Colour Me Red

Chapter 13: Ellie

Chapter 13: Ellie

"Dad?" I rasped with a voice laced in disbelief.

Stood before me was the man who ordered my death; the one thing I somehow managed to evade.

He looked so average, like an ordinary dad - when really he was a psychopath who wanted his own daughter dead. I was still struggling to comprehend that particular gruesome fact; I didn't want to believe that my own father was capable of such hatred.

I watched the man who created me as he took a seat, scratching nervously at my chained ankle and grimacing at the sting it caused.

"I suppose you're wondering what you're doing here," my father spoke, his voice soft and melodic.

"You're going to kill me," I choked out, looking to the brown haired boy, Harvey, as he handed me the bottled water once again.

My father laughed then, a hearty chuckle that had childhood memories rushing me like the bumper of a car.

"No, Ellie, I'm not going to kill you; not yet anyway. I have bigger plans for you now, better plans." The tone of his voice was cynical and I'd be lying if I said it didn't frighten me. He had a certain look in his eyes that was almost malicious and I doubted that he was still the man my mother fell in love with twenty-three years ago.

"W-what are you talking about?" I stuttered, trying desperately to keep my voice steady.

"You'll see," he said, rather mysteriously.

After staring at him for a fleeting moment, watching the way the skin around his eyes crinkled, I gained enough courage to ask the one question that had both me and Dune in a predicament.

"Why do you want me dead? What did I ever do to you?" I demanded, my voice rising in pitch at the end.

Even though I was not expecting to see a look of guilt flicker across his fatherly face, I was still disappointed when I saw no such thing.

"It's not what you did, my dear. It's what I did." My father almost seemed distressed, and I wondered if I should've kept my trap shut to avoid angering him.

What if he just broke down and decided to kill me?

"I have created the ultimate weapon, you see. And the government won't be happy about it if they ever find out; even though it could benefit them," he continued.

My brow furrowed at his statement.

What on earth was he talking about? And why did it involve me?

"You're that weapon Ellie. You are my biggest achievement, and also the one thing that could determine my downfall."

I laughed humourlessly then, shaking my head.

"I am no weapon. I couldn't even hurt a fly if I tried."

My father smiled a tight smile and reached out to brush his thumb across my cheek. I jerked away, twisting my body violently to evade his outstretched arm.

I almost vomited.

"As much as I wish it were; it is not your martial arts skills that I am referring to. I'm talking about something else," he explained gently.

I looked at him with questioning eyes.

He turned his back on me then to face the brown haired boy who'd stayed silent in the corner this entire time.

"Harvey," he said. "Fetch me my knife."

A shiver wracked through my petite frame, jolting fear all the way down to my toes. I considered screaming; maybe someone would hear me and call for help. Maybe they'd ignore my screams and just tell themselves that it was nothing, putting their minds at ease. Maybe there was nobody to hear my screams, maybe I was all alone.