I knew a little girl whose smile began in her eyes and touched the lips. A soul filled with love, hope, and faith, which made her different. A happy spirit who believed in the power of change and goodness.
To her, it was all a story with interesting characters and a compelling plot. She was full of wonder and knew that she had to write her own story.
Little did she know about the changes she would go through and the person she’d become.
They were watching her from the beginning, to attack and strip her attributes and make her one of them. They were always flying over her like raptors. They waited for her to show a sign of vulnerability and choose the right time to tear her apart.
Call it ignorance or inexperience, unaware of the enfeebling murderous brutes, she lived in her world. A world created in her innocence etched with hope in everything and love for everyone.
She grew up and became wild and free; a dangerous combination. She came across numerous faces and stories. A few stayed and became a part of her life. Some disturbed her, some hurt her and some tried misleading her in the context of pre-set rules and traditions.
She learned to agree to disagree and held on tight to everything that shaped her mind and life. It wasn’t easy. She fought for it with everything she had. At times, it was suffocating and grueling. She knew that there wasn’t an easy way out. It was a fight for herself. She wasn’t willing to settle. Day after day, she stood firm and confronted all her problems with her big wide smile.
And one day, a harsh day, she forgot to smile. The raptors found the opportunity they were looking for all these years. One by one they circled and separated her from her crowd, it was then she noticed their sharp beaks and claws. She tried to fight but in vain. Fear took control, she panicked and fell. This time, they succeeded. They devoured her flesh and soul. She tried, but it was more than she could take.
She screamed, she cried, she resisted. They laughed at her helplessness and mocked her for not giving up. When they were convinced that she wouldn’t dare to stand up again. They left her to be like her predecessors, the ones who had lost their dreams to these savages.
When I look in the mirror, I don’t see that little girl anymore. It feels like another lifetime.
Good that she is gone, she wasn’t ready. She was unprepared. Now, I know what they’ll do to me. I know what to expect. The scars I bear remind me of my mistakes.
You got to me once and you might again.
I fell to the ground, but I picked myself up and kept going. I’m not staying down and I never will.
This time, I’m waiting for you.
– Savana
2 Fudges in a Brownie 