City Of Dreams

Thirty-Six

He looked me square in the eyes.

"You're not going to get ready? Like to fight?"

He asks.

I roll my eyes, spreading my arms out beside me like an eagle. 

"I don't care anymore. I just want you to listen to me."

He relaxes a bit, standing straight from his fighting stance.

I pause, leaving a deathly silence in the room.

"You said...mom got sick after giving birth to me?"

He clenches his fists at his sides, nodding.

"So you're trying to get revenge?"

I ask as calmly as possible.

He nods, starting to wonder what I was getting at.

I pause, looking at my shoes then back up at him. 

"Would mom want all of this?"

His eyes widen, becoming glossy with tears.

"Would she want you to start hurting people in a vengeful spree?"

I ask, titling my head. 

He looked at the ground.

"She wouldn't."

He mumbled.

I folded my hands across my chest.

"But...."

He began, looking back up at me and tensing up.

"Mom isn't here is she?"

With that, he lunges at me, pressing me against the window.

His hands start flying everywhere.

Hitting here.

And there.

And over here.

"What are you doing?! Fight back! Don't give him what he's wanted for fifteen years! Stand up and fight back!"

He stops and backs away from me.

I fall over, landing on all fours.

Hot liquids fell down my face.

A mixture of blood and tears most likely.

I look up at him

"That's it? Have you lost your mojo old man?"

His face scrunched up much like Oak's had a few days earlier.

When he got close enough, his foot collided with my left side, sending me stumbling into the wardrobe.

I don't object or fight back.

I just take it.

My phone rings in my bag.

The beginning of Under The Sea from the little mermaid is the last thing I hear before I black out.

____________________

I wake up in the same spot I fell asleep,  dried blood making my hands sticky.

I gag and stand in wobbly legs.

"Well you're not dead yet."

I sigh.

How did I go from the life of a Broadway diva to this?

I cough, looking around for any sign of my dad.

"Why did you do it?"

I jump, turning in the direction of the voice.

"D-Do what?"

My voice cracked.

He sat on the side of the bed, my phone in his hands.

"Why did you leave them...just to come here and get killed?"

I shrug, wincing slightly.

"I don't know."

He looked up from my device.

"You really care about them."

I shrug.

"Not that much."

I lie.

He sighs.

"Shame the blonde chick had to lose her kids...it's also a shame that...well you probably don't want to know..."

I step closer to him.

"What?"

"Charlotte?"

"She got hit by a car and passed away last night."

I shake my head.

"You're lying!"

"He's trying to get in your head! She's fine! Oak wouldn't let anything happen to her! She's ok! Don't listen to him, Charlotte!"

I scowl at him.

"I don't believe you."

He shrugs.

"It's not real! He's messing with you! Don't listen!"

A text from Addie came through my phone.

I knew because it was her text tone.

I sigh.

"You're just as much of a liar as me."

He chuckled.

"Must run in the family."

He gripped my phone and chucked it against the wall, smashing it in pieces.

"It's fine. You won't need that."

I growl.

"What are you gonna do? Shoot me?! Trust me buddy I've been through worse!"

I pull down the neck of my shirt to show the scar from Jon.

"I can't shoot you...not until our guests have arrived."

I open my mouth but he reaches his leg across the bed and sends his foot colliding with my chest.

I fall backwards into the wall, giving up and sinking to the carpeted floor.

"Marcus and Jessie will be here any time."

I growl and attempt to stand and hit him, but he slaps his hand across my face.

"Don't worry...they won't bring company...cause then I'll have to kill you before the fun starts!"

I close my eyes, trying to imagine a time before this.

A time when it was safe for me to be with my friends.

A time when I didn't have to worry about them.

A time when I wasn't constantly being attacked by crazy men like this.

A time when everything was normal.

Sorta.