The soggy ground sunk beneath my shoes. Three branches whipped my face as I ran through the forest.

I was done. Done with my miserable life. I couldn’t handle this anymore. I wish my mother would just leave him. Leave my abusive father. She couldn’t. She doesn’t have the guts. She was too attached.

I finally broke through the thick forest. I dropped to my knees in the cold, damp sand, out of breath.

This is my escape, the ocean. It instantly calmed me down. I inhaled the salty air. I could hardly see the water through the thick fog. It was about six in the morning. After ten minutes, I was completely relaxed.

Then this humming came from what seemed to be a little girl. It was so beautiful. Suddenly I was in a trance, going to wherever that tune was coming from.

Soon the humming sounded close and more clear. Then through the thick haze, I saw this little girl. She was wearing a beautiful purple baby doll dress. She had perfect ringlet curls that hung just below her shoulders. She also had the most beautiful blue eyes.

Then I stopped walking, so that if I reached out, I could touch her. She then stopped her beautiful humming.

I wanted to tell her, “don’t stop”, but when I tried, no noise came out of my mouth.

The little girl reached out, and grabbed my hand. She pulled me and started walking me somewhere. It seemed like we walked for miles. But I kept going.

After a while I faintly could hear music. Carnival music. The closer we got, the more I could tell where we were through the fog.

It was an old carnival on a pier. I didn’t even know that this pier even existed. She took me up these steps. When we reached the top, I saw this big doorway. On the top of this doorway, there was a picture of a little girl with red ringlet curls, not smiling.

This doorway said “Elizabeth Pier” across the top. I looked over at her, but she was gone. I didn’t even realize that she let go of my hand.

I walked through the doorway and started wandering around, aimlessly. It smelled like fresh popcorn, and I could still hear the music. But all the rides looked old and broken and old. I looked everywhere for her. Elizabeth I guess.

Then I saw this tent with a picture of Elizabeth on it. I walked inside. There were a few chairs. I sat in one. I looked around until this bright light appeared on stage

It was her.

Elizabeth.

But her back was turned. She slowly turned around and faced me. But something was different about her face. Her face was scarred, bumpy. She looks pained, and deeply hurt.

She walked towards me, and then she said, “Your time is up Ally”, as a tear left a shiny trail down her rigged cheek.

Then she touched my shoulder and I was gone. Just like that.