The vividness of my surroundings draws my soul into this peaceful landscape. I stare into the brightly colored cheekbones of my almost 2 year old daughter. Her short brown hair is tied back in a braid as she twirls obnoxiously around the deck of a ship.

I can smell the ocean as the ship sways gently across the dark blue abyss. A sea of stars in the sky tonight makes air and water blend together. I turn away from my daughter and see a young man staring at me.

I notice that he's smiling at me, waving his hand, to gesture me to come towards him. I decide to go to see what he wants from me.

I cast a direction at my daughter but notice that she's no longer by my side. I watch her playing that stupid twirling game except this time she's twirling over to the side of the ship.

I notice the man is next my daughter so I start screaming at the man to save my daughter. He appears totally unfazed by my gestures. Instead He walks over to me with a huge grin on his face, grabs my hands, and tells me he's going to take me away from her. I watch her twirl over the side of the ship.  When I run over, and look down, I notice her maimed body below.

I wake up covered in sweat from the oversized blanket to feel my heart palpitating in my chest. I reach out across the bed to wrap my arms around my daughter, who is very much alive, and run my hand through her hair. I bury myself in the safety net that she has become for me and coccoon myself in her warm arms.

All it takes is one breath of her lavender scented skin into my nostrils to know that she is the fuel that keeps me running. She has taught me that I can slay dragons just because she exists. I'm no longer afraid of my nightmares, or the monsters under my bed or the everyday monsters in my life. I don't have to let fear rule my life anymore because she is here.