| Narrator |
Patrick screamed, but it was blocked off as the older man jumped out and slammed Patrick into the wall harshly; Patrick's body hitting the wall with such a force that it made a thump sound. Patrick's bright blue eyes desired to avoid James' dark brown ones, which seemingly burned into his soul. Howver, his urge to naturally face his fears hit him in the face as as he locked gazes with the man.
"There you are..." James smirked creepily and rather toothily.
Tears began to stream down Patrick's face as he kicked and tried to scream for help.
The shower stopped. "You okay Patrick?!" Elisabeth's voice called.
James looked at Patrick. "You say yes or I will kill her as well."
Patrick felt his throat tighten with anxiety as he nodded. A second later, James let go of his mouth and Patrick screamed that he was okay.
Elisabeth started the shower again and continued on.
James looked at Patrick, smirking and drawing his fingers up his cheek. "You seriously think you're a good father to Olivia?" He challenged. "HUH?" He leaned into the young man's face.
Patrick squeezed his eyes closed and shook his head; every bad memory of him doing something awful in the sinful nature of a human smacking his brain and rummaging through the drawers in his mind. He looked up, nodding. "I am an awful father," he said, wanting to avoid getting hurt furthermore.
James' only reply was to kick Patrick brutally, slapping his mouth to keep him from screaming. Soon, he scrambled back through the window and closed it, leaving Patrick trembling in pain and shock.
*
Patrick and Elisabeth ran into the hospital room where Olivia was laying. Patrick's face paled as he saw his daughter, broken and bruised. He let out a heartbroken wail and fell to his knees. The colour from Elisabeth's face seemed to vanish as she slowly walked over to her only daughter, placing a hand on her forehead gently.
Tears welled up in her eyes; she began to cry. "S-She's not dead... she can't be. Olivia is strong, confident... one of the most toughest girls I have ever met. I- I refuse to shove that horrid thought into my brain."
The doctor plugged another IV into her veins. "We're trying our best." He was reluctant for a second before adding; "Olivia's heartbeat is exceedingly slow."
Patrick flung his arms around his wife, which surprised her. Instantly, she turned around and cried with him, both of their bodies shaking with distress and sorrow.
Elisa's brown hair fell in her face, tears springing from her beautiful oceanic-blue eyes. Patrick let her come into his arms, closer until they were wrapped around each other weeping together.
The doctor, after a few minutes, turned to the crying couple.
"Mr. Stump-" he looked at Patrick. "Mrs. Stump," he glimpsed at the Elisabeth, who he was familiar with since she worked here. He swallowed heard, finishing his sentence; "Your daughter, Olivia, is not going to make it. She had lived in harsh enough conditions and only recently met a high standard in living in such harsh conditions that even her own body couldn't reach. She only has two days."
Patrick felt his heart strings pull apart, piece by piece. They ached and seeminly fell, refusing to get up as if Thor's 'Mjolnir' was on top of them, refusing to let them stand back to their former painless position. He wheezed, basically feeling his whole life fall into a cold black hole. "Dead?"
Elisa beside him cried loud, falling to her knees. Patrick slowly stood up straight, glaring at his daughter. No movements. No heartbeats. A sudden anger arose in his body, and revenge hit him cold. Sorrow surged through his body at the same time. I will never have another kid again. My chance is gone.
He let out a wail of sorrow, letting it pierce through the entire building. His shoulders shook as more and more anger bubbled inside of him.
James. James Morten.
Patrick liked everybody. But James was something else-- one he'll forever wish for karma to hit him harder with more agony than a hammer could strike through his head.
Anger is what Patrick felt.
The doctor said something else but Patrick was too busy drowning himself in his own rage ans grief to hear anything. All he wanted was Olivia in his arms, watching the Lion King once again. He remembered Olivia's stoked reaction at the taste of popcorn. All of that is gone.
*
Patrick returned to school the next day nauseous and miserable. Many kids questioned him the whole day, asking why he was so off track. Patrick never replied until he decided to tell the whole school about his tragedy.
"My daughter, my only daughter is going to be DEAD tomorrow." He closed his eyes to avoid crying; several gasps rang around the large music room. "Her name is Olivia. She's been through a lot more than you reckon."
He told them more and more until he broke down in front of the class. Several students darted up to the sorrowful man and hugged him. Several others weren't familiar with him but still apologized for his soon-to-be loss of a family member.
Several other students who had once told Olivia to kill herself exchanged guilty, stoked glances. Others who talked behind her back felt shame plunge through their young bodies.
Patrick felt both things-- the feeling of not being a good enough father to his only daughter. I could've been better.
Later that night, Patrick walked up to the prison guard. "I'd like to see James Morten please."
The prison guard raised an eyebrow. "You want to see him?"
"Yes." Patrick confirmed. The prison guard, though baffled, led Patrick to the man's cell.
"He's getting the death penalty tomorrow," the prison guard whispered as they approached.
Patrick's eyes narrowed. "Splendid." Slowly, he walked up to the cage with the dangerous man in it.
Mr. Morten glanced up at Patrick. "Oh, you." He spat on the ground, aiming for Patrick's shoes in particular though he missed by a few inches.
"Yes, me." Patrick growled, stepping back from the salivia. "You are going to pay."
"I'm dying tomorrow anyways," James shrugged. "So what can you do about it?"
Patrick thought to chose the right words, especially in front of the prison guard. He leaned close enough to the bars, knowing James couldn't hurt him now.
"There is nothing I can do about it. With the pain you have caused MY daughter, I will be glad to hear about your death tomorrow. You had a choice whether to be a good father or not. Your horrible decision lead to your own death."
He was sure Mr. Morten had heard him. The older man looked up at Patrick, his eyes with shock from the words. Wise.
Patrick squinted at him through the bars before turning back and allowing the guard to lead him back to his car. He deserves what he chose.
