Pendants.

She lay on the grass, with a book in her right hand and a pencil in the other. The clouds were beautiful today. Not that it was never beautiful on any other day but today it seemed more appealing to her. They hold a different shape, fluffy like cotton candies. Some flowers; dolphins; babies. The only difference was that it had a vast amount of the shades of blue. Ocean blue; light blue; dark blue; deep blue. She shaded her eyes using her hand to get a clearer view of the azure  sky with the birds that seemed as if they were graciously floating in the air rather than flying. Picturesque. She inhaled the serene air. Calm. She knew that it would make her day better be it temporarily.

The park seemed to be the perfect option for her to submit herself after a long, strenuous day at home. It was the only place she could seek refuge. The grass was her bed. The insects, the animals in the undergrowth seemed to be the perfect companion. They never played with her feelings. She could tell her stories to them. Vent out her anger and her problems. Yes, maybe they didn't have the power to reply to her rants. Deep down, she knew, they did listen, they did care, they did reply. It's just she couldn't hear them. Therefore, she constantly apologised. Acknowledging the existence of their feelings.

At least here, she was never alone.

* * *

She had to endure another round of scrutiny from her step-mother. Her body was beaten and bruised by her words. As if the emotional abuse wasn't enough, she was also flogged, pinched and kicked by her . She submitted herself towards such brutality and cruelty. Knowing that there was no way out. If she resisted, she'd get another round of beating. Life couldn't have been better. 

"Why didn't you sweep the floor? You IDIOT!"

She looked down, stared intently at the floor as though it could save her.

One strike.

She closed her eyes. If mom was here.

Second strike.

I'm strong. I cannot cry. I shouldn't cry. Her fingers tightly clenching her ragged skirt. Trying to channel the pain to other receptacles. It was her way to wad the pain. 

* * *

Lying down on the grass, she touched her bum. She tenderly stroked the bruises.  

"Mom, it hurts. So badly. I wish you were here with me,"

She imagined she was on her mother's lap. Imagining the palpable aura of affection that managed to pierce through her skin. Leaving a permanent warmth which lingered in her veins pumping through her heart.

It was her source of strength. Her invisible pendant.

There, she slept on her mother's lap tender, as the grass.