Daylight (Taylor Swift Fanfic)

prologue

"Darling let's run, run from it all." 

The flickering overhead light cast eerie shadows that danced along the walls, that looked like monsters to the small 7-year-old terrifying her. Eden, her once-bright green eyes now clouded with fear, huddled in the corner of the room as her golden blonde hair clung to her tear-stained-cheeks, clutching the small bear in her hands for her life. 

"Eden, you worthless child! Can't you do anything right?" her birth father, Brad spat, as he towered over her trembling form. His face was angry, Eden couldn't exactly understand exactly why. 

"I-I'm sorry, Daddy," Eden stammered, her small frame trying to shrink even further into the corner. The tattered teddy bear clutched in her arms offered little comfort in the face of his wrath.

"Sorry won't fix anything, you little brat!" he roared, his hand lashing at her, striking Eden across the face. She knew better then to react; she knew what would happen if she did. 

The room seemed to constrict around Eden as she fought back tears, the sting on her cheek a painful reminder of the torment she's been living with since her mom died. It wasn't her fault; her mom had died from cancer. Eden didn't remember much from those happy days. But the few memories she had from her family had been happy. Nothing like it was now. 

Her hair was sticking to her tear-stained face, making it almost impossible to see. 

"Have you learned your lesson?" Her dad asked her, his face twisted up in anger. 

Eden nodded slowly. 

He barked again, not satisfied with Edens answer. 

"Have you learned you lesson?!" 

"Yes father." Eden trembled, still unsure what she should've taken away from this. 

After what seemed like an eternity her father left the room. Eden's back was pushed up against the corner of the wall. Her face now red from where her father had violently hit her. 

Eden longed for the days her worst fears were the monsters underneath her bed, and in her closet. Now her fears were much worse, and unfortunately more realistic. Like whether or not she was going to get food that week, or wondering if her dad was going to hit her that day.

Feeling her hair stick to her face, and her eyes hurting from crying, Eden decided it was enough. This had been going on for many years since her mom had passed. And in her thoughts if she was worthless then nobody would care if she ran away and just died. It wouldn't hurt anyone, maybe in heaven if it was real, she would finally have peace. 

After around two hours of sitting in the corner and clinging to the small bear in her arms She heard the door close. Her dad was gone, she could leave. Grabbing the only thing she still had, the small bear, named Sunny. Slowly she crept downstairs the fear of her father still lingering. The front door was locked, but they had a small backyard when Eden was little, she used to run in. After making her way to the back door she slowly pushed it open and ran. She'd never run faster in her life. 

Her freedom came to a quick stop when she realized there was a fence around the yard. But small as she was, she wasn't stupid. She found the old coffee table she vaguely remembered tripping on right before her life was turned around. She moved it to the brick fence surrounding her. She climbed atop the small coffee table and pulled herself to the top of the wall, then after maneuvering her legs over, and throwing the bear down, she jumped down. 

She felt the bush on the other side break her fall, she quickly grabbed the only feeling of comfort she had. Looking up, Eden found herself looking at the sunset spread out in front of her. It looked straight from a picture. She came to appreciate the beauty of everything around her. The dark green bush that had broken her fall. The small rocks on the sides of her. Her neighbor's green grass. 

She couldn't stay here for long. Her dad would be back. She knew that. So, she did what she had planned on doing before, holding the tiny bear close to her, terrified it would fall, and she ran.