Page 22 of They Call Him Reaper

“Wow, that’s the whole thing.”

I sit up. “Yes, you asked what I remembered.”

“The guy who runs this place said if you remembered, I can bring you out and clean you up.”

I want my parents more, but that will do for now. “Cool.”

When he tries to help me up, I don’t accept his help. I need to find a way out of here.

“Isn’t this better?”

The Father guy comes into the room I have now. It still has a door that locks me inside, but there is a window with bars, a bed, and a toilet. I’ve been here for three sunrises. Even though my cleaner state makes me feel better, I have to earn everything I get. He keeps asking me to look at and repeat things to eat. The leader wants me to do this.

No. It’s not home.

“What do I need to do today?”

“Nothing, Dante.” He looks around like he’s about to give me a secret. “I’m breaking you out.” I sit up on the bed and give him my attention. “I found you some shoes so you can run fast. I’ve also decided that once we’re out, I’ll help you look for your parents.”

I spring up and put on my new shoes. “Let’s go.”

He pulls out a gun and poses like a man in an action movie. “Stay behind me, Dante. I’ll get you out of here.”

I scream when he shoots the first guy, but I continue to run behind him. We split when he hangs back to fight another guy, and I keep running. I go outside and smell the fresh air. I don’t look back; I just keep running to be free. I’ll find my parents by myself or get the police to help me. When he punches me in the back, I fall forward with a yelp. I slide across the ground and dirt gets into my mouth. He flips me over and slaps me.

“I told you to stay behind me.”

I start crying because my back and face hurt. He grabs me by the front of my shirt and stands me up. “I’m sorry, Dante. My adrenaline is high. You scared me. I thought I lost you. The world is full of bad guys willing to kill someone so young if they’re by themselves. I’m trying to protect you.”

He leads me to a car and pushes me into the backseat. “Stay low, I don't want those bad guys to find you.”

I sit on the floor, still mad that he hit me. My parents don’t hit me like that even when I’m in trouble.

I’m just as scared with him as I was in that cell. Something isn’t right, but I don’t know what to do. My mommy or daddy would know what to do.

Where are they?

It’s my seventh birthday, but I cannot find the energy to be happy. Father has thrown a party for me, but I’m in the bathroom crying. My parents are nowhere to be found. My foot scraps across the shiny white floor. I don’t want to be at PartyPalace with this fake family. I want my real one. He leaves, saying he’ll find them, but always comes up empty. I told him my address. How hard can it be? If he’d let me just call a cab or give me a map, I could find them.

There’s a knock on the door before Father pushes his way inside.

“Why are you in here, Dante?”

“I just wish I knew why they did it.”

He grabs my shirt until my feet are dangling in the air. “Suck it up, you little shit. I’ve taken you in like my own, and you need to appreciate it. Be angry at them. I’ll train you to take that anger and kill them with it. Father’s arm raised to hit me again…

Images of my slain parents play in my head one by one. I know I’m dreaming, but I cannot seem to wake myself up. I’m fighting to pull myself out of this loop, feeling like I’m back underwater with no surface in sight. My body jerks as I scream my frustration while I continue to fight. I’m surrounded by warmth that’s somehow comforting. I hear a lullaby being hummed, and I follow the sound.

Mommy?

I open my eyes and realize I’m back in my bed on the island as the storm continues outside. I still hear the humming. I’m being hugged and the humming is just above my head. Tilting my head back, I look up.

Inaya.

FOURTEEN

Dante

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