The Call

Harlyn

I dial the number and wait. Each ring worries me. If Father answers, which he has a few times, I have to hang up quickly so he doesn’t know it's me.

“Harlyn!” Samuel’s voice comes through the phone, instantly making me smile, but at the same time, tears begin to fill my eyes.

“Samuel, it’s good to hear from you,” I reply. “I wanted to do our usual check-in,” I explain. Our phone calls are rare, and they are the only way I know that everyone is alive and well at home. We have agreed on no big updates, if less they are life-and-death sitauations, it’s for the best.

“Harlyn, I need you to come home, please,” Samuel says, and I notice the worry in his tone.

“Samuel, that’s not possible. I was exiled, remember?” I remind him. My heart is craving to go home and see them, but it’s not possible.

“Please, Mother wishes to see you, Harlyn,” he pleads. I wish he could understand this.

It isn’t easy to refuse, but going back is going against my father's orders, and that won’t be good for a