The Dragonfly Party The smoke carefully paints the little girl's mouth. Tenderly enveloping her tongue and kissing her throat. Taking it's precious time despite the fact that, behind her bedroom door, a fire dances impatiently; craving the surrender of another #life. Lilly wakes to coughing up whatever has trespassed into her lungs. Using her hands to slowly prise open her eyes, tears been to sting in the corners. Suddenly she begins to panic. Her eyesight won't focus and her teddy's face is blurred. The pink walls look tinted with age and an orange glow shines from beneath the door. Things appear like a water stain has smudged them into distorted colours. All the while, the ash grey mist thickens around her - lacing her in fear. Her six year old brain has never known such confusion. But one thing she knows for sure: she wants her Daddy more than ever before. Now her chest aches and somehow she can't manage to breathe. She screams his name again and again until her throat burns painfully, like fingernails scratching away at the inside of her flesh. Why won't he come to her? Where has he gone? And in this desperate search for him, it is then that her eyes fix upon the little window. Clutching her blanket tightly around her waist, she dangles her legs off the edge of the bed. Instead of a chill creeping up her feet, Lilly is surprised to find that the carpet beneath her is warm for the first time she can remember. She stumbles dizzily through the smoke until her pale, delicate hand finds the latch on the window. For minutes Lilly fumbles with it, desperately praying for it to open. Eventually, with a protesting screech, the window cracks open and a breeze so divine invades the room. Because of this, Lilly leans dangerously low out of the window, gasping for air. She half laughs, half sobs at her newly found joy. Until she's abruptly falling through the air and everything goes black... Outside, the full#moonwatches the heartbreaking disaster unfold. The little girl lies still and silent in the bramble bushes below. Her blonde curls fluttering softly in the wind. Only the angry cackle of the burning house can be heard and perhaps the distant flow of water. Gradually Lilly regains consciousness but her confusion is still ever present. She stirs wordlessly underneath her bedroom window and stares up in shock as she pieces together what must have happened. Salty tears fall onto her cracked lips. But not very long does she dwell upon this, as to the left of her are a gathering of flames licking the edges of her home. Daddy. Where's Daddy? A black silhouette swiftly materialises from behind her back and Lilly spins so fast she almost falls to the ground. The hope in her heart spreads faster than ink. And it's overwhelming. Tears are now pouring down her cheeks as she races towards the figure. 'Daddy!' she shouts out, ignoring the sharp twigs that fight her bare feet. But as she draws closer, her pace slows. The face of this person is covered in black soot and a bloodied mess of cuts and burns. One of their eyes has swelled shut and bulges out; in such a grotesque manner that Lilly swallows back a scream. What little hair there is left on top of their head is short and singed. This doesn't look like her father at all. Lilly looks back towards the house and then back at the man again. Her fingers begin to tremble. Letting out a sharp cry, she turns in the opposite direction and runs towards the line of trees close by. 'Lilly! Stop!' the man chokes out in a hoarse whisper. But it doesn't matter because Lilly didn't hear. And even if she had of heard his familiar voice, she would fear this man out of panic for simply knowing her name. The racing of her heart deafens her ears and her lungs are on fire once again as she pounds her feet forwards and forwards. The forest used to be a familiar place but in the dark nothing looks the same. She dares a glance back and sees the man chasing after her. He's catching up. She's so scared. And the sweat that glistens on her forehead could be from either the exertion or the terror. Persuading herself this is simply a bad dream seems an inviting idea. So much so, that she even pinches her arm in hope. However, nothing happens and she finds herself still running through the darkened forest, escaping the horrible person who she believes to have ruined her home. So terrified was Lilly that when the large pond appeared before her, she didn't even realise. Her feet didn't hesitate and her mind knew no doubt. Soon she was submerged beneath the cool water. As she shrieked out of shock, or maybe for help, a gulp of water cut off her air. Above her she could just make out the dragonflies flitting around on the surface; colours of green and blue, shimmering so beautifully. And their dancing blissfully continued, unaware of the tragedy beneath them. Lilly could only plead that their beauty would not be the last thing she ever saw. So she silently wished for them to let her join the party. Just as her father's hand sliced through the water...