Chapter 2After My Tragic Death, Dad Kept Working And Doing Extra For Everyone

I was attacked on a night like any other.

With my backpack slung over my shoulder, I walked quickly, trying to figure out what to make for dinner.

Then, shadows sprang from the darkness, too fast and rough for me to even scream.

Fear and pain swallowed me as I fought desperately, but they were too strong.

They dragged me to a dark basement, hands tearing at my clothes.

I screamed, but my mouth was gagged tight.

My flailing limbs only seemed to spur them on, and I felt my body being torn apart.

My soul was ripped away in that moment, forced to watch the horror being done to me.

At one point, a younger man with curly hair gasped, “Hey! She’s not moving!”

“Passed out from all the fun?”

“Hey, get up! Quit faking!”

The muscular man in charge hoisted my lifeless body, slapping me over and over.

Each blow reverberated through my soul like an echo of pain.

Finally, after dozens of slaps and seeing my head slump with no response, they began to panic.

They checked my pulse, and it was gone.

The younger guy clutched his head in horror. “We’re finished. They only paid us to have some fun, not kill her! I’m not going back to prison!”

“Stop whining,” the leader spat, kicking him. “They asked for a job; we got paid extra. She won’t be back for her money anyway.”

They disappeared into the darkness.

And I floated aimlessly, finding my way back to our front door.

I arrived just in time to see Dad return from his deliveries, fumbling for his keys.

A neighbor called out, “Hey, Frank! Your Lily probably made dinner for you, right? You’ve got a good girl there.”

“Good for nothing,” Dad muttered without a second glance. “So stupid, I’m just glad she doesn’t cause any trouble.”

“Oh, c’mon, Frank. Give the girl some credit. Kids have their pride, you know?”

“I raised her on my own. I get to say a word or two.” Dad scoffed as he pushed the door open.

The house was dark, and he frowned, calling out, “Lily? Didn’t make anything tonight, huh?”

Nothing answered except the cold draft from the hall.

After Mom’s accident, Dad started his job with Quick Bites, out all day, every day.

He said I held him back, that he could never find a new wife because of me.

I was just his stupid deadweight, too dumb to do well in school, or even cook right.

As the night wore on, his frustration grew. “That girl. Out wandering now, huh? Just wait till she gets back.”

He kept calling my phone, dialing until it went straight to voicemail.

He even took his scooter out, riding around the streets, searching up and down the path I took home from school.

But I was nowhere to be found.