lost little one

chapter 36

⚠️trigger warnings: abduction, physical abuse, verbal abuse, slight mention of sexual assault⚠️

lia's pov:
taking a leisurely stroll to clear my mind on this radiant afternoon seems like the perfect antidote to recent hardships.

yet, an unsettling sensation of being watched persists, despite my diligent scan of the surroundings for any prying eyes.

this eerie feeling has become increasingly common—whether on set with mom, amidst the bustle of school, or during moments of solitude or camaraderie with friends. it's disconcerting, but i've yet to give it much thought.

sudden hands clasp my shoulders from behind, jolting me into dropping my phone. i whirl around to find alex (her biological father), lifting me off my feet and guiding me toward a waiting car.

as we draw nearer, i spot savannah (her biological mother), at the wheel. with a shove, alex settles me into the back seat before joining savannah in the front.

with a burst of acceleration, savannah speeds away, likely headed towards my old home. i refrain from causing a scene, recognizing that whatever they require of me can only exacerbate the situation. avoiding further complications is paramount to me.

after 15 minutes, the car halts, and peering out the window, i recognize the familiar surroundings of my childhood home. the perplexing decision to subject me to such pain and abandonment, only to return after all these years, leaves me questioning their motives.

as they exit the car, panic grips me as i attempt to open the door, only to find it locked. cursing under my breath, i scramble to break free, desperate to flee back to the safety of my mother's embrace. but alex thwarts my escape, seizing my top and yanking me back, shattering my hopes of eluding their grasp.

savannah scooped me up in her arms while they secured the door, and as alex retrieved the keys from his pocket to unlock it, a shiver ran down my spine at the resounding slam.

once unlocked, alex swiftly secured the door again, tucking the keys away. savannah gently lowered me to the ground, and as i surveyed the familiar hallway, unchanged yet suffused with an unpleasant odor, i struggled to identify the unsettling scent permeating the air.

as i scanned the hallway, memories flooded back, each one more harrowing than the last. i recalled the torment inflicted by their friends, violating my privacy. i remembered the agonizing moments pinned against the wall, tears streaming down my face. the echoes of hunger gnawed at me, their neglect leaving me famished for days on end. every corner held a painful recollection, each memory a testament to the suffering endured within these walls. i despised this house and all the torment it held.

sensing hands hoist me up, i found myself being ushered down into the depths of the basement. it dawned on me that the hands belonged to alex, as he guided me down the twelve steps. settling me against the cold, unforgiving wall, he secured handcuffs around my wrists, the metallic click echoing in the dimly lit space, tethering me to the wall.

as i sat against the wall i noticed how he started to swing his foot at me aiming for my stomach. i couldn't do anything to stop him as he had my hands and legs handcuffed to the wall so i just had to bare it. i couldn't do anything else.

each blow served as a cruel reminder of the agony etched into my earliest memories, a past i had long sought to bury. to find myself reliving those horrors was a nightmare i never imagined facing again, a torment i had prayed to leave behind forever.

as the final blow landed, accompanied by a disdainful spit, alex turned his back and ascended the stairs, leaving me bewildered and in excruciating agony. the inexplicable abandonment, followed by this sudden reappearance after a decade, left me reeling with confusion and despair.