• DREAMING OF A HERO,
    Thump, thump, a little girl cowers in the corner as the footsteps up the stairs get closer to her room, suddenly the thumps stop, she looks up has she been spared tonight? All hopes are shattered as the knob of the locked door begins to rattle, the girl’s already pale white skin grows even whiter in fear as she presses herself as close to the wall as possible as the lock of the door continues to rattle and begins to give way. A small sob escapes her small body as the lock clicks and the door swings open to reveal her nightmare. He wears an evil smile as he steps into the girl’s room what should be every child’s sanctuary, but for this child was the place where the worst pain was administered to her. The man walks slowly to the frightened child much like a predator stalking its prey. The girl whimpers as he grabs her by her beautiful brown hair and drags her into a standing position, he begins to hit her and yell at her while she silently cries and begs him to stop with a hoarse voice, she would have screamed for mercy and forgiveness for things that she was blamed for but were out of her control, but alas her voice is gone from all the screaming she had done when he had attacked her earlier that day. The heartless man ignores the child’s heart wrenching sobs for mercy and continues to strike her, finding satisfaction in her pain.

    “I’m sorry, I’m sorry.” She sobs over and over again, not even knowing what she was apologizing for. What had she done wrong, what had she done to deserve this? Had she been bad? What had she done? These are the questions that run through the girls head as the monster ruthlessly throws her across the room and takes his leave. Dragging her small body up she staggers on unsteady legs to the bathroom, wincing in pain as she pulls herself onto the counter so she can reach the cabinet where her family kept the first aid kit. Opening the kit she pulls some stuff that stung out to clean the fortunately few open wounds the demon had left upon her. Covering them with band-aids she took a moment to admire her handiwork, now she could just say she had fallen down while she was playing if anyone asked her about them. She hears the demon leave to pick her mother up from work, she creeps to the window in the front of the house and looks out the window, she watches as he pulls out of the driveway and drives away. Once she’s sure he is gone she walks to her room and pulls out a backpack out of her closet that she had packed earlier that day, the monster had caught her packing and had asked her about it to which she had replied she was going on a trip, the man had shrugged it off thinking the little girl was playing pretend. She limped down the stairs and opened the front door, closing it carefully behind her so as not to wake her baby brother who was nestled in his bed safe from the dangers of the madman because of his gender, so the girl did not feel guilty about leaving him there. She walked down to the park where she liked to play on the rare occasions she was allowed to go more than a few feet away from the apartment. Crawling under the slide she did her best to make herself comfterble on the mulch of the playground, before closing her eyes and allowing her small body to slip into darkness.

    The little girl looked around in shock, what was she doing back in her bedroom? Her body shook in fear as she heard the familiar footfalls on the stairs, covering her ears she whimpered in fright as the lock of the door gave way, and she was once again staring into the face of the demon. He smiled his wicked smile as he punched her in the stomach, then kicked her in the side, on and on the beating went on as he called her unpleasant names and blamed her for all of the problems her mother and he had been having.

    “You are worthless, you’re nothing, and your mother would be so much happier if you would just die. You are nothing but a burden to this family, a parasite, a good for nothing freeloader. Your mother doesn’t love you, you were a mistake, a good for nothing mistake who is getting what she deserves, understand?” He screams at her as he pins her to the wall by her fragile neck, he gives a laugh then tightens his hold on her throat cutting off the girls air supply, she panics and begins to struggle violently in the demon’s hold, while he laughs and holds her with more force. He is so caught up in her pain and his feeling of victory when her struggles cease as her energy leaves her, he doesn’t notice a man with beautiful violet wings and eyes appear in the room. The mysterious angel attacks the demon throwing him against the wall holding him in the same manner the monster had held the small girl. The angel meets the monster’s frightened eyes before it smirks and tears the villain’s jugular vein out. The monster lets out a gurgled scream as he suffocates on his own life fluid. The angel ignores him and turns to the small girl who is drenched in her tormenters blood. She gazes up at him, her bright blue eyes filled with adoring gratitude, this angel is her champion, her savior, he smiles at her and gently spreads his wings to shield the girl from the rain of the demon’s blood. He bends down to her level and embraces the small brunette as she cries tears of happiness at her new found freedom.

    “Thank you, you saved me I thought I was going to die.” She whispered speaking words far beyond her years, but when you live in your own personal hell what else do you have but to read? The angel smiled as he held the small girl close.

    “But of course I will always be there for you little one, I am your angel, your savior. You have no need to fear you will be rescued soon return home little one.” The angel whispered to her pulling back out of the embrace, the little girl looked confused.

    “This isn’t real then?” she asked sadly, gazing at the body of her demon, the angel smiled and ruffled the brunette’s hair.

    “Only if you don’t want it to be little one, I will always be with you to protect you from everlasting damage and death, do not fear for I’m always with you.” Whispered the angel taking the child’s small hand into his much larger one. She smiled softly at him and nodded her understanding, such wisdom at such a young age.

    “Ok I’ll go back, but can I know your name at least please?” She begged staring at her hero with adoring eyes; the angel chuckled and nodded kneeling back down to her height.

    “Of course little one my name is Salvador, I’m your guardian angel now and forevermore, I will always protect you from the worst harm, now little one please wake up and return home before that monster comes back and discovers your not there.” Salvador begs to his little charge, she nods and allows the room and her guardian angel to fade from sight.

    Opening her eyes, the little brunette quickly sits up; crawling out from under the slide she grabs her backpack and runs home, pulling woodchips from her hair as she goes. Reaching her house she quickly opens the door and darts inside, closing it in a hurry, running up the stairs she barely makes it her room and shuts the door before it bangs open, announcing the monster’s arrival home. She lies down on her bed and stares up at the ceiling, a shadow drifts across it that looks like a man with wings, but when she looks around she can’t find what caused it anywhere. She lays back down smiling softly to herself as she allows her dreams to take her away. She doesn’t want to have anything to do with the real world now, she only wish’s to dream about her hero, as she drifts off to sleep she could swear she heard Salvador’s voice whisper in the darkness…

    “Sleep well little one, I promise you will be free soon.”