The worn dirt path running through the thick, dismal woods looks well worn and depressing; the trees towering high above and shutting out the sunlight. Starting down the path, she reviews her short, painful life. Gorgeous, pink prom dresses and blue soccer jerseys hang dejectedly, torn and filthy, from the twisting branches. Memories of rejections, failed goals, and ruined nights fill her mind and she tries to shake it off. Suddenly, a sharp breeze rips through the forest, bringing papers whipping around the thick, brown trunks. One paper flies straight into her face and she grabs it, glancing over he pages. As her eyes scan the test, she notes all of the red marks and the "F" screaming from the top of the page. She closes her eyes and pictures her teacher glaring down at her as he placed the test face down on her tan desk. "I'm very disappointed in you," he said as he turned to the next student, praising their work. Her eyes fly open, a single tear escaping and running down her pale cheek. She crumples the paper and throws it down, stepping on it as she continues her journey.
Harsh laughter reverberates through the dense woods, mocking her every step. Images of her so-called "friends" fill her mind; the many scenes overwhelm her and she falls to the ground, covering her ears in an unsuccessful attempt to block out the noise. She reaches for her knife to slide across her arm once again, but the blood gives no release. The images remain. She throws her knife far into the trees, screaming in pain, from both inside and out. She jumps up and starts sprinting, her bright red hair whipping behind her in the wind and her brown combat boots pounding the dirt until she runs of out breath. She slows, tears and makeup streaming down her face, blood still flowing from her arm.
A small red paper catches her eye and she walks over and pick it up. It's a heart. It's been crumpled, ripped, and walked over, the boot marks evident. She turns it over and drops it in painful surprise as she sees her own name on the back. She covers her own heart protectively and thinks of the constant rejection and abuse in her life from family, friends, and boys. Tears flowing even more rapidly, she continues on, feet dragging, until she reaches her goal.
She stops at her destination and waits for a few minutes. Suddenly, a dark figure materializes in front of her. He's as white as snow, wearing a black-hooded cloak. He looks at her with sad, dark eyes and asked, "Are you sure?" She gazed back at him, opening a doorway into her broken soul for him through her eyes. "How can I not be?" He glimpsed into her soul and sighed in defeat, yet understanding. She looked at him, pleading with her eyes, "Please, it's my only option." He nodded. She reaches into her chest and removes her heart, "Now i can't hurt anymore." She hands it to him, and falls. He hold the quickly fading heart protectively in one hand and tenderly strokes the fallen child's hair with the other. He shakes his head in disgust towards all those who have hurt and rejected this broken angel. He imagines her life as it could have been, had she been loved and cared for as she should have been. He sees a gorgeous lady, having many friends and admirers, doing well in school and sports; a girl who saw the best in everyone and everything, her vision not damaged by abuse, trusting and trustworthy. He imagines the wedding she could have had, and sees the pure love that she would never experience. His own heart broke for her. He cursed those who broke this crushed princess, and disappeared, sending her body to her house so that everyone could see what they've done; maybe they won't make this mistake again.
