Hitting pause on my favorite Disney princess movie, I sighed and tossed the remote to the side table, stealing a glance at the clock way high up the cream-colored walls.
"11:45 pm." I let out wearily, wringing my hands together. Don't get me wrong, I wasn't scared. I was just anxious because Dad hadn't come home yet. He never stayed out of the house once it was eleven o'clock. Why?
He didn't trust me to stay with anyone else, not even a babysitter ever since she who shall not be thought of left us with a cockroach-infested wardrobe a few years ago. We couldn't also trust any random person, because of his job too.
"I'm coming." Three knocks on the door brought me back to my living room. The lights were a bit dimmer than usual, so it'd give people outside the impression that its inhabitants were asleep or probably not around. I hopped down from the couch, my tiny feet carrying me all the way to the front door." Password?"
"There is no password princess." An all too familiar voice replied and my anxiety died down immediately." But if you insist, Vivi's the best daughter in the world."
"Daddy!" I squealed, barely containing my excitement. My tiny arms snaked around his large torso, his stature looming over me." You're late." I chided the moment he let me go.
"I know princess." He ruffled my pitch-black hair, messing up my previous hairdo. "Something held me back."
"What?" I noticed the slight shift in his demeanor. He shook his head slightly, another smile forming on his lips, but a closer look would tell you it was strained and obviously forced." Dad...."
"So this is the infamous Vivian Sterling." Another voice rang from behind my father's back. I angled my head to my right, my gaze falling on another silhouetted figure standing on the threshold. Most of his face was obscured by the black hood he wore, his cloak billowing in the wind. "How are you, princess?"
To be honest, he reminded me of one of those villains in the cartoons dad and I used to watch.
"Don't call her princess!" Dad whirled on the stranger and I flinched at his harsh tone. The stranger curled his lips into a sinister smile, the lower part of his face and jaw being the only part of his face I could see. "Don't even talk to her!"
"Come on Richard." The man sneered mischievously, while dad pulled me into his side." I'm just getting acquainted with her. I'm sure she wants to be my friend, right?"
"No." I retorted and his frown deepened. I don't know why, I was usually receptive to all of dad's friends but something was off with one. "I don't want to be your friend."
From the corner of my eye, I saw dad beam and I bit back a smile of my own.
"Well then." The stranger scowled, his ego obviously bruised and bashed so badly." I suggest we get straight to business. We definitely wouldn't want to keep the boss waiting."
"Of course." My dad steered me farther into the living room, the lights coming on brighter than before. Yes, they were motion censored. Crouching to my height, he tilted my chin upwards so I was staring into his green eyes. His eyes shone a dull color than they used to and he had bags under his eyes. He was stressed." Princess, I need you to ..."
"No, dad." I interrupted, cutting him off mid-sentence." I'm not going anywhere and I'm not leaving you with him."
"Why?" He feigned a frown, his beefy hand running through his hair.“ This is important work...."
"I'll stay in the dining or your study." I countered, my hands coming across my chest. “I'm not going to my room. It's too far away and he seems dangerous. What if he tries something?"
"Vivi." Dad chuckled. " I can handle myself and this job's super important, for my ears only."
"But..."
"How about this?" He took my hands in his, his hairy ones overwhelming mine." If I spend up to thirty minutes down here and you don't get our special signal, then you can come barreling through and we'll teach this riff-raff a lesson he'll never forget."
"Hmmm." I tilted my head to the side to get a good look at the stranger. He was settled on one of the couches, legs propped up on the table. I sighed." Fine."
"Thank you, princess." He kissed my forehead and I smiled, trying desperately to ignore the churning in my guts. “Now go."
"Kay." I turned and trudged up the stairs. Not without turning back and giving the stranger the infamous, I'm watching you look. He didn't seem to see me as his attention focused on dad the minute he joined him in the living room.
Twenty minutes. It'd been exactly twenty minutes since I'd started hearing voices from the living room. At first, I thought it was just a small argument that would blow away into smithereens in no time, but as time went by, I couldn't be more wrong. Their voices sailed into my room through the tiny openings beneath my door. I tried to shut out their voices, but even my Moana and Elsa posters weren't a good enough distraction.
I tiptoed out of my room and into the lobby, making extra sure I wouldn't be heard. As I neared the living room, I caught snippets of their conversation.
"I'm not interested.";That was dad. His voice was twice its normal octave and that was never a good sign. “You can go tell that to your boss or whoever sent you here."
"We know that's not going to be possible." I hadn't registered his voice so it must be the stranger." He doesn't take no for an answer."
"Well he will in this case." Dad huffed." I will not compromise my job or my integrity for anything. Your boss can go to hell for all I care."
Yup, dad was definitely riled up...
I'd gotten to the foot of the stairs now and one wrong move would definitely make them spot me. I quickly scanned my surroundings for a good hiding spot and my eyes fell on the space behind one of the brown flowery chairs. Muttering a silent prayer to God, I dashed out from my spot and pressed myself against the back of the chair.
"Hey!" I saw the stranger grab a hold of dad's arm, pulling him in roughly. Dad was currently looking in my direction like he'd seen something or someone rather. Me. "Quit stalling, I don't have all day."
"Wait." I sunk deeper into my skin, hoping the chair would be more than enough cover from Dad's searching gaze. " I think, someone's there. I saw something. Vivi?"
"Do I look stupid to you?" Dad was reeling backward, barely colliding with the huge television screen." There's no one there, you're trying to avoid our discussion."
"There's nothing to discuss." Dad warned." I will not assist criminal masterminds like you, no matter how much you pay me. I've been fighting this case for as long as I can remember and I'm going to keep on fighting it till I die!"
"Well well well ." The stranger laughed and I felt the hair in my neck stand. " So much dedication, too bad it won't do you any good."
I peered from my chair and saw something glint under the lights. My breath caught in my throat and for a moment I forgot how to breathe.
"You wouldn't dare." Dad's confident pose was a huge contrast to the fear laced in his voice." You wouldn't dare, get that thing away from me."
"Will you be helping us or not?" The stranger twirled the dagger around in his palms, its edge inching dangerously close to dad's side." This could be your last chance."
"Never." I heard dad say." I'll never..."
A blood-curling scream filled the night as I watched him drive the steel instrument into dad's side. Dad slid to the ground, his bloody hand cradling the gash.
"I warned you." The stranger replied in a sing-song voice, inches away from Dad's face. I watched as he took the knife and pressed it against his face, drawing a thin line of blood trickling down his chin. "But you just wanted to be the big good cop right?"
I wanted to scream. To hurl something against his head, to make him pay for stabbing my father. But I couldn't. Instead, I watched with teary eyes as the maniac tortured dad more and more, drawing more of the red liquid from his body.
"I'm leaving now champ." He finally rose to his feet, a spring in his step as he pocketed the knife." Say hello to Jesus for me."
"You'll. Pay..." Dad coughed out a mouthful of blood, his skin already paling." ..for. this. I promise you."
"Ha." He scoffed." See you on the other side. And by the way, you've got a beautiful daughter. She might just come in handy to us one day. Sayonara."
The moment his devilish cloak floated out of sight, I dashed to dad's side.
"Dad, dad." I sobbed, my teary eyes making it difficult to figure out anything." Dad, please tell me you're okay. You'll be okay."
"Vivi." His voice was barely a whisper. He lifted a hand to my cheek, rubbing small circles around. A chill ran down my spine at how cold his hand was." You. Know. I. I. Love you right?"
"I know." I sniffled loudly, ignoring the slimy liquid dripping down my nostrils." You don't have to say anything. I'll go get help. Just hang in there."
"One more thing." He coughed out more blood and I shuddered. " Reach into my pocket."
"Dad, there's no time." I attempted to get up but his hand clamped weakly over mine." Dad, please don't do this, let me get help."
"I have something for you." He whispered, his eyes flickering shut like the very action was taking a huge amount of his energy." Reach into my pocket."
"Dad.."
"Do it." And I did. I reached into his pocket and pulled out a silver butterfly pendant.
"Dad?. I, what's..."
"Happy birthday princess. I love you." He let out softly, his voice reaching my ears in a faint whisper before his body went limp, one last time.
"Dad?" I tossed the pendant to the side, shoving him as hard as I could." Dad! If this is a birthday prank, then you're going too far. "
"Dad!" I yelled, no longer fighting to keep the tears at bay." This isn't funny, just wake up. Open your eyes and tell me it's a surprise, a birthday prank. Dad!!"
He lay unmoving, his chest and body still and rigid as the night. I glanced at the clock and 12:05 am stared back at me.
Dad had died on my birthday and that bastard would definitely pay for it.
