Cannibalized - book two

chapter 18 - New Faces, Old Rules

Valery woke up the next morning to the sounds of screams, she shot up and saw that her hands were untied and the gag was gone. However there was a note on the table.

Love I know we are having marital issues, but I love you. You and I are together, and we will be together forever. I will do anything it takes to make you happy.
- Carter

She got off the bed and realized that there was a soft chain around her leg, however it allowed her to go around the room and make it to the bathroom. She looked out the window and saw all the children were screaming. She was anxious, and confused when she realized it was just a game. Each kid would scream as loud as they could and whoever screamed the loudest was given a cupcake or a cookie. She wrinkled her nose and saw Kayla twirling around with two young girls, the three girls were laughing as they spun. Alex was sitting out with her cousins surrounding her, and Carter was sitting on a rock with a frown on his face. She chuckled a little, she was actually happy he was upset with her. He deserved it. She shook her head as she sat on the bed. She heard a knock on the door. It was Anika, she entered and smiled.

"I am sorry you feel like this is crazy, but you and I are similar. We both struggle, I had a really hard time when I first arrived here." Valery looked her over. "I uhm..I know this may seem harsh but aren't you better off in this place?"

"I mean..I had to help kill somone. Carter ate.." she gagged. "Carter ate a heart for me...That isn't cute, its terrifying."

"Jace once brought me a heart before." Anika said thinking back to the first year and a half of their relationship. "I love him, and I realized that this life is honestly not that bad. Its great to make friends here. A huge family." She grabbed Valery's hand. "Are you alright Valery?"

"I just, I was taken away form everything I knew. Made to eat human, I have watched people die here. Killed people."

"I know that seems terrifying." Anika replied. "But why dont we go and see the rest of our family? Carter gave me the key."

"Do I have to wear the collar."

"No love, I will tell Carter not till the rest of the family leaves."

"I guess... guess I will come with you." Valery nodded and followed her towards the family. Carter looked up, and raced towards her, he fell flat on his face tripping over a dog and scrambled towards her. Valery sat back in surprise. Carter wrapped her into a large hug and placed his hand carefully on her baby bump.

"No collar till everyone else leaves." Anika said.

Carter nodded. "Alright." He smiled as he grabbed onto her hand. "I love you Val, come and join the family activities."

"Ac..activities?"

"Yes love come on," he pulled her along towards the other family members. A few of them were playing silly games. The kids were racing around and screaming still." She couldn't help but laugh as she saw some children throwing grass at one another. He pulled her into his lap carefully. "I am sorry I acted so rudely."

"But it still stands doesn't it?"

"Yes, but I want to protect you and love you."

"I still think this is all crazy." She whispered. "But..but I will try and fit in."

"Alright, as long as you try." She shuttered as he hugged her warmly. He offered her a small brownie, she took it when she saw Jace with Anika. The two were laughing together as they watched the kids. They wanted grandchildren as quickly as they could have them. They were excited for Carter and Valery to have them, and assumed if Kayla and Harlee stuck together as close as they did that they would be expecting a few more. Alex was laughing as the kids brought her small items they found about the grounds. Rocks, twigs, bones, even a frog or snail.

One kid found a snake, and soon the screaming was louder as the young boy raced around the homes with the snake. Valery huddled closer to Carter. "Snakes..ugh even worse then murder."

Carter couldn't help but laugh at her statement. He held her close and finished eating the brownies, the snake was soon thrown at the mother of the children which resulted in a wresting war between the boy, his father and siblings. Valery sirked watching them as they laughed after wrestling, however she was afraid of what the family could do to her still. The kids were willing to kill just as much as the adults. Kids never cried when they saw murder. They didn't even seem to care when they were the ones killing, she didn't want her children growing up like this.

She looked to Carter, sadness on her face. "Whats wrong?"

"Nothing."

"Are you lying to me?"

"N..No."

He frowned and dragged her inside, Anika shook her head and knew that they were upset with one another. "I said you needed to follow the rules Valery." He bent her over, her hands resting on the windowsill, he cuffed her to it and pulled out a paddle.

"You said you weren't going to hurt me!" She cried out as she began to pull on the restraints.

"This isn't hurting you, this is teaching you a lesson." He gagged her first, and lifted her skirt up and pulled her thong down. He spread her legs and began to play with her. She was confused, what was he planning. "I could forgive you if you gave me something else?"

"You are one sick bastard." She whined, however she was moaning, her legs twitching. He grinned as he undid his own belt and slipped off his pants.

--

Kayla was happily spinning around with the children, she was becoming a real part of the family, everyone seemed to love her. She was easy to talk to, she accepted their customs, and she seemed to understand where everyone was coming from for the most part. The hardest part of her being there was that she was still confused about how she fit in. She was concerned with the way they would view her.

Harlee was smitten, and he was happy to have her at his side, he still wondered if she was happy though. She seemed to be happy, spinning around with the kids. Their smiles were wide and their hair fluttered about in the wind. She was making a great impression with the rest of the family, and Alex loved her as well.

Kayla soon stopped spinning and made her way towards Harlee, he was playing toss the balloon using towels. She smiled, looking around her you would think this was just a normal family get together, but if you looked in the barn, or the fridges you would see you had stumbled upon something terrifying.

As the kids screamed she took noticed of someone walking towards the family. She tugged on Harlee's sleeve and he called to everyone to look at the forest line. A man, about Carter's age was stumbling towards them. He looked sick, he was dirty and bloody as well. Kayla and Harlee made the first move towards him, he raised his hands up in fear. "Hey are you okay?" Harlee asked, the other members of the family watched them carefully.

"Water..please I need water.." He raised his hand for Harlee to grab when he fell to the ground. He was so tired he couldn't catch himself. Harlee picked him up and dragged him inside. They did the best they could for him, forced him to drink water. He however fell back to sleep as he had been without food and water for days. He had lost track of his hiking group, and walked the wrong way. He was being searched for, but having lost his pack 25 hours away from the homestead walking the opposite direction, and his dog with a tracking device was with the other group him being found was not likely.

"We should let him sleep, then make him dinner?" One kid asked, or more so suggested.

"Alright everyone go and play, I will keep an eye on him." Anika said. Everyone else left, except for Jace. They carried him up to a guest room and locked him in to the room. They needed to know what they were dealing with before they just killed him, they had to get rid of any evidence before they just offed him.