Deities of Deceit

Chapter Twenty-eight

"Who do you think you are!" Chief Adachi's voice roared, his eyes flaring like an angry masquerade.

I hadn't the slightest clue why he was so enraged, it all happened too fast, no opportunity presented itself for me to pose the question or receive an answer. I began opening my mouth to apologize for whatever misbehavior angered him that much when he slammed his fist into my cheek and I choked on my own tooth, spitting it out as soon as I could before the next punch and another and another landed on my face. I was on the ground before I could draw a proper breath.

"You think you can be king! You think you can steal the throne from my son! You disgusting white trash piece of shit!" He stomped on my chest, then my stomach, then my leg. His aim was careless, it mattered little to him where he aimed, as long as it was where I'd hurt the most.

"Chief... please... I'm sorry..." I pleaded in faint gasps.

He picked me up by the collar and slammed me back into the ground. The sound of my own skull cracking pierced through me and I screamed.

"After all I have done for your family!" He punched me. "You and that pathetic cripple mother of us!" His punch came harder. "I'll show you what to be sorry for!" he barked.

A blink, and I was dragged up and pulled by the hair into the passageways. "Chief! Chief please! I'm sorry! Please, Chief!" Snot and tears ran down my face as I begged.

"Shut that trash of a mouth! You want to be king? Eh? You think in this life I'd ever! Bow! To you!" He tossed me to the ground, and I quickly realized we were in the kitchen.

Before I could scramble to my knees, he drove his feet into my face in a hard kick and I fell back to the ground, then more came. I lifted my hand to guard my face, but that just made him angrier, his kicks and stomps came down on me more aggressively, until there was no strength left in me to protect myself. He dashed to the trash basket where we stored rotten food to be turned into manure for the garden. He scooped a handful and rushed back to me, holding me by the cheek.

"Open it! Open that white trash mouth! Open it!"

"P... ple–"

He shoved the whole pile into my mouth and I gagged, throwing up almost instantly. With no place for my vomit to go, it remained in my throat, he piled more into my mouth and then spat in my face before dashing to the corner to bring forth a bucket of dirty kitchen water to pour all over me, and when that wasn't enough, his kicks returned. After a while, I ceased wriggling. I just laid there, watching him rage as my eyes slowly shut.

My mind drifted to Uwari. The beautiful river. The orange trees. The simplicity. Home was calling me. It was time. I said a silent prayer to Ala to allow me to survive, just so I could see home again. I pictured the palace, remembering my thoughts at the balcony, the one about miracles. I needed one. For once, I needed a miracle to stand by me. It was enough.

"Papa, you're going to kill him!" Udume's sharp voice pierced through the air, dragging me back into the moment.

He threw his hands around the raging man and pulled him off me, throwing him across the room. I hadn't realized he'd stopped kicking and returned to punches. Chief Adachi returned to his feet quickly and slapped Udume across the face, shoving him to the side. He picked up a wet rag and slammed into my bloodied body.

"Get up! Clean!" He was breathless, panting as he tried to steady himself. "Clean until dawn! That is the only way I'm not dragging you to Enforcers for using magic." He spat in my face again and stormed out of the kitchen.

From where I laid, I couldn't see Udume, but I felt him and Mmachi watching in silence. Thick tension loomed. I couldn't recall a time when either of us had seen the chief that angry. As a matter of fact, I had never seen him angry.