[ WP ] A man pushes an empty swing .

When I looked over to the table under the shelter by the side of the park I could see that some of the parents were becoming visibly anxious. They had completely ceased their usual neighborly chitchat besides the empty strollers and were now sitting silently except for some brief whispering to each other between furtive glances over towards the swing set. 
 
 
 I was beginning to get a little nervous myself, and I was already more than a little curious, so I tightened my grip around Daisy's waist and lifted her down from the monkey bars. 
 
 
 `` Awww daddy I was almost all the way across!'' My daughter had been trying to make it across the monkey bars all week and she was almost about to make it with me helping her by supporting a bit of her weight. 
 
 
 `` I know sweetie, but I think you can do it without me now. Do n't you think so?'' I brushed a wave of her light blonde hair out of her face and she smiled up at me, revealing the empty space where the tooth she had lost the night before had been. 
 
 
 `` Yeah I betcha I can! Will you watch me daddy?'' 
 
 
 `` Of course sweetie, I'll just be over there by the swings for a few seconds. I promise I wo n't miss it.'' She smiled again and ran back to climb up to the start of the monkey bars. I began walking sideways towards the swings so that I could still watch her as she rubbed her hands together and reached for the first bar and I wondered whether I had ever broken a promise to her before. 
 
 
 As I approached the side of the swing set I could hear the light creaking and rattle of chains as the man pushed the empty swing on the end. It was the smallest swing besides the diaper shaped ones intended for babies, and I briefly wondered when the last time was that I had pushed Daisy in that particular swing. I had n't planned out what I would say, but I guess there is ever only really one way to start conversations like this so I just said, `` Howdy.'' 
 
 
 `` Hi.'' The man spoke quietly and even without taking my eyes from Daisy working her way towards the second bar I could tell that he had n't looked at me or reacted in any other physical way to my presence. 
 
 
 `` Great weather this week. It's such a nice day is n't it?'' I was having trouble getting over the pleasantries and this man was n't really giving me much to work with. 
 
 
 `` Huh. *Nice day... *'' He echoed. He sounded distant and his voice was even softer than before. 
 
 
 I decided it was time to get down to brass taxes, as my father used to say. `` So listen, some of the other parents are getting a little worried... you know...?'' 
 
 
 Daisy was almost halfway across now and the only sound that came in response was the continued rhythmic squeak and rustling chains as the swing went up to reach its full arch from the man's push and then again as it fell back towards him. 
 
 
 `` Um... I do n't mean to insinuate that you would do anything... wrong. It's just that... well you're here at the family park... and you do n't have a kid.'' 
 
 
 The swing stopped abruptly. `` I do n't have a kid?'' The voice was louder now. `` No, I guess I do n't *have* a kid.'' I could feel him turn to look at me but Daisy was almost across so I kept watching her. `` But I fucking *had* one!'' This he screamed and I could no longer stop myself from turning to look at him. 
 
 
 What I saw shocked me for a moment I forgot all about my daughter. I took a step backwards, almost tripping over the wood trim to the playground. The man was looking at me and making some twisted expression like a scowl either in pain or in anger but I could n't take my eyes from his hands. They were completely covered in blood. 
 
 
 `` Daddy I did it!'' I heard Daisy scream from the end of the monkey bars. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Edit: can someone please explain how to do paragraph breaks, indents, and italics. Nothing I try is working. And what's up with the font? 

