Page 4 of River Wild

“I won’t so long as you do what I tell you. Will you do exactly as Daddy tells you, River?”

I looked down at the floor. My hair fell into my eyes. It got wet from my tears.

“Yes, sir,” I whispered.

“What will happen, River?”

I force myself to look him in the eye. “I’ll go to jail. I’ll never see Mama again. She’ll be left alone with you, and you’ll have no choice but to hurt her.”

He smiles. It makes me hate him more.

“Is that what you want? You want me to hurt your mama, River?”

I take in a breath. “No, sir.”

“I didn’t think so.”

He strokes his fingers down my cheek. I clench my teeth.

“Now, I’m going to go and sit down at the kitchen table. You’re going to get me a beer from the fridge. When I’m done drinking it, our game will start. Understand?”

“Yes.”

I turn and walk over to the refrigerator. My hand shakes when I open the door. I clench it to make it stop. Then, I reach inside and get a beer from the top shelf. I twist the cap off and put it in the trash, trying to prolong the inevitable.

When I turn back around, I catch sight of his gun again.

It’s just sitting there, on the counter.

I look at him. He’s sitting on my chair at the table.

Mychair.

He’s moved it out from under the table and turned it, so it’s facing me.

He’s also taken his pants off. He’s only wearing his shirt.

My insides tighten.

The bottle trembles in my hand.

My eyes go to the gun on the counter again.

“What are you waiting for, boy?” he barks. “Get over here.”

“River, get over here.” His hand thumped against the bed he was sitting on.

Mama’s bed.

He’d never brought me in here before to play his games.

It was always in my room.

I didn’t want to do this. Not in here.

My hands started to shake. They did that a lot now. Especially on Sundays.

I curled my fingers into my palm until my nails started to hurt my skin.