Look! It's finally here! Really sorry it took so long, writers block...
Chapter 19
I sighed as I made my way; my ankle was hurting, killing me really. But Moni's words bugged me. They seemed to push me on, keep me going. I had to talk to him, not make up with him, but talk to him. Perhaps, just perhaps he could help.
I stumbled and hopped into his camp. My nose crinkled up in disgust at the weapons scattered on the tables. I saw a few cages nearby the two trucks. A lump formed in my throat. My Dad stopped, having heard my uneven steps behind him.
He turned and faced me, his arms crossed. "I thought I was a murderer?" he questioned. I scowled at him. "You are," I growled. "But you're also the only way of transport for miles." My dad's face flashed with anger, then softened into an expression of total hurt.
"So that's all I am now huh? A form of transportation?" He said, I could hear the croak in his voice. He was trying not to cry. Did he honestly think I'd fall for that? The cool calmness had returned, as had my anger. "Well you're certainly not a father, or a suitable one anyway." I spat.
Dad sighed. "Diana, what's wrong with you? Has living with the animals for so long messed up your head? I'm your father, I don't understand your hatred toward me." I had looked away, refusing to meet his eyes. In mine tears were building.
"You kill innocent lives, take away freedom for nothing more than your own pleasure and the profit of doing so. The Shawnee did not kill for pleasure, and certainly not for profit, or at least, the profit you benefit from. No, they killed for meat, for shelter, for warmth. They killed as a necessity. You, kill for pleasure." I delivered every word slowly, saying it with as much emotion as I could, hoping to get the message through to him.
Dad looked taken aback for a moment. Then I saw the lines in his face crinkle, as he let my words sink in. I saw his eyes soften, as he thought about what I had said. Finally he looked back up at me.
A few shining, silvery clear tears slipped past his eyelids and slid down his sun-tanned cheek. "You're right," he said, realization hitting him like a bag of bricks. "You were right all along." He closed his eyes in silent thought, then said his thoughts aloud. "Your mother did divorce me for those reasons. But I was to stupid to care. I was having fun and I didn't care what the cost was so long as I could continue doing it." He looked back up at me.
"I'm sorry Diana, I'm so sorry." It was like some unseen force had taken over my body. I saw my dad, who had always been so tough, so mean and menacing, break down. And that force took over made me walk over to him. He wrapped his arms around me and we embraced. Without realizing it I began to cry. The tears slid down my face in little rivers. We sobbed against each other, great air sucking sobs that shook our shoulders.
Finally Dad stood back, becoming the parent once more. "Tomorrow we'll go to the airport, and we'll go home." He said, and I knew he meant it, I knew he was giving up his taxidermy sport. My heart swelled, and for the first time in two years, I felt truly happy.
End of chapter 19
There you have it, like it? Sorry it's so short, but hey, it's short and emotional...
Chapter 19
I sighed as I made my way; my ankle was hurting, killing me really. But Moni's words bugged me. They seemed to push me on, keep me going. I had to talk to him, not make up with him, but talk to him. Perhaps, just perhaps he could help.
I stumbled and hopped into his camp. My nose crinkled up in disgust at the weapons scattered on the tables. I saw a few cages nearby the two trucks. A lump formed in my throat. My Dad stopped, having heard my uneven steps behind him.
He turned and faced me, his arms crossed. "I thought I was a murderer?" he questioned. I scowled at him. "You are," I growled. "But you're also the only way of transport for miles." My dad's face flashed with anger, then softened into an expression of total hurt.
"So that's all I am now huh? A form of transportation?" He said, I could hear the croak in his voice. He was trying not to cry. Did he honestly think I'd fall for that? The cool calmness had returned, as had my anger. "Well you're certainly not a father, or a suitable one anyway." I spat.
Dad sighed. "Diana, what's wrong with you? Has living with the animals for so long messed up your head? I'm your father, I don't understand your hatred toward me." I had looked away, refusing to meet his eyes. In mine tears were building.
"You kill innocent lives, take away freedom for nothing more than your own pleasure and the profit of doing so. The Shawnee did not kill for pleasure, and certainly not for profit, or at least, the profit you benefit from. No, they killed for meat, for shelter, for warmth. They killed as a necessity. You, kill for pleasure." I delivered every word slowly, saying it with as much emotion as I could, hoping to get the message through to him.
Dad looked taken aback for a moment. Then I saw the lines in his face crinkle, as he let my words sink in. I saw his eyes soften, as he thought about what I had said. Finally he looked back up at me.
A few shining, silvery clear tears slipped past his eyelids and slid down his sun-tanned cheek. "You're right," he said, realization hitting him like a bag of bricks. "You were right all along." He closed his eyes in silent thought, then said his thoughts aloud. "Your mother did divorce me for those reasons. But I was to stupid to care. I was having fun and I didn't care what the cost was so long as I could continue doing it." He looked back up at me.
"I'm sorry Diana, I'm so sorry." It was like some unseen force had taken over my body. I saw my dad, who had always been so tough, so mean and menacing, break down. And that force took over made me walk over to him. He wrapped his arms around me and we embraced. Without realizing it I began to cry. The tears slid down my face in little rivers. We sobbed against each other, great air sucking sobs that shook our shoulders.
Finally Dad stood back, becoming the parent once more. "Tomorrow we'll go to the airport, and we'll go home." He said, and I knew he meant it, I knew he was giving up his taxidermy sport. My heart swelled, and for the first time in two years, I felt truly happy.
End of chapter 19
There you have it, like it? Sorry it's so short, but hey, it's short and emotional...