Darkness...

It had always been a comforting thing for me. No matter how scared I was, in the darkness I felt at home. No one could hurt me in the darkness. No one could see me. I couldn't see anyone. Not my father, not my mother, no one.

I always dread the morning; dread the light. With the morning came light, and with light came the screaming, the beating, and the dread. No matter how hard I tried, the light never became my friend.

Now, the darkness brought the pain. Scorching, acid-like pain that traveled through me, destroying everything in its path. I was gone now; just a pile of ashes on the forest floor. There was nothing left to me but my thoughts and the pain.

Had it been minutes? Days? Months, years? Time was unknown to me as the pain finally spread completely, turning me into nothing. I didn't deserve this hell; I had done nothing to deserve it. My father deserves it. To burn for eternity without any help. To suffer forever and sit with his own thoughts of how he destroyed his only living child, and most likely his wife, the love of his life.

I could feel the tips of my toes now. It was cold, soothing. It slowly crept up my legs, pushing the fire back with it farther and farther until it reached my heart. My heart pumped and pumped, trying to compete with the fire, but it was no use. The more it fought the stronger the fire became, tearing my chest apart. Pushing, pushing ...

Silence...

Everything was still. The fire was gone; it was cool, calm. Nothing around. I could feel my hands and feet now; I felt them move as I willed them to. I could feel something there; something standing next to me, there eyes on me.

I slowly opened my eyes, soon shocked. There was light everywhere; colors I had never known or dreamed of dancing around the ceiling. I looked to my right. Candles everywhere, the strange light flickering with their flames in the darkness. Same to my left. Everything was perfect. Everything was calm.

"Tesoro?" I heard a soft voice ask. My eyes shot to the far right corner. There was a man there. He was tall and thin. He held himself tensly, his expression worried as he gazed upon me. "Va tutto bene, sei al sicuro" he said gently, putting hsi hands up slowly. "Come ti senti?"

There was movement to the other side of me. I jumped, looking quickly over to the other far corner. There was another man there, much taller than the other and more largely built. Though his build was intimidating, his face held kindness and worry. "Zitta, non abbiate paura. Non ho intenzione di farti del male, cari" he said softly, his deep voice booming through the large cavern-like room. I slowly stood up, looking down at the light dress I had somehow been put into before my instincts told me to do the one thing I knew how.

Run.

Translations:

Tesoro? - Sweetheart?

Va tutto bene, sei al sicuro - It's alright, you're safe

come ti senti? - How do you feel?

Zitta, non abbiate paura. Non ho intenzione di farti del male, cari - Hush, don't be afraid. I'm not going to hurt you