Darren Galsworthy - The Evil Within

Ive always enjoyed the outdoors. When I was growing up, my father would teach me all about the wonders of nature, and there was nothing I enjoyed more than pulling on my wellies and running outside to explore. To me, it was the only place where you could be free and let your imagination run wild. An open clearing would become a kingdom, a wooded area would turn into a secret, magical garden. A large tree would become my castle for the day. When I had children of my own, I taught them that their imagination was limitless. As they grew up to love the outdoors too, I rediscovered it through their eyes. For me, that was part of the magic of having children.

I still love taking long walks, but these days I tend to be alone. It gives me a good opportunity to think and to set the world to rights. I never feel completely alone anyway everywhere I look I can see memories of my daughter Becky, from when she was a toddler, clutching her microscope to examine the bugs on the leaves, to when she was a teenager, examining her nail polish as we walked together, talking about her hopes and dreams.

Becky was at the beginning of adulthood when she was cruelly taken from us. She was just starting to figure out who she was, and who she wanted to be in the future. She was growing into a beautiful young woman, with a wicked sense of style and an attitude to match.

These days, I take a long walk whenever I want to feel her presence around me again. I often stroll slowly along the familiar winding lanes and sit down by the edge of a pond, enjoying the film reel of memories as they play out in my head. Its there that I usually have one of my many one-sided conversations with Becky.

Hello, Bex. I hope youre happy and safe, wherever you are. I hope youre with my nan and shes showing you all the love she showed me when I was your age. I wish you were with me so much. I miss everything about you your laugh, your sense of humour, even the way you would make fun of me all day long.

I miss trying to embarrass you with my dad dancing. I even miss the practical jokes you used to play on me like the time you waited until I fell asleep on the couch and then you painted me with as much make-up as you could find. I wondered why the man at the door was looking at me so strangely when I greeted him, but when I heard you giggling from your room I knew instantly that you had something to do with it. I was horrified when I looked in the mirror and saw my red lips and bright blue eyelids but you thought it was hilarious, and the sound of your laughter was enough to make everyone smile.

I miss having fun with you when you were a little girl, scrunching up my face into all sorts of shapes just to make you collapse into giggles, baking cupcakes with you in the kitchen, and reading to you in bed. My favourite part of the day was always watching you fall asleep then kissing you goodnight.

Bex, I even miss the rows we used to have. We were so alike, we used to rub each other up the wrong way, but wed always end up rolling around with laughter. I miss the way you used to hurl yourself at me when you came in, winding me in the process. I miss you pulling my right arm around you and cuddling in. You could stay like that for hours, and I used to thank my lucky stars that you still wanted to do that, even when you were a teenager.

Not an hour goes by that I dont think about you, Bex. From the moment I open my eyes to the moment I rest my head on my pillow at night, I see you. I see you in your room on your phone, I see you messing about with your friends at the front gate, I see you in our living room, cuddled up watching a film you are everywhere. In a way, Im glad because I dont ever want to forget anything about you.

I try very hard not to think of the way you were taken from us, but its difficult. All I ever wanted to do was protect you, and Ive tortured myself that I wasnt there for you on that fateful day.

I loved you so much, Becky and you knew it too. You knew how to wind me around your little finger. I couldnt even tell you off for being naughty without telling you that I loved you first. I didnt want you to have any doubt about how loved you were. You are still loved so much not just by me, but by your friends and the whole family. Now that youre gone there is a huge hole in our hearts.

I try not to focus on our loss; instead I think about all the amazing memories we made together. I used to worry about you not making friends easily, but now Im actually grateful that you didnt, because I became both your dad and your friend, and I will always treasure the time we spent together.

So for now, until we meet again, my princess, I just close my eyes and imagine you running around with your brown hair which always shimmered red when the sun caught it a big smile on your face and a lot of love in your heart. Your laughter could cheer me up even on a dark day. And one day, I know Im going to hear that laughter again. Lots of love, Dad x