Natine sat in the one lone ray of sunlight that fell into her cell. It was now mid afternoon, but in her cell it was darkest night, save for that one ray of light. Natine sat huddled in the slight warmth of the light. When the light crossed the room, she crawled after it, craving the warmth. When finally it reached the far wall it began to climb up to the ceiling, then it crossed over to the crack from which it entered, and it was gone, free from the damp cell. And Natine wept, for she was, once again, alone.

    The darkness grew. It seemed it was too dark to become any darker, but it did. Gray became dark gray.  Dark gray became soft black. Soft black became hard black. And that black became pitch black. And when it could, indeed, get no darker, the air got colder, and thicker, till it became difficult to breath.

    Natine crawled around the room, searching for any sign of warmth. Her bare feet slipped out from under her when she tried to stand, and her hands froze when she tried to grip the rock wall. How she longed to be the light, to climb the wall and escape through the crack.

    "Let me free!" Natine at last screamed when she could take no more. "Let me free!" And she wept. She wept a river of salty tears. "What have I done? Why do you keep me from my land?"

    "Give me what I wish for and you shall be free." Came from the shadows beyond her cell, a low monotone voice.

    "What do you ant? I have gold! I will give it all to you! Just please, let me go."

    "Gold will not quench my thirst. Gold will not fill my desire. Gold will not set you free."

    Natine then collapsed into a heap of cold and tears. Till finally she slept.

~~~*~~~

    Morning came to the cell. Light crept in to warm Natine's cold skin. When she awoke she searched for the source of the strange voice, but all around her were the rock walls of the cell. She saw no doors or entry ways of any sort. And when she spoke, "Are you still there?" Only her echoes answered.

    The ray of sun crossed the room as it had the day before, and like the day before, it climbed the wall and crossed to the crack from which it came and it escaped to the outside. 

    Natine huddled in the damp corner as the darkness set in around her. The cold air pricked her skin and sent goose bumps up her back.

    When Natine again asked to be free, the eerie voice again spoke the words, "Give me what I wish for."

    Natine fell asleep again in her own tears. She cried and cried till she had no more tears to shed. And when she awoke, she was dry.

    Natine scurried over to the ray of sun and followed it once more across the room, but this time, when it began to climb the wall, she also attempted the climb. The rocks were rough and cold. Her grip became weaker and weaker. When she reached the top she reached, reached with all her might, for that small crack the sun would escape through. And just before her hands reached it, just before she grabbed hold, she fell.

    Unable to move, Natine laid on the ground. Her hands were sore and bleeding, her bare feet were scraped and bruised, her arms and legs were cold and stiff. But she was not dead. Natine laid there for hours, not moving, not sleeping, and barely breathing. She laid there till the next day. And when the sun had reached the wall, she cried, even without tears, she cried. Outside clouds formed and rain began to poor. From the crack a few drops of water fell into the cell. Natine tried to move, tried to reach the water, but she could not. She was broken and bleeding. The water dripped right next to her. She heard it splash on the stone floor.

    More hours past. Natine was still unable to move, and the rain was still falling. The floor of her cell was now covered with a twig's width of water. The water was cold, colder than the stone floor, cold as ice.

    Natine tried to move her head, tried again to reach the water. The water lapped at her hands, teasing her, it swept her hair and tickled her feet. Natine let out a whine when all her efforts to reach the water failed.

    From the depths beyond the darkened call a laughter arose. A loud, ear piercing laughter. When Natine heard the laughter she screamed. Screamed with all the last strength inside her. Screamed once again to be let free. Screamed till her lungs about burst. Screamed till her voice cracked. Screamed till she was out of breath and sound.

    Then everything was silent. For one frightening moment. Then a drip. The rain still fell. Still tormented her. Drip, drip, drip. Every second. The water was now almost to her mouth, just a few more hours and she could drink. But when the sun shone through and onto her face, it stopped. No more water came in from outside, the clouds had cleared, and no more water poured in.

   It was over, Natine knew she would die. Her mouth was dry, she needed water. Water that was close, and yet so far.

   One last time she mouthed the words, "Let me free." And this time the strange voice did not answer her. Or if it did, it was too late.

   Natine's eyes closed and she breathed her last breath. Then she gave up. And as she died she realized that she was, now, free.