to be content with.

Maybe she stood at the pedestrian crossing for awhile before crossing, she wasn't sure how long. But when she put her foot forward and set it on the concrete road, a bike-rider had run his bike over her foot. A sudden sharp pain burst through her foot. Shooting a glare at the guy, who had now stopped and had his brown warm eyes as saucers, she bent down to caress her boot-covered foot. It was just a bike, so she thought it wasn't a big deal and also because there was something about him that made her let go.

She then, continued down the road, hands back into her pockets and entered the park, on a decision to visit the library later.

"Hey!" she heard. Maybe it was the bike-guy. She wasn't sure and she didn't bother.

Walking further, she heard the same voice again, drowned in the sounds of the city vehicles.

She walked towards the isolated part of the park- her usual hangout- all the while observing her surroundings. Laughter was the prominent sound of the others that mocked her. She couldn't remember the last time she had a good laugh.

Children screamed as they played tag. Dogs barked at their owners asking them to let them free. People were riding bikes. Speaking of bikes, she couldn't help but wonder what that guy would've said to her if she listened. He would've apologized, that's it. What more would he do? Ask you out on a date? She was being silly.

Kim preferred the remote area of the park, which was situated at the farthest because she had to get herself collected every now and then, when she felt deflated.

The area was sort of in ruins and they never attempted to fix it. The place had an eerie quietness that kept people away.

At the centre of all trees, was a borrow pit that held very less amount of water which reflected the grey hazy sky and autumnal trees. A slightly dismantled playhouse sat somewhere beside the pit, giving her a beautiful view of the water from there. A feeling of serenity washed over her; temporal, but she could live up to it. And she couldn't help but feel something -someone, to be precise- had been looking after her all this time.

* ~ * ~ * ~ *

"Bye ma!" Chris shouted.

"Don't be too late!" He heard his mom shout back as he shut the door to his house.

He definitely had the enthusiasm of a five year old. The bounce in his step decidedly pointed it out. His new Strada bike sat at the corner of his garage, in all its glory, waiting for Chris. Not really, it only looked that way to him.

His old one had been demolished by a monster of a truck that hit his innocent bike which had been sat in the parking zone of a coffee shop. He was very lucky because his dad bought him a new one. But that didn't mean he never got the rant of how "irresponsible" he was.

He swung his legs over his bike and and put on his helmet and rode at the speed of lightning.

He felt invincible. Fearless, even.

While riding, he prayed to the God above, "Lord, I surrender this day to you. Give me Your grace to change others lives."

Short but strong, were his prayers. He was taught to pray for others more than himself. That was the secret to get your prayers answered. But he didn't pray for others so he could get his answered, he prayed for them because they didn't know how to pray.

'I need you to go to the City Park." He heard a voice. It was God.

He smiled. God always plans great things and he knew this was something big.

Talking to God always seemed like an impossible thing to him before. He used to think that God only used the Scriptures to talk to him. He was told otherwise by the pastor of his church. He was told to ask God to help him hear His voice. Moses spoke to God face-to-face. If that isn't enough, Enoch went walking on with God for three hundred years!

His heart warmed because God spoke to him every now and then. How he felt, couldn't be expressed in words.

With all this in mind, he saw the City Park board on his right. Where am I going?

Just as he was about to slow down, he turned to the front and found a girl crossing the road. Before he could pull the brakes, he had already run over her foot. He looked at the girl, who was glaring at him, with wide eyes.

Usually, he wasn't like this. He would run to help. But something about her had stunned him, leaving his mouth agape.

When she started walking into the park, Chris snapped out of his trance and called out, "Hey!"

When she didn't turn, "I'm sorry!" he shouted, hoping she could hear.

He stood there and sighed.

'Get her a latte.' His inner voice said.

"Lord, what if she liked a cup of espresso instead?" He asked out loud. People who passed by gave him a strange look.

'I'm your Father and you are my son.' The Lord replied.

He couldn't help but smile at that. "Of course! What was I thinking?" He said, shaking his head to himself.

The sight of the Java Shop was a mundane thing. He caught a whiff of grounded beans when he entered the shop.

"Hey Rose! A cup of latte, please!" He called, reaching the counter and ignoring the shouts of the customers in line.

"What's the hurry? Get in line, please. You'll make the others mad." She reprimanded.

"No Rose, it's urgent!" He pleaded.

"Oh!" She realized the situation and quickly made a cup of latte and passed it to him.

"Thanks, Rosalyn!" He thanked and ran to the door.

"Tell me about it later!" She shouted as he dashed through the door and reached for his bike.

When he reached the park, he was slightly out of breath.

He halted his bike and took a look around. There wasn't a sight of the girl. He went a bit further and again looked around. And to his frustration, he couldn't find her anywhere.

When he searched again, he saw a narrow path which led to a board that read Under Construction. It looked like somebody had used the path. Bare branches that were supposed to be covering the path were broken.

'Go on, my son.' He heard His soothing voice.

Nodding his head, he got of his bike, and kept it near the board and walked into the path with the latte in hand.

As he walked further, leaves crunching under his shoes, he felt a calm atmosphere. It was really quiet which made him doubt that she was there.

There was water in the middle of the circle of trees which reflected the beautiful grey and cloudy sky. It was a good place to hangout. And he wondered why he hadn't found this place before.

Just a few feet away sat a wrecked playhouse. And outside the playhouse, on a small bench she was there. She stared at the water in front of her very intently, maybe consumed in her own world.

God knew what kind of misery she was in. That's why He sent him. And he was ready to help her, no matter the consequences.

Chris studied her from afar. She now, had her head in her folded arms. Maybe she was crying. The sight was saddening him but he didn't know what to do, how to approach her. He was never like this. There was something about her; something that kept him away. He needed to get close; to help her from drowning in sorrow and pain.

Perhaps he stood there a bit too long, deep in thought too, he didn't notice her lift her face up to him.

"What do you want?" Her cold voice echoed and stunned him even more.