4 THE VOICE

“Mommy I want to ride every ride there...? I am going to have so much fun today. I am so excited.”

“Sure sweetie.” Said her dad adjusting rare view mirror.

“Who was on the phone honey...?”

“I told you it was a wrong number.” I replied wiping sweat beard off my forehead.

“What a weird timing for a wrong number call...! You okay...?” and he hold my hand in my lap.

“Yes, I’m. It’s just... nothing.” I replied back with a faint smile.

“Okay.” He replied with putting his attention back to the road.

After 7 years, I heard that voice again. I was thinking that she is gone and I will not be able to hear her voice again. But I was wrong. Here she is here again and I’m sure she is somewhere near. I can feel that awful feeling of fear and pain again after 7 years again. After all that she had done...was not that enough that she have come back. And for what...? What does she want from us now...? And everything flashed back to me leaving me in a shrill shock.

“You can’t do this to me...? You don’t want to do this don’t you...? How could you do this to me after all that we have worked out...? You have promised me that you will be stopping this and will not bring this out again...!”

“But I can’t help myself with this. I have to do this and this is the only way to get this settled.” She replied as she moved toward me with that knife in her hand.

“No J. You can’t do this to me. You have promised me to leave us alone.” I cried with fear, with my body on the corner of room, with bruises and cuts, sobbing with tears, begging for her to let me go.

“No Julia. I can’t. For what I want, I have to do this. It’s the only way to get it.” And she came close to me.

I cried for help but she couldn’t listen to me. She was blind. She was not herself anymore. I knew that something like this will going to be happen.

And when she was close to me feet, with a huge thud the door of room fell on the floor.

“J! Give this knife to me.” My father said with a shout to distract her from me.

“Julia! Oh Julia. My dear girl...are you okay.” My mom said comforting me.

Dad was still trying to calm down J.

“Give this knife to me J. What are you doing...? This is not a way to solve things. And after we already had a talk about it and you had prom...”

“I don’t give a damn about that promise. That promise will not bring anything to me.”

“Doing this will...? Will this bring you everything that you want...?” said my father carefully moving toward her in order to snatch the knife from her hand. And he moved to her and twisted her wrist behind her back and the knife fell on the floor.

“Ahhh....dad. No leave me. Today I’m going to take what is mine from her.”

“You have lost your mind J. You are not in your senses. We will talk about it later when you will be at more peace.”

“Take Julia out. I need to calm her down.” Dad told mom as she was trying to open the cable from my hands. I was so afraid that I was trembling.

“Yes. Yes. Come on Julia. Let’s go, get out of here.” Mom said to me and supported me to get up and we struggled toward living room downstairs.

“There is nothing to discuss now dad. Let me go.” I heard her cry downstairs.

“Oh my god, honey. Are you alright...?’ mom asked me with tear filled eyes. ‘Does it hurt...?” she asked cleaning my wounds.

“No-not anymore.” I said sobbing with pain and looking away.

“Oh my dear...I don’t know what I should say. I’m feeling just helpless.”

“Huh...then don’t.” I said pulling my arm away from her hands leaving a surprised look on her face.

“She will be ok soon. Don’t worry about her.” Dad said walking downstairs.

‘We should call a doctor to see them both...”

“No. No. We can’t. You know. People will get to know about everything. Think about our reputation out there. I will handle everything by myself.”

“Oh I have seen how you handle things.” With an angry look she flees out of living room.

“See Julia. It’s not okay now. But I know everything gonna be okay soon. Okay. I want you to rest and get well soon. I will talk to her and...”

“And what dad...? And what...? She will do something like that again.”

“Mommy gets of the car. Don’t you want to ride the rides? We are getting late. “Yelled sweetie from outside the car.

“Are you lost or something...? You okay...?”

“Ya. I’m good. Let’s go.”

With all the dark memories...filled with pain, rage and anger...I walked out of the car trying to pretend that everything was ok.

“Are you okay mommy...?” she asked with her big round eyes and bright smile on her face.

“Yes my little angel. Now let’s get go. Fun is waiting for us.”

“Yaaaeee....”

Rick took her in his arms and we walked inside the amusement park. Sweetie and rick both were having fun on the rides. We click so many snaps and get ice-cream.

“Which one little princess...?”Asked the man.

“Dad I want butterscotch.”

“Okay. Three butterscotch please.”

“Here you go.” Said the man.

“But I want a chocolate.’

“But she likes butterscotch. And it’s her treat. And I don’t think you want to spoil her mood. Am I right darling?” Said rick holding out ice creams.

“Yes.” She said proudly with a bright smile and giving a high five to her dad.

“And we all burst out in laughter.

“Let’s go dad I want to ride roller coaster.”

“Okay. Let’s go. Come on.” He said pulling my arm.

“Oh seat for two.” He said.

“You take her for a ride. I will wait for you here. And I’m felling a little uneasy so it’s ok.” I said to him with creasing his arm.

“Are you okay? You seem very different today. Did anything happen...?”

“No. I’m good. It’s just its so warm outside. Sun is killing me. You go.’

“Okay” and he flung on the seat.

“Mommy...cheers for us when we pass from here in next lap.” She said fastening her safety belt.

“Oh OK...have fun.” And I waved at them.

They both were enjoying the ride. I cheered for them when they pass by. And I turned around toward the crowd to search that face of that voice that has returned after 7 years, with same rage and shrill.

“Where the hell are you Judith...?”