It Just Doesn't Matter

Little Willow is traumatized by her father and carries the scars for the rest of her life.

Twelve-year-old Willow Rice quivered in her swimsuit as she stared at her father.

“You better win this championship. Do you hear?” her father yelled in her face.

Grasping her chin and squeezing her cheeks, he continued, “And you know what will happen if you lose.”

He removed his grip and the young girl shook even more.

The whistle sounded for the contestants to take their position. As she stepped on to the podium, she set herself for winning. She stood there, calm, waiting for the starting gun. It went off but instead of snapping a switch in Willow’s head, causing her body to spring into action, she stared at the vision of her dead mother, arms outstretched, standing on the water ahead of her. She froze in shock, then adrenaline forced her to move. The delay cost vital seconds and she could not catch the leaders. She came in fifth.

When she pulled herself from the pool, the horrific sight of the angry man striding towards her, purple faced, yelling obscenities, shocked her. As he approached, he swung his fist to deliver a massive swipe, but he stopped, staring into her eyes. He whispered his last words, “This is all your fault.” She watched the massive stroke suck the life from him as he sunk to the ground. It was a sight that haunted her forever.

She never swam again and for many months, the visions of the purple face with bulging eyes plagued her and she would spring awake, screaming till eventually she discovered how to silence the nightmares. Win! Win at everything. Then maybe her father will forgive her and the nightmares go away.