All Chapters of I Died for Dad's Reality Show: Chapter 1 - Chapter 10

Three days ago, I was at school cramming for my finals when my dad, Terence Locke, suddenly burst into the classroom. He was unshaven and wild-eyed as he grabbed my arm and dragged me out.He said his company had gone bankrupt and that he owed several million dollars to loan sharks. If he couldn't pay it back, they were going to chop off our hands and feet.I believed him. After all, the way he cried looked so real, and his hands were shaking like crazy.We escaped into a forest deep in the mountains.For the past three days, the rain had been pouring down. Ever since I drank that half bottle of water Dad handed me, my head had been heavy and foggy, like someone had stuffed something inside my skull.The water had a faintly bitter taste, but Dad said it was spring water from the mountain.I hadn't eaten in two days. I was seeing double, my ears were ringing, and even the wind sounded like a shrill, ghostly scream.We hid in a damp, freezing cave.Dad wolfed down the last half o

The crowd erupted into cheers and applause. Everyone was celebrating the "survival challenge" ending in a perfect success; everyone but me, who was left drifting in the freezing wind.I stared down at my lifeless body on the ground, no longer feeling anything.…The helicopter slowly rose into the air, carrying the jubilant people toward the luxury camp at the foot of the mountain.Some invisible force tugged at me, pulling my weightless self to hover beside Dad.He lounged in a leather seat. Next to him sat his girlfriend, Alice Ford, who was also the producer of this show. She was holding up an iPad for him, grinning so hard that all her teeth were on display."Terence, you're unbelievable! The whole internet's calling you a 'hardcore tough-love dad' right now. They're all saying you're tough on your kid because you care. Our company's stock price is already up five points in after-hours trading!"Dad wrapped an arm around her waist and kissed her cheek. "Of course. Who do you

"The cushion… There's no one on it." The voice on the other end was shaking. "And… we found a shoe next to it."The director froze for a second and instinctively looked over at Dad.Dad sat there. His expression was dark as he drank in sullen silence. When he heard John's words, he impatiently snatched the walkie-talkie."What's so shocking about a damn shoe? Emma must've tossed it there on purpose to freak me out! That brat. Does she think she can play mind games with me because I tricked her once?"He yelled into the walkie-talkie, "Keep looking! Widen the search! Even if she dug a hole and buried herself there, you're digging her out for me!"He slammed the walkie-talkie down and angrily loosened his tie."Kids these days are so cunning. Look at Emma, even taking off her shoes just to get me worked up." He grumbled to Alice, "This is what happens when you're too soft on them. When she gets back, I'm grounding her for a month."Alice rubbed his back, trying to calm him down. S

My limbs were twisted at impossible angles, and my whole body was covered in blood. My face, which Dad always complained was "so depressing" was now so pale that it was almost translucent.A jagged tree branch had pierced straight through my chest, pinning me and the mud beneath me to the ground. Rain beat against my face, but it couldn't wash away that gray pallor of death.Dad stood there, frozen. Then, he laughed. "This prop looks insanely real."He took a couple of steps forward, crouched down, and reached out. His fingertips brushed my cheek. It felt slick, like skin washed clean by the rain. My flesh had lost all softness, leaving only a cold, rigid touch.He was still smiling, but his eyes were nothing but two dark, hollow pits."Wayne, where'd you get this prop made? It's so realistic. Even the wound…"Dad reached toward the blood on my chest. "Why isn't this paint dry yet?"He scrubbed at it, harder and harder. The more he wiped, the more there was. The blood smeared ac

Dad's finger stopped on that line, and his tears finally fell. I couldn't tell if the grief was genuine or if this was just an act for the cops standing beside him.He kept flipping through the pages, reading all the way to the last one. That last entry had been written that morning. The handwriting was messy, like it had been scribbled in a rush."Those people caught up to us. Dad hurt his leg and can't run fast. If we really can't get away, I'll go distract them. I put all the money I have in this hidden pocket. It's only a few thousand, but I hope it's enough for Dad to buy some food."P.S. Dad, if I make it back alive this time, can you buy me a strawberry mousse cake? You always get black forest cake for me, but I'm actually allergic to chocolate. Every time I eat it, I break out in hives. But you look so happy when you're buying the cake that I just can't bring myself to tell you. Still, if I end up dying to save you this time, I guess I'll never have to take allergy meds agai