A Lock Of Death by Beena Khan

11

PAST

I changed into a pair of a white t-shirt and baby blue jeans.

Carrying my Hello Kitty backpack around my back, I headed to the kitchen for lunch. I plopped my bottom onto the chair and made myself comfortable before eating. Daddy had a sandwich wrap ready for me.

I looked around for him, but I didn’t find him.

It had always been me and my father. I didn’t know who my mother was. Daddy mentioned she had died at childbirth.

He’d never married either and I was glad he hadn’t yet. I wasn’t ready to share him with anyone else.

My eyes brightened when my father came through the door. My face froze when I noticed the tall man behind him. He was over six feet with pale skin and brown eyes. My curious eyes studied him as I ate my cereal. It was one of our neighbors, Henry Stevens.

I looked over and my eyes met my dad’s hazel eyes.

“Hi, Daddy,” I said chirpily when I finished eating.

His lips stretched in a smile, and his eyes brightened.

Mr. Henry gave me a stony look before he curtly nodded in hello.

My father smiled. “Hey, sweetie. Stevens is going to take you out today, alright? Mrs. Jones said she could watch you.”

I knew Mrs. Jones. She was one of daddy’s friend’s wives. She watched me sometimes when Daddy worked.

We didn’t really have any one of our own.

I sulked in my seat. “But you always take me to Mrs. Jones.”

He sighed. “I can’t today. They had an emergency at construction and called me in. I won’t make it in time for work then. Stevens offered to drop you to her home,” he countered.

I stood up and stared at the floor.

“But I want to go with you though, Daddy….”

I peered up at Mr. Henry wearing a white t-shirt and black jeans. I’d met him several times in the past, and he’d always been a close friend of my father. I hadn’t had much interaction with him though.

I returned my attention to my father.

Daddy gave another one of his smiles.

“Come on, sweetheart. It’s okay. It’s just for today.”

I chewed on the inside of my cheek before I reluctantly nodded. I didn’t know how to plead my case to him.

We exited our cramped apartment and into the evening outside. I stared wistfully as I sat in a brown car completely different from my dad’s car. My dad peered up from the windshield.

“Take care, sweetheart. I’ll pick you up and bring you ice cream, I promise,” he vowed under his breath.

He raked a hand through his tousled brown hair. I loved his smile so much. He was my sunshine. I giggled and smiled, nodding.

Daddy smiled and glanced behind my shoulder and over to Mr. Henry. “Thanks for doing this, man. Now get going.”

Daddy stepped away from the car and bid us goodbye, his face still held a smile on his face. He sat in his car and drove on the opposite side of the road. I still waved, staring wistfully at the car. I wish he’d stopped and take me with him.

With a sigh, I focused on the windshield instead.

Mr. Henry hadn’t said one word at all. He was always so quiet. Fastening my belt, I clasped my hands into my lap as Mr. Henry drove.

At least he had played some radio music. For several minutes, I stared outside the window, not noticing him at all. When we finally reached Mrs. Jones’ house, I prepared to exit.

Mr. Henry didn’t stop, though and he stepped into a different alley.

He pushed past forty now.

Bewildered, I paused and turned to look at him, confused.

“I think you missed the stop,” I squeaked out.

His hardened brown eyes fell on me, and I cowered into my seat. My heartbeat sped up with anxiety running through my veins. My heart splintered. “Where are you going? My dad expects me to go straight to Mrs. Jones,” I spluttered out.

Mr. Henry glanced at me again.

“Well… your dad isn’t here, baby girl.” His voice was amused as he spoke, but his eyes didn’t hold any laughter.

Baby girl? Why was he calling me that?

Protests left my mouth, but he only ignored me. He stopped by the side of the road, and I sighed in relief that he would turn back around. I peeked at my surroundings, but there weren’t any other cars. I turned to face Mr. Henry again, ready to speak again.

He unbuckled his belt and mine before he grabbed me.

I screamed and around quickly, ready to open the door, but his hand reached out and grabbed the back of my ponytail.

“Your hair is long, baby girl.”

“I’m not your baby girl!” I yelled, trying to elbow him.

Mr. Henry grasped my ponytail before pulling me to him. Tears welled in my eyes when my scalp burned under his harsh fingers. His other hand pulled up my t-shirt.

“Just shut the fuck up for a minute and let me finish.”

I tried to thrash and knee him. He let go of my ponytail before his hand gripped my arms, holding me tight in his clutch. I squirmed and I tried to shimmy, but he held on, even more.

His fingers were sure to leave bruises on my skin. His greedy fingers reached for the buttons on my jeans before pulling them down with my underwear.

A sharp movement stabbed my body.

My eyes prickled with water.

It was over in less than ninety seconds.

I knew because I counted.

I thought now that he was done, he would take me to Mrs. Jones, but I had lost consciousness. A couple of hours later, when I opened my eyes, I was at a clubhouse.