Total pages in book: 138
Estimated words: 129687 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 648(@200wpm)___ 519(@250wpm)___ 432(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 129687 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 648(@200wpm)___ 519(@250wpm)___ 432(@300wpm)
But the silence only continued, and just when he thought the child would no longer speak, he heard his patient whisper, “Father will get mad.”
The doctor stilled. Father. Not Dad, but Father. It didn’t feel right, but for now he decided to keep his reservations to himself and said instead, “I think you’re wrong, child. You can’t disappoint someone who loves you. Your father loves you, and because of that, he would never want you to do something that would cause you pain.”
The child didn’t speak, and the doctor didn’t press her to. He only hoped his words would take root.
And it had, but not in the way Dr. Fergus had imagined.
SNAP.
I was alone, my room dark and silent, but I heard the sound so clearly it was as if the bones were breaking again.
SNAP.
I loved the sound.
SNAP.
I closed my eyes, remembered how my dreams came true in the matter of seconds. I saw myself dancing in front of the crowded concert hall. Everyone’s mouths were open in admiration, but all I could think about was how they felt like sharks about to eat me alive.
SNAP.
I remembered spinning when it occurred to me, the freedom that could be mine if I just-—
SNAP.
One second was all it would take, I had thought feverishly.
Over and over, since I was small, Daniel had drummed into me the things I must never do to protect my limbs from permanent injury.
And as I spun and spun under the limelight, I hadn’t been able to stop thinking that it would take just one second.
One second to pretend I had lost my balance.
One second to deliberately break my bones.
One second and I would never have to dance again.
SNAP.
I was free.
SNAP.
I started to smile at the memory.
But then the door opened, and my father walked in.
The memory vanished, together with the freedom that came with it.
Coming to stand next to my bed, Daniel said in a strange, slurred voice, “You’re awake.”
I wasn’t able to answer right away. Guilt burned me from within, and I could feel it sucking the blood out of my face and causing cold sweat to bathe me from head to toe. “Y-yes, Father.” I couldn’t make myself look at him. I was terrified that if I did, he would know the truth.
I heard something scrape against the floor, and in the corner of my eye I saw my father dragging a chair close. He sat down without his usual grace, and that was when I realized he smelled...weird.
I mustered the courage to look at him, and confusion seeped into me when I saw he hadn’t changed. Daniel was still wearing the same suit he had on during last night’s performance.
“A-are you alright, Father?” I had to ask.
“Of course.”
It was the same pleasant voice I had heard all my life, but there was also something different about it.
Something bad.
And my terror increased when my father asked very gently, “Why wouldn’t I be alright, Serenity? You tell me.”
I found myself gripping the edge of my covers.
“Come on, child, tell your father. Why should you ask if I’m okay when you’re the one in the hospital?”
My heart tried to tear a hole out of my chest while my brain suddenly started revolving around my worst fears.
Please, please, it couldn’t be, please—-
I swallowed. “F-Father—-”
But Daniel cut me off. “After all, there’s nothing for me to be angry about. Nothing to be disappointed about.”
I remembered Dr. Fergus’ words.
You can’t disappoint someone who loves you.
I paled.
Dr. Fergus was wrong.
But even worse than that, my father knew.
Father knew.
Our eyes met again.
Oh yes, Father knew.
“Dr. Fergus wrote a letter, you know,” Daniel said conversationally. “He gave it to a couple of important people and because of that letter, I will never be able to teach young children how to dance again. In that letter, he said that I was forcing you to dance and that he feared I would make you dance even when you were hurting.”
He reached out for me, and I flinched before I could stop myself.
“Oi, what’s that?” Daniel gave me a mock frown. “Are you afraid of your own father?”
Yes.
I whispered, “No.”
He stared at me for a long time before nodding. “I thought so.” He leaned back against his chair. “He was wrong, wasn’t he?”
No.
I whispered, “Yes.”
“I tried to tell them it was so, but none of them believed me. They didn’t know you like I do. Right, Serenity?”
No.
I began to tremble. “Yes.”
“You really want to dance, don’t you?”
No.
Tears choked my throat. “Yes.”
My father began to pull out something of his pocket.
I began to feel scared.
And then I saw what it was, and I could no longer breathe.
“Father——”
He smiled, right before pressing a gun to the side of his head.
“FATHER, NO—-”
“What a liar you are.”
Daniel pulled the trigger.
Chapter One
“WOULD YOU LIKE SOME more wine?” Shane asked and, smiling, she added teasingly, “Even if it is what you brought over.”