Child Without a Voice.

Chapter Four

As yet another flash of bright, white lightning breaks apart the sky, the unmistakable roar of the rumbling skies could be heard all too clearly. The distinct slap of countless tiny water droplets, hitting the ground, created a din which then echoes all throughout the city. In the far distance; there were sounds of tree branches cracking, car horns sounding and various normally heavy objects being tossed around by the wind. Each individual sound seemed to be violently fighting against the others, for the attention of the near petrified city folk. It was a storm unlike anything, anyone had ever witnessed. The thin, clouded veil of watery fog that was forming, made it slightly more difficult to properly make anything out.

A shrill cry echoed loudly in the bitterly cold, misty air, all around them. The hairs on the back of Damian's neck stood on end, as brief shivers ran down his spine. He couldn't explain it, but there was something about this journey he and Sadie were taking. Something that to him, felt almost like a warning sign of some sort. He couldn't be sure of whether Sadie could also feel the eeriness that filled the air, but Damian did his best to shrug it off. Repeatedly telling himself it was "nothing" in an attempt to ground himself, his attentions were soon turned to his little girl walking briskly beside him. It was in moments like these, when Damian thought that maybe, that glimmering possibility that the two would surely be okay – it was there to see within the souls of both of them, shining out into the big, wide world for all to see.

"So, little buddy, you looking forward to your friend's party tonight?"

Damian put forward his best efforts, to give the greatest impression of being the least bit excited himself.

"I sure am, it's gonna be great!"

Came his little girl's chirpy reply. As the two chattered away about the events to come, the few loose coins in Damian's trouser pocket clinked together. For Damian, time always did seem to stop, when he was talking to Sadie. The way her curious eyes dazzled as she spoke of wonderful things, it never failed to truly warm her father's heart. Little Sadie was, without a doubt, the one thing keeping him going through these darkened, troubled times. If it weren't for her, Damian could say for sure that he wouldn't be even half the man she saw him as today. He was more than proud of the way his young daughter had been brought up, in particular over the past few years or so. Despite the roller-coaster ride of events that life had unexpectedly thrown them on to. Her happy, peaceful demeanor usually helped calm him down a little, in times of hardship.

After the two had been walking a while, they soon reached the widened, busy road. It was at this point that Damian knew instantly, that something was wrong. Instinctively, he glanced to the left of him and then right ahead, upon noticing his daughter was no longer beside him.

"Sadie, NO! Get back here!"

Frantic; her father then lunged forward, in a desperate attempt to grab hold of her arm, before she ran too far out of sight. However, he failed to grab her in enough time, and his daughter was able to run on ahead. Straight on into the stream of oncoming speeding traffic – with no way for Damian to possibly stop her.

"Sadie!"

Damian hardly had the time to react, as his little girl unanticipatedly ran straight out into the road just ahead. Cars were bombing up and down the road in great numbers, each one threatening to take out a person as look at them. Sadie's little hand had only broke away from her father's for about a minute or so. But fatefully, this was just long enough for her to run out into the busy, hustling road that stretched out ahead. With cars rushing up and down the slippery, rain-soaked tarmac; Damian's heart was in his mouth.

It all happened so rapidly, that Damian himself was at an utter loss for what to do. There was a bright, dazzling show of white headlights in his eyes; before that one damning moment when his daughter disappeared from view. The deafening, ear-piercing scream that followed, told Damian all that his instincts needed to know. The repeated shaking of his head, accompanied by his sudden breaking out into a cold sweat and tears streaming from his eyes... These were the near automatic reactions of a desperate man, hoping against hope that he could just do something... Anything, to save her. Though at this point, he just knew it was a hopeless case. Nothing he could do now, would be able to really change what had just happened.

His blood ran cold, as the man watched in horror; the moment little Sadie was thrown without care. Her fragile body flew straight upwards, before landing with a loud thud on the bonnet of a nearby passing car. She was then thrown a second time; this time landing on the frozen, biting tarmac which covered the icy road. The little girl now lay motionless; barely showing signs of life, besides the occasional, infrequent twitch of an arm or leg. She made no sound and both her little eyes remained closed, flickering slightly every now and again. Her breathing had become much slower, to the point where it was almost undetectable.

"This can't be happening, it just can't be!"

Damian said to nobody in-particular, as he automatically brought a hand to his forehead; in response. He couldn't quite believe what had just happened – was this real?

A long line of traffic had begun to build-up, just behind the car that had just hit Sadie. The driver, still sat behind the wheel, was making no attempt to get out and see whether the drastically injured girl was still breathing. For that matter, neither were any of the other drivers, who were simply continuing on their journeys. For a few brief moments following the collision, everything was still. At this point in time, Damian had lost all ability to think rationally. His mind was a mess, enveloped in a cloak of absolute panic. Not even two to three minutes passed, between the moment Sadie was hit, and the appearance of a growing crowd. It was crunch time – for these next few crucial moments, would be the telling points. Though Damian had no idea how he was going to get help. He had not the foggiest idea where he was, nor any sort of plan in his mind. All he could think, was that he had actually allowed this to happen. The guilt was eating away at him with great fortitude, making him feel more and more like a monster. It all felt so unreal to him, and yet, these events were unfolding right before Damian's very eyes. He still hadn't gotten over the shock of what had just taken place; nothing in this moment was making any sense to him at all. How could his little Sadie, out of all who were out tonight, be the one who would end up in such a position? It just didn't seem fair...