Odd Attraction | A Split Story

A False Sense Of Hope

*****

"Daddy, where's mommy?" A younger Julianna lisped, as she tugged the hem of her dad's joggers determinedly.

He glanced down at her with empty looking eyes before he looked over at the bathroom door.

"She's gone." He uttered as he dragged the palm of his hand down his face.

"Where has she-"

"I said she's gone! It's all your fault, she couldn't cope with you!" He yelled, tears emerging in his eyes.

Julianna stumbled back in shock and her mouth widened.

"But Daddy-"

"Just shut up. Shut the damn up, you difficult child!" He gritted his teeth as he shot a glare towards her direction.

Julianna flinched at the tone of his voice and sharply inhaled.

Mommy was gone and Daddy was upset with her.

Was it really her fault like he said?

It seemed to be Daddies if anything Julianna thought to herself.

"But last night you hit mommy and she looked upset and locked herself in the bathroom. Isn't it your fault, Daddy?" Julianna questioned daringly as she took a quick glance at the now open bathroom door.

She didn't understand.

Her father slowly turned his head towards her, his face expressing a fit of rage like she had never seen before.

"What the fuck did you just say you little shit?" He snarled, approaching the young girl.

She stumbled backwards in alarm before tripping over the television wire.

He slowly slid out his belt and-

*****

She shot up in the bed and saw Claire, Marcia and Casey all pressed up against the oak wood door.

Julianna clutched her pounding heart and stumbled up onto her feet before quietly approaching the girls in confusion.

"What's going on?" She whispered as Marcia turned her head away from the door and put a finger to her lips.

"He's back," Claire muttered as she struggled to peer through the thin crack of the door.

Julianna got onto her knees and pressed her eye against the door's crack in an attempt to see what was going on out there.

"There's a lady outside," Julianna mumbled to the group as she observed the bottom half of a woman's skirt and heels clacking against the floor before they shifted on the spot nervously.

"Dennis, admit what you've done." The woman spoke out in a British accent, her voice quivering slightly.

It seemed as if she was talking to the captor.

"Don't get upset." The captor, or Dennis, spoke out hurriedly.

"Don't tell me, I'm getting frightened." The woman wavered, each click of her heels echoed around in the hallway.

"I thought that you had this under control. Please tell me it isn't too late." The woman finished almost pleadingly as Dennis grunted in reply.

"The food is waiting." He spoke up eerily.

"Is she in that room?" The woman asked as Julianna saw her point her finger towards the direction of the girls.

Her heart skipped a beat in excitement.

Could this be their hope?

Their one and only hope to escape the nightmare?

"We're here!" Claire yelled through the thick door, not hesitating to gain the attention of this new, potential saviour.

"Help us!" Marcia cried out loudly, her voice cracking.

All four of the girls pounded on the door with their fists in desperation to be finally rescued.

"What is this? How many are there?" The woman asked worriedly as she began to approach towards the door.

"No, don't go in there. Don't go in there!" Dennis pleaded as the woman stuck the key in the lock, it's rattling noise hit against the door, leaving the girls in anticipation.

They all stepped back so that they wouldn't get hit. Claire and Marcia stuck to the left side while Casey and Julianna huddled up against the wall on the right side.

As the door creaked open, the woman walked in.

Julianna's heart sunk in defeat.

This wasn't the woman. The woman that she dreamed that was their saviour. Their rescuer to escape this hell hole.

No, this woman was the man. This woman was the captor to begin with. The one that started all that mess.

It was the same man before but dressed up in a knitted turtleneck, a skirt, heels and a necklace draped around his neck.

She froze in the doorway, looking over at all four of the girls with a concerned look.

The girls didn't dare to talk or even breathe.

After all, what were these woman's' intentions?

"Don't worry, he listens to me." The woman attempted to reassure the confused, fear induced girls in a soothing, motherly tone.

Once again, nobody dared to talk up.

They were all still gobsmacked at this insane encounter.

"He's not well, he knows what you're here for and he's not allowed to touch you. He knows that." The woman explained still glancing over at the girl's shocked faces.

"Mmm-mmm." She hummed, shaking her head side to side.

Julianna was the first to break the silence.

"Who are you?" She gulped, darting her eyes to meet the woman's eyes before nervously glancing down at the floor.

The woman smiled.

"I'm Patricia. There's no need to be frightened, everything is under our control. What are your names?" Patricia clasped her hands tightly together and moved her head forwards, awaiting an answer.

Who else was involved? Julianna thought to herself as the girls began to give their names uneasily.

"I'm Marcia..." Marcia trembled as she attempted to swallow down her nerves.

"Claire. My name's Claire." She stumbled out, gazing at the floor in an attempt to try and process what just happened.

"My name is Casey." Casey greeted, holding her calm posture.

Patrica beamed at her before her eyes landed on Julianna who deeply inhaled and exhaled.

"My name's Julianna, ma'am." She politely introduced herself which instantly flattered Patrica.

"My, my. What impeccable manners you have there, darling! The rest of you look quite glum but there's no need to worry, we'll all take good care of you. You're very important after all." Patrica reassured the girls soothingly before she took one last scan of the room and slipped out, leaving the girls in a confused spiral of despair.

There was no saviour after all.

*****