Dark Child

Fourteen year old, Pasliee Lexi Leighton closed her eyes and tried to see something. She tried imagining her life past her current age but saw only darkness. She tried to imagine a safe, happy place but saw nothing, only darkness. She tried her childhood years but saw only darkness. She sighed. That was how it always was; whenever she tried to imagine anything, she saw only darkness. Even when she was just a toddler, everything was darkness.                                                                                                                                                                  “Pasliee, what are you doing?” Simon asked, walking over to her. He sat down next to her on the floor.

“I see nothing but darkness” Pasliee complained.

“Pasliee, don’t start with this again!” Simon muttered with an exasperated sigh.

“Do I even have a future?” Pasliee asked.

“Of course you do” Simon answered.

“Then, why can’t I see it!” Pasliee asked, frustrated.

“I don’t know but you have a future, I knew you do” Simon reassured her and wiped a few tears that rolled down her cheeks. She sniffled, trying to stop crying. He hugged her, pulling her close.

“Open your eyes” Simon asked.

“Where are we?” Pasliee asked.

“In your room” Simon answered. Pasliee took a deep breath, sighed and opened her eyes. Simon wiped the last of her tears and kissed her cheek.

“What are you afraid of?” Simon asked. Pasliee looked at Simon.

“Closing my eyes, dying and not being able to wake up” Pasliee answered.

“That won’t happen” Simon told her.

“How do you know?” Pasliee asked.

“I won’t let that happen, trust me” Simon re-assured her.

“Okay” Pasliee agreed, tightly wrapping her arms around him.