Utsukushi - Banana Fish

Chapter 27

I still remember the tree swing in our front yard; an old rope tied to a splintering piece of wood.

I use to swing on it for hours, my little mind wandering.

There was a loud crash from inside the house..again. I tried to ignore it and the muffled screaming coming from my mom and dad.

"HOW COULD YOU?! HOW COULD YOU?!" my moms voice was hoarse and filled with agony. I've never heard her like that before.

"I had to, you know I had to." my dad argued back. There was a sense of superiority in his voice like he was above my mother.

"SHE'S YOUR DAUGHTER!"

Daughter? Me? They're fighting over me?

"Ros-!" She began to call for me from inside the house but was abruptly cut off by a loud thud.

Then silence.

My attention had become so focused on the arguing that I lost balance and fell off the swing.

I scraped my knee and cradled it in my hand.

"Are you okay? Here let me help you." the voice of a man called to me. A man I've never met before comes from the sidewalk and into the yard. He kneels beside me. "Yikes," he said. "Here I have a band-aid. Come here." he holds his hand out toward me.

I stare at his hand for a moment, unmoving.

He could tell I was hesitant. "It's okay. I'm your neighbor just over there. You dad and I are friends."

The man had such a friendly smile on his face, I almost felt bad if I were to decline.

"My dad?"

"Yes, Joseph. Joseph Wagner. We're friends."

He knew his name. Maybe they really are friends.

I took his outreached hand and followed him. He led me to a car. It's windows were so darkly tinted, you couldn't see inside.

He opened the backseat. There was a second man holding a gun. My entire body froze and I couldn't scream or run.

I turned around to look at the man who said he was our neighbor. His friendly smile was gone. His eyes looked dark as he stared down at me.

My eyes shifted over to my house, hoping my mom or dad would come to help me.

There was a window near our front door. The shades were open and I could see my father standing there, staring.

He didn't looked scared or concerned. He just stood very still and watched.

A greater fear washed over me now knowing my parents wouldn't help me either.

"Get in." he said forcefully. I stood and just stared. "I said get in." He pushed me into the car and slammed the door shut.

The man with the gun didn't move, but just stared at me.

I was too scared to say anything or move a muscle.

My father watched as they drove off with me.