Jean C. Ortiz Calderón INGL 3238 M25 September 2nd, 2014

Jade’s Youth

The senile Chinese woman thought to herself that even she could do as much, the long

years would not limit Jade’s determination. However, droplets of sweat swarmed her forehead,

the anticipation made her weak heart tremble vigorously. And while resting in a big old cherry

wood chair, like a grandma’s favorite porcelain doll, the cadence of the slow creaking ruptured

her mind. “I will no longer be a burden”, etched in the almost century old woman’s head. First,

she stopped the chair from moving forcing her legs to make a stand, it was enough to stop the

caging chair but her body was not as strong as her will. Her callous feet were cemented to the

ground to serve herself up without falling to the ground. Afterwards, she forced her shaky and

veiny hands in the chair arms, burrowing her yellowed nails into the wood and with the whole of

her strength pushed out to rise from the big and creaking rocking chair. Her slanting small black

eyes almost bursting from her sockets as she stood before her cage. Her great effort was met with

the same amount of satisfaction: she was finally free from the severe curse of age. Her foggy

vision averted the door that lead to her truest destination. Brimming with her young spirit Jade

pushed her frail body to the limits; left leg first, then goes the right leg, and with each passing

pace her body aching in agony but a face adorned with the most beautiful of smiles. After two

minutes that seemed like an eternity Jade passed the doorway leading to her most treasured

place: a small flowery garden breathed life into Jade. There laid the toughest obstacle for the

woman, she had to climb down three steps. The first step she felt on every vein of her legs, the

second almost stopped her heart and at the last one tears streamed down her face: she no longer

felt a burden to her family and finally let herself fall into the flowery fields to rest forever.