Dark Before the Dawn

Recoiling from the sharp sting of his slap, Lily struggled to hold back white hot tears.

“Daddy…” she whimpered, gazing up into his raging stare. “Please…” Her small voice cracked, betraying her pain. “Daddy, please, that’s enough.”

He remained wordless, his hatred searing holes into her bright blue eyes.

She didn’t understand it. How could her own father loathe her very existence so much? What had she done so wrong? She tried to be everything for him; straight A student, class president, volleyball team captain… What more could he ask for? She already cooked every night, did his laundry, cleaned the house. Lily even kept their secret from everyone. Not a soul knew of his abuse. And they never would.

But still, it continued on, day in and day out. His punches and kicks caused their physical damage, of course, but it was her heart that took the true beating. Each outburst, each slap lacerated the barely beating organ with yet another scar. The pain in her chest after every encounter was enough to continually steal her breath away. To dim the brightness of her soul. Night after night, her very essence dimmed, slowly dying. All she was left with was a hollow shell of who she used to be. And it was her daddy who was killing her.

“Dad,” she murmured dejectedly, “Daddy. I love you.”

But he didn’t return it. He hated her. That much was evident in his scornful sneer as he launched his fist into her face, sending her crumpling to the chilled floor. His heavy boot followed next, colliding painfully with her ribs, a sharp snap filling the room as she tasted the first traces of blood. With one more cold glare, he stormed away from her, back to his alcohol no doubt.

Clutching her abdomen, Lily fought off the sobs that so desperately longed to be felt. But it simply hurt too bad to move, even that much. Laying there on the ground, small frame trembling from the onslaught of sorrow, Lilly prayed for relief. For somewhere, someone to make her whole again. For that light to return to her and save her from the world of darkness she’d been forced to live in. For safety from her cold and violent existent. Wasn’t there someone out there who could help her?

Crimson oozed from her mouth, signaling that the blow to her ribs had been more damaging than expected. Funny how that copper taste made her sleepier. Made her eyelids droop under the weight that had been pushing against them for years. Her vision blurred, surroundings fading into oblivion. The world was suddenly embraced in grey, quickly turning into a comforting black, engulfing her in its warmth. And then there was nothing. Not a sight, a sound, a smell.

Suddenly, a brilliant white light filled her, and everything around her. Of she thought the strange darkness was warm, then this luminescence was scalding hot, but not burning. It was the exact opposite of those anguished years spend at the receiving end of her father’s hand. Safe, loving, happy.

Slowly moving into a sitting position, Lily noticed that she was now wearing a think, wispy white dress, hugging her perfectly healed body like a soft cirrus cloud. And there was something different about her back… An awareness that hadn’t been there before. Flexing the muscles there, she was astounded to see a flash pure white dancing in her peripheral vision. Wings. They were wings!

“What am I?” she softly murmured to herself, still resting on the… clouds. She was sitting on clouds! Large, fluffy cumulous! What did this mean for her? Wings, clouds, the absence of agony that had plagued her for so long… Was she… She couldn’t hardly utter the word aloud, in fear of ruining such a beautiful illusion.

And suddenly, striding from the yellow and orange horizon, Lily caught sight of a very handsome man. No, boy. He seemed to innocent to be classified as a man who had endured the hardships of life. There was a light to him, a glow that exuded from his creamy skin and soft chestnut locks curling around his ears. His sapphire eyes gleamed with.. what was it… love? And those wings, shining golden in the light… He was an angel. And she knew him.

He had been there after every bout with her father. Every harsh word or biting remark. He had held her when she cried, never letting go, not even when the tears dried up. He was always there to softly brush her cheek, to brush away the frown between hers brows. This boy was her Archer. Her single comfort in an otherwise miserable life. He was her guardian angel.

Of course, she’d always known this about him, that he was a divine being sent from Heaven above. He always appeared out of no where to pick her from the ground and return her to bed. Materialized in front of her before letting her rest her head on his shoulder as he sang her to sleep. When everything became too much, he would tell her tales of his Heavenly adventures. But.. Was she…

“Archer, am I an angel?” she whispered when he was within hearing range.

A dazzling grin broke across his handsome face as he gathered her into his gentle embrace, answering her question without a shadow of a doubt. The realization filled Lily’s world with blinding love and joy. She was home. In the arms of the boy she loved. No, the angel she loved. And finally, her soul had found that ever fleeting light it had forever been seeking. Finally, the dark was over, and dawn’s bright splendor had descended.