Hostage

15: Caught

I wake up the next morning. I try to stretch but remember that Billie tied my hands to the bedframe. I look over at the clock. It's only 6:30 in the morning. Is Billie even up at this time? I hear something fall downstairs, followed by a shriek. Yup. Billie's definitely up. I open my mouth and begin to call for Billie. I hear a sigh followed by footsteps walking up the stairs. Billie walks in and begins to untie my hands.

"So. How'd you sleep?" she asks, sounding like she's in the middle of a yawn. She covers her mouth, and I know that she's yawning. She probably got no sleep last night and must be exhausted.

"I — I slept okay," I say quietly. "I don't think you did, though. You look tired."

She nods. "Yeah. I didn't sleep too well last night. I was mainly worried that Finneas would notice that —"

"That I'd notice what?"

We look over and see Finneas standing in the doorway, arms crossed. We gawk at him.

"Um — nothing," Billie says nervously. "Girl stuff. It's nothing important."

He looks suspicious, but nods. "Hmm. Okay then. I believe you."

"I'm going to go take a shower," Billie says. She turns towards me. "Behave yourself, okay?" I nod. "Good girl. I'll see you in about an hour."

She walks out of the room, shuffling past Finneas. I sit up and begin to go through my drawers, picking out a pair of jean shorts and a neon green T-shirt. I look up at Finneas, towering nine inches above my normal height. I'm exactly as tall as Billie, and Finneas, being six feet even, looks extremely intimidating at his height compared to mine and Billie's. I can't believe I haven't noticed how intimidating he's looked before. Perhaps I haven't paid that much attention to it with everything going on.

"Um — I'm going to change. Can you please leave?" He nods. "Thanks." He walks out and closes the door. I sigh silently and slide off my shirt. Finneas opens the door quietly, but I don't notice; I'm too busy trying to untangle my new shirt since it's inside out.

"I forgot to tell you —" He suddenly gasps. I turn around and look at him in confusion. He storms in and whirls me around, staring at my back. He takes his finger and touches something. I see blood on his finger. I begin to panic in my mind for a few seconds, but then remember it's fake. I feel something peeling off of my back. It doesn't take a smart person to figure out it's the putty. "She lied," he mutters. "She didn't punish you at all. She only helped you!" He whirls me around and stares at me dead in the eye. I gulp nervously and look at the ground, tears brimming in my eyes, a lump forming in my throat. It's hard to swallow — and even breathe — at this moment. I've been busted, and Billie's been busted, too. 

He storms to her closet and grabs a roll of duct tape and a new whip, gripping the handle tightly in his hands. My eyes widen, and I begin to back up against the wall, not knowing where to go. There's no escape route for me to go. I can't make a break for it, either.

I'm trapped.

I only have one option, but it'll probably get me killed. Then again, if she's helped me with the punishment, surely she can save me from her own brother. But what if it was an act? What if she's really on his side? The only way I can find out is to go through the hard way, and possibly have a discussion with her as well.

I turn towards the door, weighing my options. I hear the water running from the bathroom and Billie's quiet singing. Even though the bathroom's down the hall, if I can hear her, maybe she can hear me. I open my mouth to scream.

"Bil —"

I'm cut off by Finneas immediately slamming his hand over my mouth. I hear the shower turn off, followed by silence. After a few seconds, the water turns back on, and she continues singing. He looks at me, a smirk forming.

"You're going to regret doing that. Get on the bed right now! And lay on your stomach!"

He releases his grip. I shuffle towards the bed and get in the position, feeling awkward. He grips my right wrist with one hand and begins ripping off some tape with the other. He begins tying my limbs to the bedframe until I'm secure. I can't move anywhere; I can only helplessly struggle. 

"Now listen up. Don't make a peep. Because if you do, it's not going to end well for you. I'll be right back."

He quietly walks out of the room and down the stairs. I hear a drawer opening in the kitchen, followed by the sound of metal utensils clicking together. I hear another drawer open up, but this one followed by silence. Then he begins walking back up the stairs. I see a knife in one hand and something else in the other, but I can't tell what it is. He closes the door behind him and locks it. He sets the knife down on the nightstand next to my bed and does something with the other object. I can't tell what it is, still; I can't move my head at all, but I can detect movement out of my peripheral vision. Then I hear the sound of some more duct tape ripping. I have no idea what's about to follow, but I can tell it isn't going to be good.

All of a sudden, I feel something rough being shoved in my mouth, followed by a piece of tape. Whatever is about to happen is going to be painful!

Welcome to Pain City! The newest member is Aubrey Bates! Congratulations! the voice in my head tells me. Everything's going to be okay, squirt! It'll all be okay! It'll hurt, but you'll be fine. You'll be scarred — literally — but you'll make it out in one piece.

⚠️WARNING⚠️

If you are squeamish, I suggest you skip this. If you're tough, read on!

While deep in my thoughts, I feel the whip come crashing down on my back. I let out a sudden cry and begin sobbing, muffled by the restraints against my mouth. I feel it come, again and again, the whip tearing at my skin, blood spraying out of the wounds on my back. My entire back feels like it's on fire, and it hurts like heck. I try screaming for Billie, for anybody to help me, but he never ceases the whipping.

"Shut up!" he roars at me. "Just shut up and take it! You deserve it!"

I hear the shower turn off suddenly. After about half a minute of further torture, I hear the bathroom door fly open and hear rapid footsteps hurrying my way. Billie's banging against the door furiously, trying to open it.

"FINNEAS? WHAT'S GOING ON?" she shouts over the commotion going on. "DO I NEED TO COME IN?"

Finneas doesn't answer; he continues whipping. At this point, by back is shredded like paper in a paper shredder. There's blood everywhere, and he's finally reached muscle. Another layer and he'll be whipping my bones. I'll be dead. I can't take the pain anymore. I just want to die at this moment. I let out the loudest, most desperate scream I've ever let out in my life, just like I'm being murdered. I hear Billie curse, and she runs back to the bathroom. Ten seconds later, she's trying to pick the lock. 

God, please let her get the lock! I think. I can't suffer through this anymore! 

At the breaking point, the door flies open. Billie runs up to Finneas and pulls him off of me, leaving my mangled sobbing body alone. He falls to the ground and drops the whip, looking exhausted and guilty.

"WHAT WERE YOU THINKING?!" she screams at the top of her lungs. "AUBREY HAS DONE NOTHING TO YOU, AND YOU TRY TO KILL HER?! I'M THE LEADER! ONLY I'M ALLOWED TO DO THESE SORTS OF THINGS! HAVE I EVER SAID THAT YOU COULD DO ANYTHING TO HER?!"

"N-n-no," Finneas stutters, looking back and forth between me and Billie. "N-no, you h-haven't. But —"

"No buts," Billie growls. "If you ever touch her again, it's going to be the end of you. You're so lucky I'm not going to kill you for this! I don't care if you're my brother or not! Do you hear me?" 

He nods rapidly and gets on his feet, rushing out of the room. Billie turns to look at me, fear in her eyes. I stare back at her.

Everything just fell apart.