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Once again I’ve lost all sense of time, but instead of waking up on the ground with the trees above me I am in the back seat of my car.
I try to sit up but my feet are bound as well as my hands.
I don’t know where we are going but it doesn’t take long before the car comes to a complete stop and I fall onto the floor unable to stop myself.
The door opens. “Let’s get this over with.”
Hutch unties me and sits me upright. He takes me by the shoulders. “Your father is in this bar. It wasn’t hard to find him. We are going to go in, and when I say the word you will kill him.”
I shake my head.
“You have no choice, doll.” He runs a hand through my hair smoothing it out. “You wanted to defy me. This is what you get.”
He yanks me to my feet and slams the door shut. “Now instead of me doing the dirty work you’re going to.”
“You’re going to have to kill me because I’m not doing it.”
“Oh you will. Because I made sure I will get what I want.” He slaps a hand down on my shoulder and forces me to move to the door with him. “Perks of being a supernatural.”
I search the bar hoping Hutch doesn’t know what he’s talking about but of course he does. My dad is planted at the bar on a stool drinking.
Hutch moves us through the dark depressing room and pulls out a stool for me to sit. I take the seat afraid to fight for fear of what he will do if I try anything. If I run he will kill my dad the second I do.
My dad looks over, and raises an eyebrow. “Hutch.”
I push the fear aside. “Dad you have to get out of here.” I don’t care what Hutch will do to me.
His hand clamps down on my shoulder.
“Hope, don’t start with me.” He takes another swig of his drink and ignores me. “I haven’t bothered your mom. If I want to have a drink I will.”
Hutch presses down on my shoulder and a rush of heat fills my body. I fall forward and clutch my stomach. I don’t want to be a part of his sick plot but his energy seeps into every cell and I can’t stop it.
I don’t remember magic anymore, I don’t remember how to feel. I know what needs to be done and I am the only person who can do it.
Killing him is on my mind. The only thing I want, the only thing I need to accomplish.
He’s not my dad, he’s the man who has ruined everything and I need to get rid of him.
Hutch pushes something into my hand. I bring it up and look at it. I’ve never held a gun, I don’t think I ever imagined what it would be like to pull the trigger.
Everything around me becomes obsolete; the only thing I can see is my dad sitting there with the glass in his hand. And I raise the gun.
“Do it,” Hutch says. “And this will all be over with.”
My dad drops his glass, and brings a hand up to block me. He knows what I am about to do and he tries to stop me. I see true concern sweeping his features, he’s not angry with me. He’s trying to stop me from making the biggest mistake of my life.
I squeeze the trigger, little by little Hutch’s control takes over and the gun shot shatters the hold he has on me and pushes me back into reality.
I drop the gun and scream. He’s slumped over the bar, his glass tipped over and the last of his liquor is moving to the floor.
“Why did you make me do this?!” I grab my dad and shake him. There is no way he is dead. Because if he is dead that would mean life really is cruel.
“Don’t waste your time,” Hutch tells me. “What’s done is done.”
I pull at his shirt, looking for signs of blood. And my fingers stop on his chest. I drop my head, holding on to my dad. Life is that awful, and my hands are covered in his blood.
“I would call the police and let them know this girl just killed her father,” Hutch tells the man behind the bar.
I sit up, wiping my hands on my shorts. “I hate you for this. I’m going to kill you. Mark my words, I will kill you.”
Hutch smirks. “We better get him on the floor. You know how the paramedics like to work on the victims before they say they’re dead.”
Hutch shoves my dad off the bar stool. And I jump on him angry that he is treating him like garbage, but he flings me off and I crash into the bar stools.
“I wonder if they will give me a medal.” He looks down at my dad. “I saved this town from being destroyed by some crazy girl convinced she is anything but evil.”
I know Hutch is evil but I can’t believe he is about to send me to jail for killing my own dad.
I don’t know what to do. I don’t think there is any way out of this. I drop to my knees and feel for a pulse.
“Someone please help him,” I beg. But there is nobody in the bar besides the man behind the counter and he’s not about to get in the middle of Hutch and his power trip.
I tilt my dad’s head back and feel for a pulse, my fingers moving over his body, shaking and miserable and not sure where to check or what to do.
I’m a mess. I am no good for anybody.
The door opens and I expect to see the cops but it’s Kidd.
“Oh this just keeps getting better and better.” Hutch shakes his head. “I guess one fucked up wannabe rock star is better than none.” He moves back. “By all means, try to fix things.”
Kidd steps forward. “You should be glad that I came and not Slade.” He drops down beside me.
“He’s dead.” I pull at my hair. “I think he’s dead.”
Kidd takes my hand trying to calm me down. “I am going to take care of this. I promised Slade I would.”
I don’t know what he means, but I move out of the way. Kidd rubs his hands together and presses down on my dad’s chest, his tattoos emitting energy, a light.
Hutch’s brow furrows. “What are you doing?”