Fighting the Fall ✔

Chapter Twenty Three - Part One

Chapter Twenty Three - Part One

Lydia Dunst

DUSTIN: I'll be there around 8

I put my phone down and sighed, Dustin had been so weird lately. It was like he was avoiding me all of the sudden. After a week of begging him to talk to me, he finally agreed. He was going to pick me up after I finished cleaning the gym for my Dad.

7:40 the clock read, only twenty more minutes.

The gym was a mess. My Dad refused to hire people to clean it for us, he said it taught humility to clean the gym myself. I thought it was just an excuse to make me clean it. Tape was stuck to the floor and chalk made it look almost white. The broom was in the back closet and I quickly swept up, the best that I could. The tape was another story, I didn't even try prying it up off the floor.

I puttered around, killing time.

I heard the bell on the door. "Can I help you?" I said with my back to the person. I imagined it was Dustin, coming to surprise me early.

"I'm looking for my son." A man slurred. I recognized the voice but I couldn't put my finger on it. I spun around, standing behind me was Dustin's Dad.

"Uh- Hi Mr. King." I said surprised. I didn't think his Dad knew he was a boxer.

"Where is my son?" He shuffled towards me, swinging a bottle of whiskey.

"He's not here." I told him, watching anger come across his face.

"Don't lie me to me, girl." He hissed, all the sudden anger turning to fury. "You must be the one who he sneaks off to see in the middle of the night, the reason he's been so secretive." The bottle flew from his hand and smashed onto the wall, shattering, liquid pouring down. My hands covered my mouth as a scream escaped. "Where is my son?!"

"He's really not here, Mr. King." I stuttered, hoping he'd believe me and walk away. "I don't know where he is." I shook my head.

"You're lying." He spat and with each step he took, I took a step back. I shook my head, feeling my back hit the wall. "Did he get all of that money from you and your rich Daddy?"

"No!" I cried and his hand came towards me. I batted it away, but his other tightened around my neck. "Mr. King I don't know anything." I choked, trying to get more air with his thumb crushing my windpipe.

"You're lying!" He yelled. "Is he selling drugs? Are you his dealer? Maybe that's where he got all of that money from!"

"No!" I shook my head, squirming under his grasp. "Please Mr. King." I tried, but his face only hardened.

"You won't get any sympathy from me." He hissed, tightening his grasp. "I don't know what game you're playing with my son-"

"I'm not playing any games." I gasped for air. With each breath it got harder to breathe.

"Oh really! Rich girl dating the loner boy... I've never heard that story before." He laughed cruelly in my face, watching me suffer. "You'll leave him heartbroken, and then I'll have to pick up the pieces!" I scratched at his hand, begging him to let go.

"I won't..." I tried, but he quickly shut me down.

"You will!" He yelled, letting my smell the whiskey on his breath. "You bi-!"

"Dad?!" Dustin's voice piped through the gym. "Lydia?! Let her go!" Mr. King sent me flying towards the glass from the broken bottle. I braced myself, but my hands hit the glass. I winced as shards broke the skin and took in as many deep breaths as I could, as I coughed.