"Living in the shadows for almost half my life has taught me one thing: It is not the darkness you should be afraid of, it's the daylight because that is when you let your guard down. It is during the day, when you feel safe, that your enemies can p...
"We don't even ask for happiness, just a little less pain."
-Charles Bukowski, 'Letter to William Packard', July 1985
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It was would have, otherwise, been a calm and silent night in the forest, hadn't it been for the hurried footsteps of a girl which echoed through the thick trees. The wind whistled around her as the girl ran through the forest, praying her legs would carry her faster. Dusk was on the horizon, painting the sky in a bright orange hue.
The dew on the grass made a squishing noise as she stepped on them. Insects spoke in hushed whispers within the safety of their thickets; birds slept peacefully in their nests high above the ground. Every living and non-living creature of the forest was serene except for the rhythmic thud of the girl's feet. Moonlight graced the forest and shone down upon the pale figure of the running child with a silvery light, highlighting her figure. She looked no more than nine years old.
She wore a grey dress that just touched her knees, but it was tattered and ripped in various places; even burnt. The look on her face expressed deep terror and horror, her eyes seemed to be fleeing from some kind of torture. Leaves and twigs were stuck in her silvery hair and her nails were black around the edges from the dirt.
The contours of the forest floor poked her every once in a while but she didn't notice the pain or the tiny but sharp obstacles in her path. The branches scraped her skin but were ignored just like the stones on the ground. She never once looked back, just fled at her best speed.
Suddenly, a distinctly large piece of wood lay in her path over which she tripped and fell face-first onto the ground. She lifted her face and it was then, that the tears streaming down her face were visible. Her eyes had darkened and distress had filled them. It made the shadows wonder why such a young child was bolting into such a deep part of the forest.
Slowly, she rose on her hands and knees and sat back, using the back of her hand to wipe her face. It did not do much good though, her hands were as much covered in dirt as her face. She stood up and looked around trying to get a grasp of her surroundings, but given the sigh that escaped her delicate-looking lips, she had no clue where she was. She sighed once again and started to trudge forward. All the adrenaline that had pushed her so far drained out of her. She appeared to have finally given in to whatever was haunting her.
After walking a distance she reached a clearing and stepped out into the small open part of the forest. Her steps had started getting heavier and sloppier. The girl looked upwards. The moon was bright and visible, looking like a ball of hope and strength, but the girl was empty and she felt as if she was drowning in guilt and fear. She felt as if there was no space left in her heart for any warmth. She felt utterly lost and broken. "Help me, please." Staring pleadingly at the moon she whispered, "I don't know where to go, I'm tired."
She sniffled once, "I already miss home, but can I go back? That lady said that I was a traitor and murderer. I am, aren't I? She said she will hurt me if she sees me again. Help me."
