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We would explain to Jordan and her mom, and I knew they would believe it too because he was not someone like that.
“To Jordan’s cell now.” Cell? So he also knew it was a cell. Then how was it so easy for him to say? Was this a human? Was this my dad? The person I used to look up to like a god?
I refused to accept this man as my dad even if everything got cleared. I didn’t want to grow up and be like him. I didn’t want my child to grow up and be like him.
My child? No, I didn’t want to have a child. What if every father must do this to their sons to circumcise them? Did I really want to do this to a child? My own son? No, I think I’d pass.
I trailed out of my room, whimpering as I tried to stop the tears from coming out. My dad was so frustrated these days that he even hit me when I refused to come out of my room.
From what I heard from Troy and Sam, Uncle Chris ran with thirty-five million dollars.
It was a lot of money, I guessed he should be mad, but was this justifiable?
She was twelve. Did he forget her age? Would he hit me if I reminded him of her age? He would, so I should probably just shut my mouth the way I had been doing this past few days, while the love of my life suffered in a room that used to be beautiful until my dad decided to lock her in there.
The door opened and I almost ran. I was always so scared to face her. I was so ashamed and I didn’t know what to do. I wished to kill my dad and my brothers so I could run away with Jordan and her mom to a place where people lived happily ever after, like in the books she read.
“Hi.” His voice echoed in the room and Jordan flinched from her slumber. She dragged herself further away from us, her eyes searching for me. My heart clamped at the thought that she still wanted to see me despite everything that had happened.
Her eyes relaxed when they landed on me, and she said so much with those eyes. Something like ‘are you okay?’ Something like ‘don’t worry about me, I’ll be fine’ and something like ‘tell me the truth, are we never getting out of here?’
With so much effort, I peered down at her with tears in my eyes. She shook her head, but it made me cry even more.
Her caring about me was a burden. She should hate me, she should be praying for me to die with everything in her. She should be planning on how to kill me once she got out of here, which she would be doing today.
I already promised myself that if Uncle Chris wouldn’t come to pick them up, I’d run away from home, find him and kill him.
I glimpsed at Aunty Laura and saw her glaring at dad with so much venom in her eyes. She looked like she would kill all of us if we mistakenly untied her.
I didn’t blame her. I also wanted her to kill me. I wanted someone to just help me die, but I guessed it wouldn’t be happening anytime soon.
“Don’t worry, Jordan, we won’t do too much today.” I grimaced in disgust. How was he saying these things? Was he not feeling anything? Like pity or shame?
He was four to five times her age, he was her father’s best friend, he was her crush’s father. Those were some of the thousand reasons why she should trust him.
“Only Jayden, I promise.” My head sprang up at the mention of my name. Only Jayden? I shook my head at him to protest, but he ignored me and jerked his head toward Rick and Troy. They left the room looking mad to not be having their ways with her.
‘Troy she’s twelve,’ I wanted to scream, but I knew they’d hit me so I shut up. That was what made me a coward, I should stand up for her even if it cost my life.
“Open up boy.” I opened my zipper without complaint, my mind telling me to keep calm since she was leaving soon. Rick and Troy returned with Troy holding a knife and I faltered.
A knife? They were not killing her, were they?
“Go on son, fuck her.” I winced at the choice of words. Those were cuss words and we were minors, but my dad didn’t seem to care about that. I laid down on her and whispered into her ear, “you are going home today, okay? Please just take it one last time. I promise you are going home.”
I entered her and she barely moved. She was not even tight anymore, not like the first and second day where there had been blood on the floor. I moved before dad could say anything, and he walked over to me and pushed the knife into my hand.
I almost stood up, but my dad held me down. What was I supposed to do with a knife? They didn’t want me to kill her, did they? I would rather slit my wrist than hurt her anymore than I was already doing.
“Dad?”
“Drag this down her arm,” he said calmly as if he was teaching me my math homework.
“Down her arm? But that would hurt her and she'll bleed. Dad please, I'll start working tomorrow to pay you back, I promise.” I begged, tears rolling down my eyes and I didn’t even bother to wipe it.
“I’m teaching her parents what happens when they betray someone who trusted them.” He said and I cried. He really hated his best friend now and didn’t care anymore.
“This scar would remind her father of how he used his beloved daughter to pay for his crimes. But then again, that is if he ever pays back my money, otherwise she’s not leaving here.” He said angrily clenching his fingers as if reminiscing how Uncle Chris left with his money. “Now son, drag this shit down her arm.”