Her Broken Wings - FINALLY Completed

Chapter 26

When I awoke, the first thing that my senses captured was the ribbing of the thick rope around my wrists. Taking in deep breaths, I tried to stop the panic from rising. My eyes stayed firmly closed, attempting to block out my reality. A muffled crash sounded in the distance and I flinched, my eyes snapping open to search for the sound only to find that I was completely alone in the dim room. The chair that I sat on gave an ominous creak and I tried to stop the tears that had risen. I had never been so scared. The room that I was in felt damp and musky. I tried not to focus on the looming door to my left or the shadows that hid under the table to my right. The anticipation grew inside me and my muscles tensed as I waited for my step-dad to enter.

Closing my eyes I tried to imagine Sam's face. His midnight blue eyes came clearly into my mind and I took strength from them. He was my strength. Regret washed through me like the ocean pounds against the sand, fierce and unrelenting. Why couldn't I tell him that I loved him? I felt it now more than ever, that all encompassing love for Sam. I was head over heals in love, and the man would never know. In that moment, I made a promise to myself, that if I ever made it out of this, I would tell him. I didn't care. I would say it now if my lips weren't trembling so hard.

It felt like hours before the doorknob finally jiggled, alerting me to my step-dad's presence. I sat stiff in the chair as he entered. I had never seen him look so haggard. Even after he'd been falling over drunk, he'd never once looked this bereft. It was as if all the hope had been drawn right out of him, leaving only the darkness that came with despair. In that moment I even felt bad for him. He'd lost everything he ever had in his life, his wife, his job.

His eyes landed on me with a menacing sneer and I tried to remain still, not showing the fear that was gradually building inside me. I felt as if my heart was going to burst. I longed for that breaking point. At least it would get me out of this nightmare.

"I never liked you." The serious tone of his voice startled me almost as much as his words.

I took a deep breath. His hatred of me was nothing new to me. Not sure if he wanted a reply I whispered, "I know."

"Even before I married Lin, I knew you were a good for nothing brat. And then you took her from me, you took my wife. You killed her." His words pounded into my chest like a hammer, shattering my carefully constructed composure.

How could he say that? My mom had died of cancer. It was no one's fault, least of all my own. But years of listening to his abusive words had these new ones sinking deep into my skin. Did he truly believe that I had killed my own mother, that I was the reason she was dead?

"And every day since, I've had to look at your worthless face and be reminded that she's gone." His voice was a strangled moan, the grief that he felt bleeding into his words. He moved around the room, pacing back and forth in front of my chair like a crazed person.

My breath hitched as I tried to keep the tears from falling down my cheeks. He had loved my mother so deeply. Her death had drove him to drinking, to abuse. After all this time I found that I could not fault him for his love. He felt too deeply. Love seemed to be a curse. But even as these despairing thoughts ran through my mind, I thought of Sam. Love could be a curse, but it could also be magical, wonderful.

"You don't have to do this. I know you loved my mom. She wouldn't want you to do this." My pleading words were said in a gentle whisper.

I saw something change in his eyes, but is was not the change I wanted. Instead of warming, his eyes grew cold and detached.

He came to a stop in front of my chair, leaning down into my face, "Shut up bitch." I could smell the sweat that had drenched his skin. The scent made my stomach churn and I turned my face away.