Too young

The metal on the bench had picked up a thin cast of ice,
and wood seeped in the cool moist air.
Together on the bench they froze the thin frail child to the bone.
Except for her absent presence in the park, it was empty.
She glanced around at the swings swaying in the cold winter air;
the slides glistening with ice.
Wishing to Heaven that she could be as a child again;
 innocence beyond what the world can comprehend.
Innocent and free from the evil and treacherous grasp of life.
As she stared into the frozen puddle on the pavement before her,
she could see her pale, colorless eyes,
the tears that flowed ceaselessly from them and the secrets behind them.
Thoughts ran wild in her mind,
"It's so cold, you'd never feel a thing,
it would be over quickly,
there would be no mess for mom to cleanup,
most of all, there would be no more you to cause problems."
The persuading voice tried to get her, tried to justify it.

A cold breeze seeped through the holes in the white knit sweater Daddy bought her.
She trembled uncontrollably, both from fear and the cold.

Her dreams: Meeting Mr. Right, being married, having the perfect family.
Her goals: Going to college, finishing high school, having a future.

All of these thoughts sweetly engulfed her mind.
The tears fell harder as the clean blade echoed as it hit the bottom of the cold empty can.

And the wintery park was completely empty.