Dad!
Dad!
Dad!
Sebastian dropped the bucket, and Eli let go of my head. Someone, I think Dad, pulled the towel off my face while I coughed. Each cough was so hard that it vibrated in my chest.
“What the hell is the matter with you?” Dad yelled at Sebastian in the background as I continued to cough. My head rolled to the side, and I could see Dad slap Sebastian.
“What?” Sebastian yelled back as he tried blocking Dad’s hands.
“Don’t give me that! Are you really this stupid?” Dad shook Sebastian and slapped him so hard that he fell down. “Elijah, go home. Tell your father I’ll be calling him this evening.”
Eli ran from the yard into the house while deep, hollow coughs erupted from me.
“What the fuck are you so mad about? You told me I could do whatever to him!” Sebastian yelled back.
“I didn’t say murder him, Sebastian.”
What? Murder? Was Sebastian trying to kill me? What was he doing?
“I saw it on the Military Channel! I was trying to make him talk!”
It worked.
Dad had Sebastian pinned face down on the patio and had taken his belt off and was hitting Sebastian with it.
“What you were doing to him was very dangerous. It’s much different than a fist fight in the yard. You’re never to do that again to anyone! Do you understand me?”
Before Sebastian could answer, another voice called out.
“Everything okay over there, Dr. Dawson?” It was Henry from next door. He must have been standing on something because his head was taller than the wall that separated our yards.
“Just fine, Henry. Thank you,” Dad said.
“Is what you’re doing necessary?” Henry asked.
“Very.”
Henry left while Dad continued to hit Sebastian. I really needed to sit up, and I kicked my feet, either hoping to get Dad’s attention or to knock myself onto my side. My chest hurt so badly, and I finally tried talking again.
“Dad.” My voice was hoarse and raspy and nowhere near loud enough to be heard. I was able to groan loud enough to get his attention, and he turned to look at me. “Dad.” I tapped my hands loudly on the metal frame of the patio chair that I was still tied to.
Dad got off the ground and pulled Sebastian up by his shirt.
“Get inside and don’t let me see you for the rest of the night,” Dad told Sebastian.
He tossed his belt onto the patio table and walked toward me as Sebastian hobbled inside. Dad crouched beside me and stared into my eyes. I felt like it was the first time he was really looking at me.
“What did you say?” he asked.
“Dad… help me,” I whispered. My throat burned with fire.
As Dad untied the massive knots in the rope, I tried to turn my hand and reach for his arm. Each time that I thought I’d managed to touch his arm and hold on to it, he moved it away. Once one hand was free from the rope, I rolled on the chair toward Dad and wrapped my hand around his arm.
“Stop, Patrick! I’m trying to get this damn rope off you.”
“Okay,” I managed to say.
