Chapter Five: Mercy.

Chapter Five.

Mercy.

I couldn't stop thinking about leaving. The thought of staying in one place, living a simple, mundane life, made me feel trapped. I wanted excitement, something that would make me feel stronger, more alive. As I sat in the small kitchen, I watched Marion move about with ease and contentment.

“Marion.” I said, breaking the comfortable silence, “Do you ever feel like life is going too slow for you here?”

She turned to me with a gentle smile.

“No, Mercy, I don't. I love peace and simplicity of this place. It gives me time to think and enjoy the everything. If life moves too fast, then I die!”

I nodded, trying to understand her perspective.

“But don't you ever want more? Something exciting, something that makes your heart race?”

Marion shook her head.

“No, I've had my share of excitement, Mercy. Now, I just want to be happy and peaceful. This is good for me.”

I sighed, realizing that she wouldn't understand my restlessness.

“I see. Well, I'm glad you're happy, Marion.”

She continued cooking, humming a soft tune, while I mulled over my plan. I knew I had to leave, but I didn't want to just disappear without a word. I needed to leave a note, something to explain why I had to go. These people had rescued me, taken me in, shown me kindness, and here I was, wanting to leave.

That night, after everyone had gone to bed, I sat at the small desk in my room. The moonlight came in through the window, showing me light on the paper in front of me. I picked up the pen, hesitated for a moment, and then began to write.

“Dear John and Marion,

I'm sorry to leave without saying goodbye properly. I need to find something more in life, something that makes me feel alive. Please understand that this is something I have to do for myself. Take care of yourself, and thank you for everything.

Love,

Mercy.”

I folded the note carefully and placed it on the table, making a mental note to place it where someone would see it after I take my leave. My heart raced as I quietly gathered my few belongings and tied them up in a bag. I would leave soon, but for now, I needed to scope out the place.

I slipped out of the house. The cool night air greeted me, and for the first time in a long while, I felt a sense of freedom.

The path through the forest was dark, but the moonlight guided my steps. I walked quickly, not wanting to lose my nerve. I didn't know where I was going, but anywhere was better than staying in one place. The trees loomed tall and silent around me, and I felt a thrill of excitement mixed with a hint of fear.

As I walked, I thought about John and his words. There was something about him that intrigued me, and I wondered if I would ever understand his way of living. But for now, my focus was on finding my own path, and I would never be able to do that if I spent all my time here.

Hours passed, and I grew tired. I found a small clearing and decided to rest for a while before going back. I was extremely tired. Sitting on a fallen log, I looked up at the stars twinkling in the sky. It was beautiful, and I felt a sense of peace and calm come over me.

Just as I was about to drift off to sleep, I heard a rustling in the bushes. My heart leapt, and I stood up, ready to defend myself if necessary. Not that I could. I was weak.

I started to rethink this whole thing. I wasn’t ready.

“Who's there?” I called out, my voice trembling slightly.

A figure stepped out from the shadows, and I recognized John. His presence was both a surprise to me, and a relief.

“John? What are you doing here?” I asked, trying to keep my voice steady.

He looked at me with a mixture of concern and curiosity.

“I could ask you the same thing, Mercy. Why are you out here in the middle of the night?”

I hesitated, not sure how much to reveal.

“I needed to leave and take a breath of fresh air. I found myself out here, and I feel great.”

“And a breath of fresh air is here? A long way from the house?” He shook his head, looking at me. I didn’t say anything.

John then nodded, as if he understood.

“I see. But it's dangerous out here, especially for someone who's not used to being alone in the forest.”

I shrugged. “I can take care of myself.”

He raised an eyebrow.

“Can you? From what I've seen, you have a lot to learn about survival.”

I bristled at his words.

“I can learn. I'm not afraid of hard work, actually.”

John studied me for a moment, then sighed.

“Alright.” He said and came to sit next to me. With a start, I realised that this was the most John had ever said to me.

“Why are you outside?” I asked him.

“To think. We’ll go back home together, I just want to stay here and breathe first.”

I nodded eagerly.

“Deal.”

I decided to ask him about his past.

“John, why do you live out here alone? What happened to your family? Only you and Marion stay here.” I told him, and he nodded.

He stared into the flames for a long time before answering.

“It's a long story, Mercy.” He said. I was waiting for him to say more, but he didn’t. Guess we’re back to being silent friends, then.

“Alright, I get it. Keep your secrets. But thank you for helping me that day and until now, I’ll always appreciate it.”

I saw a small smile on his face.

“Just did what h would have done for any other person, so don’t worry about it. Wasn’t stressful.” He murmured, and I grinned.

I was making him speak more and it gave me a sense of pride.

“Okay.” I chuckled. “My hero.”

John was silent for a few minutes.

“We would be going back home any time soon, so breathe in whatever you need to, and stretch now. There’s no stopping from here until we get back to the house.” John stated, and I acknowledged.

“Of course, thank you. Marion was cooking something that smelled good before I left the house.” My tummy rumbled just thinking about it.