Chapter 16

    Lyric 's POV 

Chapter sixteen: How old is she?

    Anger rippled across his face, and he shouted through gritted teeth, startling me. "I said get in, motherfucker!" I nodded frantically and got into the car, regretting it to this d ay. The moment panic set in, I shifted in my seat to give him a better view of my signing.

    <<Where are we going, Uncle? >>I asked, signing.

    As always, I expected him to pretend he didn't understand my signing, but he did. Uncle Freddy might not be an expert, but he wasn't completely clueless. However, he continued driving, and I could only control my breathing because it was too hard; I would get a beating. My uncle abused me physically every time he was moody. It was my job to escape into my tics.

    I looked outside at the trees passing by in less than a second due to his speed. My heart was racing faster than ever before. Where was he taking me? Before I could even let out a sigh, I felt hot tears running down my face from the fear in the depths of my soul.

    "I know you're scared, but don't be. I won't let anyone lay a hand on you," he said, rolling his index finger down and up my cheek. I bit my lips in disgust, trying hard to keep my emotions in check. A sick smile curled on his lips. "Except for those who pay me good money for it."

    That did it. I felt a strong twist in my stomach, and the moment my lunch came out of my throat and some through my nose into my uncle's new car. It rubbed off on my hair and hands as I tried to tie my hair behind my head.

    "What the hell have you done? This is my new car!" I heard him, but I was too focused on vomiting. His words kept ringing in my head in an endless cycle. "Come out!" The door opened, and I raised my head to see my uncle Freddy staring down at me in full rage. He pulled me by my arm and yanked me out of the car onto the floor. I fell butt-first onto the hard surface, and I couldn't help but wince in pain.

    "What am I going to do with this mess you created?" he gritted through his teeth, his eyes moving between me and the car. Uncle Freddy opened the trunk, took out some clothes, and tossed them toward me. "Clean yourself up; we have work to do."

    Instinctively, I dodged the cloth. His head snapped to mine, his chest rising and falling harder. He was angry. I could see it in his red eyes, rolled fists, and heavy breathing. This was bad. If he was angry, I would suffer; my aunt would suffer; the kids would suffer. Uncle Freddy had a fist, and he knew how to use it real well. I needed to fix things. So, I grabbed the jacket and wore it over my body.

    "Good," he managed a smile. "There's a public toilet over there; go take a bath while I get rid of this mess you created."

    Softly, I nodded, ignoring the tears that had blinded me. I tripped on a rock and hurt my toe.

    "Pick yourself up, missy; we're going to have a busy night," he said.

###

    In an hour or so, we arrived at a club of some sort. The air smelled like alcohol and sweat. The music sounded like jazz moving through the air; it managed to keep me warm. I felt safer under the sound of music, as if it wasn't only my uncle's jacket I was wearing with nothing underneath.

    "Hi, Paul!" Uncle Freddy nodded at a man approaching us; his arm was slung around me possessively. Paul was a bigger man who appeared like those guards I saw in clubs on TV. Paul's eyes scanned my body, and I couldn't help but quiver a little.

    "She isn't as beautiful as you described her," Paul began, scratching his jaw.

    "Of course, she is. My niece is gorgeous under the right light," he pushed my face, as if to make a point, giving Paul a better view. "With a little eye shadow, blush, and those makeup sticks over her face, she would make Britney Spears have a run for her money."

    "Can she dance?"

    "Yes."

    "What about singing?" Uncle Freddy gave me a look so dark I tasted the metallic taste of blood in my mouth. I had been biting my tongue the whole time. He whistled, "Like a bird."

    It was happening again. Like I suspected. Whenever Uncle Freddy ran out of money, he would bring me to a club to sing. There was something unique about my muteness; it was partial, in the sense that I could see but not speak. The doctors said it was common for people suffering from muteness be it partial speak through art like painting, singing and so on. 

 Music had a way of letting me feel free. Panic mode was no longer activated. I only needed to sing this night, and he would let go and he would let me leave. Easy peasy. This time, I managed to smile. Paul seemed to like that because he mirrored my nervous smile. It didn't do anything to make me feel better.

    "Okay," Paul swirled and yelled out a name. "Sandra!"

    "I'm coming! Ahh," a woman with overdone makeup, too much perfume, and the cheeks of Sabrina Carpenter walked in. She was chewing gum when her eyes met mine; her lips frowned.

    "How old is she?" she asked, eyeing me up and down.

    "Of legal age," my uncle interrupted, pulling me close. Whoever this Sandra was had enough power to get my uncle Freddy nervous. I loved watching him sweat.

    "I was talking to the girl," she quipped. The woman faced me, and she punched my chin hard. I flinched.

    "What is your name, sweetie?" Everything in her voice sounded forced and unpleasant.

    I could only stare at her. This time, I made no attempt to talk.

    "Her name is Lizzie," Uncle Freddy replied, pushing her hands away from my face. The woman gave him a stern look.

    "What is your age, then?" she asked, her eyes narrowing.

    "Of legal age, as I told you," Uncle Freddy answered, sounding pissed. I could sign out my age by holding up the numbers but I don't want to. I don't want to be here and let my uncle take advantage of me like he always does. My body was not the ATM his brother left behind. 

  She frowned, her cheeks turning redder "Who the hell asked you to speak? I was talking to the girl." 

This was my time to shine. I raised both my hands and started signing.

    If this woman knew I was mute, she wouldn't allow me to walk into her club.