The girl in the chair began to moan again, pulling at the ropes binding her wrists to the arm rests. As she struggled out of the drug-induced stupor her moans got louder. At last her eyes flew open, wide with fear and anger.

“Where are you?” the girl asked. Her voice, much to her surprise, didn’t shake at all. Instead it was strong and powerful with the force of her anger.

“Right behind you, my love.” The man said. She shivered. The girl knew she was beautiful in a way with her curly blonde hair, pouting lips, and intriguing blue eyes; but this was the man who, above all others, should never notice.

"Why are you doing this?” the girl asked, her nails leaving gouges in the wood as he came closer.

“Because I love you. Don’t you see that, Alyssa?” he said, his voice light and cheerful. He stepped forward into the light and smiled at his daughter. They did not look much alike; the only thing they had in common was their slender build.

“Daddy, please don’t.” Alyssa whimpered, catching sight of the knife in his hands that glowed like his eyes, fevered with insanity. He turned the knife so it caught the light, shining with the ruby red of Alyssa’s blood. He’d had her tied up for days: no food or water, just the sharp edge of the blade, the cruelty of his hands, and the desire in his eyes.

“My Alyssa.” He reached out to touch her. When she recoiled the knife flashed out, cutting into her delicate skin once again. Her blood flowed, warming frigid skin. Alyssa didn’t cry out; the silent tears fell from her eyes and splattered on the cold concrete.

Alyssa sat quietly while her father hurt her. This wasn’t the first time, and it wouldn’t be the last.

Alyssa knew she had once been graceful and popular- the favorite of both students and teachers before her mother died. Because it showed when her father started drinking. The confident girl who wore shorts in winter began wearing only long-sleeved shirts and sweatpants; she stopped taking care of herself, becoming moody and depressed. Her friends deserted her until eventually only one who truly cared for her remained. And when her father started raping her, she pushed her only friend away. She was determined to spare her from the pain.

“I love you, my Alyssa.” Her father told her while he hurt her. She was sure he knew, deep down inside, that the fifteen-year-old girl who looked so much like his wife was not his to have. But it didn’t show in his frenzied eyes as he pressed his lips to hers, crushing and bruising her mouth. And Alyssa sat impassively. Her father finally left three hours later. Six fresh cuts joined countless others, the ones on her face stinging as tears flooded them. Closing her eyes, Alyssa prayed her friend had listened to her when she told her what to do if she were ever gone for more than four days.

The doorbell rang. Not daring to hope, Alyssa kept her head down and her mind closed. Her father’s footsteps sounded, making her quail until she realized he was overhead. The doorbell rang again and she could hear her father cursing. A dim hope began to swell in Alyssa’s breast. She imagined she could see red and blue lights pulsing through the small window.

“Who’s there?” she heard her father’s growling voice, but not the answer. The rattle of chains being undone lifted Alyssa’s head. She stared at the ceiling of the basement, her heart thumping.

"Thank you, Mr. Cole. I just thought I’d bring Alyssa’s homework over.” Down, down, down Alyssa’s heart plummeted. It was just Kaylen, no police force or SWAT team.

"Of course, Kaylen.” Her father answered gruffly.

“Sir, where is Alyssa?”

“Her grandmother is sick. They’re in Arkansas.” Another faint glimmer of hope tore into Alyssa’s pain.

“Alyssa’s grandmother is dead.” Kaylen’s voice, cold, before an earsplitting whistle. The sound of many feet pounding across the floor as the door slammed into the wall. Her father’s enraged voice, ranting about the outrage, the law, court sand lawsuits. Then a loud thump before momentary silence.

Alyssa wanted to scream, but it was impossible. Her head was spinning, her vision dimming. No food coupled with too much blood loss was making it hard to even stay awake.

The footsteps came closer. Door after door was smashed open, ever closer. Then right in front of her. The light blinding, making her shove the chair back.

“Alyssa!” Kaylen’s voice, faint though Alyssa knew she was yelling. Suddenly there were hands on her; she struggled with leaden limbs.

“Emergency vehicle.” The crackle of a radio. Alyssa still struggled as she was lifted into unfamiliar arms. Kaylen’s voice came again.

“Everything’s going to be fine now, Alyssa.” Reassuring, calming. The arms jostled her as the person they belonged to climbed up the stairs. Alyssa recognized her home, the place where she had once felt safe, now filled with shadows of pain and fear.

Sirens sounded, drilling into her head. They called up memories of her mother, blood clouding clear water. Pain and death. Suicide. Leaving Alyssa all alone. She must have known, must have seen this. Killed herself.

Alyssa’s broken thoughts connected for a moment as sunlight touched her face, wind trying to lift hair heavy and sticky with blood. Her world was upside down, topsy turvy, spinning. Her father was what her gaze focused on. He was in a police car, face bright red and pressed to the window as he screamed. She could see her name on his lips, over and over as he beat at glass that wouldn’t break.

“She shouldn’t see him,” a kind voice said. Alyssa fractured, breaking as she was moved, the pain too much for even her to handle.

Flashes were all anybody would remember. A truck. Flashing lights. A too clean white floor, marred by the drips of red. People and needles and fire in Alyssa’s blood. Drugs that made her scream, beg them to stay away. Chaos, them the cold reprieve of darkness.

When Alyssa woke later she was in a hospital room. Pristine white bandages covered her, staunching the bleeding from stitched wounds. Alyssa could hear the quiet beeping of machines and the steady drip of an IV.

“You’re awake.” Alyssa’s head snapped to the side. Kaylen gave her a warm smile, her dark eyes showing how tired she was behind her careful appearance. She moved closer to Alyssa, her thick black hair falling into her face.

“What happened?” Alyssa asked.

“I went to the cops like you told me. They said they needed proof he was lying. As soon as I got it, they got you out. You had to go into surgery. I thought-” Kaylen choked up, closing her eyes against tears. Alyssa felt her pain, but she knew she wasn’t going to last much longer and she needed to tell her the truth before she lost her chance.

“Kaylen?” she looked up at the broken girl.

“Yeah?” her voice shook; she knew Alyssa was fading.

“I’ve always loved you.” She told her. Kaylen took Alyssa’s hand when she reached out, the tears finally breaking free. Alyssa tugged until Kaylen softly pressed her lips against Alyssa’s own bruised mouth.

“I’ve always loved you too.” Kaylen whispered as the machines relayed the flat-lining of her heart.

Kaylen cried for days, grieving for her first love in her own father’s consoling arms, but she moved on. She had a chance for the better life her angel never got to have. Kaylen took it for her. She has already saved the lives of too many people to count, though she’s still only a junior in high school. And whenever anyone asks her why she does it, her response is always the same. She flicks those inscrutable shadowed eyes to the sky and says:

“Alyssa lied.”