But then he scowls at me and he looks far from friendly now. It makes my moment of relief short-lived and the tears dry right up as dread washes over me.
“Cara,” he says as he steps into the room. He closes the door and I can’t see him anymore.
My heart rate spikes and I flinch when a match lights up the small space for an instant. The small flame makes eerie shadows jump and dance against the steel walls.
He lights a cigarette and then all that remains is the glowing red coal.
“Imagine our surprise when we saw you walk down the road there by Easy’s bar. You look so much like your mother. May she rest in peace.” He takes a drag and the coal glows brighter, lending a creepy quality to the room. “Stupid changing your name to your mother’s. You made it so easy for us to find you.”
He takes another drag, lighting up his face again in a scary red glow.
“Yeah, that was a real stupid thing to do,” he whispers unnervingly making cold chills race up my spine. “So, unfortunately for you we have a score to settle with your father.” I hear him spit. I’ve forgotten how deep his South African accent is. I don’t understand why he would be here.
I start to shake and fear swells in my chest, until it suffocates me. “I don’t understand any of this!” I cry out when the fear becomes too much to bear.
“I know, my girl. I’m sorry, but it’s just the way things are. You know how it works. Children pay for the sins of their fathers.”
The door opens again and three men come in. For a moment I can only make out their silhouettes against the sharp sunlight that’s streaming in behind them. One is holding a camera and he fiddles with the thing until a red light starts to flash.
What the fuck do they need a camera for?
The other two move closer to me and my eyes dart to them.
Steven!
Steven is one of them?
The shivering stills and I can only stare. They’ve been watching me. I got so careless! I forgot that I was running for my life.
“Say your name to the camera, girl,” Mr. Attridge snaps.
“Cassy Smith,” I blurt out. I don’t want to make them angry.
“Your real name!” he snaps irritably and I flinch back from the hostility in his voice.
“Cara Ellison.” My heart pounds in my ears.
“Say the date,” he snaps again.
“October ninth.” I try to keep my eyes everywhere at once, but mostly on Steven and Mr. Attridge.
“Who is Ralph Ellison to you?” He growls and my stomach churns with dread.
“He’s my father,” I whimper.
“Only for ten minutes, men. We only need enough on tape to let that piece of shit know we’re serious. After the boys are done with you your uncle will come running to save you, just like he did when I killed your parents. Don’t be angry, Cara, this is just the way things are done. No hard feelings.” I watch Mr. Attridge with huge eyes, as he hands the cigarette to the man next to him. “Here you go, Henry.” And then he walks out leaving me with the three men.
The door closes and a bright light flickers on from the camera, spotlighting me. Everything else blacks out but the bright light. My body starts to shake and I press back into the cold wall.
What’s going on?
What are they going to do?
A million horrible scenarios race through my mind, tightening the cold grip of panic on my insides.
Henry moves first and comes right at me. He looks like a hulking mass of darkness. I scream and duck to the side, but he grabs hold of my arm, yanking me back.
Where I go, the blinding light goes, and the tiny red light tells me that they are recording all of this.
Henry’s voice is a vicious growl that agitates every nerve and leaves my insides quaking. “Don’t just stand there! Get your ass over here and hold her down!”
I’m dragged forcefully from the corner. I lose my balance and my knees slam hard into the floor. My teeth clatter and I bite my tongue from the force. “Get the jacket off,” Henry barks.
“No!” I shriek and I try to pull back. “Please don’t!” I don’t know what I’m begging for, but it’s all my mind can come up with.
My movements grow frantic with panic and the air grows hot and stuffy with all of us in the small space. The smoke from the cigarette makes me want to gag.
Steven moves in front of the light, making it disappear. For a second I sit shocked before all my senses rush back to me. Henry’s fingers dig into my shins and he yanks me towards him. I fall over backwards and my head slams into the hard steel floor, making another hollow banging sound that vibrates through the floor and into my body. I start to panic as a suffocating feeling weighs heavily down on me.
“Fuck you!” I spit at them, and I start to kick with every bit of strength I have in my legs. I manage to kick Henry in the chest, and he falls back on his ass.
I use my moment of victory to scramble to my hands and knees. I crawl away and every movement I make echoes in the tiny space.