137 "I told you before," the girl comforted, "you
can't think of me in that way here. It will hurt you. Please
understand."
138 The woman began to cry. "I didn't mean to hurt you," she said , "I
didn't mean to hurt any of you. I couldn't help it. I tried to fight
it, but I couldn't help it. How can you forgive me? Why don't you hate
me like the others?"
139 "Hate would only destroy me," answered the girl. "By forgiving you,
by taking my pain back from you, I grow, myself. I know your mind was
sick, but you can be well now. You can learn to be a woman, you don't
have to pretend to be a man. You can be happy as what you are."
140 The woman looked around and saw Bullet. Fear suddenly filled her
face and she tried to crawl towards The Darkness. "He won't hurt you!"
the girl assured.
141 "He hurt me before," the woman answered, "I remember...only for an
instant, but it hurt."
142 The kindly Speaker spoke up. "In a way, this man saved you. If you
had lived much longer, you might not have survived to get here. He
won't hurt you again."
143 The woman began to cry again. "What do you want?" she pleaded.
"What do you want? I've told you I'm sorry. I've told you again and
again."
144 "But it has been sorrow," answered the girl, "only because of the
pain. You must say you're sorry, realize the things you did were wrong,
and make them right. Then, you must seek each person you hurt, and
promise you will make amends. Then, the pain will stop. You can come
into The Light and it won't burn." The woman touched the girl's hand,
crawled up by the rock, and went to sleep.
145 "Keep at it!" encouraged the wise Speaker.