And Much Afraid walks ever so softly through the dark woods, careful not to make any sound and disturb Bigger. Bigger had been asleep for a few hours so Much Afraid had a brief respite from his demands. Though now spoken with a soft tone, the meaning beneath each broken word that escaped his mouth cut her. She no longer felt it, just hated cleaning up the bloody mess left behind.
There is an escape for Much afraid. She can close her eyes and disappear to her time in the sun. In this hidden place in her mind, she found the peace missing elsewhere. Back to the day she met her King. . .
Making Bigger angry had left her lying broken on the floor. She was much too tired to even bother to get up this time. She closed her eyes and welcomed the darkness, and an end to being little. She laid there, untouched, unnoticed so long, Much Afraid and everyone else, forgot that she even existed. She had become the nothing Bigger had always wanted.
Much afraid was awakened by soft footsteps by her side. Opening her eyes she saw a familiar face, a kind man from her past. He took her hand and helped her to her feet. Much afraid was overwhelmed at the kindness in his touch, she could hardly breathe. And then she looked into his eyes, lost forever in a place she had been longing to be.
The King held her close and bandaged her broken spirit. He told her over and over again that things would be OK, so much so that Much Afraid began to believe him. She believed so much in the Kings words, that her body no longer shook when Bigger came. With great ease she blew away his broken words. She was strong and confident and brave.
But, as in every story in which Much Afraid had ever played, the sunshine faded. The King stepped farther, and farther away, so far she could no longer see his kind eyes or hear his sweet voice. Don't go, she had pleaded, don't leave me in this place, please. The King shook his head, smiling sweetly, calling her Silly, and telling her she would be just fine. If only.
How? How does Much Afraid face a new day without the sun? How does she go willingly into the darkness she had been set free from, back to the land of Bigger, where she no longer exists? If only she could make the King understand. If he knew how much he meant, he would never ever take his Sunshine away. If he knew how small and scared and alone she felt without her King, he would reign in her world always and all ways.