My Eternal Damnation

~Five Years Earlier~

"Elena!"

Crap! I shot around and gave mommy an innocent smile. "Mommy, can I go play outside? Please."

She didn't seem to fall for it. She grabbed my tiny wrist and shut the door behind me. "Elena Díaz! You very well know that you're not allowed outside when it's dark out. You're only eight. It's dangerous at this time of night."

"But Mo..."

"No buts! This is a very dangerous neighborhood and you know that. I'm sorry, but your dad left and this is all that I can provide for us. Maybe in a few years we..."

"MOMMMMMMMMY!"

She sighed, gave me a stern look, and darted around the corner to our pathetic excuse of a living room. "Carlos, let go of your sister's hair! Isabelle, stop scratching your brother!"

I grinned at getting out of yet another lecture because of my siblings' never-ending chaos. I slowly cracked the door back open and stared outside long-fully. One night can't hurt. I looked back over my shoulder to make sure the coast was clear, and then I dashed outside.

I ran until my chest began to heave. I clenched my small fists into the material at my chest and laughed. Once I had finally calmed down, I looked around me. Instantly, my body started to shake. I didn't recognize anything. I heard a rustling. My inner-child curiosity got the best of me, and I followed the noise.

I found myself in a dark and damp alley. I hid behind a pile of...something as I watched a group of men a few feet away from me. There were six of them. Two were a little off to the side talking, while the other four were picking up big wooden boxes and loading them inside a car. Their work seemed to be slow going, so my attention was drawn to the two lone men.

"I did everything you asked. You got what you wanted. Where's the money you promised?" This man didn't match the rest. His build was slender and his face didn't hold the gruff quality of the other five.

"Oh, yes. I almost forgot." This man was the shortest of them all. He stood about a foot and a half below them...but there was something about his eyes. He was the scariest one there. I examined him as he passed a crumpled paper bag to the skinny guy, who in return took it and turned to leave. He only made it halfway out of the alley. "Hey, Scott." He turned to look back at the short man and BAM!

I gasped and covered my mouth with my hands to keep from screaming. I took a step back and bumped into something hard. I turned around and this time I couldn't hold it in. I screamed as a guy, who seemingly came out of nowhere, grabbed me by the collar of my dress. My hands gripped around his as I tried to wriggle out of his grasp, to no avail.

"Hey, Sam. Look what I found."

The short man glared daggers into him. I shivered. "You were supposed to keep look out you good for nothing..."

The man holding me up above the ground flinched. "I...I know boss. Sh...She witnessed the shooting." He threw me onto the ground. I cried out as I landed hard on my stomach. The man he called Sam kicked my side so that I would turn onto my back. "What do we do with her, boss?"

Sam bent down into my face. His disgusting hot breath brushed my lips and he caressed my cheek. "Hmmm...She's quite pretty. I could always use a little play thing. Let's bring her with us." I did the only thing I could think of at the time. I bit him. Hard. Sam yelped in surprised pain. I took that chance and darted away from them as fast as I could. "Get her!" I only got a few feet away when I suddenly tripped. Liquid splashed into my face. My eyes started to burn. I screamed as everything around me turned black. I could feel all the men encircling around me. They laughed and took turns hitting me. "Careful now boys. I want her alive when I take her." I crumpled up in agony as they kicked me and beat me. And then...it just stopped. My body hurt too much for me to sit up. And everything was still dark.

"Oh you poor child." The voice of a woman rang next to me. I tensed. "Oh no sweetie. I'm not going to hurt you." I felt the stranger's hands close around me. She brushed my hair out of my face and rocked me. "Don't worry. I took care of those mean men for you. They won't hurt you or anyone else ever again."

"I...I can't see anything." I felt tears fall down my cheeks.

The woman's hands inspected my eyes, and then she sighed. "Looks like they did more damage then I thought. I'm sorry to tell you this sweetheart...but you're blind."

My whole body shook as the realization hit me. I wailed. "B...But I...I don't wa...want to b..b...be blind." The tears and trembles wouldn't stop.

"I know, baby. But what if I could make it all better? Would you like that?" I nodded instantly. "You have to give me something in return, though. Okay?" I nodded again. "I'll give you back your eyes forever, but on your thirteenth birthday, you have to come live with me and be my personal little helper for five human years. But don't you worry. I'll take good care of you. You're going to love my home and family."

I thought about it. But being the naive kid I was, it didn't take long for me to come to a decision. "Who are you?"

"I'm an angel."

"Are you my guardian angel?"

"Sure, honey, sure. Do we have a deal?"

I nodded. She kissed my forehead lovingly and then laid her cold hands over my eyes.

The next thing I knew, it's morning and I'm laying down in my bed. I smiled realizing that I could see again...and knowing that what happened last night was not a dream.