Chapter Three
Summer
Saturday 24th July 2010
Rose and Poppy picked up Violet’s body and carefully laid her in the body bag. Even though they struggled to move her, they never asked for my help. There was no way I could have helped them if they asked anyway. I couldn’t move but I was aware that my whole body was trembling. They moved in tune, and I realised it wasn’t the first time they had had to stuff a dead person into a bag. How many times had they ‘cleaned up’ after his murders?
My eyes fixed on Violet. She looked peaceful, as if she were sleeping. Of course, I knew she wasn’t. Rose zipped the bag up and I sagged in relief, mentally thanking Rose for creating the plastic shield between Violet’s still face and my eyes.
“Goodbye,” Poppy whispered, and placed her hand over where Violet’s heart would be.
I watched in horror as they stood up and grabbed a bucket and mop. They’re really cleaning up the blood.
The water in the bucket quickly turned pink as it mixed with the blood. My stomach turned when Poppy lifted the mop to rinse it, a string blood stretched between the floor and the sponge pad and dripped back to the floor.
A horribly strong metallic smell filled the air. I gagged and pressed my fist against my mouth. As quickly as the blood poured onto the floor, it was gone again. They were fast but thorough, not one spot was left unclean. How many times have they done this?
If it wasn’t for Violet lying in a bag in the corner of the room you would have never known someone had just been murdered in this room. That was the scariest, most horrific thing I had ever witnessed and they just cleaned it all up as if they were mopping muddy footprints.
“He’ll be back after he’s had a shower to get her body,” Poppy said, wiping a tear from her face.
“How many people has he… Had he k-killed?” I whispered, still staring at the body bag in shock. I didn’t even recognise my own voice, it was so hoarse. I held my breath as I waited for their reply.
Rose lowered her head and replied, “Since I’ve been here, he has killed eight.”
I shook my head in disbelief. That many. “What? How does he get away with it?” How could he even get away with killing that many people?
“The girls he chooses are usually living on the streets. If no one notices they’re missing then no one would suspect anything,” Rose said, and tucked her hair behind her ear. “I fell out with my family when I was sixteen, we had never been close. Shortly after my eighteenth birthday, I left home. I had been living on the streets and in hostels for ten months when Clover found me. I’ve been here almost three years now.” I was stunned. Tears trickled down my face and dropped to my lap. “Please don’t cry, Lily, it’s not that bad down here.” Not that bad! He had kidnapped us. He was keeping us locked up in his cellar. He would rape us when he ‘fell in love’ with us, and if we dared to fight back he would kill us. How the hell is that not that bad?
“Please don’t look at me like that, Lily. I know what you’re thinking but if you do what he says everything will be fine. He’ll treat you well.”
“Apart from raping me you mean!”
“Don’t call it rape in front of him.” She warned.
YOU ARE READING
The Cellar
HorrorFor months Summer is trapped in a cellar with the man who took her - and three other girls: Rose, Poppy, and Violet. His perfect, pure flowers. His family. But flowers can't survive long cut off from the sun, and time is running out...
