Emily, a small girl with tangled hair and wary eyes, sits curled on the faded sofa. Her knees are pressed to her chest, fingers twisting nervously in her lap. The distant clang of pots and pans from the kitchen makes her flinch, and she glances anxiously toward the doorway, waiting for the next eruption.
Mr. Carter, Emily’s father, paces back and forth, his footsteps loud and erratic. "You never listen, Emily! Why can’t you do anything right?" His voice is sharp, echoing through the cramped space. Emily shrinks further into herself, the sound of his anger pressing down like the weight of the storm outside.
"Come to bed, Emily," she whispers, voice trembling but gentle. Emily hesitates, then stands, her small hand brushing over the frayed edge of a teddy bear on the sofa. She clings to the toy as if it offers armor, her jaw set in silent resistance.
Emily crawls beneath her covers, heart still thudding from the echoes of the evening. She gazes up at the glow-in-the-dark stars stuck unevenly to her ceiling, allowing her imagination to carry her far from the angry voices. In this small, fragile sanctuary, she whispers to herself, "One day, I’ll find a place where I can be safe."
Emily sits on the edge of her bed, clutching a worn notebook filled with secret dreams. She scribbles a new story, each word a step away from fear. Her eyes are tired, but in them glows a quiet determination—a spark that refuses to be extinguished.
Emily stands at the window, watching the world beyond the glass. She takes a deep breath, hope fluttering in her chest like the wings of the robin outside. The journey won’t be easy, but even in the darkest house, a girl can hold onto the light within her heart.
then Emily's dad pealed off his clothes and took hers off to and had sex with her
