[center][sub][h1][img]https://i.postimg.cc/MZnCKZnz/qheader.png[/img]
[b][color=black] T H E  Q U E S T I O N[/color]
[color=skyblue]T H E  Q U E S T I O N[/color][/b][/h1][/sub]
[sub][h2][b][color=black] I S S U E  # 8[/color]
[color=skyblue]I S S U E  # 8[/color][/b][/h2][/sub]
[sup][h3][b][color=black] T H E  B I N D I N G[/color]
[color=skyblue]T H E  B I N D I N G[/color][/b][/h3][/sup][sup][h3][b][color=black] P A R T  O N E[/color]
[color=skyblue]P A R T  O N E[/color][/b][/h3][/sup][/center]

Jackie squeals with delight the higher the swing gets. [color=coral][b]"Higher, higher!"[/b][/color] she says. I smile to myself, closing my eyes. The exhaustion is starting to kick in. I need to rest. I stop pushing Jackie, the swing slowly rocking back and forth before settling in its original position. Jackie looks at me from over her shoulder, her lips pulled into a pout. [color=coral][b]"What's wrong, mister Charlie?"[/b][/color]

[color=skyblue][b]"Tired... Real tired."[/b][/color]

[color=coral][b]"Are you done playing?"[/b][/color]

I sigh. [color=skyblue][b]"I don't think I've got enough in me to keep going."[/b][/color] I look at the other kids, still chasing each other around jungle gyms and spring riders and a merry-go-round. [color=skyblue][b]"Why don't you go play with them?"[/b][/color] I ask, gesturing to the other children.

Jackie's expression falls at that. [color=coral][b]"They don't want to play with me."[/b][/color]

[color=skyblue][b]"Why not?"[/b][/color]

[color=coral][b]"They call me stupid."[/b][/color]

I furl my brow at that. I kneel down to be at eye level with Jackie and ask her a simple question: [color=skyblue][b]"[i]Are[/i] you stupid?"[/b][/color]

She grips the chains of the swing tighter at that, avoiding my gaze. [color=coral][b]"... Yeah..."[/b][/color]

I place a hand on her shoulder and her eyes come back up to meet mine. [color=skyblue][b]"You're not. And don't let [i]anyone[/i] ever tell you that you are."[/b][/color] I smile at her reassuringly. [color=skyblue][b]"You're very special. More than you might think. And one day everyone will know how special you are."[/b][/color]

She smiles at me, a bright smile. Full of innocence. Full of hope. In the blink of an eye her arms are pressed against my chest in a hug, too small to wrap around my torso fully but squeezing tightly all the same. I wrap an arm around her, patting her on the back. After a moment she finally parts, that smile still shining. I stand back up and step away from her. [color=skyblue][b]"I've gotta go now. But I'll see you again. Don't worry."[/b][/color]

[color=coral][b]"Bye mister Charlie!"[/b][/color] She waves at me as I turn away and walk to the back door. When I get there, I see the sister that led me to the yard speaking with a pair of police officers. She looks worried, gesticulating wildly while the cops loom over her menacingly. One of them is gripping his baton tightly, like he's ready to strike.

I'm on them in an instant. [color=skyblue][b]"What's going on?"[/b][/color] I ask, glaring at the cops.

One of them grins, baring his nasty yellow teeth. [b]"Nothin' that involves you, sir."[/b]

The nun looks at me, eyes wide in fear. Her voice is shaky. [b]"They're coming to take Jackie."[/b]

[b]"We're taking the girl to her mother,"[/b] the other cop says.

[color=skyblue][b]"I can save you the trouble. I'll take her there."[/b][/color]

[b]"You? Frankly, I don't even know who you are, buddy. We ain't lettin' some rando guy take the Mayor's niece."[/b] The first cop steps forward, gripping his baton in both hands. [b]"Now [i]move[/i]!"[/b] He shoves me back.

Think of the Butterfly. Think of its softly beating wings.

[color=skyblue][b]"You wish you hadn't done that,"[/b][/color] I say.

[b]"You mean [i]you[/i] wish I hadn't."[/b]

[color=skyblue][b]"No."[/b][/color] I place a hand on his baton between his hands, grabbing it tightly and yanking it upwards before throwing a fist into his gut. As his body reels back from the hit I take the baton from his hands and strike him in the face with it, spinning around with the swing and ducking low into a sweeping kick. Always my favorite move. [color=skyblue][b]"[i]You[/i] wish you hadn't."[/b][/color]

The sound of the children playing has stopped and I see all of them looking in my direction with wide eyes, faces distorted in horror. I twist my head to look at the other cop and find him holding a gun to the sister's head, his arm wrapped around her neck. [b]"Hold it there, hotshot. Make another move and I blow her fucking brains out."[/b] I drop the baton as the first cop pulls himself to his feet, groaning.

He grabs his baton off the ground and swings it at my face, my head snapping back as I fall to the ground. I blink rapidly, dazed, as he kicks me in the ribs and walks away. [b]"C'mere girl,"[/b] he snarls and I hear Jackie screaming. [b]"Keep kickin' and I'll cap ya!"[/b]

The edges of my vision are going dark. Can't move. I try, God do I [i]try[/i], but I can't pull myself off the cold hard ground. The last thing I hear before slipping into unconsciousness is Jackie crying out, [color=coral][b]"Mister Charlie! [i]Help[/i]!"[/b][/color]