This hall has seen it all;
our triumphs, our upsets, our failures.
Unrealized dreams and broken hearts.
Fighting, arguments,
Discussions of how the world is going to hell.
Laughter, loving times, moments of friendship.

This hall is our protection-
in it, we are untouchable.
this hall supports us, it belongs to us,
We are the Hall.

Here we meet without fail,
called in by friendship
and trapped in by love.

In this hall we made our lives,
passing classes and planning grad.
In this hall we reigned supreme
ruling as the highest grade.

But most importantly,
in this hall we were happy.

“Chayla, your eyes are like the ocean tonight.” He smiled, and relaxed his shoulders as his little girl plopped into his lap and played with one of the beads in his hair.  Her eyes grew wide and she laughed as her father’s lock of hair began to attack back. Only one year left for them. Before long… he would have to give her up, even when she was so young.

“P..ap…a!” She exclaimed, her smile as wide as she could stretch it. She clapped her clumbsy hands and her little ebony curls glinted in the day’s final glimpse of light. She was so beautiful. So perfect and innocent.

His sight blurred for a moment, eyes burning with unshed tears. Such a child had to die for sins that were not hers? Such a child must bear a burden that he had tried so hard to prevent from falling upon her shoulders? Such a child… His child?

He tried not to picture the gruesome death that his girl had to endure. He tried not to see the ugly faces sacrificing her life for their own good. It made him sick.

“A..bb…a…?” Chayla asked with concern at her father’s face. He smiled, accidentally letting a tear fall to her cheek.  She laughed and held her arms up trustingly to the father whom she loved and would betray her and everything she believed in.

And the Father cried for her.

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

A/N: For those who don’t get it, which I realize may be a lot of you, this is about the love of the Father for Jesus who had to die. I put it into a tribal setting wherein human sacrifices are the annual norm. Okey dokey! So this is just a short version for you guys so I could put it into the “short story” section!

Bright green, petite and new
Soft skin with pinkish hue

In spring wind it shivers lightly
Wobble, bobble, he steps, not sprightly

Deepened color and growing size
Ever taller with clever eyes

Full and firm, now hunter green
Mature and thoughtful, strong and lean

Some shade it gives throughout its life
Deep care and love shown to his wife

Trunk and root by it are fed
He tucks his children into bed

Much storm and wind it safely weathered
Family, to him, securely tethered

Summer’s end means fall is here
Girl speaks “I do,” he sheds a tear

Around the edge, see yellow there
Gives wise advice, gets silver hair

Orange it turns, by all admired
His mind is strong, but body tired

Splash of red shines for a while
Deep loving eyes and tender smile

The sturdy points begin to curl
With age the aches and pains unfurl

So now the Leaf begins to brown
The Man is surely slowing down

It falls in splendor for all to see
His life remembered, a great legacy