“No!” She screamed her voice piecing my ears. “Let go of her!”

She fought with every ounce of energy she had, slamming her hands across the face of Hope’s hooded kidnapper.

“Hope!” She screamed, “Hope!”

I followed the sounds, my mind spinning as I saw it. The path in front of me, then Maya screaming her face red with anger, her voice filled with tears.

“I’m coming!” I yelled, as my vision came back to me. I ran through the streets, following any sound of a scream. The smell of exhaust flooded my nose. I could feel the fire in my lungs begging me to stop.

I couldn’t, not unless my daughter was safe.

I stopped, the screams of horror, haunting me like a nightmare. She was only one and already her life was filled with what I had always feared. I sprinted into the house. The house I’d had made dreams for. Dreams of getting to see Hope grow up. Giving her a life full of well hope. Maya was on the ground the couches around her were covered in white sheets. The only color in the room was the deep red color of blood. Maya’s blood. Hope was screaming and crying in the arms of a stranger, I couldn’t see her but I could feel her. The fear, the arms holding her like she was an object, like she wasn’t alive.

“Maya,” I ran to her, as she shook her head, pointing to the stairs. Where Hope’s screams of fear were echoing. I wanted to ignore her, the dull red blood that dropped down her face that covered her white shirt. It made me mad, too mad.

“Damon, you have to save her. You have to save our daughter,” she cried.

“I will-I promise,” I whispered.

I followed her red finger, giving her shaking a quick squeeze before I bolted. Hoping for the sounds of crying to guide me, to the right door.

I could hear the loud thundering footsteps.

Then I saw it. A vision. I stopped next to a door, the door was closed and inside was Hope, I could feel it.

My mind left the dusty hallway, everything turned black and then. It was Hope. But older, her blonde hair was flowing down her back. Her eyes they glowed green. The forest around her was blowing quietly, sending leaves to the ground.

I could almost smell the damp leaves covered in the black soil under her feet.

She was whispering. Her voice like a quiet peaceful song.

“Daddy,” she whispered, “Daddy I’m okay. Let me go.”

She smiled, a smile so beautiful I couldn’t believe it was her. That she was mine.

“Daddy, I’m going to be okay. You have to trust me. We’ll meet again, me, you and Mom. I promise, I’ll see you. And you’ll see me, we’ll be a family. Just like you’ve always wanted. But you have to let me go.”

She smiled, lifting her hands.

The leaves around her started lifting, floating off the ground.

She giggled as she watched them fly.

I smiled. She would be okay.

The vision faded, Hope was smiling as she left my view. She was so perfect, so beautiful. And she was so far away, even when I was standing with only a door separating us.

I could hear her screams, she was right through the door. The knob was inches away from my hand. All I had to do was open it. And I could save her. I’d get to watch her grow up, I get to see her fail, and see her succeed. But most of all I’d just be there for her.

I reached out for it, her words echoing in my mind. “You have to let me go.”

I shook my head, I can’t. I won’t. Your my daughter. I can’t do this to you. I can’t fail you. Like my father did to me.

And then suddenly my hand slowly went back to my side. And I walked down the stairs, my mind blurry. The sounds of her screams became distant and soon vanished. The silence was killing me. Maybe she had died, maybe they had hurt her. I stopped at the bottom of the stairs, my eyes glued to the dusty hardwood floor. My nose filled with the dusty smell that floated through the air.

Hope’s smile was stuck in my mind. She was okay, she would be okay. And I would see her again. I would make sure of that.

Even if I didn’t get to see her grow up, I’d get to meet her, again.

I couldn’t stop thinking about her. My Hope. She had given it to me when I had nothing, and I had let her go like she didn’t mean anything to me.

I had given up on her and I couldn’t go back. I couldn’t go forward. I could only stand still, listening to the deadly silence.