Drowning

Prologue

Emily didn’t like her father’s job.

She didn’t like his work clothes; they seemed too formal and boring, even with the many badges pinned on the left side of the jacket. She didn’t like how he had to shave his head; it didn’t look good on him, in her opinion, she liked how his dark hair contrasted with his blue eyes. But most of all, she hated how he had to leave her.

“August 19th" a father’s promise, a promise that the nine year old desperately clung to with everything she had, clinging to his neck also, unwilling to let him go.

“August 19th" she repeated into his neck. He pulled back slightly to smile at his daughter, his ocean blue eyes crinkling at their sides before he kisses her forehead gently.

“August 19th" he assures, “just in time for your birthday.”

The little girl lets out a sniffle, cuddling her father once more, clutching his neck, unable to fathom that she won’t be able to see him for 8 months.

He gently put her back down, next to her aunty, who was too bothered on her phone and chewing her gum obnoxiously to care. He had no other choice, both his parents were dead and his wife’s parents wanted nothing to do with her. The only reason why his sister-in-law would take his darling daughter is if he paid her, the only other option was putting her in an foster home until he was able to return, but he would never let her to be witness to that.

“August 19th” he said for the last time, smiling at his daughter in reassurance before walking out of sight.

August 19th….

August 19th had come and gone, the young girl still hopeful for her father’s return. Because maybe, they needed him for something else, and he couldn’t quite come home yet. Or maybe, he was planning on surprising her and come back on her birthday with the pretty red dress she had been hoping to get, the one with the polka-dots. Maybe…

Month after month she waited for her father’s return, the hope like a candle burning brightly. But the candle’s flame was slowly fading day by day, month by month, year by year, only barely visible if you squint your eyes carefully.

Her Aunt had put her in a foster home long ago, deciding that taking care of the young girl caused too much stress and didn’t have much faith for her father’s return as Emily did. Eventually she was able to leave the foster home, was able to live in the small house she had grown up in with her father, away from the cries of the lonely children, or the young couples shaking their heads at her.

It was at the age of 17 when the candle’s light faded completely; by a simple letter she had received on a Sunny summer’s day, August 19th to be exact.

We regret to inform you that we have found the remains of the marine ship that Colonel Stevens was assigned to at the bottom of the ocean and found no survivors.

Emily had lost all faith, all hope, and now that the candle of hope was gone, she was surrounded by darkness.

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