Island of Lost Girls - Jennifer McMahon [87]
My father went with me gladly, Lizzy continued, taking Rhonda back to the evening of the play, speaking in a dull monotone, no expression on her face. Hed had a fight with Clem and was eager to leave the party. He was more than a little drunk. I led him down the path through the woods to the stage and he sat down on the edge, pulling me in front of him. He started touching me, unzipped his jeans and put his hands on my head, knocking the pirate hat off, guiding me down to him. I was used to it by then in a way. I could just make myself tune it out, you know. I could go places, think about other things. Sometimes I would go over all my lines from the play. It was dark in the woods by then, but the moon was out and Peterhe was hiding behind a treecould see what was happening.
Peter was crazy when he got to the stage. He came at Daddy, hitting his back as hard as he could with that stupid toy sword of hisbroke it right in half. He was just screaming, no words, just a sound like some kind of battle cry. He jumped up onto Daddys back, wrapping his arms around his throat, still just howling. Dad lost his balance, fell, and they started rolling around on the ground, grunting and thrashing, knocking over folding chairs. Dad got Peter pinned down under him and was like, You like to spy? Huh, boy? just livid, spitting, red in the face.
I thought, thats it, hes going to kill Peter, then theres this pop-pop-pop sound and Daddys slapping at his back, cursing and screeching and I see Tock at the foot of the stage aiming her BB gun like a fucking sniper.
Lizzys tone changed as she described how Peter and Tock came to her rescue. Her voice was more animated, almost excited as she told this part of the story.
When she ran out of ammo, she charged and threw herself on him, and just the sheer momentum knocked him off of Peter. Peter snatched up one of the chairs and started hitting Daddy with it.
My father was pissed off then, but I dont think he was scared. He finally grabbed the chair away from Peter and struggled to his feet. He knocked Peter flat on his back and held him there, his arm across Peters throat.
Tock was standing at the edge of things now, just screaming this incredible string of profanity, You motherfucker cocksucking sonofawhore dipshitfucker get the fuck off him or Ill fucking kill you! kind of thing. I thought everyone in your yard would hear her and come running. But they didnt. I guess the music was up too loud. And Mom had gotten bombed and set the table on fire.
Lizzy stopped to take a breath, and when she continued, her voice was the flat, familiar monotone once again.
Daddy had Peter pinned by the throat and Peter was gasping, choking, struggling to get a breath. I knew it was up to me to end it. If I could just hit my father hard enough, hed black out. I think I had an idea from cartoons that hed get amnesia, tooand it would be like it never happened, you know? So I went back behind the stage to where we kept the toolbox and grabbed a hammer, then crept up behind my father and Peter. Tock was still screaming. Peter and Daddy were sweating, shaking, glaring at each other. I raised my arm high, swung, and hit the back of my fathers head as hard as I could. He went down, just like that. But I hit him again, anyway. Then again. Then it was like I couldnt stop. Everything hed ever done to hurt me came back in a flash and I put all those months of lies and pain into each swing of the hammer. It was like that day I killed the bogeyman. I just kept going.
Peter finally took the hammer away. Tock led me away, up onto the stage, wrapped her arms around me, holding me as tight as she could, rocking me.
Lizzy looked over at Rhonda for the first time since she began her story. Lizzys forehead