Page 245 of Collided

Heath’s hands curl into fists by his side and I see them trembling. “Treatyour daughter? You fucking asshole you beat her blue and purple. I’ve seen the marks. You choke her, hit her, slap her. How fucked in the head are you?”

Dad straightens and suddenly the air in the room evaporates.

The walls close in on me and the space looks ten times more congested than it already is.

My hand tightens around Heath’s T-shirt which seems to help me hold myself together. Otherwise, I’d be having a panic attack.

I can’t face the man who’s my father. How messed up is that?

I slide further behind Heath, and Dad notices, and a grin appears on his mouth.

No. I hate that grin. It makes me restless because I know something very bad is about to happen.

Just then, the police sirens fill the vicinity. Blue and red lights flash in through the open windows. The noise of cars pulling up fills the neighborhood.

In minutes policemen barge inside holding guns and shouting instructions.

It all happens so fast. I zone out.

I feel like I’m in a nightmare and I can’t move.

My eyes take in the scene, but my ears are muffled.

I see it all happen and I do nothing. Ican’tdo anything.

Dad points his finger at Heath and screams words I can’t hear. He cries with actual tears then shows his bruises and scrapes to police about how he’s the victim.

A man comes around me in uniform and handcuffs Heath who’s speaking words to me.

I can’t hear him. I can’t hear anything around me.

What is wrong with me?

In panic, I lock my arms around him to prevent him from going away from me, but Dad pulls me away. He digs his fingers into my arms as I try to reach Heath who’s screaming words at Dad, but it only makes him hold me tighter.

The police take Heath outside and push him inside the car. Not for a second his eyes avert from my face.

“…yes he hit me like a wild animal. You can see the damage he’s done to me. He’s a criminal for sure because no normal kid goes around hitting people. I wonder if he’s hurt my daughter.” Dad stands beside an officer murmuring words in misery and wiping his tears.

I try to open my mouth and tell the police the truth. I really try. But I can’t. It’s like suddenly I’ve gone mute.

I’m stuck in a limbo of fiction and reality where I’m a ghost—my existence is merely a fraction of my soul. Nothing more than that.

Wild animal.

He’s a criminal.

He’s hurt my daughter.

The voices get louder.

I want to scream at myself.

I want to scream at the policeman.

I want to deny the lies my father spoke and tell him the real truth.

Out of nowhere, courage rips through me and I face the policeman. “Sir, I want to tell—”

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