I love you daddy.

“Whee!!! Higher daddy,higher!!!” A little girl of five screamed with glee. It was a pleasant day and the girl, with her father had hiked all the way up the hill. They stopped under a tree,tired and wanted to take some rest. That’s when a cool breeze blew and the father lifted his little princess up in the air. However the girl failed to notice the tears at the corner of her father’s eyes, which seemed to hold a lot of pain. They sat down on the soft grass and the father held his daughter in a loving embrace. “I love you daddy! I will love you forever!!” she chirped. A melancholic smile spread across the father’s face as he replied,” I love you too baby. I hope you’ll love me even after i am gone.”

 The little girl didn't realize what he meant so she chose to ignore it. After spending a wonderful day at the hill, it was time to go home. The little girl held onto her dad’s little finger as she jumped along the way.

Later that night, after dinner, the father tucked the little girl into bed and read her a few bedtime stories. She fell asleep soon after and her dad gave her a good night kiss....which ended up being the last one.

Sara jolted upright and beads of sweat lined her forehead. Ever since her dad left, she couldn’t cope up with the fact and had nightmares ever since. She would never know what had happened to her loving dad or where he had disappeared. She looked at the moon shining bright in the dark night, casting eerie shadows in her room. She went and sat on the window sill letting the soft moonlight envelope her. She had always found solace in it and felt as if her dad was embracing her all over again.

 She never knew her mom. Her dad was her world and one day, that too collapsed. She lived in their house all alone, wrapped with all the old memories. Neither did she go to a school nor did she ever play outside. She loved her dad, she still does....but she felt betrayed. She hated his cowardice. She felt anger surge through her and let out a bloodcurdling scream. The scream had all her woes, pain and frustration.

Far away from the house, in the neighbourhood, the people of the village stayed wide awake. There it goes, the bloodcurdling scream. It has been going on since the last few years. A girl screams past midnight every day...sending shivers down their spine. It seemed to be coming from the burnt house that lied dilapidated in the distance. The most chilling part was that nobody lived in that house. 

Long ago, a group of tribals led by a man had burnt it down. They feared that a demon’s child lived there. However, each one of them was found dead thereafter, in a series of unknown events. The man ,who led the tribals, had been killed brutally with his head twisted and eyes gouged out. On his arms were the words carved with sharp nails, “I will love you forever daddy.”