"In the beginning, God made light and now, man made darkness
-Korisa"

7th July, 2013.
Leah strained her neck to look out the window. She hummed her dad's ringtone and tapped the glass according to the beat. Her eyes gleamed in excitement and she was about to yell the usual 'he's here!' when a man that is obviously not her father alighted the military van.

She would've paid no attention to the man if only she didn't see what he was carrying on his hands. On his right hand was a neatly folded military uniform with a cap on top and most importantly, her dad's necklace dangling from it. The necklace was in form of a drop of water, deep blue in colour with gold behind it. That made her realize who owned the uniform.

The military officer took a deep breath and rang the doorbell. Leah just stared at him through the window as he rang it again.

"Leah? Who's at the door?" Karen asked looking at her daughter in confusion. The girl was stiff as she looked outside. She opened the door and her face fell when she saw her husband's friend standing with sadness in his eyes.

"Good day Karen" he greeted looking anywhere but at Karen.

"Cory? Where is my husband?" She asked, her voice breaking at the end.

"Karen I.." he started but he gathered himself and his face went blank, "There was a shootout at our camp in the border and I'm sorry.." Karen fell on the floor staring mindlessly into space as she tried to process what he was saying.

Leah, who had been standing there all along, shook her head in disbelief. She pushed the man aside and ran off.
*****
16th November, 2015.
"I'm home!" Leah said closing the front door. She looked at the plastic covered house and was even more confused when she saw her mother taping a box.

"Hey dear, how was school?" Her mother asked and Leah dropped her backpack on the floor gently.

"It was... What's going on mom?" She asked not able to control her curiousity. Her mother sighed before stacking the box on top of another.

"The bank has been calling since last month. Turns out your father took a loan for his family. Story short, I don't have the cash to pay them so they're taking the house" Karen explained.

"But..." 'Dad's memories are here!' she wanted to scream but she decided against it, "where are we going to live? She asked. She noticed her mother scratch her thumb with her index finger, a habit she herself inherited.

"There is man I've been talking to. He's willing to take us in for the the meantime till we find a good apartment." Her mother explained avoiding eye contact as she carried another box to tape.

"A man?" Leah asked feeling blood drain from her face.

"Yes"

"Why can't we stay with our relatives or someone else that is not a complete stranger?" Leah asked balling her fist in anger.

"We do not have any relatives here. Go and pack your things, Leah" her mother said.

"Are you replacing dad?" Leah asked quietly as tears slipped down her eyes.

"I'm making sure we do not end up in the streets" Karen replied backing Leah so her daughter wouldn't see the tears in her eyes.
******
15th December, 2016.

"Karen!" Gus called out angrily, his eyes bloodshot, "is this all you got?!" He asked holding a few dollar notes.

"I told you the store hasn't been.." Karen started but Gus's fist connected with her face.

"Don't feed me with that bullshit" he yelled making Leah flinch as she walked in. She looked from the raging man in front of her to her weeping mother on the floors. The same cycle she witnessed almost everyday; the yelling, beating and eventually extorting of every dime her mother earned. Gus was a well built dark man who wasted his life on gambling, alcohol and drugs. He was the man her mother chose to live with.

"And what the actual fuck is this huh?" He asked holding up a bank book. "So your husband kept money for that sick excuse of a human over there" he said pointing at Leah who stepped back in fear, "and you come running to me huh?" He said kicking her mother repeatedly.

"Stop!" Leah screamed as she dropped her bag and tried to shield her mother from the beast. "Please" she begged as she received some of the kicks on her back.

"Y'all lucky I'm feeling generous today" Gus said breathing heavily, "I'm gonna hold this till the little bitch reaches eighteen" he said stuffing the book in his pocket.
***
Leah woke up that night with a start. The sky was still darked and her body still ached from the beating she received that afternoon. She was very sure she heard her room door close. She heard footsteps approaching and she immediately turned on her bedside lamp.

What she saw was worse than looking at a demon, it was a shirtless Gus staggering towards her bed.

"Mum!" She yelled immediately, "Mum!!" Gus hissed at the noise and stormed towards her. He covered her mouth and grinned. Leah had never felt so scared in her life as she felt her heart beating at an inhuman pace.

She looked at him in horror as his other hand wandered down her body. He used his legs to pin her to the bed making her unable to move. 'Dad save me, please ' she thought as Gus tugged her nightwear. She immediately bit down hard on his hand that was covering her mouth, making sure she drew blood.

Karen heard a scream from her daughter's room. She ran immediately only to see Gus there clutching his hand. Leah shoved him out of her bed and curled up like a ball.

"M..mom..?" Leah stuttered with unshed tears clouding her vision. Karen scanned her daughter from her head to legs making sure nothing happened to her before rushing to her side and hugging her.

"I'm so sorry baby, I'm sorry" Karen sobbed holding her daughter close.

"It's noh.. li...like I'll t..touch that tramp" Gus slurred before staggering out.

Leah held the bank book which she managed to slip out of Gus's pocket close as she sobbed on her mother's shoulder.

' Daddy take me with you'

*************
~Korisa