Held [Completed]

Five.

Five.

It was a Thursday night, the last day of school had ended and I was spending my evening consumed in watching old movies. There wasn't much on, it was as if the television was telling me to go out and have a life. But I, on the other hand was telling it to go screw itself. With all that's happened to me this year I wouldn't be caught going out anytime soon. 

Anyway, the night was young; only 9:30 p.m and I was getting bored with these old movies. 

"Where are they?" I peer out of my second floor window, looking for my parents but  instead I'm met with glistening bright street lamps and black pavement from the earlier downpour. Ever since my neighbors were robbed two months ago the home owners association commissioned the city of Glennville to add street lamps to our neighborhood. 

Anyway, I'm still looking out of my window when I see a navy blue van across the street. It isn't Mr. Dozier's car because he doesn't have one. His son drives him around. Noticing that all of the cars within a visual radius are out of their driveways except this particular one makes me a little weirded out. People have left for summer break and I've never seen this car before.  

I grab my phone to dial my parents but to my dismay my dad's cell goes straight to voicemail. They must have chosen the 11 p.m. showing. 

With a frustrated sigh, I head downstairs to grab a snack. Once I hit the last step I go over to the front door to make sure it's locked. We don't have a security system so all I can do is check the locks. I go to the back door and do the same. Once I'm done I feel a tiny bit safer. 

When every door and window is safely secured I decide to go to bed. I'm already in my pajamas so there's no need to change. As soon as I snuggle into my warm bed my phone starts buzzing.

"Hello?" I ask suspiciously.

"Hello?" I ask again, my voice faltering.

"You shouldn't be home alone." A male voice booms into my ear. 

I hang up, regretting my decision to answer in the first place. I already know it's Kelly and her gang of bullies trying to spook me. 

My dream is disrupted by the scalding hot water searing my skin. I let out an ear piercing scream as the heat from the water burns my flesh. My eyes are still closed but I can feel small tremors flow through me as I writhe in discomfort. I didn't even hear him enter.

"Dumb prick!" Jake jumps up and tries to lunge for Rich but his chain stops him. My eyes travel to his exact location and my heart fills with dread when I realize he fell alseep on the mattress. The same matress I sleep on, and the only mattress in this basement.

"I said get up; you made me repeat myself so you pay the price." 

The way he says it leads me to believe he's still angry. It was my choice to go back downstairs and now I'm paying for it. 

"What did I say?" He painfully grips my chin. His cold eyes search mine while I shrink back.

"To- to get up." I stammer. His entire face blends in with the darkness of the basement. He smells of after shave and his hair looks disheveled.

"Then why the hell aren't you moving?" Rich glares down at me, forcing my eyes to shift to my free ankle. 

Jake coughs, sending my eyes to him. He's at the foot of the stairs and from the bored look on his face he's waiting for all of this to be over with. After he told me how he got here I understand why he won't help me. I slide off the matress to stand up. My legs are a bit unsteady but I manage to get to the stairs.