The Bone Cutter

Chapter Four

Chapter Four

The Bone Cutter stared at me for a long, silent moment, spinning the cleaver in his hand as if he had to ponder the situation. My father, who only moments ago held the face of a man who had too much pride to care about dying, suddenly looked like a distraught child.  

"No." My father begged, "No, Mirea you stay the hell out of this."

Inanis held his hand up to my father, as if to silence him, "Now hold on."

The audience felt dead, not a word was heard from anyone. The tension in the room was so thick I could reach out and grab it.

My father stared at Inanis in disbelief, "You can't seriously be pondering this? It's against the rules!"

Inanis whipped his head to my father's direction, "Sir, have you forgotten? I am the rules." His voice was venom, every word came out off his tongue like fire. With the jeweled cleaver in his hand, his words made this all the more a nightmare.

I refused to cry, "So you'll do it then? You'll let me take my father's place?" I was so concerned for my father's safety, I didn't dare think about the fact that I could die instead.

"No."

My heart sunk, "What?" I took a step forward to the stage, "Why not?"

"Why not?" He crouched down on the edge of the stage, our faces inches apart as he studied me, "Maybe because I don't want to kill you. I mean look at you, you're so small and. . . boney." He leaned back in disgust, "America will feel betrayed if they don't get their entire meal." He patted my head like a dog, "Sorry, doll, I guess you'll have to live a little longer." He faked a pout, "So sad."

He stood and began to walk back towards my father, but I wasn't having it, "There must be something I could do." I dared to climb up on the stage with him, momentarily unaware that all of America was watching me.

"Darling I said no."

I must have looked incredibly desperate, for even my father couldn't look at me as I watched him fix his eyes on the stage floor. "You said you make the rules, so perhaps just this once-"

He cut me off by sighing dramatically, "Enough with this, you're boring me." He waved me off, "Go away now."

I crossed my arms, I could feel the tears begging to fall down my cheeks, "No."

He rolled his eyes, obviously annoyed, "Someone come and get the girl off the stage please."

Not even seconds later, I was being grabbed by two security officers. I screamed, thrashing in their grip, but they never let go. I shouted profanities at Inanis, telling him that he was the one that deserved to die.

He didn't look even slightly bothered at my outbursts, in fact, I could have sworn I saw him crack a grin.

I take everything back, he doesn't deserve to die, he deserves to be tortured.

I was taken behind the stage into a room with white walls, and wood floors that were covered in filth. In the room was a couch covered in stains, a metal table, and a small television which showed Inanis and my father on stage.

The security officers sat me on the couch, and left the room, slamming the door behind them. I immediately got up and tried to open the door, but of course it was locked.

I slammed my fists on the door in frustration.

"Well then," Inanis's voice came from the television, taking my focus off the door and on to the screen. "Now that your daughter has been locked away like an animal, have you any last words, Mr. Dhalmi?"