Quatre sucked in his breath and held it for the longest time. He hoped Rashid wouldn't find him here, laying flat under his bed, holding back tears. He'd been bad. He'd done a horrible thing. How could I? Quatre thought to himself, What was I thinking? He heard the door open. Heavy footsteps tramped through, the room, calling Quatre's name. Please, God, let me hold my breath so long I suffocate, then I would have to feel the pain…
"Aha!" Rashid lifted the bed skirt and took hold of Quatre's arm. He dragged Quatre from under the bed.
"No!" Quatre made an attempt to fight back. Rashid slapped him and blood ran from his nose.
"I told you never to go in there, didn't I? Didn't I?"
"Yes!" Quatre cried, tears brimming through his numbness.
"Then what the hell were you doing?"
"I was just—"
"Nothing!" Rashid hollered, banging Quatre's head against a bedpost. "Nothing!"
He took hold of Quatre's hair and dragged him out of the room. Quatre's nose left a trail of blood behind them. Quatre struggled and cried out.
"No, Rashid, please! I swear to God I won't do it anymore! I wasn't trying to—"
Rashid threw Quatre against a wall and took a whip down from a display.
"Show me your backside, boy!"
"Please, no, Rashid—"
"Turn around!" Rashid hollered, whipping Quatre across his chest. His shirt tore and he whimpered, slowly turning. Rashid beat him fiercely.
"Don't you ever go in there, again, you little bastard, I am your father and you do what the hell I tell you too, you got it?"
Quatre held his head low, backed up against the wall, whipped and defeated.
"Get your stupid ass up those stairs and don't make me come up there again!"
Quatre bolted past Rashid up the stairs and locked the door to his room. He backed away from the door, wiping his bloody nose, his every move paining his chest and shoulders. He sniffled and let out, hurt, uneven breaths. He went into the bathroom and blotted his severe punishments. Rashid is right, Quatre thought, I had no right to be in there.