Mute

Chapter 27 : Punished

He brought me over to our pool. There was a very thin layer of ice on it.

"In the pool," he said.

I looked up at him. I'm already shivering and I'm not even wet yet.

"Go," he said, pointing.

I shook my head no and sat down on the ground. I can't do it. It's too cold. And I'm not a good swimmer.

He grabbed under my arms. I tried to cling onto him so he couldn't throw me in the pool. But he got my hands off and threw me in anyway.

It was so incredibly cold. And I got water up my nose because I'd been hyperventilating.

I got to the surface and grabbed onto the side of the pool. But I couldn't get out. The cold water was making my body freeze up and I couldn't pull myself out.

I started crying really hard. I reached for dad, but he turned and went back inside the house.

My fingers were starting to go numb and it was harder to hold onto the edge. I swam over to the ladder on the opposite end of the pool and got out. And then I ran to the backdoor. I tried opening it, but it was locked. So I started knocking.

Mom came over and opened it.

"You're making your father very upset, Riker. You've been very bad."

I wrapped my arms around myself, shivering.

"Riker, you're old enough to know not to being doing all of this nonsense," she said.

I tried opening the door, but she wouldn't let me.

"Riker, I want you to stand out here for 15 minutes and think about what you've done. Then you can come in."

She shut the door. I sat down on the ground and pulled my knees to my chest, trying to stay warm.

I don't even know what I'm supposed to be thinking about. It's not my fault that they got caught. School caught them when they saw bruises on me.

I wasn't trying to get them in trouble or do anything bad or anything. I try to be good all the time. Always.

Finally the 15 minutes were up and mom let me inside.

"Go take a shower," she said, shutting the door.

I froze in the kitchen. I don't want a shower.

"Riker," she said, crossing her arms.

I stared down at the floor. I'm not trying to be bad!

"I know you don't like the shower. But what happened to you was your own fault. I can see you shivering. I know you're cold. You need to go warm up. Now go take a shower. Don't make me tell you again."

I went upstairs and opened my suitcase. I wanted my warmest clothes possible. So I got some sweatpants and a hoodie and went to the bathroom.

I shut the door and then just stood there for a minute. I don't want to do this. But I'm also freezing. And I'm not trying to disobey.

I slowly turned the water on. I was very scared to make it warm at all. But I'm never going to warm up if I don't.

I slowly turned it warmer and got undressed. And got in.

It felt so good to warm up.

When I was finished, I got dressed and then went back to my bedroom. I got out my blue blanket from my suitcase and wrapped it tightly around myself.

But then dad came in.

"Come," he said.

I don't want to.

He crossed his arms.

"Riker."

I slowly stood up, keeping my blanket wrapped around myself, as if it would protect me.

Dad grabbed my arm and brought me back downstairs. And then down to the basement.

The basement means danger.

Dad took my blanket from me and put it on the floor. And then it began.

The next 20 minutes were a complete blur. It was beatings as usual. My cheek hurt pretty bad. But I also got kicked in the stomach pretty hard too.

Dad left and locked the basement door. But he left the light on. So at least I'm not in the dark.

I crawled over to my blanket and pulled it over myself, trying to get slightly more comfortable.

I'm so stupid. I should've grabbed my phone instead of taking a shower. Now I have no evidence and no way to get help. And I'm just stuck down here.