Identity [ON HIATUS]

19. The Predator & The Daughter

Suddenly, so suddenly, my body flung itself into a standing position, knocking Charlie off my shoulder and he steadied himself, the world tilting around him like living in a pinball machine. He clutched his temples to try and find his balance and when he did, he was brought back to reality.

But I was already frantic, there was shouting in my mind and behind the door where my father pounded the wood with his fists, calling my name and cursing Charlie's.

"Hide me!" I mouthed to Charlie, bringing myself close to him so he could see my lips move. I didn't dare speak any louder, breathe any louder. I gripped onto his shoulders. "I can't be here, I can't be here. Hide me." Charlie nodded, and led me to the open door to his bedroom.

It looked the same as the living space; dirty, messy, unkempt. A thesaurus of words to mean careless, all wrapped up in one image of a room. His clothes were strewn on the floor, old food wrappers, cigarette butts and ashtrays, a large stack of Playstation games and an old box television in the corner. He had the window spread wide open, as if the smell of fresh air would get rid of everything.

"Sorry, sorry..." He mumbled, indicating the mess with a flailing arm, and used his other, tattooed arm, to pull open the wicker doors of his closet. "In here." He spoke quietly, gently helping me get inside despite it being massive and built into the wall. I tried not to step on boxes with shoes in and boxes with nothing in them, and made sure not to hit my head on any coat hangers.

When I turned back around, Charlie still stood there in the doorway, his whole body, while leaning on the door, could threaten to break it. His eyes were swimming, staring down at me like he'd only just found me here, hiding in his closet.

I shooed him. "Go! Answer the door!" My father still knocked like his life depended on it. But Charlie stayed rigid, his feet planted on to the ground for so long that the carpet began to grow around his socks. The sun destroyed the Earth and a new planet was formed and Charlie stood there, not giving shit. He stepped closer, staring and staring until his lips finally moved.

"Will you still be here when I open the doors again?"

I raised my eyebrow. "It's a closet, not a fire exit." My words were too harsh, and so I resorted to a nod and an "Of course." Because I'd forgotten that he was drunk.

Shit, my father was going to kill him.

Charlie closed the doors gently, and I slowed my breathing that panted so heavily it vibrated throughout my whole body. I could see through the slats Charlie's empty bedroom. I could hear him open the door, hear my father's footsteps as he bound around the apartment, looking for a body.

You like him. Rose whispered, so close and yet so far. She stood in the corner of the closet, in the shadows, despite the whole fucking closet being cast in shadows. You want to kiss him.

"Shut up." I whispered, and I didn't know if I said it in my head or out loud. "Shut up, shut up."

I don't blame you; look at him, hiding you in his closet from dad.

"You're taking it out of context."

I peered through the slats, beams of light hitting my eyes from the opened curtains and there in the corner, where I could see the living room, was Charlie and my dad. My dad was like I'd never seen him before; he'd taken on a new persona of aggression and protectiveness. His face was red, and bits of spit flew from his mouth.

And there was Charlie, stood calmly, his rocking ceased, as he held his hands up in surrender, remaining submissive yet strong. He wasn't going to fight the hunter, thirsty for his blood, but he wasn't going to let him eat him, or me, alive. It all happened in slow motion, the argument, that I barely heard anything apart from the words my daughter and you predator.

"I was two years older than Rose! How does that make me a predator!?"

"You go after one and once you're done with her, you go for her sister. I saw her enter this building, I know she's been coming to see you. Her mother and I know she's not well, and I'll just fucking bet, it's because of you."

And it stung, hit the core, blew the top off the dandelion.

Charlie's body sunk, and his head dropped; he'd been hit. When my father was done, after he couldn't find me, he gave one final blow.

"Don't you dare come near her again. Or I'll be filing a restraining order." He jabbed a meaty finger at Charlie, before retreating for the door like he actually might be a little afraid of him.

I felt like I couldn't open the closet doors. I felt my back press against the wall hidden by clothes and coats and stumbled over a pair shoes shoved in the back. I looked down, they were boots, thick and heavy with flowery laces.

They were Rose's boots.

The closet doors slowly crept open, and Charlie stood, his hair not as bouncy, the balls of his feet planted firmly on the ground, his face sagging. I couldn't help myself as a magnetic pull drew my arms around his neck and brought my head onto his shoulder. I felt his large hands spread across my back and he let out a large breath, his whole body relaxing, or tensing, I couldn't tell which.

"I think you should go home, Daisy."

I nodded.