Page 18 of Drowned In Silence
It’shim.
I haven’t seen him in years, and I don’t want to see him now. The police must have called him before they picked me up and he’s come to get me. I haven’t talked to him, seen him, or heard anything since I fucking left five years ago. I movedto a different city to get away from them. They can’t do this! I’m over the age of eighteen. What could he have told them to have the ability to take me home?
“Hello, Dynah.”
I stare at my father’s cold eyes. He might be smirking at me now, but he will be full of humor later.
“Hello, Robert,” I reply with equal enthusiasm.
His eyes dilate in anger. I’ve never spoken to him with a hint of cruelty. However, I’m not the meek little girl I used to be. I still don’t think I’ll be able to defend myself, though. He has always had strength over me.
“You’re coming home with me, Dynah. No fighting. You’ve done enough here. Do you understand?” He comes closer to the bars, whispering just loud enough for me to hear. “I told them you’re not in your right mind and that you ran away. Be a good girl and come with me. We both know what will happen if you don’t play along.”
I hold my anger and fear in, locked down into the abyss where I try not to go. I can’t explode in front of him, he already has enough ammo against me, I can’t give him more. “Yes, Father.”
“Good,” he tells me, before turning to the officer who opens the cell. “Thank you. I’ll be making sure she doesn’t get into any more trouble on the way home.”
The long ride in his car is just as uncomfortable as my showers after work. It’s quiet, I can feel the pain already starting, and I can hear his voice in my head mentally berating me and putting me down.
“As soon as we get home, you will get on your knees and pray for your sins. Do you understand?”
“I don’t pray anymore,” I reply without thinking.
“I don’t give a fuck what you do and what you don’t do. I just saved your ass from being taken to prison, and now you're headed back to yourhome. If you live under my roof, you will obey my rules. You know this! You were always the most ungrateful child I ever had,” he yells from the driver’s seat.
We pull up to the house a while after his screaming monologue, coming to an abrupt stop in the driveway.
“Go,” he commands.
I open the door and get out, look around, and that’s when I see him. My masked man, pulling in behind us and parking across the street. I look to my father who isn’t paying attention, and then back at the mysterious stalker of mine. He fucking followed us from two towns over, all the way here, just to what? See my face?
Trying to motion for help, I wave my hands, keeping my arms to my side. If my father sees me waving at him, it will be game over for everyone.
“Hurry up, Dynah. I don’t need the neighbors seeing you out here.”
I take a few steps back, meeting the eyes of the Mirrored Man across the street. He cocks his head, staring directly at me, and shoves his hands into his pockets.
He’s not going to save me. I’m going to have to follow my father.
Damnit!
I flip him off and spin around.
Might as well get this over with, I guess.
I walk into my parents' house, and shut the door behindme. Shutting out the one person who has enough strength to save me.
I don’t know if I will come back out of this door… Let alone leave the house ever again.
Car Rides
Dynah - Flashback
For the second dayin a row, I am woken up by my father. He grabs me by the hair, and pulls my body off the bed, plopping me down on the floor and holding his foot onto my chest.
“It’s time to get up and get ready. We have important shit to do today, so you best not fuck it up, or there will be consequences for your actions. Do you understand?”
My hands are wrapped in my hair, holding my scalp and trying to ease the pain that he’s causing. My lungs ache to take a breath, but I know he won’t allow it until I respond. I nod my head the best that I can until he relieves the pressure. Black spots dance around my eyesight as I inhale, trying to stay steady and not let him see the tears that I hold back.