From nothing, the sound of lateral chatter begins to ring in my ears. The clack click click click of the drill fills the empty air. Brrr clack click click click. What’s going on? My eyes flutter into the room like a butterfly flying home after a storm. I see a dark figure. Go away. I just want to sleep everything away. I’m tired. Leave me alone. Go away. Stop making noise. Go away. Stop. Stop. Stop. Stop. Stop. STOP!

Dad. It’s my dad.

The blanket of fatherly affection was no longer there. I had ruined it. A mistake had been brought to light the night before, but this misstep was too great for me to patch with just a “sorry.” This is my punishment. But what is he doing? I open my eyelids and take a peek around. My window. It was being clack click click clicked together. Brrr clack click click click.

There it goes again. 

They were shutting me off from the world on the outside. My view of the external world was no longer going to be peaceful. From now on, I was always going to be reminded of the lock on my eyes. The permanent grip on my field of vision stopped me from observing anything. It was as if pretty pink nail glue had been used as eye drops. Except it wasn’t pretty and pink. Brr clack click click click. Oh my god stop. Stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop. 

Brrr clack click click shh.

The noise. The racking, screeching, horrible noise. It was gone. He had finally finished closing the window. My bones were at last able to breathe. My muscles let go of all their tension, and my body was finally still. But, I’m wide awake now. I look over at my father. He is about to leave. My eyes connect with his and we pause. My breath hitches and I wait. I hope he says something.

Dad, please talk to me.

But he can’t muster up anything, and neither can I. My eyes are returning to their previous state just as I go unconscious.

“I can’t believe you’re my daughter.”