A girl
cowers in fear,
hidden in the shadows.
Her ragged breath fills the night.
She fights.

Survive.
A drunken dad
returns later that night.
His daughter prepares to run for
her life.

Her hair
is entangled
in the grasp of his hands.
He demands that she follow his
commands.

A yelp
of pain has her
body shaking on the ground.
Teeth bite her lips, try to hold back
a sound.

His fists
and feet rain down
upon his daughter's form.
Kicking and punching, her screams fill
the night.

Vision blurs,
thoughts go fuzzy.
Daddy's blows keep coming.
Consciousness fades and everything
goes black.

A child's
soul is weakened
in the night. Her father
knows that she will no longer fight.
Alone.

He leaves
the crumpled form
slumped over on the floor.
Her breathing slows to her delight.
White light?

Her fate
lies in the clouds
above. The angels guide
her to a place she will be loved.
A home.

Police
arrive; too late.
Girl lost to twisted fate.
Her life lost to the hands of man.
Daddy.