asylum [kai parker] editing/rewriting

Eighteen

S I M O N E
The next morning, I don't feel like going downstairs or leaving my room. But eventually Nick calls me down. Nick and Dad sit at the kitchen table drinking coffee. When I walk downstairs I immediately see their expressions. Shit.

"Simone, come sit down." Dad looks me dead in the eye and suddenly I want to run away.

Silently I take my seat beside Nick, and fiddle with my hands. They both stare at me questionably. "Yes?"

Dad pulls out a crinkled piece of paper that I recognize. "This is the note you found when I was knocked out, correct?"

How did he find that? In my room. Of corse. "Y-yes."

"Let's call this motivation. I'm not afraid to take what I want, Simone. This isn't half as bad as what would happen if you told someone. Keep that in mind. Blah blah blah, Kai." Dad looks at me as he reads. "You knew all along that this man was Malachai Parker?"

I look down at my feet. "I can't. I-if I say anything."

"You can tell us. You're safe here." Nick leans across the table and holds my hand.

"I figured it was him." I look down, avoiding all eye contact.

The second there is silence, it's interrupted by the ring of my phone.
Ignore it.

Dad and Nick's eyes fall to my pocket.
Shit.

I pull out my phone and glance at it. New Message from Kai.

Double shit.

I swipe he screen and watch as the conversation pops up.

Kai = Evening, kitten. What a wonderful day isn't it? You left your garage door open.

Without thinking anything of it, I set my phone on the table and stare at them both. "You were saying?"

"Who is it?" Nick asks as he stares at my phone.

"Tele-" my phone starts ringing "-marketer."

Nick reaches out but I get to the phone before him. Hesitantly I put it to my ear. For a second, I just breathe into the phone, not letting Nick's eyes leave mine.

"I can hear you breathing, kitten. Hello to you too." A sickening familiar voice rings in my ears.

"Put it on speaker." Dad scolds sternly.

"Listen to your daddy, kitten." I can basically hear his smirk through the telephone. Quickly I press speaker and set it down on the table. There's a pure minute of silence before I hear a deep sigh on the other end. "Okay how has your day been?" Kai asks, sounding like he's talking to a bunch of kindergarteners. It makes me want to laugh, but I fight it.

"Magnificent." I mutter, but Nick puts his hand up to silence me.

"That's beside the point. The question is, what do you want with my daughter?" Dad isn't taking no for an answer.

"Your daughter. Your daughter? I believe Sim's father is six feet under. Your just a replacement Mr. Alexander," Kai says matter-of-factly.

"What do you want with Sim?" Nick sits forward and reinforces the question.

"Oh, Nick! Nice of you to join us. I've been wanting to say something you for a while now. So why don't I just tell you now." Kai clears his throat. "You're a massive pain in the fucking ass." The line falls silent for a moment, "as for your question. I'm not sure why I'm after Simone."

My breath catches at my mentioning.

"There's no reason to want Simone. Therefore there's no reason to keep her alive. Thanks for reminding me. I'll make sure to take care of her next time we happen to stumble upon each other." Kai says loudly through the phone just to prove his point.

Fuck you, Nick, fuck you. "Why are you in this town, Malachai?"

"For the last time, it's Kai. My name is Kai," I can imagine the pissed off expression on his face.

"Well, Kai, why did you do it?" Dad rephrases the question.

"Why did you do it? How did this happen? Are you okay? It's always the same question, isn't it? Well, why don't I answer that..." The anticipation of his answer has Nick leaning forward. "Because it's fun."

Dad's fists clench.

"Now if you would excuse me. I would like to talk to you, kitten." Kai's voice is directed at me. "But there'll be plenty of time for that. So hmm, what is that saying? Oh yeah. Adios."

And then the line goes dead.

Dad stands from his seat and looks at Nick. "Go to the station, see if you can track the phone number." Dad hands over my phone and I cringe immediately. "Simone, go to your room. You don't leave this house tonight, or any night until I say so. Nick, call in some more officers." Dad manages to fit many words into one minute.

"On it," Nick moves out of the house for a moment. But I stay where I am at the kitchen table.

"Is there anything you wish to tell me, Simone?" Dad says and stares at me.

"No." Just the fact that I know where Kai lives. "Nothing at all, Dad."

"Go to your room." He points to the stairs, which makes me slowly climb them towards my room.

When I'm safe in my bed, I look at my ceiling and try to calm the river of thoughts flowing through my head. I'm going to die. If Kai wants me dead, I will be. And if he doesn't kill me I'm sure Dad will.

Not once during the day did I leave my room. My stomach was suddenly upset with an uneasy anticipation of what is to come. I'm going to die.

The sun is slowly setting behind the trees and I honestly don't care how much I've been thinking about what's going on. It's been maybe six hours of pacing around my room, listening to music, and thinking over the fact I might not live for much longer.

I'm going to be six feet under soon if I don't take action. What has caused Kai's change in heart. Has he always been like this? Was he playing me like a toy all this time? Is this maniac the new Kai Parker? And then there's the million dollar question. Is he even going to kill me, or is this some sick joke?

A knock on my door saves me from the thoughts that are slowly asphyxiating me.

"Dinner is by the door, Simone." Dad doesn't bother with me right now.

I don't say anything more. I just stay silent on the other side of the door while listening as calming music plays softly from the CD player. But it's not working, it's just pissing me off more now that I realize the singers seem so fucking happy all the time.

Quietly I open my door and pull the plate of food inside my room before setting it on my desk.

Maybe I'm insane. Maybe I have OCD, PPD, something like that. Maybe even dual personality? I mean, one second I'm agreeing with Kai and the next I'm having a total break down. I mean, maybe I am invisioning this whole thing. Maybe I'm invisioning the fire that killed my parents. Maybe I'm invisioning Kai sitting on my window sill and tapping on the glass.

No. That's not a vision, he's there.