A Friend To The Elements

Chapter 14

They forced me off the table and drug me to the floor by yanking my chains. They chain drug across to the corner of the cell. I was thankful that I had worn jeans as my knees scraped against the cement group while I crawled to keep up with them. They attached my shackles directly to two links in the floor forcing me to stay hunched over. Next two blocks were placed behind my feet forcing me to stay on my knees with my back hunched over. My back was to all three men and my stomach turned as I heard more rustling. I stared at the ground trying to come up with any plan to get out, but the door was shut to any elements and shifting wouldn't do anything but snap my shoulders out of place.

I heard a small jingling sound followed by a loud snap. I flinched at the noise and tried to pull my wrists from the shackles, but I just felt the shackles cut into my skin. Henry's low laughed reached my ears and I felt bile raise in my throat. He feet scraped across the floor until he was no more than a few feet away. A whooshing sound went through the air before the burning seared into my back. A scream clawed its way up my dry throat.

My body contorted awkwardly as I arched inward trying to get away from lash after lash ripping my skin open. My eyes burned with tears that washed into my mouth. The salt covered my tongue while the moisture gave my throat the slightest relief in between screams. After a few minutes my vision started to fade, and the lashings stopped. I thought maybe he had grown tired and would leave, but he handed off the whip and said, "You're turn," to another one of the men.

I tried to catch my breath, but there wasn't enough time. The whip cut into my skin two more times before the world went black.

*Samantha's POV*

I woke up to boots rushing down the stairs. I rolled off the bench attempting to make my way down the stairs, but the front door slammed before I could find my footing. My head spun briefly, but I was able to balance myself against the wall.

I made my way into the main bedroom and began to straighten up the room. He must have gone back to the kitchen at some point in the night because a few beer cans were scattered around the room. I picked up the one by the television first then the nightstand beside the bed and lastly the one sitting in the bathroom on the sink. I threw them in the trashcan we keep in the bathroom then removed the bag. I pulled the cleaning products out from underneath the sink and wiped he bathroom down. I threw the washcloth in the laundry and placed the basket and the trash bag out in the hallway. I smoothed down his side of the bed and tucked the blanket in. Henry hated when the comforter was hanging unevenly on the bed so tucking it in was the safest option. He was gone for most of the last few days so I could put off vacuuming until tomorrow. I made sure the television was turned off and placed the controller in front of it. I flipped off the light and clicked the door shut behind me. I balanced the laundry basket on my hip and held the trash bag in my opposite hand as I wobbled down the steps.

I dropped the smaller bag inside the larger and opened the small laundry closet to dump the clothes in the wash. Once the washer began filling, I turned my attention to the kitchen. I washed my hands and began to bring out pans to make breakfast. I cracked a few eggs into a mixing bowl and poured milk in along with salt and pepper. I stirred the eggs until it was a smooth pale yellow while the pad of cold butter turned hot and bubbly.

I dropped enough eggs to cover the bottom of the pan and turned to clean out the fridge. Every day I made Henry all three meals in case he happened to pop in hungry. The next day the meals needed to be cleaned out of their meal prep containers and replaced with new ones. I dumped the food into the trash and placed the containers in the dishwasher. I flipped the egg pancake and sprinkled half with cheese, tiny pieces of tomato, and a little bit of spinach. After a few seconds I folded the egg on top of the ingredients and pulled out a new square container. I flipped the omelet and placed it in the container then in the microwave to try and keep it warm as long as possible. I started my own omelet and loaded the dishes from last night into the dishwasher.

I flipped the second egg pancake and sprinkled in identical ingredients. I folded the egg and flipped the omelet one more time before sliding it on the plate. I rinsed the pan out and slid it into the dishwasher with the rest. After a quick wipe of the stove, I threw away the paper towel I used and tied the trash bag. The only times I was permitted to open the doors were when I was placing the bag onto the front porch. I placed it down and closed the door behind me. With another wash of my hands and a squirt of ketchup on the plate I was able to sit down and eat my breakfast. The clock on the stove flashed 10:34.

I dug my fork into the egg and scooped ketchup onto the egg. My eyes unfocused slightly as my motions became mechanical. I wonder who grabbed the trash bags. Maybe Henry would grab them on his way into work and walk them back to the trashcan. Maybe the protectors would grab them at shift change and drop it in on their way back to their home. I felt guilty thinking of any of them having to go out of their way to pick up after me. I imagined the woman I had named Lucy would pick it up and the man I had named Ryan would stop her and take it from her. Saying something about how Henry wouldn't have his own girl taking out the trash so he wouldn't either.

She would laugh and push him away when he tried to grab the bag saying something about feminism and she wasn't weak like 'Henry's girl.' Lucy always wore her black hair in two tight braids that went almost to the middle of her back. She alternated colored tops, but they were always the same style. A tight solid scoop neck tee that tucked smoothly into her torn jeans. Even though the shirt was always like a second skin, but the jeans hung slightly loose with large rips at the knees. She always wore dark black work boots that were almost the same color of her hair. I imagined Ryan bought them for her as a joke because they matched so perfectly, and she wore them every day as a result.

When my fork stopped picking up food, my eyes blinked and focused again. I rinsed the plate and slid it into the dishwasher and started it. I pulled Henry's breakfast out of the microwave and clicked the top onto the container.

I started to open the fridge door, but I heard keys in the door and quickly transferred the food to a plate. The door swung open, and I placed the plate on his spot at the table. He kicked his shoes off at the door and smiled at me. The steam from the dishwasher made me turn my head and close my eyes tight. I put the pretty much clean Tupperware into the wash and flipped the latch shut.

I opened my eyes to see him standing less than an inch from my face. I jumped slightly placing my hand on my chest and laughed at my own skittishness. He smiled and moved closer to me. My heart felt like it skipped, and my breath stopped in my throat. His hands moved to the counter behind me, and I leaned against it feeling the heat seep through my pajama pants. His lips pressed against mine and I couldn't help the smile that heated up my face. My hands moved up his torso and I could feel the sweat through his shirt like he had been working out. When my fingers traced his way up his neck, I could feel his quick pulse and I tangled one of my hands into his hair as his lips made their way down my neck.

My eyes fluttered shut and my head leaned back. His hands wrapped around my hips and gently lifted me onto the counter. Heat spread up into my stomach and sitting still became unbearable. His teeth gently pulled at the skin just above the collar of my shirt.

My hand balled his hair in between my fingers and pulled slightly as a groan escaped my lips. I felt him smile against my throat and his hands made their way just under my top. I couldn't stop my legs from snaking around his waist while his fingers traced my hip bone down to the waistband of my pants.

The tip of his tongue traced its way back up to my ear. When he spoke, his voice came out husky and low. His whisper tickled my ear, but it felt good at the same time. "You have an appointment ma'am yet here you sit in pajamas. We'll have to get you changed now wont we?"

I couldn't force my brain to come up with any words, so I just nodded. His hands gripped my thighs then moved to my butt as he slid me off the counter. My legs hitched further above his hips and tightened around his waist. It was my turn to dip my head close to his neck and alternate methods of teasing him as he carried us up the stairs.