Madeline Coleson

As he walked across the square the dawn hue cast an amber light upon his face. He wore a light brown hat, dark brown coat and trousers. As he walked down the footpath his face looked like he was hiding some sort of pain, and that nothing could take it away. He hurt. The pain made him look like he had lost someone he loved; maybe a child, maybe a lover. All the man did was walk nonstop like an automated machine, programmed to search. He had searched for many years to no avail, and almost came to the point of giving up when he met someone who said he would help him.
A man walked up to Mr Coleson stopped him in his tracks and said “Pardon me are you Mr Coleson?”
“Yes, indeed I am. What may I do for you?” replied Mr Coleson.
“I do believe I have information that would be of great use to you” he paused. “I know where your daughter is.”
Tears rolled down Mr Coleson’s face as he pleaded “Please sir I would do anything to find my daughter, she is my world, my life.”
“It was about 4 years ago. I was on for my usual morning hike when all of a sudden I heard a little girl scream, all she screamed was “let me go” as he continually dragged her through the forest. I kept my distance, I had no idea what to do, so I started researching through paper archives to find her name then I found you.”
“Please, please take me to her please.”
“Okay follow me.”
They walked through the lonely old streets and passed many shops, many street lights but no one was in sight. The streets were cold and empty, Mr Coleson stared wondering is this a trap? Why didn’t he go to the cops?
They walked through the depths of the forest to find a small cave nearby. As they got closer they heard a little girl scream like she was being tortured.
Just a few steps away was his little angel. He heard the cries, they became deafening. As the screams got louder his pain grew. There was silence all around him, apart from her violent noises. The sound of his feet crunching on the forest floor was nothing compared to that of her terror. As he searched all he could see was the shadows of trees.
Finally the shadow of the cliff appeared and the man signalled they were getting close. As they got closer her squeals stopped. Her father fretted as he ran towards the cave, the cave got closer finally. They were there; they heard a man’s voice saying “I always win”. The man heard their footsteps get closer and just before their very eyes he took off, leaving the dead body of his daughter.
It seemed as though they would get there in time, well that’s what they thought. They were wrong. He had to face the fact he had lost his baby girl, and she was gone. Her father just couldn’t believe it, his angel hadn’t only disappeared, she’s gone forever; He has always believed that everything happens for a reason. Why the hell did this happen to him? First his wife, now his only child. His life was terrible. He wished he could crawl up and forget the world. Death would take his pain away. Then he would feel nothing. He thought what has he done wrong in life? They always say karma comes back to stab you in the back, but he hasn’t done anything wrong. “Let’s get out of here” said his companion. “What? I’m not leaving my daughter’s body here. What if he comes back and disposes her body? He would never be caught” replied Mr Coleson.
“Okay we will take they body with us “
Mr Coleson tried his hardest to wipe away his daughter’s tears. He wiped the dried blood of her face untied her hands from the bars set in the cliff side and gently lifted her bloodied body from the ground to his shoulder.
As they carried the body through the forest it was silent. All they could hear was the crunching of leaves on the forest floor. It was hard for her father to carry the body of his dead child; just imagine how hard that could be, how depressing it would be, it’s like his life is a story book.
The days that led up to his daughter’s funeral felt like being dragged across cement paving 30 times. The last time he felt pain like this was the day he had to tell Madeline her mother wouldn’t be coming home anymore, she passed on that was the hardest thing he had ever said.
The swirling white dim lights cast a shadow upon Madeline’s fathers face full of pain. It was the light of his daughter’s spirit crossing between two different plains. Her spirit took so long to pass, like there was some unfinished business she had to attend to. Every day since his daughter’s death he wondered what really happened to his daughter; was she raped, or just brutally beaten? He will never stop wondering. These thoughts will go through his head to the day he dies, like a haunting but worse. What is it that he did to deserve this? Is it a sin to feel pain, to grieve the loss of a lover? First his wife, then his daughter. When will this end is he cursed? Everything or everyone he has ever loved has gone forever, never to return. I guess he should start planning a new life for his future. I wonder what it holds for him. ? I believe his future holds more than his present life, well at least I hope so for his sake. I think it would be best for him if he moved on no matter what the future holds. He has to face life again.

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