After Years of Searching, She Was There. Right In Front of Me.

My life was an undisturbed, tranquil time with my impeccable, eloquent daughter -- who had luminous, green eyes -- always by my side. Any ruckus was a complete aberration. It was always me and my daughter and my daughter and me. Some knew us as good friends; others just ignored us. Either way, my life could not be happier even though I had a love-hate relationship with living in the scorching desert...

After yet another easeful night, I woke next to my daughter. Or at least I thought. After a few silent minutes, a thought crawled into my mind: my daughter always wakes up first! I sprinted back to my fragile bed with million thoughts in my head. I tossed the bed cover over my feeble shoulder. She was gone! Thunderous clouds blanketed the crystal, blue sky and poured endless showers of tears. " Where could she have gone?" I whispered under my breath as I started to weep. Then, I noticed a single trail of bright, ruby blood running across the room. The blood was as crimson as a rose.

The trail outstretched my, no, our home. I followed this endless line of blood for years throughout this arid desert. As I walked along the trail of blood, it got drier and drier and I got older and older. I crossed many impassable sandstorms and hilly areas. I had to find my daughter!

After many years of searching, never mind how many, I found a man carrying an unconscious woman. I took a closer look and couldn't believe my weary eyes... it was her! The one I had been searching for! My beautiful baby girl! I stared intensively at his expressionless face and bulging arms carrying my lifeless baby. Just looking at him made fright run my veins. His pallid face held bloodshot eyes; ruffled hair; a chiselled jaw and a cavernous mouth. His razor-like chin hairs could slice your finger like a carrot! I couldn't believe that his stubby, withered fingers with dirty, claw-like nails were wrapped around my child's waist. I had so much sympathy for her: she was hanging there with blood running from her neck to her painted fingernails. His herculean figure was held up by his muscular legs on his grubby feet which never seemed to grow tired. I had finally plucked enough courage to charge at him but, the next thing I knew was that I was stabbed...

With my body giving up on me, I fell to my bare knees and cried, " Please spare my daughter! Take me instead!"

"No." he stated smirking while turning back around . Hearing his cold voice sent shivers down my spine. I bawled hopelessly. Then, the world around me spun; I shut my dreary eyes and fell to the floor...

Suddenly, I sat up. Surrounded by blue curtains and in a hospital bed, I saw my daughter: she was peacefully sleeping at my feet. "Oh my poor child!" I whispered as tears were streaming down my face.                                                                                                                                                                         "Father!" She exclaimed after seeing me awake, "I was so worried: you fell into a coma for 10 years and I was so scared." I smiled and hugged her tightly with tubes dangling from my arms. "Please don't leave me ever again!"                                                                                                                             "Oh princess, I promise..."