Sacrifice

Joana's POV

The hot wind was enough to tell me that I was running not because I wanted to, but because I loved my life. The sounds of the grass being stepped on and the birds flying away, my heart beating so strongly against my rib cage and adrenaline gushing through me. I felt like I was not going to stop because I could not stop, his eyes were definitely still on me. He looked like the moment he caught me, I was going to be in the dark world.

My legs just kept going at a speed that I never imagined that I had. Maybe after this I can consider joining the Olympics. ‘How can I think of that?’.

THUMP!!!!

I fell so hard that I could feel the blood already in my mouth. Trying to keep my mind and soul together and to start my brain, the moment that I opened my eyes, the dirty jogging shoes in front of me were enough to tell me that I was in danger. I knew better than to run because I was still not going to make it.

He squatted down to my level, shining his set of brown teeth that was able to make one vomit.

A man that I grew up calling father was ready to do anything for me, provided that he was not dead. I found myself being dragged, with thorns piercing through my flesh. I could smell my own blood and even my own screams could not save me from what was coming. It was huge and I knew it.

Only God knows what he did to my mother. I was quick enough to run away while my mom held him down. Could he have killed her? Hot tears rolled down my cheek at the thought of it. She had the chance to save herself, but she just didn’t because she trusted God, but where is her God now?

I don’t know how long it took, but I know that I woke up to a room and from where I was I could hear the laughter and music from outside. What is this being courageous about? Pain shot through my whole body at the attempt to get up. I was in red and I knew that I was painted with my blood. Trying to get up was a very painful task, but I know that I have to complete this task before these men get to me.

‘He’s always with you’, my mom said.

‘Mom, nobody is with me. I am alone in this world with a very bad fate’

‘listen to me, Joana. Whenever you are in trouble, just call on him, he will answer.’

I have no idea why this memory came to my mind, but I think it's high time I tested my mother’s faith. ‘I need your help’ I muttered to myself with the littlest hope that I could gather. Maybe he had answered me but nothing still happened. I looked so dumb for having believed in him for a second, it was all bullshit.

I just lay there waiting for whatever that would be dished to me by those men out there. Suddenly, a fierce wind passed in front of me and that was enough to send chills down my spine because the last time I checked, this room had no window. I could feel like someone was watching me, but who? I am very certain that I am alone in this room. With lithe courage and strength, I could muster. I sat up looking around the whole room in the dark, no sign of a person breathing, so just how could someone be inside this room?

‘Who’s here?.......hello?........hiiiii?’ Okay, this is stupid.

No response. At this point, I can tell that I am mad because what the hell is happening to my senses? Still trying to convince myself that I was alone and that no one was in the room with me, I heard the creak of a door and, looking beside me, the window was opened.

This is really creepy.

‘How….. Just how?’ This was worse than I expected, because why would my father be playing games with me? Just why? Am I going to die like this? I wouldn’t even see my own killer, I was just going to die like that. How would I torment him in hell if I did not see his face?

So many thoughts about how I could be killed in this dark room with no one knowing about it were just going through my mind. Could he really want me dead that badly? Tears rolled down my eyes just at the thought of dying. I thought that I was ready for whatever came my way, but I think I was not just ready for death.

‘Stand up and run’

I looked around looking for who said those words to me, but I saw no one. Was I hallucinating?

‘Stand up and run’, the voice said again.

It was at this point that I knew that I was not hallucinating. Someone was there, but I just could not see the person. I don’t know how, but I knew that I was on my feet, strength from nowhere. I made my way to the window and, from my view, I knew that if I jumped, it was the same death I was avoiding.

‘Jump!!’

His voice definitely gave me the courage that I lacked, the feeling of wanting to be free from my father's claws gave me hope of survival and I knew that I could make it. I jumped.

I opened my eyes and the worst that I expected was to see a broken leg at least, but I saw nothing. I was still intact with my legs. I didn’t need anyone to tell me that I had to start running and just at the mere thought of it, I was already on my heels. Looking back was definitely out of the option. I just kept on running until the point that I couldn’t anymore. Finally getting the courage to look back, I saw no one at my back. I was free.

I looked around to see if anyone was there with me, but I saw no one, but I was sure of one thing: Someone was watching me. The hairs on my skin stood up and goose bumps all over my body, adrenaline pumping through my veins. Who exactly was watching me? I felt the need to question whoever it was, at least to say thank you.

‘Who are you?’ my voice echoed throughout, bouncing right back into my ears. I got no response.

‘Why are you helping me?’ I didn’t expect to get a response this time around, but I got one.

‘Because you asked for it’ he said.

It didn’t take me long enough to process my thoughts to know who helped me. Tears rolled down my cheeks at the mere thought of it. My mom was right; she was so right.

He was real.