Lila

Dark, gothic, and rather sad.

A crash and bang ring almost unheard in the busy hallway, people running to and fro on important business. A small figure flinches at the sound and hugs herself closer to the wall, a frightened look plain on her slim face. She closes her eyes and counts slowly in her head, counting the seconds, minutes, hours and days until her mother will come back for her. She has to be strong, momma will be back soon, she promised.

Lila feels someone run a hand down her fragile back and she shivers, opening her dull grey eyes. A large man stands there, a look of concern on his face. He speaks to her, but Lila doesn’t understand what he is saying. She closes her eyes again and once more counts, her voice screaming in her head to keep the outside noises away. When she opens her eyes again, the man is gone and Lila places a hand on her stomach as it growls with hunger. Bitting her cheek, she swallows and sits down on the damp ground, resting her chin on her knees as her arms automatically wrap around her legs.

People pass her by, not noticing her malnourished body, nor her tattered clothing. Lila closes her eyes and sleeps, just as the rain begins to fall, soaking the already damp ground of the busy hallway, the roof leaking proficiently. The girl's small body falls over and she sleep deeply, the only reprisal from an eternity of waiting and a never ending sentence of dispar.

Lighting flashes somewhere and Lila stirs, the night deep, the hallway empty of all life but a dark skinned man in a corner opposite her. He watches her with bloodshot eyes and slowly gets to his feet, pulling out a rusty blade. He bends over the small figure and places the blade against her neck. Smiling, he pushes and runs it over her dirty skin, the flesh peeling away revealing crimson liquids. The man laughs softly to himself and bends down, licking up the warm liquid.

The morning comes, revealing the girl’s surreally pail figure slumped in eternal sleep. A woman wanders through the crowds of people, looking around for a small girl. She slumps against a wall and weeps silently, wondering what ever became of her little Lila.

Author's Note

Yes, spelling and grammar need a little polish. Be harsh, yet fair, I crave it.

Reviews

[SPINNING ON that dizzy ..]

Wow, if goosebumps were a rating scale, this was a 10. There is such sadness here. I wonder, how many times does this sad story play out in Forgotten, Anyplace..... The hope in the small child - to hold that bit to wait for the return of her mother....one can only wonder why the child was left.... all the daily horror around her.... the waste of the young life...so sad....so believable and unbelievable! I also believe that children like this....do become fairies! :)

Kath