Hidden- Song Fic for "Blinding"

Hidden

A smile danced across the girl's lips as she soared towards the sky. She dared to release her grip on the chain in her right hand and reach for the endless sea of blue above her, above everything she'd ever known.

Her father continued to push his daughter forward on the swing. It wasn't quite monotonous, but the action and joy of his daughter could not keep his thoughts at bay. Weeks ago, the family's elder daughter had run off in some sort of bid for fame, adventure, and most of all, romance.

Anything could happen out there in such a dangerous and insecure world. Both parents had become consumed by the what ifs their precious daughter might face. It caused an ever downward spiral of worries.

The little girl was suddenly crying, breaking the father away from his thoughts. He rushed over to where the girl sat on the ground, tears falling down her round cheeks. He knew that she had let go and attempted to jump from the swing.

The little girl looked up at her father with a quivering lip and innocent hazel eyes. "I was trying to fly like all of the birds in the sky," she replied. The girl had always wanted to be a bird, or an angel. She decided then that was what she would be later in life, an angel that would help others in desperate need of assistance.

"Let's go get cleaned up for dinner," her father said, sighing. He offered out his hand, which she took. Her small hand was enclosed in his as they walked to the small house at the top of the hill.

***

Closed. Why was the door always closed at night? What was there to keep out if the little girl was to be in bed, sleeping and dreaming of love, luck, and lollipops?

The pads of the girl's finger tips reached for the doorknob, settling on the cool, shiny metal that was taller than her. She found herself preparing to open the door, her brain, muscles and nerves processing the action.

Yet something was holding her back, like a spell had been cast on her by a wandering fairy. The little girl paused, and realized that she hadn't entered because there were voices. They were hushed and quick, but easily recognizable to her.

"Just a bit longer..." her mother pleaded.

"She's dead!" The father's sudden and violent shout startled the mother and young girl.

After the initial shock, all three found their ears ringing. The haunting words repeated themselves in the heads of the family, until a fraction of their meaning could be captured. Despite knowing this, the parents still trembled at the simple words.

A daughter, a sister, a friend, was dead. The word gave a numbing sense by itself, but also inspired something more.

"We can't tell her!" A flood of anger enveloped the mother as she began screaming words the child hadn't known existed.

Four letter words that others were not suppose to say came spewing out, but the child could have never known that. She hadn't been told that there were bad words and bad people out there. She had grown up, an innocent flower sheltered from the cruel reality of the crimes humanity committed every day, hour, and minute.

The small girl recoiled as if the door knob had burned her. Warm tears were forming in her eyes as she rushed blindly up the steps towards her room.

She ran with her head down, her long strawberry blonde hair in her face. She found herself racing an invisible foe to her room at the end of the hall. Somehow though, she knew that she wouldn't win. Without the positive attitude others depended on, she dropped onto the wooden floor.

Moments later, a grieving mother and father came to her aid. Both were on their knees, looking down at the precious girl who they were trying to desperately to protect. But how can one protect another when their own fears have been realized and published like a reality show in real time?

"Honey," her mother began in a shaky and fragile voice. Her face was pale and it looked as though she might atop breathing at any moment.

"Sh-she's dead. I heard him say it!" The girl's words came out in sputters and gasps as she tried to keep herself in check.

The two adults looked at each other, their faces draining of what little color was left. It did not occur to them that she would be up at this hour, let alone eavesdropping by their door. She was always the responsible one of the sisters, the one who washed her hands before dinner and helped clean around the house. This little girl was the one who had assured them that their daughter- her sister, would be ok. Yet here she was, on the floor in tears.

The father opened his mouth to say something, anything really, but found that his words were whisked away without warning. Lying was out of the question now.

"Just go back to sleep dear. We can discuss this in the morning."

But their little girl remained where she was, shaking in her oversized shirt and old sweatpants. This could not wait until the morning.

"You said it yourself that she's dead. How am I supposed to go on knowing that my sister is dead, knowing that I was lied to!" The girl exploded with anger and bitter hatred for what her parents had done. They'd betrayed her, left her in the dust. "What else aren't you telling me?"

The mother looked helplessly as her little girl transformed into what she truly was- a young teenager. She was not the six year old girl they had been holding onto for the past few years. She was growing, learning, and adapting to these new challenges. Whether that was beneficial or not could be discussed later.

"She's dead," the teenager's mother said without much emotion.

Looking worn out and years older, she pleaded with her daughter to forgive them. It was for her sake and protection they had kept the death a secret. Stress was high enough with school work and the constant longing she knew her daughter felt for a relationship.

"Those aren't excuses. You give me crap about lying or forgetting to turn off a light, but here we are and you didn't even tell me that my own sister is dead!" Her voice was rising, anger overcoming sorrow. A roll of thunder could be heard outside, indicating a storm. But the true terror was here and now, in a suburban home with only three members now.

"Maybe she ran off because she knew something that I still don't." The daughter instantly regretted her words, bringing even more internal turmoil. But she couldn't stop now, she couldn't hide her truths any longer.

"I don't blame her either. You've treated me like I'm some glass vase but I'm not. I want to have just one day where I'm not five years old in your heads. I hate having you tell me what to do to make you happy, but then you aren't happy enough. I guess I'm just a complication in your perfect little fairy tale.

"I am not Emmeline! I am me and I am not your key to happiness. I'm not a story you can use to avoid the real world and all the perverts in it. I can't bring my sister back to life as much as I want to."

The girl turned and walked to her door, tears streaming down her face. She opened it, then stepped inside before turning to her parents for one last hurrah.

"No more dreaming. It's time to wake up and face the real world."

odd fellows eli whitney blake griffin dunk on kendrick perkins kendrick perkins steve jones emily maynard kola boof