Shadows in a Window // Luke Hemmings

chapter 3 • punished

I try my best to do as he says but I struggle to hold down the frightened look that is plastered across my face.

"I'm going upstairs for a shower. I can't wait for my dinner." He tells me with a grin.

"I'll start making it for you then." I answer him awkwardly, unsure of what else to say.

"Good girl... And don't forget to make yourself a little something too." He replies in a low tone before kissing my cheek and heading upstairs.

I quickly get started on his dinner to make sure that it's finished by the time he comes back. The first thing I do is put the steak on because I know that he likes his steak cooked well. Next I cut the potatoes into small fry shapes and start cooking them. A sigh of relief leaves my lips as I finish plating up his dinner just as I hear his heavy footsteps come down the stairs.

"Smells amazing." He calls as he walks into the kitchen.

I smile proud of myself until I look up at his face and watch it turn to anger.

"I don't want steak." He says flatly as my heart sinks.

"But t-that's what you asked for this morning." I tell him hoping that he will remember.

"Well I obviously don't want it anymore do I?" He questions me in an angry tone.

"Just cook me something else." He adds as he crosses his arms.

"There's nothing else to eat." I speak up nervously, afraid of what he's about to do.

"Why the fuck not?" He yells.

"B-because you only gave me enough for your dinner." I reply as I fiddle with my thumbs and look down at my toes.

"Show me the receipt." He says flatly as I swallow hard.

I nod and dig through the empty shopping bags to try and find the receipt. I hold the receipt out to him and watch my hand shake violently, making the paper wobble.

His evil eyes scan over the receipt as his head shakes.

"Where's the extra $8.50?" He asks as he glares over at me.

My body freezes and I'm unable to form any words.

"Where's the left over money!" He screams in my face causing me to jump in fright.

"Jessy answer me." He yells again as I take a deep breath and try to figure out how to word it.

"I-I umm spent it." I almost whisper.

"You what?" He questions.

"I spent it." I repeat.

"I fucking heard what you said. What did you spend it on?" He yells at me as he points his finger at me only scaring me more.

"I was hungry so I, I went to Starbucks." I tell him nervously as a tear falls down my face.

"So you're saying that you didn't buy food for me because you were too busy stuffing your fat face at Starbucks?" He questions with raging eyes as he emphasises the words you and me.

"I'm sorry." I whisper.

I know that if I try to fight back I will just end up in an even worse position than what I already am.

"You're so fucking selfish Jessy. So fucking selfish." He points out in a mocking tone.

"I'm really sorry." I reply as my eyes water up with tears, making my vision a blur.

"Fuck you're pathetic." He says.

He doesn't need to tell me I'm pathetic. I already know I am.

I take back a shaky breath and close my eyes just wanting to escape this place but I'm pulled back to reality when I feel my body slam against the kitchen bench. My head is knocked against a the fridge causing my head to spin and my legs grow weaker. I tumble to the ground and Ryan uses that to his advantage. He strikes me twice in the stomach with his foot.

"Maybe this will teach you not to eat you fat slut." He screams at me.

He takes a few steps away from me and I open my eyes to see him searching around in the utensils draw. My mind jumps to the worst as I think that he's going to pull out a knife. He snuffles things around in the draw and I close my eyes in fear.

He walks back over to my shaking body before striking the utensil down onto my thigh. The pain stings and I let out a loud scream. I open my eyes to check for a gash in my legs but I'm surprised when I don't see him holding a knife, instead he's holding a wooden spoon.

"Please stop." I whimper as I look up at him.

"You deserve this Jessy. You made a mistake and you need to be punished so you don't do it again." He answers me as I shake my head wanting him to stop.

He takes a step back and swings the spoon, slamming it down on my legs repetitively. Each time he hits me I scream out in agony. I forget how many times he hit me, to be completely honest I lost count after 38.

The final hit he makes is so hard that it snaps the spoon in half. He tosses the other end of the spoon at me and walks to the fridge. I hear bottle rattle around before I hear the pop noise of a beer bottle opening. He takes a mouthful from the bottle and looks down at me in pity.

"Look at all the mess you made Jessy." He tells me as I glance around the room and for the first time notice that there is blood oozing from my legs and dripping onto the white tiles.

"Clean it up." He spits before turning on his heels and walking towards the lounge room with his beer in hand.

As soon as he leaves the room I attempt to stand up by my shaky legs protest and I tumble back to the ground. I lay there in pain, crying for at least an hour before I gather the strength to find a towel and clean up the mess of blood on the floor. I throw the bloody towel in the bin and go straight to the bathroom.

As I stand under the warm water of the shower, my legs give way and I sink to a sitting position. I let out a loud sob as my body slips into shock. The blood loss and knock to the head is only making it worse as my body shakes violently and I try to stay awake.