For the love of Fourtris

Comp. 2: NYE - Visions are seldom all they seem

🎭Christmas masquerade ball🎭

"Tania! Tania get back here! Wait!" I run after my three-year-old daughter, nudging people out of my way and mumbling a sorry, it's my daughter every two seconds. I keep my eyes advert and my mask on, though it's getting itchy and in my vision.

Her loud giggles echo around the rich halls, and suddenly I wish Molly was here. Maybe if she was out of the hospital, she could help me run after our little girl with me and it would be a little less stressing.

But no, because this explosion that came out of nowhere from these tyrants made damages to my wife, damages that probably will be the reason of her death.

And that car that almost ran into her, the panic that took over her when people started running and she was trying to -

"Ouch!" I tumble over and fall on the floor, the woman falling by my side. I rub my head, gritting my teeth, as I get to my feet, but then -

Her mask is on the floor -

Her legs, even with the tights, covered in scars -

She has another one above the eyebrow -

A - it looks like a wand, but no, it's a fake one - piece of sophisticated carved wood is laying down on the floor and she's reaching our for it, then buries is in one of the pockets of her emerald gown, ties her mask back, stands up, adjusts her dress and runs away again, while I stand there frozen.

Tania. Tania. Oh my god. I left her. She ran. She's too young, where is she?

"Tania! Tania!" My heart rate increases and I sprint again, opening each door in the hallway.

My only daughter is gone. Because of me.

"Tania! Daddy's getting really scared! Get out of your hiding place! Tania!"

What do I do what do I do what do I do?

"I've been dreaming of a true love's kiss," I start singing, maybe she'll hear it? Only I and her mother know this is her favourite song. "And a prince I'm hoping - Tania! Come here!"

My daughter runs in my arms, tears streaming down her cheeks. I hug her tightly, tears streaming down as well. "It's okay, daddy's here. It's okay." I rub her back, hoisting her up on my hip. "Don't run away from me again, okay? You promise?"

"Pinky promise." She wipes away her tears with the back of her hands, sniffing.

"Let's go home, okay? I'm going to read you Enchanted and you can even sleep with me tonight, yeah?" She nods and hugs my neck, burying her face in the crook. I thank the couple who brought her to me, then walk to the elevator and press the button to the underground parking, leaning my back against the wall. I adjust my position so she can be more comfortable in my arms but then I realize that she's asleep, probably tired because of running around so much.

"I love you so much, my little girl. Tomorrow, you'll see, if you're sad that momma is deeply asleep in the hospital, she's going to wake up and smile when she sees you. She's going to be okay."

🎭Two days later🎭

"And you're saying she just ran? Without even saying sorry?" I bite furiously in my sandwich as the image of the ball rushes back in my mind, the woman laying down and the scars on her legs. Stop it, stop it. "Wow, that's...that's something."

"Yeah. But...I'm not mad because of that. I'm mad because..." I picture her face, how peaceful it looked before I noticed the red mark above her eyebrow. "She looked so broken and fragile and I just wanted to ask her a thousand questions, but that would've been rude, no? I can't just come up with oh hey, I just bumped into you, but where and how did you get these?, you know?"