A coffin slowly sank into the ground. The cold wind cut through a man and his daughter as they watched with tear filled eyes. Their family would be forever missing a dear loved one.
The car ride was silent. No music on the radio. The pair stared wordlessly as they swallowed back tears and sobs. Somber eyes deep in their sadness look forever onward as they step into a beautiful house that now seemed hollow and lifeless. There was no one to greet them as the man helped take off the girl’s coat. He paused while putting it away on the coat rack. A petticoat. Auburn brown with large buttons hung there. The man’s throat tightened.
“I just need to use the bathroom honey. Then I’ll make dinner.” There was no acknowledgement. A heavy silence hung in the air as he stepped into the bathroom. As he stared into the mirror the pounding of shoes and the familiar creaking of the back door being shoved open filled the air. Terror filled the man’s heart as he bolted at the sound.
The young girl was racing through the woods behind the house. Her small legs let her fly through the familiar grounds she had explored ever since she could walk. Everything zipped by her as she heard her dad yelling her name through the trees.
“CINDY! CINDY WAIT COME BACK!” Echoed her dads voice as he got caught in the bushes she had avoided so easily.
The evening sky was blood red and darkening quickly as the sun went to sleep for the day. The moon was already up in the sky, the canopy hiding it from sight. She needed to get away. She couldn’t be there anymore, not after today. Cindy headed to her secret den she had dug out with her father last year and set up as her ‘badger home’ that her dad would camp outside of while she pretended to be a wild animal for the night. The thoughts of such happy memories warred in her heart and hot tears stung her eyes as she brushed them away furiously. Finally with blurred vision she started to stumble and slowed down.
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“CINDY!” Her father’s voice came once more, “BADGER COME BACK!”
His nickname for her pulled at her heart. Those same words echoed in her mind and brought back a thousand memories she would rather forget. She steeled herself and charged back into the night. She could find this place in the dark. She just hoped her dad wouldn’t find her there. She hoped he forgot.
She came to the gorge worn down by the small creek she had spent many evenings splashing in. The sun set behind the horizon and the forest grew dark. A light started to emanate from the water down below and a voice sang through the air. A goddess of a woman stood below with her arms held out to her.
The woman was the most beautiful person she had ever seen, like the Wondrous Woman from those movies. She even had a tall crown of shimmering stars on her head. Her eyes were like golden suns blazing in the night. A face that was perfect with a smile radiant and beautiful. She was so beautiful Cindy could hardly breathe. She was just a few feet below her. A feeling of warmth she hadn’t felt in months radiated into her chest.
“Come child, my world needs a hero and you have been chosen. Leap into my arms and I will carry you away. You’ll be a hero in my world. You will save it.”
“You promise?” Asked Cindy with the meekest voice she had ever squeaked out.
“I have a fantastic gift for you child. Come with me and hear my plight. If you think it is not worth your time I will return you here.”
So she leapt into the arms of the woman and was caught in them like she weighed less than a feather. Warm light engulfed the two and in a flash they were gone leaving nothing but darkness and empty air behind.
Cindy’s father saw the flash of light in the distance and ran towards it hoping she had a stash of flashlights somewhere in these woods just so she could hide away. Stumbling as he ran through the dark woods he tripped and fell down into the creek and splashed into cold water. Pain ran through his leg as he fell awkwardly. He could swear this was where the flash of light was from so he called out one more time, “CINDY! WHERE ARE YOU?!” Tears streamed down his face as he clutched at his twisted ankle.