Chapter 40: A Caged Bird's Plea

Chapter 40: A Caged Bird's Plea       Noelle stood before the open window with her hands resting limply at her sides as the salty breeze brushed against her skin. The wind was warm that carried the scent of the sea, of freedom mocking her with something she could not reach.   The view before her stretched endlessly. The ocean shimmered under the golden light of the rising sun as its surface shifted between shades of deep blue and silver. Waves gently rolled in before crashing against the jagged rocks below, creating a foamy white embrace that dissolved just as quickly as it appeared.   It was beautiful. A sight that should have filled her with peace.   But Noelle felt nothing.   Her heart was heavy and her mind was clouded with hopelessness so thick she could barely breathe.   The rustling of fabric and the soft scraping of measuring tape against skin barely registered in her consciousness. The woman taking her measurements moved methodically with her cold hands as she adjusted the tap