She was too beautiful

She was too beautiful. He had known it from the start. She was too beautiful for this world. She was his angel, his princess, his goddess. He wanted to take her in his arms and protect her from all the evils of the cruel, harsh world forever and ever. 1

“I’ll love you forever baby girl,” he whispered, pressing his lips to her forehead. 2

She looked up at him so trustingly; her eyes still dark blue from her birth boring into his brown ones. She was tiny and fragile, but strong too. Her eyes looked at him as if they knew all his secrets and she still loved him, still forgave him all he had done. He shifted her in his arms, careful to cradle her head and marveled at her tiny body. He was also amazed by how so much heat could come from so small a being. Her eyes began to close as she grew more tired. Her rosy cheeks and flawless skin were highlighted by the light streaming in from the window as he sat in the rocking chair with her. Night time with his baby was his favorite time. He didn’t mind the lack of sleep because when she cried, he had to answer. It was a compulsion and a need deep inside him that helped keep the weariness at bay until after he made sure she was safe and happy. Now, as he rocked her back and forth, her blanket wrapped snugly around her tiny body, her little fist escaped and grabbed his finger. And just like it had on that first day, his heart gave a lurch and his stomach seemed to drop away. There was something about her hand around his that just felt so right.3

“I will keep you safe Princess forever. No matter what.” 4

She was too beautiful. He had known it from the start. She was too beautiful for this world. She was his angel, his princess, his goddess. He wanted to take her in his arms and protect her from all the evils of the cruel, harsh world forever and ever. 5

“Hey beautiful,” he greeted her, slipping his arms around her waist from behind. He inhaled her unique scent-vanilla mixed with some other berry-and squeezed gently.6

She turned and her smile lit up the entire room and filled his heart with joy. He didn’t know how he had been lucky enough to get her as his girl friend, but he never wanted to let her go. The most amazing thing was that she had chosen him out of all the other young men who had been after her heart. 7

“Hi,” she greeted him, hugging him back. 8

“How are you?” he asked and then listened as she told him about her day. He was always content just to listen to the sound of her lilting voice and hear the expressions she used. She was a hand talker as well and he always found it funny to watch how her face changed in time with her conversation and her hand motions. It was always relaxing to watch her. Her skin was flawless, but healthy looking, her eyes a beautiful hazel and constantly sparkling and her brown hair so long and luscious he could rarely help running his hands through it. Even now, as she spoke, he played with her hair, twirling it around his fingers. She didn’t mind. She enjoyed the small caresses and knowing that he was listening intently to her every word. When she had finished her story, he smiled and laughed, agreeing with her. As the sunlight hit her hair, highlighting it and her face, he was overwhelmed with love for her. “Oh Princess,” he whispered, pulling her to him, “I love you.” 9

She smiled against his chest and wrapped her arms around his waist. “I love you too,” she replied. 10

He kissed the top of her head and they turned together to walk down the pathway under the avenue of trees. “I’ll protect you forever,” he promised, holding her hand, their fingers entwined. “No matter what.” 11

She was too beautiful. He had known it from the start. She was too beautiful for this world. She was his angel, his princess, his goddess. He wanted to take her in his arms and protect her from all the evils of the cruel, harsh world forever and ever. 12

He moaned softly, his hands reaching out in supplication. “Please, no,” he whimpered. His hands caressed her warm flesh, rubbing up and down her arms as he willed her to open her eyes, to look at him, to smile at him, to tell him it would all be okay. There would be tears—after what she had just been through, how could there not be?—but that was to be expected. He could deal with tears. If only she would open her eyes. “Look at me,” he begged, shaking her slightly. Her head lolled to the side, her neck limp. 13

“No,” he cried again, softly. Tears built in his eyes and spilled down his cheeks. They fell onto her pale face and slid down her cheek, as if she was crying. She had been crying. There were tear streaks on her beautiful face and bruises easily seen on her sensitive skin. He pulled the sheet up to cover her naked body, biting his lip to keep from screaming out her name and cursing the man who had done this to her. He had known it was a bad idea to bring her home, to have her meet his family. They had all liked her, his step-father maybe a little too much. He had seen the looks the older man had been throwing her way but had refrained from saying anything thanks to years of practice. If only he had said something. If only he had been brave enough to stand up to his tyrannical step-father she might still be alive. But she had always drawn attention and he had been afraid for so long that one day the attention would be a bad thing. He had jealously guarded her, refusing to let anyone he considered dangerous close. But he had failed her. “I’m sorry,” he whispered, the tears flowing faster from his eyes. His hands ran one last time through her beautiful, silky curls as he lifted her face to his, pressing their cheeks against each other. One hand supported her head while the other supported her back, holding her against him. This was the last time he would be able to hold her in her arms and he relished the feeling of her body against his. If he kept his eyes closed like this, he might even be able to imagine that she was still alive. But her skin was cooling and he knew that he could not stay here for long. 14

“I’m sorry,” he apologized again, wishing that somehow he could merit her forgiveness. “I couldn’t protect you even though I promised I would. I’m sorry. I’m sorry.”15

He kissed her cold lips quickly and then laid her back down on the bed. He reached for the phone, dialing quickly. She would have justice, this he could insure for her. “This is my last act of protection but I will love you forever,” he said, covering the mouthpiece, “No matter what.” 16

She was too beautiful. He had known it from the start. She was too beautiful for this world. She was his angel, his princess, his goddess. He wanted to take her in his arms and protect her from all the evils of the cruel, harsh world forever and ever. 17

Tears ran down his face as his hand clutched that of his wife. She was sobbing loudly against his side, her tears soaking his jacket. He didn’t care. His baby was being lowered into the ground and there was nothing he could do about it. He had always known that she was too beautiful, but he had never imagined that it would come to this. He rubbed his wife’s back soothingly, but was unable to say anything. All his effort was focused on keeping the anger inside of him from spilling out. For if he allowed himself to dwell on what had happened to his precious baby, he would go and find the sonofabitch who had done this and make him pay. He would scream curses to the heavens and rip apart the sturdy coffin with his bare hands. It physically hurt him to know that he would never see her again, hear her laugh or feel her arms around him. It physically hurt him to know that her life had ended in fear and pain. There was a void; a gap inside of him which he knew would never be filled again. She had been his light and the light for so many, guiding them through troubled times. He had no idea how he would go on without her. He looked, scanning the faces of those who had come to pay their respects to his child. His eyes met her boyfriend’s and he winced to see the immense sadness and guilt in the young man’s serious green eyes. They locked gazes for a moment, each showing in his eyes that they had loved the girl now lying in a box. He nodded and looked away from the pain, sadness, grief and love swirling in the other man’s eyes. His wife let go of him for a moment to go forwards and press her hand to the coffin’s lid. She was sobbing, her grief plain and heartbreaking to everyone. He went forward and gently placed his arm around her shoulders, squeezing, holding, reassuring himself and her that he was still there. As they stood, looking down at the prison which now contained his daughter, his vision teetered a little, and he could only focus on the warm colored mahogany. “I’m sorry,” he whispered. “I couldn’t protect you from all the evils of the world. If I could have, you would never have left my sight. But you were so brave and independent and bold. Forgive me. I let you down.” 18

They stood there, strangers some, but all united by grief and love for a beautiful, vibrant young woman. There was silence, only sobbing, as the wind whistled through the trees, creating a haunting whistling noise that lasted from when she was lowered in to the cold, dark soil until the last shovelful of earth was placed over her. The two men who had loved her best, looked sadly at the pitiful mound, each grief stricken in his own way. And from their lips, both whispered, “Good-bye Princess, I’m sorry.” 19

And somewhere, several miles away, an older man looked up towards the sky, his blue eyes alight in a way they had not been for a long time. He smiled, revealing his cracked yellow teeth and crooked, frightening smile. His expression was one of total bliss and in his hand was clutched a newspaper clipping, announcing the time and date of a beautiful young woman’s funeral. She had been too beautiful for this world and only he had been able to see it. She would have created havoc and strife with all males, and would have been unable to retain her purity and innocence for long. He hadn’t wanted her to become tainted by other men. He wanted her to remain untouched. For if she continued to allow the lustful gazes of other men to rest upon her exposed flesh, she would soon turn as wanton as they. But now—now she was pure. He still remembered the last time he had seen her, her hazel eyes staring wide and unseeing at him, her pale skin luminescent, like an angel’s. Her stately, white neck was necklaced with a dark purple bruise, his finger marks the jewels ornamenting the piece. Her dark hair was splayed on the pillow around her, and her naked flesh gleamed in the moonlight streaming in from the open window. She would remain pure forever more now. As he looked up at the ceiling, his features twisted in a maniacal grin, he let out a quiet breath. Tears ran down his cheeks as he craned his neck to look out the window to the heavens. He was at peace, knowing that he had done the Lord’s work. He had removed an object of lust and kept a young girl pure all at the same time. She had been the Lord’s virgin bride, with him standing in and taking her merely as a tool of the Lord. He had done it all according to the Lord’s will. She went into death not a virgin, but not quite a woman, perfect, pure and innocent. And he knew that she would be welcomed into the Kingdom of Heaven with open arms for her beauty was angelic and heavenly. She would now remain untouched and spoiled by her human nature and by the cruelty of Earthly life. 20

“Good-bye my angel,” he whispered past his cracked lips. “Now you will remain safe forever.” 21