Invincible

They say that I can't last much longer,
Grinning as I scream in pain
And laughing as I gasp for air.
But they won't reach their goal.

"Daddy, you'll be back, won't you?"
Her words still echo in my head,
A piece of happiness I keep within.
"Of course, my angel. Sooner than you'd think."

Darkness embraces my consciousness,
And every breath becomes a struggle,
But still I hear her worried voice.
"Promise?" she asks. "Promise." I answer.

And as I lie here on the floor,
Beaten, bloody, and alone,
I feel my heart beating in my chest,
Fighting to fulfill my promise.

"But how can you know?" she calls
As I'm halfway out the door.
I smile as I bend down to hug her.
"for you I'll be invincible."

And though my world is made of pain,
And my blood seems caught on fire,
I draw one breath after another,
And know that I'll return alive.