He's a She

Chapter Twenty-One

CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE

            I sat in the chair, ogling at my father.  I couldn’t believe this.  It couldn’t be true.  Here I was, fearing death as my father was sitting before me as if it was any other day, as if he had done nothing wrong.  I didn’t understand.  I didn’t get it at all.

            “Charlie.” He sighed.  “Tell me something hun.  I don’t like to see you like this.”

            “I-I don’t understand.” I muttered to my feet.  I really didn’t.

            “What is it that you don’t understand?”

            “Any of it.” I shook my head.  I couldn’t look at him anymore, it hurt too much.  Instead, I stayed focused on my bleeding knees.  I could feel my vision blurring with tears.  I knew that I had to stay strong, but there was no one to turn to in my head.  There was no ‘stay strong like your father’, no, he was crazy.  I didn’t know him anymore.

            “What do you want with me?” I asked, meeting his hard blue eyes once more.  “Why am I here?  Why are you here?” My dad sighed and leaned forward on his desk.

            “Charlie, I’ve done some bad things over the years.  Me and my sector.  We know some things, very…exclusive…things.  Things about America that other countries would be dying to get their hands on, things that our own country wants from us.  We just have to make sure that everyone who knows is willing to keep their mouths closed.”

            “And then you kill them.” I snapped.

            “Hun, it’s not like that.  You know it’s not like that.  If they turn, if they-”

            “No.  You slaughter them dad.  You personally.  You were the one who stabbed Heather.  You shot Lance.  He was your friend,” the tears were getting too hard to fight and they started spilling down my cheeks.  “You killed your best friend!”

            “Charlie.”

            “Don’t Charlie me you monster!  I knew him!  Heck, you knew all of them and that didn’t stop you.  They were all people dad, they all had families!”

            “Charlie.  You have to understand.  I know this is hard for you, but I need you on my side.  I don’t want to lose you too.”

            “Too.” The word caught in my throat.  “Too?  What else aren’t you telling me?”

            “Have I ever told you how much you look like your mother?” I couldn’t take it anymore.  I tried to shoot up from my chair, but a pair of hands held me down.  I looked over my shoulder to see Jaxon with a pained look on his face.  At least he wasn’t a statue like my father.

            “Charlie,” my dad started again.  I turned to face him, burning him under my stare.  “All I need is your word.  Your word and,” a man opened the door and came in.  He started a small fire in the fireplace that was behind the desk and stuck a metal stick with a circular ring on the end of it.  My eyes grew in shock.

            “No.” I whispered.  They were going to brand me.  “No,” I started shaking in fear.

            “Charlie, I really don’t want to have to hurt you.  You just have to say one simple word and it will be painless.  I don’t want to lose you like I did your mother.” I shook my head.  I-he he killed my mother.  My mind was connecting the dots.  They drug the lake for her, and it was a closed casket.  They don’t need a closed casket for a drowned victim.