Tattooed Freedom. | Teen Ink

Tattooed Freedom.

July 1, 2010
By Discovering BRONZE, Karachi, Other
Discovering BRONZE, Karachi, Other
1 article 0 photos 0 comments

She shoved a sufficient amount of crumpled up money into her bag. She rummaged through her bag one last time to make sure she had everything she needed. The sudden sound of her cell phone ringing jerked her out of her frenzied state of mind :
“ Yes , I’ll be leaving in thirty seconds,” cautiously scanning her surroundings as she whispered into the mouthpiece of her cell phone.
Those thirty seconds she took, to scan and bid farewell to the faded walls of the orphanage.She ran her fingers past the many pictures on the tapestry.She forced herself to stop ; and strapping her bad strapping her bad around her shoulder , she made her way out the front door, shutting it soundlessly, afraid of waking up the matron. She made her way toward the red car which had clearly been waiting for her. She was dropped of at the airport and not a minute soon her did her phone ring again. This time her friend broke into a voice ferrous hurried speech :
“ Please tell me you are at the airport! Matron has awakened and she is in absolute vexation. Board that plane now! No second thoughts , Viola. You wanted to find out what that tattoo means, so go do it! Who engraved it there , whether or not your parents did it , who they are? Either way you will always have a better life there. I will take care of matron. Remember all has been arranged for you , there. You are not helpless! Just build up the courage to board that plane and then ways will unravel themselves before you. I must go now , before matron figures this out. Take care.”

Her friend left her speechless but not thoughtless. She eyed the airport but her gaze froze at the sight of the lavatory sign. She made her way through the crowd , obviously pushing past a few people and found herself staring into her mirrored reflection. Cautiously , she lifted up her sleeve which unveiled the verses which had been tattooed across her arm :

“ As long as the Thames shall continue to flow,

So long shall the Big Ben toll for thee ,

Not to die,

But to come to me.”
She repeated the last words again , “ Come to me”

It was as if an invisible potion of courage had been injected into the very veins underneath the skin supporting those verses. A different girl came out those doors. She shed her timid attire and with her sleeve still rolled up , with a confident gait , she made her way to the check in desk , past the clearance officials into the departure lounge and eventually found herself staring out the small window by her seat in the plane.
After take off , her mind was finally at rest. She closed her eyes and surrendered to slumber and smiled as the the following words reverbrated in her mind :
‘ Just build up the courage to board that plane and ways will unravel before you’

The seat belt of the uncomfortable economy class seat clung to her abdomen. Yet it was the most peaceful sleep she had experienced in quite a while. Freedom had its perks after all.

The author's comments:
Not one of my best or most refined works. But one which has sentimental value.

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