Love Comes Before: A Family Comes First Story | Ongoing

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I woke up with my body sore. My thighs were covered in my own blood. My nose smelled like blood because it had been bleeding, and my arm felt like it was broken.

I was still tied by ropes, and my body was still exposed. Charles seemed like he was long gone, and I was relived. I heard someone shuffle up the steps and open the door.

It was the woman in red. Today she was wearing a faded pink dress with small blue flowers. It went down to her ankles. She had her hair up in a long braid, and there was a green bracelet clasped around her wrist. She was holding a tray, and looked surprised at my state.

"Good Morning!" She exclaimed cheerfully, "I see Charles didn't have the idea to save your decency," She chuckled. She set the tray on the table and pulled a sheet over me.

"Untie me!" I yelled, "Let's escape together,"

"I'm not supposed to untie you," She said.

"Charles doesn't have to know," I said quickly, "Come on. We can get help,"

"Leave? Marilyn, this is your home now. You don't need to leave," She said, sitting next to me.

"This isn't my home," I cried.

"It was hard my first few weeks too. But it gets better, I really saw that this was my home, and you will too!" She said cheerfully. Before I could protest she smiled, "I'm so sorry! I didn't introduce myself. I'm Anne, Charles and Noah's mother. I brought you some breakfast,"

"Anne, they've brainwashed you," I said softly.

"Brainwashed? No. I love James," She frowned.

"No Anne, you don't. He's hurt you," I said, looking at the scars on her arms.

"Marilyn. Stop, I know this is hard, but I'm here. You'll see that the boys are here to protect us," She rubbed her arms, then brought over a plate with eggs, "I'll feed you,"

As she spoon fed me the runny yolks we heard the door downstairs slam. Anne perked her head up, "James? Noah?"

There was no answer, "Charles is that you?" Still. No answer. Anne set the plate down, "Don't make a sound Marilyn,"

I watched her close the door most of the way, leaving it a crack open. She went down the steps and I heard her sweet voice, "Oh hello, may I help you?"

"I seem to have lost my way, and the door is unlocked. I'm sorry," I heard a foreign voice say. My heart lurched,

"Help!" I screamed as loudly as possible, "Upstairs! Please help!"

"Is there someone upstairs?"

"Yes!" I cried.

"Just my daughter-in-law," Anne said, "Let me go check on her," She came up the stairs and sighed as she closed the door.

"Now, what did you say your name was?" I heard Anne entertain once she was downstairs again. I kept screaming and crying, "Ignore her. She's just having a tantrum. She gets anxiety problems,"

"Oh.. okay.. I just need to use a map," The voice said.

Anne said simply, "We don't have a map, but my husband and sons will be in soon. They know the area better than I,"

"You don't have a map?"

"We've never needed it," Anne said, "I should actually get you something. Would you come to the basement and help me carry up some of the coffee?"

"Sure Ma'am," The voice said. Suddenly I heard a grunt and a slam of a door. I heard a lock slide into place and a table or chairs being dragged. I heard Anne come up the steps,

"See what I mean, Marilyn? That man is trying to hurt us," She was cut off by the sound of pounding on a door, "I managed to push him into the basement and barricade it. James and Charles will come in to protect us,"

"You're insane!" I screamed, "You're out of your fucking mind! He needs a way home!" I cried.

Anne gasped at my swear word, "Change your attitude, Marilyn. For the love of all things good.. change your attitude,"

I started to cry as Anne cleared my plate. She ran downstairs and I heard her come back up the stairs, "I'm too afraid to spend time down there with that man. I'll spend the day with you until James gets home," She went to her room and came back with knitting.

I continued to cry as Anne sat on the end of the bed knitting, I watched the piece she was making get bigger and bigger. She had nothing else to do, so it got very large. I watched through barred windows as I cried. The sun sunk lower in the sky until it was sunset. Anne perked up at the sound of the door opening, "James!"

She abandoned her knitting and I heard her race back down the steps, "James, a man came today and I put him in the basement. I'm so sorry for not doing my chores, but I was too afraid he'd get out and hurt me,"

I heard James shuffle over to the basement door, "You did the right thing Anne, I'm sorry I wasn't here. Start to make dinner, or heat something up. You'll be okay while I go to get the boys,"

"Yes James," She said as I heard the front door open. Maybe five minutes later the door opened again and I heard James barking orders. The door to the bedroom was still open and Charles walked in.

"Good Evening Marilyn, were you a good girl for my mother?" He asked, walking over to the bed.

I stayed silent.

"Answer me Marilyn," He said, tracing my face.

I turned my head away.

"Marilyn!" He yelled, "I guess your punishment today did nothing," I saw him walk to his dresser and pull out a long obsidian knife. He walked over and grabbed my arm, "Apologize to me Marilyn, and tell me if you were good,"

"Never," I replied. As I finished my sentence I felt a stinging pain in my arm. I looked over and saw blood bubbling to the surface. He cut me.

"Monster!" I screamed.

"Apologize Marilyn!" He roared, pressing the knife just below the cut he made.

"Fuck you," I screamed.

He slashed my arm twice, "Try again sweetheart,"

At this point my eyes were watering and my nose was running, "Let me go home!" My voice was starting to crack from all the yelling from today and yesterday. I pulled against my restraints, the rope cutting into my arm.

"Stop fighting me Marilyn! This is your home. I thought you would be good today, now apologize!" Charles said sternly.

"Get away from me!" I screamed, tugging again at my restraints, "I will never stop fighting you! Until the day I die I will not, even for a second, stop fighting you!"

He glared down at me, "Fine. You're not eating or sleeping until you change your attitude and apologize. I expect a different attitude tomorrow,"

Charles left the room and I heard him run downstairs. I didn't stop crying until morning.