There was a girl.

She couldn't understand the world around her. How people can hurt others the way they do. How people can do the things they do. And she got frightened.

She thought, 'if I build a shelter around myself, a place for me to go to when I am afraid, then it doesn't matter when the world is in chaos'.

And so she built, layer by layer, brick by brick. Until it was enough to shield her from the storms of the world.

One day, a boy stopped by her little shelter. He told her many stories of how beautiful the world can be too. Finally he invited her to go see the world with her. He promised to hold on to her hand and never let go.

She took a look around her little shelter and peered at the road leading out of the shelter and into the world. It looked bright and sunny, but dark clouds were looming in the far horizon. She was a little scared. But the boy again reassured her he will not let go of her hand. Thinking that the clouds might have been blown away by the time she neared the horizon, she took a deep breath and held on tight to the boy's hand.

Together they stepped out of the little shelter and made their way down the little path leading to the world outside.

Along the way, they had alot of fun. The boy was always holding on tightly to her hand. And whatever she wanted to do he would always go along with her. Sometimes the sun went behind the clouds and the shadows came out. During these times, she always trembled in fear. But the boy never let go of her hand. Whenever she got too frightened and tried to run back to the shelter he would always comfort her and hold her close.

One day, the sun went behind the clouds again and it took a long time before the shadows went away. This happened a few more times, sometimes there were light drizzles too. Although the boy still held on to her hand, he was not holding on as tightly as before. He also began to walk farther apart from her. He talked to her less too and whenever she asked he would always say everything is fine and that he will never leave.

The shadows danced around them more often now. And the drizzles have turned into showers. They were both tired from walking. The girl wants to build a new shelter for both of them. She wanted them to have a resting place to go to when they are tired. But the boy just kept quiet and kept on walking. The rain made it difficult for him to hold on to her as tightly as before. There were times when they were walking on their own, apart from each other. It was difficult to see the road in front too. The rain has begun to sting their eyes as it pelts down on them.

One night, in the middle of a storm, the boy turned to the girl and said 'I'm sorry, but I'm tired now. I don't know how to go on anymore. I'm letting go of your hand now'.

The girl begged him not to leave. She was very frightened. She didn't know how to go back and where to go on to next. She told him 'Let's have a break and rest ourselves. We're both tired. But I don't want to let go'. However the boy did not hear her pleas at all.

Before she could reach out for him, he walked into the darkness, alone...

The girl could not see around her. It was darkness and rain everywhere. When she stretched out her hands, she could not see them. She did not know where to go. She called out to the boy but the rain and wind drowned out her voice. She walked on in circles around herself.

She slipped and fell many times in the rain. She was bruised and bleeding all over. She was wet and tired and frightened. Many times the thunder and the howls of the wind caused her to drop to her knees trembling and shaking...

One day, she turned her head to look behind and saw the sunshine peeked weakly through the storm. She decided to walk back towards the sunshine and back to her little shelter. And so she picked her sore and aching body up and began to make her way home.

As she walked out of the storm and shadows into the sun, her clothes and hair began to dry and her body began to heal. Sometimes when she passed by a spot where she and the boy used rest and play her eyes will let down a tear or two. But she reminded herself he is gone, into the rain and shadows.

Soon her eyes picked out the familiar outline of her little shelter and she took in a deep breath and held her head high as she quickened her steps. Before long she was standing in front of her shelter.

She began to clean up the place and continued to rebuild her shelter. She raised the walls of her shelter and closed up all the doors and windows. All that was left was a tiny little skylight that let in a stream of sunlight.

Although she is lonely she knows this is the only way where no one else can come into her shelter again and persuade her with sweet nothings into a dangerous world. A world that she will not be able to take on by herself.

All she has left are the memories the boy left behind.

Ramble ramble.....