From Useless To Indispensable

Twenty Eight Years Ago (2)

Twenty-eight years ago, as the first rays of dawn painted the sky in a delicate palette of pastel hues, Sapphira stirred from her slumber, the gentle rhythm of her breathing disrupted by the insistent rap of knuckles against the weathered door of their modest farmhouse. With a sense of curiosity tinged with apprehension, she rose from her bed, the worn floorboards creaking softly beneath her feet as she made her way to the entrance.

To her surprise, standing on the threshold was Grace, her usual luminous countenance shrouded in a veil of trepidation. Sapphira's heart clenched at the sight of her friend's distress, a surge of concern welling within her like a rising tide. "Grace, what brings you here at such an early hour? Are you alright?" she inquired, her voice laced with genuine concern.

Grace's breath came in shallow gasps as she struggled to compose herself, her gaze darting nervously around the dimly lit room. "I...I had to come, Sapphira," she stammered, her voice barely above