Chapter 2

"Sarah, I want to kill him."

Leo suddenly spoke, his voice cold.

My hand froze, the balm dripping onto the sheet, spreading a dark red stain.

"Don't be silly," I reprimanded in a low voice.

"Murder means prison, we still need to live our lives."

"Then how much longer do we have to wait?"

He turned his head, his eyes fixed on mine.

"Soon."

I pulled up his shirt, covering his scars.

"Once that day comes, we'll be free."

Outside the shack, Robert’s loud voice drifted in, him bragging to his coworkers.

"I tell you, having a daughter is like having a goldmine!"

"When she gets married, the dowry will be at least fifty grand!"

"Robert, you're full of it. Your girl's as skinny as a rail."

"Who'd pay that much money?"

"Bullshit! My girl's slender!"

"Besides, she's obedient! If I tell her to go east, she won't dare go west!"

A burst of laughter followed. My heart remained unmoved.

That evening at dinner, I crushed a bottle of disulfiram, an alcohol deterrent, and mixed it into Robert's blood pressure medication bottle.

The book said disulfiram, if consumed with alcohol, would trigger violent psychotic episodes within 5-10 minutes.

Robert suspected nothing, grabbing a handful of pills and shoving them into his mouth, washing them down with a large gulp of the rotgut.

"Why does this medicine taste a little bitter?"

He smacked his lips, frowning.

"Good medicine tastes bitter, Dad. This is imported, it works really well."

I lied without batting an eye.

After a few more drinks, the medication kicked in.

Robert became agitated, pacing around the room, his eyes bulging.

"Ghosts! There are ghosts! That dead bitch is back!"

"She's here to claim my life!"

He pointed at the empty corner, screaming and waving an empty liquor bottle.

Leo and I huddled in the corner of the bed, watching him go mad with cold eyes, calculating that the medicine was indeed working!

The next morning, Mr. Jenkins from the neighboring village came knocking. He was a local contractor and also a pimp.

"Robert, Sarah's not getting any younger, I see."

"That limp Mr. Davies from the next town is offering ten thousand dollars as a dowry…"

My hand, washing clothes, abruptly stopped.

To my surprise, Robert suddenly flew into a rage, smashing the bottle of liquor Mr. Jenkins had brought.

"Get out! You old scumbag!"

"Who said I'm selling my daughter?! My daughter is going to college!"

He grabbed a shovel and went after Mr. Jenkins.

Mr. Jenkins scrambled out of the shack.

I was stunned.

Late that night, I was woken by grinding teeth. I saw Leo sitting on the bed.

Moonlight shone on his face.

He held a rusty pair of scissors, hovering them over Robert's head.

I scrambled up, snatched the scissors, and clapped my hand over his mouth.

"Are you crazy?! Didn't we agree I'd be the one to do it!"

I hissed into his ear.

Leo turned his head to look at me, his face full of grievance.

"Sarah, I don't want to wait anymore. I'm afraid he'll sell you again."

"I don't want to be separated from you."

I hugged his frail body, tears streaming uncontrollably.

"It won't happen. I'll never abandon you."

The next day, Robert sobered up. He sat on the edge of the bed, staring at a photo of Leo and me.

We were smiling happily in the picture; it was taken when Mom was still alive.

A tear dropped onto the photo, landing on Mom's face.

"Sarah… take good care of your brother from now on… Dad's a piece of trash…"

"Dad's sorry for you both…"

He mumbled, his voice hoarse.

I stood outside the door, listening to his repentance, my mind solely on that spiked bottle of liquor.

The sky was gloomy, storm clouds gathered.

On the construction site, the wind howled through the scaffolding.

A thirty-story building, with only a few steel pipe railings.

Robert was on the night shift today, guarding building materials on the rooftop.

I used the excuse of bringing him food, and with Leo, slipped into the construction zone, avoiding all cameras.

After climbing thirty flights of stairs, my legs were trembling.

"Sarah, it's here."

Leo pointed to the railing near the edge, his voice calm.

Leo pulled an adjustable wrench from his backpack and handed it to me.