Silent Love (GxG)

On Camera

As Sylvia opened the door she looked around and then quietly stopped for me to come in putting a finger over her lips telling me to be quiet pointing to her sleeping father on a couch. I did as told if we didn't have to interact with him I rather we didn't she led me up the stairs to her room and closed the door locking it before hugging me tightly. I hugged her back and gave her forehead a quick kiss before she pulled apart and went to her bed she reached under it and pulled out a tape she then walked over to the VHS player and put the tape in. I was not sure what this was about as the tape played it was hours of footage of nothing but the front of Sylvia's house Sylvia took the tape out and put another in. Sylvia put tape in after tape it was as if her father had been keeping tabs on the house and a few rooms within the house I could only imagine why the hell he would do this.

"This is horrifying why is he doing this, for how long," I asked.

Sylvia pointed to the time stamp on the tape it showed that the tape was two years old and my stomach churned.

"Is this what you wanted to show me?" I asked.

Sylvia nodded looking at me.

"Why," I asked fearing the answer.

Sylvia shrugged her shoulders in indifference.

"Does he have tapes of every room?" I said.

Sylvia nodded with a tear in her eye.

"That could work," I said.

Sylvia looked at me with confusion.

"If he has cammers in every room then one must contain proof of him beating you right," I said whispering the last part.

Sylvia made a sign with her hands that ment more or less.

"That'll do, do you know where he keeps them," I asked.

Sylvia nodded her head but had a fearful look on her face.

"I'm guessing it is not an easy place to get into," I said.

Sylvia nodded.

"Damn," I said putting my hand to my chin in thought.

I was about to say that if she had these she would be able to get the rest but her door was knocked on and she hid the tapes before opening it to reveal her father. Her father looked angry and I was sure that if he hadn't seen me he would have hit her as soon as he saw me his face and the expression in his eyes softened and he smiled.

"Sylvia you should have told me you were having a friend over," He said his words slightly slurred must have been drinking.

Sylvia just looked sad and apologetic.

"Well make sure she doesn't stay too long," He said before leaving and closing the door.

I could tell he was still outside close enough to hear us so I played it safe and Sylvia noticed it too.

"So that was your dad," I said.

Sylvia nodded.

"I see," I said staring at the doorway.

It was time for me to leave and I got Sylvia to let me take the tapes home with me so I could go over them and maybe find something that we can use to get her failure of a father in a cell. I spent that night going over all the tapes back to front with the sound on as much as I could as I was watching the tapes I noticed something there was a fate sound in the background. I plugged my headphones in and turned up the volume and there it was it sounded like yelling definitely her dad I grabbed my phone and texted Sylvia "I have something" "❤" Was all she texted back.

"So you said you may have something," Danna said it was the next day and we were in my room.

"Yes listen to this," I said handing her my headphones and playing the tape.

"Is that shouting?" Danna said.

"It's more like yelling you can make out bits and pieces but it definitely something we can use, right," I said hopefully.

"Well if you are going to use this then we just have to get a similar recording of him where he isn't yelling or one where he is but close up and not distorted, one that is clear and of good quality," Danna said.

"So we need to get him to somehow willingly incriminate himself without him knowing what we are going to use it for," I said.

"Maybe we can sue him and get his rights to Sylvia taken away," Danna said.

"How," I said.

"Well if the circumstance of the verbal abuse meets three conditions suing will be easy," Danna said.

"What kind of conditions," I asked.

"Simple in order for the case to be worth pursuing by a lawyer or the injured party, there are usually a few elements that must be proven for a claim of verbal assault. The first item usually includes an intentional act of using abusive, insulting or offensive words. These could range from the lewd to the disgusting. As such offensive language is used, it must be unreasonable and outrageous to the intended target. The person that perpetrated the act should have known the verbal assault against the victim would cause some sort of negative impact that at least would include illness. The last element should involve the person injured to have suffered emotional or psychological duress because of the words spoken to him or her," Danna said.

I was, to be honest, a little lost and Danna saw the confusion in my eyes so she smiled and let out a sigh with a chuckle.

"The look in your eyes says it all so in simple terms what that means is that Sylvia's father has one abused his daughter without genuine reason towards her knowing full well the potential consequences this will have on Sylvia and two as a consequence of the abuse Sylvia is now mentally damaged by no longer possessing the ability to speak," Danna said.

"Okay wait you said a lawyer needs to see this case as worth pursuing," I said.

"I did," Danna said.

"I'm guessing like your parents being in the police force you know someone that can help," I said with a chuckle.

"I might," She said smiling.

"So who is the government-appointed vigilante this time and how do you know them," I asked.

"All in good time first we need that tape copied," Danna said.