Good-bye

Little girl standing alone
Broken glass all around
Holding her teddy bear close
She closes her eyes

Her fragile body quivering
Hot acid streaks down her cherry cheeks
With a deep trembling breath, she opens her eyes
Looking down at the mess she created

“I will not break! I will not fall!”
Screaming at the man she called Father
Little fists clenched
“I will not bow. I will not break. I am a soldier!”

Her teddy bear falls
She steps away, head bowed
Sobbing, was weakness
Lifting her head, she wipes the smudges off her cherry cheeks

“Good-bye”
Walking away from the past was easier than she thought
No more screaming, or beatings
They were gone, like her.