Читать книгу Crocodile Tears онлайн

14 страница из 53

“No, Daddy, please,” she whispers into thin air.

She knows what will happen and she begins to sweat, the fear assailing her, paralysing her. She will hear the sounds she already knows, the slow creak of the soles on the floor; she will see the shiny black leather, he will take her by the shoulder and push her forward a few steps, walking around his daughter; she will hear the altered breathing, observe him make two, three turns. Daddy will take her by the chin, forcing her to raise her head; she knows he will cough to clear his throat. He will play with the lighter, the flame will appear and disappear, each time a little faster. She imagines, and her teeth chatter.

Then he will say: It’s for your own good.

“It’s for your own good, Ursula. I have to correct your weaknesses.”

The tears run down her cheeks, slide over the grease and fall on the dress stained with jam, with meat, with saliva. Her 21father stops playing with the lighter for a moment, delicately takes her arm, draws her close, raises her chin again, gently forcing her to look him in the eye. She raises her gaze no higher than his chest, then trembles and looks back down at the floor, at those shoes like black mirrors. Fear attacks her, pins her down.