Missy

Melissa is ten, perched on the cusp between childhood’s make‑believe and the dawning awareness of a larger world. She drifts from Sunday‑school lessons about miracles to quiet moments in a summerhouse, where the line between imagination and reality blurs. Her days are a swirl of bright dresses, church bells, and the lingering echo of stories she once believed were only for children.

One afternoon, while helping gather song‑books, Melissa slips into the choir room and is swept up by a mournful hymn. Sunlight fractures through stained‑glass, painting the floor in colors that seem to mingle with the music and stir something unfamiliar deep inside her. The experience leaves her breathless, eyes wet with an emotion she cannot name, hinting at a spiritual awakening that will shape the years ahead.