Finding my Wings

~13

        You’d think leaving the world of a fairy tale would be hard. But it was painfully easy. The bus driver had only eyed me before asking for the money. And with that I was on my way back to reality. I wondered if Tristan would get the letter before lunch. Would he be sad? No, he had Ally of course. I’d only been a nuisance to him after all. He’d be glad to be rid of me. The kitten I’d deamed Max would probably be the only one to miss me. But only because he wouldn’t have me to love on him.

        I hadn’t realized how far Tristan’s house was from my Uncle’s until it was almost 8 a.m. and I’d gotten on around 4 that morning. But then whenI thought about it, Uncle’s house could’ve been on the other side of the world with how different the neighborhoods were. I’d become numb to the fear of walking through that door again. If this was going to be my reality for the rest of my life, then I would have to get used to it.

        The decrepit yard and broken glass bottles led up to the front door fo the shabby house.Uncle was home and I could because the TV was on.

        Taking a deep breath I opened the door and took a step inside.

        “Who’s there?” He yelled. Uncle came running into the small foyer to see me taking my shoes off at the door. “What the fuck are you doing here? I thought I’d left you to rot on those streets!”

        “Well,” I began. “guess your luck just didn’t win out.”

        “Don’t take that tone with me you little bitch! You still owe me money and until I get it you better treat me with respect! You owe me big time and I’m not a merciful guy!” He hand reached up to slap my face and I fell back against the wall. The aged bump in my head hit it with enough force to nearly black me out again. By the time I opened my eyes, Uncle already had me pinned down and my pants off. Maybe I wasn’t so prepared for this because I began screaming and protesting. Something I knew he wouldn’t forgive me for.

        “You better hold still you little slut, it’s about time you learned your place again in this house! And don’t plan on ever leaving again or you’ll pay for it!”

        Pain. Oh god I’d almost forgotten what the pain could feel like. Those weeks in that fairytale house had made me soft and weak. My will broke the moment Uncle reminded me just what that pain was meant for. Just let me die, oh God please if you have any mercy just let me die. There’s nothing I wanted more then to be free of this pain.

        I only wish I had told Tristan how much I loved him. Tristan’s name was on my lips as the darkness was closing in on me.

        The weight on top of me was suddenly lifted away. Through the dense cloud that was fogging my brain I thought I could hear Uncle screaming.        

        But I knew it wasn’t real. Because Tristan’s voice wouldn’t be screaming back at him right now if this was really real. A large clang like a skillet hitting a basketball startled me and I struggled to be lifted into consciousness.

        Uncle lay against the wall a couple feet away. Blood trickling from the side of his head, making his greasy hair matted and clumped. And like a saving angel, Tristan stood above him, holding a steel bat so tightly in his hand I thought his fingers would break.

        I could tell he was shaken up pretty badly by what had just happened. I became unaware of my exposed, dirtied body and only wished to the highest heavens that this was real, and my prince had come to save me after all.

        “Keira?” I hadn’t noticed he’d turned to look at me until the sound of the heavy bat hitting the floor startled me. “Oh my god Keira! Don’t worry I already dialed the police. Oh god I was too late wasn’t I? It’s going to be ok. Don’t worry.”

        I felt like he was the one that needed comforting here. H took off his jacket and laid it on top of my naked torso before crouching down at my side and taking my uninjured hand in his. “Keira.” He said my name whilst tears rolled down his perfect pale cheeks. I didn’t care if this was real or not. This is what I would see in heaven when I opened my eyes next time. Tristan. And all the love showing in his eyes.