A glow of light seemed to hint its presence coming from down the hall. A threatening, dim, fluorescent light followed by an unexpected breeze of air cautiously wondered throughout the second floor. The sudden slam of the front door had shaken the entire house.

Feeling as though her body were united with the bed, Ava carefully lifted her arm unto her chest. The affliction ached severely, and as her hand left her body, blood trailed staining her skin with disbelief.

I’m going to die, a slow and painful death. Who was that man? Where was the strength that Mom taught me while I was being attacked? Dear God, if you’re out there, please do me a favor and spare my life this one time. Just this once please.

Although it was only about three minutes that passed, Ava felt hours pass by. With the sound of the ambulance siren signaling its whereabouts, she felt the tiniest bit of hope coming from an unfamiliar spot in her heart.

Since the door was already unlocked, the paramedics were easily able to access Ava who was lying helplessly at the edge of her bed. What was once a peach colored sheet was now complemented by the blood that was seeping out of her wound. Ava found herself looking up at an older pale lady’s eyes. She tried to explain what had happened, but soon realized that words cannot form an honest explanation if the one speaking cannot clearly refer back to the incident.
So instead she asked, “Will I be okay?”
“Yes honey,” she responded in a soothing tone. “That’s a pretty deep gash in your stomach, but we’ll do a good job and fix you up.”
“How’d you know I was hurt?” Ava asked in confusion.
“There was a complaint from one of your neighbors.” She said. “They claimed to hear screaming and sounds of a struggle. I must say that I’m glad we came, you could have been hurt even more severely.”
What’s more severe than this? She thought to herself.
“Now we’re going to take you to the hospital, sweetie. I’m pretty sure you’re worried so we’ve contacted your mother and she agreed to meet us there. Everything will be okay from here on out.”

As they carefully lifted her from the bed onto the stretcher as if she was a fragile piece of art in a museum, Ava couldn’t help but wonder if she’d die. As harsh as it sounds, she couldn’t believe how much more she throbbed of emotion rather than physical pain.
The paramedic inserted a needle into her arm explaining that it should take away some of the pain. In a couple of minutes, Ava was numb. In the rear of the ambulance she rode lying down staring at the roof of the truck. Wondering if that brief prayer had anything to do with the progression of her night. Speculating whether or not she should thank ‘God’ in advance or just wait to see the outcome of the situation. Quietly, Ava closed her eyes and thought about all the good times she’s ever had and about how many more good time there are to come. In the calmest voice ever, she truthfully said, “Thank You.”