Chapter Five

As I walked home all I could think about was how my dad put me in the bubble and how I could get out. Like how am I supposed to figure this out on my own. I don't even know what I did to get myself in here. Sure I didn’t answer his texts but that's because I was mad at him for walking out on me and mom. All this thinking made me feel horrible. I can't stand her and Alia not being able to see me, and it's all because that idiot of a father I have. I trudged home, watching the sun rise behind the trees. I wish someone could help me. Why couldn’t my dad tell me what I did? Did I do anything wrong and he’s just trying to play games with my head? I thought of all the bad things I had ever done in my life. I pulled the pencil from behind my ear and wrote it down on a piece of paper.

When I stole Alia’s bowl of cheerios since I wanted more

When I hid my report card so my parents wouldn’t know I got a D-

When I downloaded Instagram when my mom said not to

When I lied that I was sick just to go home (5 times)

When I dropped my friend’s phone and blamed it on Alia

When I threw a rock at a bully’s face (she lost 2 adult teeth)

When I went to ballet and ripped my tights so I wouldn’t have to wear them

That was all I could think of. Just little white lies and bad deeds that everyone has done in their life. In my opinion I think I’m a very good person. I’ve never purposely hurt someone’s feelings. At least I think so. There was no use in trying. I was going to have to live my life like this forever. It is what it is. I would never get to pick up Alia again or listen to my favourite songs. I’m in here. I recited the lines to soothe my sadness.

“I’m in here, can anybody see me. Can anybody heeeeeelp. I’m in here, a prisoner of history. Can anybody heeeeeelp. Can you hear my call, are you coming to get me now…”

I sang in the small space. I was never one to sing in front of others but I always thought I was good. Every night I would close the door to my room and block it with my desk just so I could sing a song without anyone judging me. Not to say my mom would but I still preferred to be alone.

“I’ve been waiting for, you to come rescue me. I need you to hold all of the sadness I cannot…”

I paused, feeling my eyes begin to fill with water.

“Live with inside of me…” I choked on my despair. I threw myself against the bubble, letting myself sink inside it’s barriers.

I had a dream that I was at school again. No bubble. I walked into the school yard and everyone hugged me in a group hug. I felt happy again.

“Where have you been?” someone said. “What was it like being kidnapped?” someone else asked.

I chuckled and left the group. I felt famous like the press was chasing after me with a bunch of questions. I ran away laughing as all the kids followed me. BANG! I crashed onto the wet grass. My head throbbed, but it was dream pain. I looked up and Sara was laying on the grass holding her head, a red bump formed.

“I’m so sorry” she apologized.

“It’s fine, now go away,” I said

“But I need to ask you something!” she said.

I got up as quick as I could and dashed off as if a murderer was chasing me. All I heard were kids footsteps stomping after me and Sara yelling for my attention. Turns out a murderer was chasing me. I ended up in my house. I opened the door and my dad was standing there, his moustache bushy and not cut. He wore a blue polo shirt that was covered in blood. He wore jeans with many rips that didn’t look intentional. He held a sharp knife. His head cocked as he stared down at me.

“Hello Sierra.” He smiled. He almost reminded me of Johnny from The Shining.

“Hi daddy,” I said, knowing something was about to happen.

An axe pulled out from behind his back. He stared at me still with an evil grin.

“Are you ready for dinner child?” he asked with a raspy voice.

I nodded, taking a step backwards and grabbing onto the banister just in case he jumped at me I could run up the stairs. He smiled wider. His free arm revealed a sight that shocked me so hard that I slapped him in the face. My mothers head. My eyes widened as his face turned red. I spun around and ran up the stairs without turning back. My legs ached, they were so tired. I jolted into my room and locked the door, blocking it with my bed. I heard his stomps come up the stairs.

“One two I’m coming for you

Three four better lock your door

Five six grab your crucifix

Seven eight stay up late

Nine ten daddy’s back again!” he sang over and over. It was his version of the song from Nightmare on Elm street. I grabbed my blanket and threw it out the window, tying it to the bedpost. The doorknob rattled, he was almost in. I double knotted the blanket and looked out the window. If I fell I would die. He started banging on the door with all his might, the door cracked. Pieces of wood fell onto the carpet. I pulled some of the blanket back up to me and I grabbed on. Just like the poles in the park I told myself. I slowly slid down the blanket, giving my arms rope burn. The banging on the door slowed and came to a stop. Did he make it in or did he stop? I continued down the blanket. Almost there! I noticed that I was at the bottom. I reached my foot out and someone helped me down, cradling me.

“Thank you so mu-” I paused. The face was my dad’s. I screamed as loud as I ever had in my life.

I woke up, sweaty and teary eyed. It was dark, I fell asleep after I… I tried to recall what had happened before. Oh yes! I was singing. What a horrible dream. I looked around, wondering where I was. I saw a square of light slightly above me. A door frame. The light grew on one side and shrunk on the other.

“You still asleep?” a voice at the door said.

“No…” I gasped. My dad was talking.

“Where am I?!” I asked.

“You’re in the basement, I didn’t want my kid sleeping on the road!” he yelled flicking on the lights.

I rolled up the stairs, shoved my dad out of the way and ran as fast as I could back to my house. Except no matter where I went, I always ended up back at dad’s house. I dropped to my knees.

“Why am I still here?” I whimpered. Dad appeared in the front door.

“Like I said, I’ve been in a ball too. Want me to explain it to you?” he asked.

I said yes but instantly regretted it. I didn’t want to spend any more time with my dad.

I walked back into his house, sitting on the green couch that my mom sat at.

“So, if you haven’t noticed already the ball has been getting more clear every time you get angry and naturally everyday” I nodded.

“The bubble is trying to give you clues on why you’re in there. If I were to tell you, I would get trapped. Even if I knew what I did I would still face at least a year… and so would you. So it led you back to my house probably because it knew we would be having this conversation. For me… I had a dream” he said.

I had had a dream too.

“How did you get me in here?” I asked.

“It wasn’t my fault, once you’ve been in a bubble you have to put a loved one who truly did something wrong inside one. And we all go in for the same reason. And you might wonder why I might put you there. Well, Dianna was a liar but that’s not the right reason. There you go, I already checked one off of your list” he chuckled.

So he wasn’t really as bad as I thought. He was protecting me from getting trapped for longer. I smiled and nodded.

“Can I go home now?” I asked, desperately wanting to see my mother and my sister.

“No” he said harshly.

“Why not?”

“You can’t go back home. The bubble doesn’t want you to. And why don’t you spend some time with your dad?” he said.

The bubble didn’t want me to stay. Only he did.

“Dad, I’m leaving” I said, the bubble getting foggier.

“No you’re not” he grinned.

I got up and strutted to the door. It was blocked by two gargoyles.

“I told you it wanted you to stay, I can’t see what you’re seeing” he smiled.

I groaned.

“Where am I sleeping?”

“On the same couch you’re sitting on right now.” he said

“ Wow you’ve got great host skills, you force somebody to stay at your house and make them sleep on your nasty couch.”

“ Well that's what you get for being such a rude daughter.” he said annoyingly

“ Can I atleast go see Alia I miss her so much.”

“ No.” he smiled. He was a horrible dad. Couldn’t he just let me go see her once again? She was my baby sister.

“ I've had enough. I'm leaving.”

I got up and left. I ran home as fast as I could. My dad chased after me but when I finally reached home I opened the door and no one was there. The house felt cold and abandoned. When I turned around my dad stood there and said

“She went back to her to parents house with Alia.”

That makes sense. She probably didn't want to be alone and her parents had a mansion. The bubble got clearer and suddenly I was filled with rage.

“TELL ME HOW TO GET OUT NOW OR I SWEAR I WILL KILL YOU!”

“I told you, I have to put a loved one inside, then you have to figure out the rest yourself ”he said

“But I can't put anyone I love through this.” I cried and cried till there was no more tears left. The bubble was half filled with water. Then it magically drained. I thought about it for a long time. I thought about every single moment in my life. Nothing.