Uncherished
The little girl traced the coloured patterns on the patchwork quilt like a maze... Red made a path like this, yellow went here, if you followed green you had to jump two squares in the middle. The flower patterned cloth was next to a yellow square, the bunnies next to a red. To bring flowers to the bunnies she found a pattern of alternating red and yellow which brought her all around the quilt from edge to center. She was supposed to be napping but sleep was elusive and the patterns entertained her while she awaited permission to play once more.
"Little bunny, don't eat the flower... There are carrots over here. Red, blue, red, blue... Here, bunny, now you can eat... " She sat up to reach the last square, then plopped down in exasperation on the bed. "Mommy! Can I get up yet?" The ongoing silence was her only answer.
She sat up and flopped down again, landing on her favorite stuffed bear. "Oh, Teddy... I'll kiss it better. Mwau, mwau. It's ok. Mommy said we could go out again today. Here. Go say hi to bunnies." She placed the bear on the bunnies without bothering to introduce them. They were naptime friends from way back.
"Moooooooommmmmmmmmyyyyy!" More silence. The girl flopped side to side in frustration, one foot making accidental contact with the wall.
Bang.
"Oh!" Maybe mommy would hear and think she fell. Surely she would check on her if she thought she fell...
Bang, bang, bang went little feet on the bedroom wall... Silence followed. Bang, bang... Louder this time, followed by more silence.
The girl sighed, feeling sorry for herself. Why didn't mommy care if she fell?
"Mooooooommmmmmyyyyyyy!!Mommy! Mommy! Moooooooooooommy!" It was no use. Panicked and sobbing, the girl got out of her bed and stomped mightily on the floor. "Moooooommmmmmyyyyy!!!! Please, Mommy. Please. Mooooooooommmy!"
No one came. No one would ever come. The girl would cry herself to sleep on the floor and awaken in the darkness to an empty house, in the middle of a war-torn city, alone and uncherished.
Someday, long after she had forgotten their names and faces, she would grow into a warrior. She would love and she would lose and she would find her heart again and again. Through all the life, and all its lessons, someday, somehow, the little girl would learn to cherish herself, never to be uncherished again.
