The Girl Next Door

Part 34 - Pierce

Part 34 - Dancers

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My mom is sitting by Ruby, trying to calm her down. It's easiest to let my mind go to her — I want to make sure that she's okay. Naturally, I keep glancing back at her for this reason.

But then you have to remember why she's freaking out, and that's because of Robert.

After Iris had swung him over the head with a stick or something, I floated and swam to the top and was glad someone had done anything before I passed out.

In fact, it still takes me a few moments to catch my breath. Once I'm sure I can get back to Robert, I see him holding something down in the water and start to look around in worry. Then I notice Iris is nowhere in sight and go over to where they're at. They're close in the grand scheme of things, but they feel so far when you know that someone's life is on the line.

I eventually get close enough to where I can wrap my right arm around his neck with enough force to drag him under. And I do just that, but instead of Iris swimming to where I can see her so that her face would appear, she starts to sink. I punch Robert to keep him back as I swim as fast as I can to get Iris.

The water fills my ears once I get underwater, clogging them just another time today and I ignore the headache that starts to develop because of it. I reach far down enough to grab Iris's arm, and because she doesn't weight much I can pull her to where I'm at with ease. After we get to the top I quickly put her on the grass and watch as she lays there without moving. I put my hand on her cold wrist, testing to see if she still has a pulse with water dripping down our hands.

When I can see that she does have a pulse — shallow, but still there — I try to wake her up by shaking her shoulders and calling her name. When that doesn't work, I start to perform chest compressions and give her CPR.

After sputtering out some of the water in her lungs, of course. "D-Did you just—"

"CPR, Princess," I tell her in a rush. "I'm going back in, stay here."

And I do just as I say.

After crossing the river to get to him, he comes back up with his dark blue eyes fixed on me. His wrinkles and his stringy grey hair show just how much he's aged in prison, and it makes me wonder for a moment if he ever missed us or regretted what he did while he was serving his time. You know, not enough to change his mind, but if he ever felt bad for just a fraction of a second.

He throws himself towards me but he only splashes into the water after I swim just out of his reach. I grab a log just like Iris did, waiting for his head to bob out from the water just so I could bash it with this again. When I do, it leaves a bloody gash on his forehead. I move on as I planned and watch him drop under again. I think for a second, debating with myself about whether I should let him up or not.

I know he's a killer, but he's also my father. But, he also killed a pregnant mother and abused my own. But then again, he might just have a mental illness. But then again, they would've treated it if he wasn't just pure evil. But if I killed him, there would be the same amount of killers in the world. But then again, he killed a woman and for no reason, at that. Then again, that's no excuse for me to become a killer... for me to become a killer just like my father.

I swim down to pick him up, taking his limp body and leaving it resting on the opposite side of the river from Iris, Ruby, and my mother. I swim back to them, ordering, "Let's go, we need to call the police and there's a gas station over there. Now."