CXL

CXL
Cam drives us in silence, the security guys and i sit squished at the back passenger's seat, one on either side of me, to say I was uncomfortable was the understatement of the century. They would not let me sit in front because they had to earn their keep. But it was good distraction, because of how tight the space was, I could not think about facing the man I ran away from on that cold winter night.
Thankfully, my mom and Jonathan had business to attend to, so they have no idea about the latest development, three less people to convince to let me go meet the demon that is my birth father.
The drive there is extremely slow, this was Cam's way of stalling, if he could he would stop me from meeting him. Since he cannot, he would do the one thing he hates to do, driving slowly. I would tell him it was maddening to keep dragging it out but I let it be, there was no need to get him even more worked up. After all, Lisa made him swear on his life that he would not let anything bad happen to me.
When we get there, the detective is outside waiting for us, a short white guy with black hair cropped to his head, a stick of lit cigarette dangling between his lips, i only know he is the detective because Cam pointed him out, otherwise in his brown jacket and worn out jeans, I would think he came to visit someone at the hospital.
"Detective Dale." He put out his cigarette before striking his hand out for a shake.
I quickly grasp it and drop it down again, introducing myself as quickly as I could so it could end fast and i could go inside and meet him, I was already bouncing on the balls of my feet with anxiety.
"How is he?"
Detective Dale leads us inside the sparsely crowded hallway to an elevator going up. Dale eyes my security but says nothing.
"Surprised we caught unto him. But he can't say much at the moment."
"Can't say much? Why?" My words clog my throat as the elevator inches forward to the monster if my childhood.
Dale regards me before speaking, obviously comparing me to the man that he had to arrest on the hospital bed.
"The acid burned his throat, I'm surprised he can talk at all."
"Is there evidence linking him to the Clyde killings throughout the country?"
Dale sucks in his lower lip, an obvious itch for a smoke.
"Unfortunately no. We are hoping he says something when he sees his son."
That word erupts something in me. Fear. The fear he used to control me before. It suffocated me now, I could almost taste it.
"He is not his son." Cam tells him sternly.
I swallow, unable to look anyone in the face. The elevator dinged to a stop.
"Here we are. The 12th floor. It is in renovation so nobody comes here, that is Why they put him here so he does not disturb the other patients." Dale explained as we go.
My heart hammered away in my chest. Fear envelopes me, the same type I felt every time he wanted to try a new experiment. Somehow I hear her voice reach me,
"He can't hurt you anymore."
I feel myself able to breathe a little. I tell myself this over and over again as we walk down the silent hallway, no one says anything as we walk.
"How come there are no reporters yet? It is the Cylde killer, every news station is supposed to be planted outside the hospital." Cam says to Dale.
Dale flashed a cocky smile.
"We might have sent them to the wrong hospital. We don't have a conclusive evidence, if the news finds that out, they would tear us apart and not him."
He stops in front of a door guarded by ununiformed men. They nod at Dale and let us pass. Cam's hand find mine before we enter the room.
In the middle of the room, on a hospital bed, laid a man different from the one I remember. He used to be bigger, now he was small, frail, his hair was full of grey patches. Tubes ran through his mouth and nose, his eyes closed as he breathed, machines lit up all around him.
I scoff, this was what he was reduced to. I couldn't be scared of him. In fact he looked pitiful in this state.
"The acid damaged his stomach but did worse to his intestines, his throat is more or less gone. So he has to be feeding directly into his stomach now." Dale explained.
I wanted to laugh. I wanted so much to laugh at the man that had haunted my dreams and my mind all these years only to end up looking this pathetic in front of me. I must have laughed, I must have at least chuckled because his eyes flutters open.
His eyes land on me, and recognition lit in his ugly black irises. He tried to smile and failed, with all the tubes his face must feel heavy.
"He..he..llo.. s...on." his voice was different. This one scratchy and terrible. He would never be able to talk above a whisper ever again.
"I don't see a son of yours anywhere." My voice is laced with venom.
He is surprised, he expected the terrified boy he lost. Well he is gone for good.
"Th.. at.. spun..k, you..r mot..he..r had it.. on..ce."
I ignore what he says about the woman who loved this man.
"You killed all those people. Even when you knew where I was, Why?"
He tried and failed again to smile, "Th..ey we..re my.. gif..ts, did y..ou li..ke them?"
I snort but Dale smirks. He got a confession out of him.
"They were threats. You did the same thing I did to you to them. You let them walk into animal traps."
This time he sneered and said nothing. While Dale looked at me as if seeing me for the first time.
"Well what do you know? You the genius, was copying something a seven year old child did to survive. Does not seem genius to me." I say to infuriate him.
And it does, he tries to say something but it does not come out.
"And guess what, you got caught. You will spend the rest of your miserable life locked up and die a slow painful death." I nod at his hands cuffed to the the bed stand.
He tries to say something again and because he was not slow with the words they don't come out. I felt my blood roaring in my ears, not from anger, but because after all these years of hiding, I need not hide anymore.
I was free. I am free.