Hostage

9

THOMAS SHELBY

It's officially been 13 days. 13 Days since Beth
was taken. I've barely slept, I can't eat, and we are no closer to finding Freddie Thorne. "He knew. He knew this was going to happen. He had to know." I said. "It's no coincidence he disappeared now. But that's not important. We need to find him. Nobody knows where the guns are besides him." Polly said. "I know. I know." I said.

ELIZABETH SHELBY

I've lost track of how many days it's been. I think maybe 8 or 9. I'm not sure. Will is still gone. I only eat when I absolutely need food. So once or twice every few days. They make me do so much horrid stuff and I have to call them all Sir. Harvey makes me get on my knees and suck him off, Peter likes to bend me over the desk and do whatever he wants, Marc just likes to touch me and make me touch him but Richard is the worst. He likes to see me in pain. He likes to hit me with his belt on my legs and my back, he likes to be really rough, he's vicious. His favorite thing is making me beg.
But today was the worst of all.

It was nighttime. Maybe 5. I don't know. I hadn't eaten in a while. I needed water. I'd hoped it was anyone else but Richard walked in. "Do you want something princess?" he asked. I was hesitant. I guess food can wait but I need water. "W-water- please- Sir" I said quietly. "Beg for it," he said. "Please Sir, please, I need water. Please, I'll do whatever you want." I begged. He gave me a smug grin. "Get up," he said. I stood up and he pulled me over to the chair and tied my wrists. "We're trying something new today," he said as he lit a cigarette. He blew the smoke in my face and I coughed. Then he hovered it right below my collarbone and I pulled back. "What are you doing?" I cried out. "Don't move, it'll hurt more if you do." he said. "No- no- I changed my mind. I don't want water. Or food. I changed my mind, Sir. Let me go, please!" I said. He laughed. "Too late," he said. Then he pressed the cigarette into my skin and I screamed as it seared my flesh. "Please, stop!" I screamed. He did it 3 times and I sobbed. When he finished, he sat back admiring his work. He moved my hair behind my shoulders and just looked at me. I panted and tried to catch my breath and a sheen layer of sweat covered my body. "Why are you doing this?" I asked as I choked back a sob. "The Shelby's have done whatever they pleased for far too long. Now you know how it feels." he said. Then he stood up and left me there, tied up. I passed out not long after.

It's been a few more days and I've given up. I'd given up on dad finding me, on making it out of this, on everything. I just do what they say now. I'm tired of fighting. They broke me. I'm done.

I was sitting in the corner and staring at the bruises that had formed on my knees. I had just finished sucking off Harvey and I wasn't even crying. I was too dehydrated to cry anymore. Then the door opened. And Will walked in.

WILLIAM COLBY

It's been 21 days now since Beth was taken. I had spent the past few weeks with my Uncles. I worked at the fighting pits. They wanted me to toughen up. Now I was driving back to the warehouse where Beth was being kept, I couldn't believe she was still alive. We arrived and I got out of the car. I walked up to my father with a straight face. "You are back to keep her alive. If you screw up again, I'll kill you both." he said. I nodded. "Go feed her. I think you'll enjoy the arrangements we've set up." he said with a smirk. I wasn't sure what that meant but I grabbed a sandwich and water and went inside. When I walked in and shut the door, I nearly threw up at the sight of her. She looked dead, or close to it. She was covered in cuts and bruises and marks and burns. Her hair was a tangled mess and she was still in her bra and knickers. Her eyes were empty and sunken and she was skin and bones. They told me they would feed her, they promised. She was curled up in a ball resting her forehead on her knees. When I closed the door, she looked up and her eyes widened. "Beth-" I said softly. She stared at me as I walked over. She looked like she was in shock. "I brought you some food and water." I said. She sighed and stood up and walked over to me. She got on her knees and reached for my belt. "Woah, what the hell are you doing?!" I exclaimed as I stepped back. "Please Sir, I'm hungry." she said as she stared at the floor. I knelt down in front of her and she wouldn't look at me. "What happened?" I asked. "Sir, I'll do whatever you want, just- please can I have something to eat." she said quietly. "Beth, tell me what they did to you. Why are you calling me Sir? And why did you- you reach for my belt?" I asked. "I have to earn the food and water, Sir. Please, I'll earn it. Just tell me what to do." she said quietly. I stared in horror as I tried to figure out how to snap her out of this. "Beth, you don't need to earn it. Take the food and the water." I said as I handed it to her. "I have to earn it or I'll be punished." she said quietly. "Punished how?" I asked. I wasn't even sure I wanted to know. She finally looked at me. She moved her hair and I saw a line of cigarette burns, then she turned around and showed me the dark lash marks on her back. "Fuck" I mumbled. She just glued her eyes back to the floor. "Sit in the chair, I'll be back in a second." I said. She sat down and I walked out to get my first aid bag. Then I came back and she was sitting there still.