Â鶹Éç

The girl is young and brunette, she is not especially tall or short, and her face is neither pretty nor plain. In fact she is almost brutally average, the sort of individual who doesn't seem individual at all, that it is hard to picture in your mind's eye or describe to another person. Easy to forget. And she is now somewhere very much similar to herself, a strange blank space that is nowhere, like a clearing that nature forgot about. There is nothing and yet there is the sense that 'here' there is everything. The girl knows that she has to move but she cannot remember why, only that it is the most important thing that she ever has done or ever will do.
It is because of this strange urge that she is struggling in a direction which has been chosen very carefully. And she struggles because in this place where there is nothing, the air that cannot be air is more like treacle. Like she is lost in a dream world. She must move slowly, if she attempts sudden movement she will lose her balance and fall. And if she falls she does not know if she will be able to stand up again in this syrupy atmosphere. Her eyes are fixed ahead of her, waiting for something she knows must come.
After an immeasurable period in this timeless place what she is looking for finally comes into view. So close, she is so close when He asks her His question, the question He has been waiting to ask, 'Where are you?'
The girl comes to a stop, suddenly afraid, though she knows that there is no reason. She tries to moisten her dry mouth, but her answer is no more than a whisper. 'Here I am.'
His face is turned away from her but she knows He has heard her, for He hears all things. She takes a deep breath, trying to calm her anxiety. He sits on a chair of wood, nondescript yet unmissable, and what she can see of him is as indescribable as the space.
'Take my hand.' He reaches out towards her, still facing away. The girl extends her hand and although they are so close they cannot touch each other. 'Why won't you take my hand?' His voice is as innocent and pure as any child's. 'Why are you afraid?' He is hurt and bewildered, she feels so guilty for not reaching Him, but what can she do? Suddenly He begins to shrink, getting smaller and smaller and the girl realises that He is not getting smaller, but getting further away.
'No!' she cries across the ever widening gap between them. 'Come back! Please come back! I'm not afraid!'
His voice carries easily over the plain, though He is not shouting, 'It is you who are leaving. I will always be here, waiting for you.'
Staring in horror the girl tries to run, to close the gap between them. But she has forgotten the honey- like quality of the air and she loses her balance. There are tears rolling down her face and sobs wrack her body. Desperation lends her strength as she crawls towards him.
She does not know how long it took her to reach him, nor does anyone. The memories of any hardship were pushed to the back of her mind when she came at last to be in his presence again.
And despite that she had run from Him last time, that she had lied about being afraid, He is there just as before. Once again He holds out His hand, His voice soft and gentle, 'Where are you?' he asks even though he knows the answer already.
'Here I am.' The girl whispers, then, kneeling on the ground before him with her cheeks tearstained and her arms shaking, she reaches out and takes his hand.