The Gift The water was beautiful as it flowed slowly. The moon and the stars glittered in the waters reflection. This was her comfort, her peace. She knew that though the water was beautiful it was also freezing cold and death would take her swiftly if she jumped in but what other choice did she have. He would come looking for her soon and if he found her alive he would beat her an inch from death. She much rather die by her own hand than his. Quickly now, a decision had to be made. The warm tears fell down her cheeks as she scooped up a handful of the cold wetness. She took a deep breath and closed her eyes as she leaned toward the water. The shock of hitting the cold water made her eyes instantly open. Her mother always told her how pretty her eyes were, a hazel green. She wanted to jump out of the water but thought of the man that would come to look for her and she let herself be carried down stream by the flow of the water. ‘Come quick now death and take me away.’ She whispered. She closed her eyes again, that’s when she felt it, the tug at her dress. Someone was pulling her out of the water. ‘No!’ She kept her eyes closed for fear that it was him and he found her before death could take her. ‘Is she alright Bo?’ a soft voice asked as she felt herself being carried. ‘I think she’s o.k. probably a little scared.’ She kept her eyes closed as she felt sudden warmth. ‘Miss, are you alright?’ She opened her eyes to see a beautiful woman obviously worried about her. She nodded her head as she sat up and quickly moved to the nearest corner. ‘We’re not here to hurt you-’ The man said ‘are you hungry, thirsty?’ She shook her head. She didn’t budge from her place in the corner. ‘That’s a mighty fine dress you have on-’ the dress was her favorite. Her mother made it for her, she wanted to die in the dress. ‘-may I touch it?’ The woman asked reaching for the dress. The girl shook her head and bunched up even closer to the corner giving the gentle woman a fright as she pulled back. The girl wanted to trust them but she was confused. She knew that he had a lot of friends and family and she wasn’t sure if they knew him and was just trying to buy time until he got there. ‘Tell me somethin’ lil girl, how is it that you ended up in tha creek behind our house?’ The man sat at the table, his hands folded. The girl looked down at the floor. ‘I was runnin.’ She loosened up a bit. She looked around the room she was in. The wooden table had breads and fruit on it. The smell of hickory lingered around her. The candles gave the room a sort or romantic glow. Her stomach began to grumble and growl. She was hungry but she still wasn’t too sure about her saviors. ‘Who are you runnin’ from?’ The woman sat a little closer to her. The girl swallowed hard as she prepared to answer, ‘a man…a really mean man.’ The pain in her stomach began to intensify. ‘I’ll have a piece of bread please sir.’ She shyly glanced at the bread on the table. The man tore apiece off and handed to her. She took slow tiny bites. ‘He will come lookin for me soon. I had to get away. He likes to beat me and do other things to me…nasty things.’ Her beautiful eyes filled with tears. The woman looked at the man. The two seem to have held a secret conversation. The woman smiled as she looked at the girl. ‘You don’t have to worry about him lookin’ for you out here. He won’t find you.’ The man stood up and looked out of the window at the full moon. He then grabbed his coat and headed for the door. ‘Maria, I’m off now. Take care of our good friend.’ He smiled a caring smile at the girl and then gently kissed the woman on the forehead and walked out of the door quietly closing it behind him. The woman and the girl sat for hours by the fire talking. The woman told the girl about when she was a child and the girl told the woman about the abuse she had suffered over the years and how much she missed her mother. ‘I have a gift for you.’ The woman said to the girl noticing her bruises. ‘This gift will protect you for as long as you shall live.’ That was all the girl could remember. When she woke she was laying by the creek that had given her such peace before she was saved by the mysterious couple. The girl felt different, better. She felt as though she could take on the world. In the moonlight she could see that her bruises were gone and her hair had grown a little longer. The colors of the night were more clear and beautiful than she could ever remember them being. The sounds of the night were a symphony of wonderment. Was it a dream, had she died and this was some form of heaven? She sat up and beside her was a brown cloak with a letter pinned to it. It read: Precious child, take care of the gift given to you. He can never find you unless you want to be found and if you are found he will soon realize that you are not the same girl you once were. We are but a call away should you ever need us. After reading the letter she felt a slight pain on her wrist. She could barely see the prick that was stained with her blood. The girl threw on the cape and decided that she would pay him a visit. As she glided through the night she took time to notice any and everything. Before long she came to the little cottage that had been her prison for so many years. As she peered into the window she could see him taking another young girl just as he had done her so many times. She was a little late yet she was just in time. She quietly crept into the cottage and up behind him. ‘I have something to tell you.’ She said. He jerked around and a shock filled him. The young girl lay in the bed crying uncontrollably. He jumped out of bed and raised his hand to her but before he could strike he was met with the pain of death. His screams could be heard for miles and for many nights. He was never ever seen again but the girl was seen only at night though and she was always with an older man and an older woman.