I stayed silently on my bed, curled up with my legs pressed gently to my chest as I stared blankly at my prepaid phone, waiting for that phone call that would decide my punishment. It was my own fault that this was happening. If I hadn't talked to Graham, I wouldn't be in this mess right now.
My eyes strayed back to the simple flip phone. It was one I was given by them. Simple and easy for them to track me. But I couldn't do anything on it.
A faint knock on my door echoed out before a voice spoke up. "Elliot, I'm going to work. Be careful," she paused and I almost thought she was gone. "And I love you." I listened as footsteps traveled down the stairs and out the front door, leaving an eerie silence in the air.
"I love you too," I croaked out, biting my lip to help keep my tears at bay. My hands gripped the edge of my shirt tighter, trying to calm myself down. I felt a soft vibrations on the bed, my eyes casting to my now vibrating phone, 'unknown' displayed on the screen. This was it. It was time to see if I was being punished.
I uncertainly grabbed my phone, swallowing thickly before answering. My voice was a bit above a whisper, fear thoroughly laced in my voice. "H-hello?" An immense silence followed, increasing the pace of my beating heart, pumping it faster than usual.
A gruff, dark toned voice rung out, saying a few words and leaving the blood in my body to run ice cold. "Your punishment has been decided. Corner of Fifth and Monroe." The phone call ended abruptly after that, leaving me with nothing but a vast amount of anxiety running through my veins.
I bit down on my lip harder, fighting a losing battle with my tears. In no time, tears made their way down from my burning eyes, leaving a trail down my face. I quickly wiped them away and got off my bed to get ready. It'll be worse if I'm late.
***
It was fairly nice outside for the beginning of April. The sun was covered by passing clouds, shielding me from its burning glare. My eyes glanced at the passing street signs as I made my way closer to Monroe. With each step, the pounding and ringing in my ears grew louder and more profound.
Something in the back of my mind screamed out to me, begging me, wanting me to turn back and go home. And I wanted to. I shook my head of that thought, my eyes widening as I realized I stopped in the middle of the block. I continued walking a bit further up, pausing when I reached the corner of Fifth and Monroe.
My eyes slowly and cautiously looked around, trying to see anyone I recognized, but no one was there. That was until I saw a banged up white van across the street from where I was. I remembered it from my first punishment, although it was a bit hazy. I had been wasted by the alcohol and drugs that were forced into my system.
"El-li-ot, El-li-ot," the crowd chanted as I smirked. I stepped up to the person who dared to challenge me. He wouldn't know what hit him. I stuck my hand out, my icy blue eyes only staring into the jock's deep brown ones as the tube was placed into my hand. The tube went straight to my mouth, my eyes not leaving the jock who was also smirking. His arms were folded and his size immense, but I wasn't all that intimidated by that. He was in for a surprise. Just because I was small, doesn't mean I can't hold my beer.
"One minute right?" My eyes flickered to the crowd that was hooting and hollering. I nodded to the person next to the barrel waiting for me to tell him to release it. The tube was placed back to my mouth waiting patiently. Suddenly my mouth was hit with a bittersweet taste and I starting drinking, fast.
"Chug, chug, chug," the crowded rooted for me, fist pumping to the air. I kept on drinking, my belly filling up with liquid as it sloshed around inside.
I spared a glance at the clock, only fifteen more seconds to go. My eyes accidentally drifted towards the jock who was still smirking, but his eyes told a different story: lust. Memories of the night about two weeks ago I tried to forget flooded back.
Screams.
Pain.
Laughing.
Blood.
I soon realized my mistake when a burning sensation rose in my throat, as I began to cough and wheeze, beer spraying all over my clothes. I gasped out again, trying to force oxygen back into my lungs. The beer was shut off, the person in charge running over to me, trying to help. As his hands reached out, I rasped out, "Don't touch me!"
He flinched, shrinking back as I caught my breath. The crowd stopped cheering a long time ago, the teenagers murmuring amongst themselves. I quietly got off the stage, hurrying myself away from the scene. I spotted Allison on the worn out couch, making out with some guy I couldn't recognize. "Ally, let's go."
She turned towards me with a pout. She look towards me and back at the guy again. "We're leaving now? Come on, can we stay a little longer?"
"Please," I begged. Her eyes wavered, probably realizing something was wrong. She opened her mouth, but the guy beat her to it, standing up and towering over me.
"She said she's busy." I cowered back, looking away, my nerves on the fritz. I was ready to sprint any moment. I could see him smirking at my response, sitting back down. I took this chance to speed away, not hearing a word of what Ally yelled after me. I didn't bother looking for Monica, I was probably going to get the same response from her.
I rushed outside, past the blaring music and people drunkenly dancing with each other, only for a hand to grab my arm and yank me back. My heart beat rapidly against my rib cage, fear crawling up my spine. My body was trapped between this person and the wall of the house, his hands trapping both of mine as I struggled to get away.
"Let go," I gasped, buckling myself forward to set myself free. The person didn't budge as I still continued to fight. No one was in the front and even if I screamed, no one would hear me over the music. "What do you want from me?"
I stiffened as a rough tongue ran up my neck, making me shiver in disgust. I turned my head away as he got closer to my face. His breath reeked. "I know you want me," the voice whispered dangerously close to my ear, words drunkenly slurred. An arm snaked around my waist pulling me closer to the person until something hard poked my thigh. My eyes opened wide at the feeling, my body stilling instantly. "I could tell by the way you were looking at me."
I might've been a little buzzed by the beer, but I was sober enough to know what he was talking about. "Y-you're drunk," I stuttered. I stayed still, timing myself correctly for when it would be the perfect time for me to get free. I saw an opening and I took it, raising my knee and aiming for his crotch. The jock I was drinking with earlier fell on the grass as I took no time to sprint up the road.
I ran faster, rapidly inhaling and exhaling. The soles of my Converse sneakers pushing harshly against the pavement. I slowed down when I tired myself out, realizing I was in a neighborhood I didn't recognize. All the lights in the houses were off, giving the neighborhood an eerie feeling. I shivered at the thought, looking around to spot anyone to get directions home.
I froze as a dark figure darted past the corner of my eye. I stayed silent and still, a drumming sound growing in my ears as I slowly turned to look behind me. No one was there. I opened my mouth to speak, but decided against it and closed it. Out of all the horror movies I watched, standing in the middle of nowhere and saying 'hello' or 'who's there' was a terrible idea. You'd die.
I began walking back the way I came as I saw more shadows pass by but played it off as my imagination. Instead of stopping to check if it was true, I paced faster, mindful not to look back. Footsteps other than my own could be heard as I sprinted again, adrenaline coursing through my veins.
I forced air into my lungs, pumping my legs to go faster back the way I came. Soon, the ground came closer into vision as I tripped over something. I covered my face, gasping at the burning sensation on my knees and forearm as I felt gravel from the road dig into my skin. I ground my teeth, getting up to run, as my muscles protested in response.
But it was too late. Multiple arms grabbed at me. I opened my mouth to scream, but it was covered right away as I tried to fight them off. My eyesight was the first to go, covered immediately, leaving me with only my other senses. My arms were forced behind me and then bound by something. I could hear slightly breathing noises. It was soft and would've been undetectable if the neighborhood wasn't so quiet. With my last defenses against my kidnapper, I bit the sweaty hand pressed firmly against my mouth, but it didn't move. I tried kicking behind me, but never caught anything. The hand was removed only to stuff some cloth like material into my mouth and tied by something.
I was dragged and thrown into something hard, carelessly laid on something like carpet. I groaned in pain, squirming around at the freeness, trying again to get away, my heart steadily increasing and pumping loudly. A putrid smell immediately violated my burning nose as I tried to gasp for air around the gag in my mouth. Hands stilled me instantly, as I continued thrashing around. I gasped again as something sharp pricked my neck, a burning feeling filled my body, traveling through my veins.
A hand firmly grabbed my shoulder from behind, breaking me out of my thoughts. I immediately grounded my mouth shut, turning around to face Landon. "Let's go," was all he said, pushing me forth to the banged up white van.
***
I grounded my eyes and mouth shut, preparing for the next hit. A 'crack' landed on my back, it burning in protest. I tugged on my restraints, begging myself not to cry or scream out. One after another, hits cracked all over my body, but never my face. I gasped loudly in dire agony, tugging more on my restraints, despair flooding my system. The sound of metal clacking together only reinforced that I couldn't run. Liquid ran down my arm and I wasn't too sure if it was my blood or sweat. It went on for what seemed like hours, the hits coming down one by one, without a falter, the same strength.
"That's enough," an authoritative voice spoke, stopping the beatings. It was the same gruff voice that I could remember from the first punishment. I rose my heavy head high, it lolling to the side in protest to the pain. The room was pitch dark. I wasn't even sure if it was still day. I couldn't even see when they would coil back to hit me again. It was all by surprise. "Release him."
I felt tugs on the handcuffs, before I was release. I fell down to the ground, it making contact with my face. A soft groan escaped my lips. The restraints were the only thing holding me up and without it, I was weak. I heard almost silent footsteps close to me, hands grabbed my arms, picking me up. I let myself get dragged, keeping in the cry of pain. It seemed like a door was opened. Bright light blinded me, forcing my eyes to stay shut.
"Have you learned from your punishment?" The voice spoke again and I weakly nodded, choking back a sob. A hand ran against my face, nicking my skin as I coiled back from the heated touch rapidly growing from there. It turned into something hotter.
Fire. It flared through my body, burning worse than the pain on my back. I gritted my teeth, holding back the agonizing screams. Tears dribbled out of my eyes at the effort. But it just burned my skin as soon as it made contact with the cut. A choked gasp escaped my lips, the pain growing more intense as each second passed.
"Please, it won't happen again," I begged weakly, my little bit of reserved strength sapped instantaneously from my body by a nick that probably wasn't any bigger than a paper cut.
A rough, wet object that felt like a tongue licked over the cut, the fire slowly diminished until it stopped. I heard someone panting loudly, like a dog, until I realized it was me.
"I think he understands his position now," the voice spoke. I could hear the dark humor in his tone.
***
"I love you," his mother speaks, her soft, melodic voice ringing in the air, outside the locked door. Footsteps walk away, getting fainter and farther. The little boy abruptly springs up, the restraints clashing together in response. He runs towards the door, only to yelp as the restraints force him back, making him fall on the ground. He tries again, getting up on shaking knees, falling each time, failing to reach any further than the time before.
"I love you too," he screams over and over again, hoping it would reach her, so she knows he feels the same, that he still loves her. He tries again and again, his voice getting more sore and hoarse each time. He tugs again at the restraints, screaming, thrashing, and begging to be heard. The boy stops frozen, the wet trail of tears stop. He finally realizes it was hopeless, she was already gone and she could never hear his cries. But he already knew that, no matter how hard he tried, he knew. But he hoped he was wrong this time.
With hung shoulders and disappointment, he crawls back to his corner waiting for the darkness to just take the rest of his resolve to live any longer, to break him fully. It would just take away his only light in this dark room. And when the darkness comes back, that's exactly what it does, dragging him further into the dark abyss with no hope of ever returning to the person he was.
Edited by: RT_Cipher