I've been locked up for 4,490 days, more than seven years, since I was twelve. I never understood why, but today for the first ti? I look down at my pale skin. It's quite obvious I haven't been in the sun I push open the big wooden doors that have always been locked. As I walk out, I sense and feel multiple things:

I feel heat of the sun on my pale skin. I feel the green spikes between my toes, grass, green, very green grass.

I smell many things I haven't smelled in a while. Like flowers and grass and heat. Can you even smell heat? It smells wet and hot, that's what heat smells like.

I look up at the sun and look away almost immediately. It burns my eyes as it burns my skin. It's bright, brighter than any lamp, than any flame.

I hear these chirping noises I assume are birds. I hear people playing and talking below me in the town, in the market I had only ever gone to once when I was five. The sounds of children laughing and the sound of someone humming and someone singing.

I taste something salty on the top on my lip. I can smell it. Sweat. I haven't sweated because of the sun in a while. It brings me joy, unbearable joy.

I'm overwhelmed by these sense and fall onto the grass. Grass is comfy, really comfy. I could sleep right here. This feeling reminds me of the day I was locked in my small room. The men dragged me in, the sun was as hot as it is today, there was no chirping or children or singing or people. It was just twelve year old me and those three men. I feel onto the grass trying to stop them from dragging me in, they did anyway.

Finally, they have left and I'm free. Freedom. The sun reminds me of freedom, it's free to shine all day every day, even if we can't see it. I remember my teacher mentioning something about the earth orbiting the sun. I know why, the sun is beautiful, so beautiful. I want to hug it, kiss it on the cheek. I want to be it's companion. I know what it's like to be lonely. The sun seems lonely.

I sit up and start to play with the blades of grass, staring up at the sun, ignoring the glaring light and heat emitting off it. No the sun isn't lonely, it has earth, the moon, the stars, and many other planets. The sun is like their leader. I wan't to follow the sun. I trust the sun with my life.

"Hey, girl!" Someone calls. I look at the person who looks to be my age and my gender. I point at myself. "Yes, you! Wanna come play some games with us? It's the Sunlight Festival after all! What are you doing alone?"

"I don't know." I whisper with my raspy voice as she stands in front of me.

She holds out her hand in front of me with a smile as bright as the sun, "Come on!" I take her hand. She drags me down to the people.

I smile as girls and boys my age greet me and I play games. The sun keeps planets, stars, and many other things together, including human relationships. The sun is beautiful.