A Father's Love, Bloody Footprints

A girl, holding her father's hand.

The sun rises, bathing everything slowly in its golden radiance.

The little girl squinted her eyes, one arm shielding her eyes and another holding to her father.

'Glorious, isn't it?' said the father, smiling.

They walked down the length of the beach.

The morning breeze gently brushes the pair.

The girl, smiling, running around the beach, care free.

The father, his eyes always kept on his daughter, smiling and shaking his head.

Such innocence, a beautiful smile.

A wail broke him from his reverie.

The girl sat down on the beach, clutching her foot.

Crimson vitae trickled down, marring the golden sands crimson.

The father, ran to her.

His face a mask of panic.

He knelt down beside her, checking her foot as she sobbed gently.

'Pa... It hurts...'

'I know, dear. Hold on, kay?'

A peck on her forehead, he looked around to see what has cut his daughter's foot.

He saw, a black, broken shard.

'This might hurt a bit, hold on, kay'?

She nodded, still sobbing.

In one swift movement, he pulled out the shard, more blood flowed from the wound.

She whimpered and sobbed harder, 'Pa... I am feeling dizzy,' as she moved to hug her father.

The father, looked around, something caught his eyes.

He started digging and to his horror, he found a buried sea urchin.

Not a shard, but a poisonous barb.

Her breathing became irregular.

He carried her on his back and ran.

His mind raced and thought of a resort nearby, which may have a clinic.

The resort is half a kilometre away.

He ran.

Glass shards, broken corals raked his feet.

He felt none of it.

His daughter, initially sobbing has gone quiet.

He cried, none of the pain on his feet registered, only the pain in his heart, fearing that he might lose his daughter.

He kept running, leaving behind bloody path.

He could see it, the resort, so near.

Sharp pain lanced through his legs and he fell, his feet a bloody mess.

He screamed for help, wailing and begging for someone to save his daughter.

Workers came, some tried to assist him but he pushed his daughter to their arms, denying any help for himself.

'She's been poisoned! Get her help! Now!'

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*20 years later*

She pushed his wheelchair.

The morning breeze, gently brushed her long hair.

The sun's radiance, broke the horizon.

She hugged the man.

'Thanks, I know I said this too many times, but thanks...' she mumbled, tears streaking down her cheeks.

The man hugged her back.

'Don't worry, girl, I love you...' said the old man.

As father and daughter, they looked on to the horizon, waiting for the sun to rise.

what if Your blessings come thru raindrops
what if Your healing comes thru tears
what if a thousand sleepless nites are what it takes to know You're near
what if trials of this life are Your mercies in disguise..

A walk, with Him is never easy.. But you'll find the footprints left behind, are His, left behind in the sands.. He carries you through the worst of it all.

- Inspired by Grace Chu's status update on Facebook =)

This story is taken from my blog, now defunct, which is where some of my stories are written before I found this wonderful website :) Hope you will enjoy it.