(By Caleb Y.Y — All Rights Reserved)
Time passed.
Now I could see.
That little girl loved me and took care of me.
That man… accepted me.
Sometimes, there were moments when he became another being.
He completely changed.
I heard his heavy, firm steps, and I already knew that something inside him had switched bodies.
Then he treated my girl badly.
But if we stayed quiet… he wouldn't hit us.
—"Michel, sit here, on my lap."
—"Okay, Dad."
—"You know… you look a lot like your mother, eh.
Will you abandon me too, like she did?"
—"No, Dad… I won't. I'll always be here with you."
—"And… and Nun too," —said the girl, hugging me tightly.
—"Yes," —he replied, with a twisted smile—. "The three of us will be together."
His hand brushed my head. For a second, I felt affection.
But his voice changed.
It became hard, like glass before breaking.
—"Then you should start behaving like a woman.
Love your father more."
The bottle shattered on the floor, and love turned into hate in a single heartbeat.
That man, who said he loved her, hurt her.
He damaged her like someone pulling petals from a flower, one by one, until only the bare stem remained.
Auh… auhh… auhh… —a sob born from fear and anger, barely a whisper from a puppy, trying to protect her.
I tugged at his shirt with my teeth.
—"Auhhh…" —I tried to say, pleading.
I bit him.
And he responded with a kick.
My body crashed against the wall.
I couldn't protect her the way I wanted.
I could only crawl, trembling, clinging to her with my small body.
I didn't want them to hurt her…
But I was a puppy.
And puppies cannot fight monsters.
That man…
broke my flower.