Tim POV:
Faith has been off ever since we've been home. She's been, dare I say, clingy... I would've thought that, given the revelations that surfaced while in Mississippi, she would've been a little awkward and distant, but now I can hardly move without her asking where I'm going. She even requested to come to the studio with me today, which is weird for her. Normally she'll stay home, because she knows that it's usually all the technical stuff that goes on during Studio days, like recording the same song over and over and over again. She's still appearing happy as a clam sitting here, though.
"Can we run through the chorus of that once more?" Byron says over the speaker, making me sigh. I nod, putting my headphones on again, and flipping back to the lyrics. Byron counts me in, before the track begins to play.
"For the hum of wheels on the blacktop... The strum of strings on a flat top... It's a neon fever, for a small town dreamer... Tells you everything you have is worth losing... Damn country music..." I sing, before looking at him. He stops recording, and listens to it quickly, before giving me a thumbs up. I feel relief flood me as I quickly vacate the booth and walk in to sit beside Faith on the couch. She leans her head against my shoulder, making me narrow my eyes a bit.
"What's going on with you lately?" I ask quietly, watching her look up at me with her cheek pressed against my shoulder. She shrugs, while I push her hair behind her ear. "You've been really close... and I don't mind it, but if there's something else going on, you have to tell me." I whisper, as she bites her lip.
"I'm fine." She replies half-heartedly. I open my mouth to start arguing that point, when I feel my phone start to buzz in my pocket. I pull it out and see a missed call and voicemail from Gracie. I hold my phone up to my ear, wondering if she left something for school at home again.
"Dad!" I hear her cry over the phone, before a rustling muffles her voice. My stomach sinks as I hear her sobbing.
"Long Hunter State Park... no cops, just us... You have half an hour before I shoot her." His voice rings out, completely paralyzing me. Faith watches me carefully, seeming to know something is wrong. I quickly stand, before rushing out toward the car. She follows behind me, appearing extremely worried, as my shaking hands grip the steering wheel. I peel out of the studio, knowing it takes half an hour to get there on a perfect day.
"Tim, what's going on?" Faith asks, while I feel nausea stir within me. I fly onto the on-ramp to the highway, curving at least a 90. "Tim, what the hell is going on?" She screams, as I weave through traffic.
"He has Gracie... He..." I release, the word making me feel ill. She pales out a little, before nodding quickly. She takes a few deep breaths, before deciding to be the voice of reason.
"Alright... it'll be okay... We'll... We'll call the police, and they'll go in and get her." She begins to suggest while I shake my head, slamming on the brakes as I reach a car that is going far too slow in the fast lane. I cross three lanes, before speeding ahead of them and toward the exit for Highway 24.
"He said he'd shoot her if we brought cops." I let out, hyperventilating as I try to focus on the road which is racing under our tires. She bites her lip, before clinging to the dash as I enter the on-ramp.
"Did you hear her?" She asks, while I weave through traffic once more. I nod, my hands trembling beyond my control. "Shit..." She releases under her breath, as I spot the exit for Long Hunter. I pull off and follow the signs, before spotting the lake. "Why does he want us out here?" She whispers to herself, like she's trying to think this through. I pull up to the park and quickly rush out of the car, causing Faith to sprint after me. I stop in place and turn toward her.
"Stay in the goddamn car." I shout, making her freeze. She shakes her head in protest. "Faith, I swear to god... if you don't--" I start, watching her shake her head again.
"I'm not going to sit in the fucking car, Tim." She asserts, while we reach a standoff. "I'm not going to sit there and wait to see if you two come back. I'm not doing it, Tim." She screams, before I turn and start walking once more. She waits a moment, before jogging to catch up. We both stop as we reach the water, spotting Gracie sitting on a rock near the edge. Roy stands behind her, watching the waves, before turning around and smiling toward us.
"Twenty-eight minutes... You were really pushing your luck, there." He remarks, while Gracie sobs behind him. I feel unable to breathe seeing him standing so close to her. "You're probably wondering why you're here... and I'll be frank and tell you that I had to rush to make this happen." He starts to ramble, while Faith squeezes my arm. He seems more frail than I remember. "While finishing out my sentence, I learned I had a brain tumor... the same kind your father had, actually. Kind of ironic, if you think about it." He says, laughing a bit to himself before clearing his throat. "As a dying man, I thought I wouldn't live to see the day that I get the revenge I deserve." He spits out, before grabbing onto Gracie's shoulder. I wince at the action, watching it give him some sick satisfaction. "Tim, I'm going to give you a choice today... since I think I should at least do you that courtesy." He says, as I hear someone approach behind Faith and I. I turn around, before seeing a tall man emerge from the trees, holding a rifle.
"Long time, no see." The man releases, making my heart sink. My mind flashes back to that night outside of soundstage. His voice matches that of the man who stomped on me relentlessly...
"You can either watch me shoot Gracie..." He says, giving her a little shake as she howls. "... or you can watch me shoot Faith." He finishes, leaving me breathless. The man hands Roy the rifle, before standing behind us again. I stare, feeling like I'm not exactly comprehending what he's saying.
"Or what?" I reply, wondering what he wants from all of this. He laughs, as if this entire situation were a huge joke.
"Tim, I want to die leaving this world a better place. You destroyed my daughter, so I can either destroy yours, or we can just finish the fucking job." He snarls toward me, before pressing the rifle against Gracie's head. Faith shrieks, quickly covering her mouth to muffle it, while Gracie trembles, trying to keep quiet herself.
"Please don't..." I release under my breath, trying to think quickly. "Shoot me..." I spew, feeling Faith squeeze my arm a little tighter. Roy laughs, while the other man joins in the laughter. "I was the one who did this... I was the one who destroyed Faith... Take me out, and leave them." I try to negotiate, while he grabs a flask from his pocket and takes a swig.
"Tim, I don't want blood." He admits, leaving me a little stumped. "I want you to suffer." He says, making me feel chills. "There are some fates worse than death..." He announces, before looking at the man behind us. "Hand him a handgun." He orders, glancing at me again. "You can either watch me shoot Gracie, or you can shoot Faith." He says, changing the options. I cringe, shaking my head slowly.
"That wasn't..." I start, before the man places a handgun in my hands.
"I know it wasn't. You're little negotiating stunt made me realize how immoral it is to shoot your own daughter." He says, while I stand frozen. "Now you can take that handgun and shoot her three times, or I'll shoot Gracie. Your move." He announces, before clearing his throat again. "And don't think about pulling any stunts either. Hugh over there will shoot Faith and Gracie both before you can even fire a round my way." He rules out, making me panic. Gracie and I lock eyes, making my knees feel weak. "Faith, come here." Roy demands. She carefully walks over toward them, embracing Gracie for a second while Gracie wails.
"It's okay..." She whispers to her, running her fingers through her hair in a soothing motion. Faith looks at me, before nodding, as if that's supposed to tell me what to do. Roy takes a drink from his flask, before motioning toward Gracie and Faith.
"Go on, now." He orders, while I look around for another answer. Hugh already has a gun aimed toward them, ruling out any attempts to escape. I stare at Faith, watching her stare back with tears streaming down her cheeks.
"Don't make me do this..." I release quietly, watching her look at Roy for a moment. "Please... I'll do anything... just please don't make me..." I plead, knowing it's my only viable option. Roy laughs, before looking at his watch and taking another swig.
"You have three minutes, Tim... before I decide for you." He says, making Faith shut her eyes. She kisses Gracie's forehead, before releasing her. Gracie starts to come apart as Faith walks toward me. She places her hands on my shoulders, before leaning her forehead against mine.
"Take a deep breath." She orders quietly. I listen to her, and try to force one in, while she nods slowly. "Don't think about it... just do it..." She whispers, making me fall apart. "It's the same decision I'd make, and I understand. Just do it, baby..." She says softly, now whispering into my ear while clinging to me. I howl, feeling myself shaking as she holds onto me. "It's going to be alright. I just need you to do this for me..." She tries to coax me, while I sob uncontrollably.
"Two minutes." Roy announces, making her wince. She places her hands on my cheeks, forcing me to look at her.
"Baby, I love you, and I understand that you have to do this... If I were in your position, I'd make the same decision, I just need you to do it... I need you to do it without thinking... I trust you..." She rambles, seeming to grow desperate. She runs her fingers through my hair, seeming to soak me in for a moment.
"I can't..." I howl, watching her shake her head.
"You can... you will..." She insists, as Roy clears his throat again. "Tim, if you don't do this, I can't forgive you... You have to do this. I understand, and I love you still... You cannot let them hurt Gracie." She continues to try convincing me, her hands growing shaky.
"One minute." He warns, making Gracie screech. Faith grabs onto the handgun in my hand and presses it against her chest, making me feel paralyzed. She places her trembling hands on my shoulders, while growing tense.
"Do it... Tim, please..." She cries out, making me become hysterical. She places her hand on my chest, feeling my pounding heart. "Baby, please!" She screams, while I feel terror fill every inch of me.
"I can't... I can't do it..." I spit out, while she shakes her head. She looks over at Gracie, before looking at me again.
"Tim, don't think about... just do it... I love you, and it's going to be okay... Everything is going to be okay, I just need you to pull the trigger, baby please..." She sobs, before placing her forehead against mine again. I'm trembling so hard, my teeth are chattering. I can't do this... I can't shoot her... "Baby, he's going to kill her, please..." She pleads, before resting her hand on mine over the handgun. She pulls the safety for me, making me scream. "Tell me you love me..." She lets out, as Roy stares at his watch.
"30 seconds." He warns, making her wince.
"Tell me you love me." She repeats frantically, her hands shaking violently now.
"I love you..." I whisper, before she shuts her eyes and squeezes my hand and shoulder with each of her hands.
"I love you too." She replies, wincing before speaking through her tears which are falling harder now. "Tim, do it..." She demands, while my finger seems to freeze over the trigger. "Tim!" She shrieks, her shaking making me feel hollow. "Tim, please baby... please...." She begs, before I shut my eyes and try to breathe.
"10 seconds." Roy releases with a slight laugh.
"Tim!" She screeches, before Gracie starts to sob. "Baby, please... Tim, just --" She pleads, as I squeeze the trigger. I feel the force of the shot ripple through her, before firing two more close behind. She grips onto my shoulder, before her knees give way. I catch her, slowly lowering her to the ground with me. I hold her tightly to me, hearing her gasp for air.
"Please.... no..." I sob, clinging to her for dear life. She feels completely limp, but I can still hear her struggling to breathe. "Please stay with me..." I beg, before hearing Roy clapping sadistically.
"Wow... you know, I never really thought you'd do it. Kudos to you." He remarks, while I release her a little to see her eyes. Her eyes are looking around frantically, rushing from point to point. I place my hand on her cheek, causing her eyes to settle on me. "I really thought that you were going to freeze and let the clock run out. I had a whole speech prepared and everything... Unfortunately you won't get to hear it... what a shame." He continues to run on, while I smooth back her hair.
"Just hold on, baby." I whisper, watching her grab onto my hand. I wince, noticing that it's covered in her blood. "I'm so sorry." I mouth, as she shakes her head.
"It's okay..." She mouths back, before I feel abruptly torn away from her. She turns her head to watch me, as Hugh drags me away, despite my effort to fight back. He throws me on the ground in front of Gracie, before raising his foot. I look up at him just in time to watch him stomp down on my hip once more. It shatters easier than before, making an audible crunch. I screech, as I grab onto the mud under me for some leverage. He stomps on my knee too, making me grow lightheaded.
"Now, I'm going to let Hugh finish things off here... just so you don't think you're getting off easy." Roy says while hovering over me. Hugh stomps on my ribs, making it grow damn near impossible to breathe, while Gracie watches helplessly. He then leans down beside me, jamming a needle in my arm. I try to pull it away, but he pins my entire arm down, and injects something in quickly.
"No... Please..." I cry out, watching Gracie stare in horror. I turn my head toward Faith, watching her eyelids grow heavier. "Baby, it's alright..." I say toward her, before Hugh punches me in the head. I shut my eyes for a moment, trying to stay conscious. I reopen them to see tears running from her eyes. "I love you..." I mouth, before Hugh decides to hit me time after time. He grabs my chin afterward, forcing me to look at him.
"You're about to have one hell of a trip..." He says, before punching me again. "You're getting off easy, you piece of shit." He snarls, standing up, before delivering a swift kick to my head. My ears ring, while my vision gets weary, making it hard to breathe as panic and horror flood me. I freeze, praying he'll just let me be. The sounds of Gracie's sobbing suddenly fade away, forcing me to open my eyes again.
I'm in the shack on Applegrove... Faith is running her fingers along the walls, before turning toward me, looking like she did when she was eighteen. She pushes her hair behind her ear before smiling at me.
"What are you lookin' at me for?" She laughs, biting her lip a bit. She staggers over toward me, reaching out a hand. I take it, causing her to pull up, thrusting me onto my feet. I feel the air leave me, as a significant amount of pain strikes. "It's okay... just breathe..." She reassures me, as I grunt, trying not to throw up from the searing pain. "I've got something to show you..." She says, helping me limp toward the door. She walks me outside, revealing my old house. I pull back, feeling fear start to strike. We watch from a distance, as Horace walks around his truck. A long scratch lies in the paint where I accidentally crashed my bike into the side, after running over the hose he left out of the driveway. He runs his fingers over the scratch, before turning toward a small kid standing behind him.
"Go inside." He orders, causing the kid to flee. He takes a deep breath, before marching in after him. I hear him scream even from a distance. Faith starts to urge me toward the door, making me resist.
"No..." I let out, while she continues to push me toward the door.
"You have to." She says, before somehow mustering the strength to force me through the door. When we walk inside, the front door doesn't open into the living room like I remember it did. Instead it takes us right into my old bedroom, where the little kid hides under the bed. Horace flings the door open, making the kid whimper from under the bed. Horace reaches under and grabs him by the ankle, dragging him out. He raises his hand to the kid, slapping him so hard it knocks the kid off his feet. He screams, placing both his hands over the large red handprint that is swelling up on his cheek. "You didn't deserve it." She whispers, looking up at me. The room morphs to our kitchen, where I'm snorting a line while she writhes on the ground, her underwear around her ankles. "Neither did I..." She releases, making a pit form in my chest. "It's always been you... You've always been the cause of my pain... and I just let you right back in again." She says, as I start to fall apart. "You control me... you manipulate me... you break me... time and time again." She taunts, while I shut my eyes.
When I open my eyes, I see no light... In fact, I don't see anything... except shadows. I watch one pin down my arm, while others stomp on me without warning, making me screech. Someone wraps their hands around my throat, slamming my head down on the ground repeatedly. They beat the hell out of me, but nothing they do kills me...
"Just kill me!" I scream desperately, unable to take it anymore. "Just kill me, please!" I screech, feeling them hit and stomp of every part of me.
All of that stops, as I reopen my eyes to find me lying on my master bedroom floor, a fuzzy screen on the tv like it's just finished playing a tape. My head throbs, as Faith hovers over me, screaming and crying. She doesn't know where to place her hands, so she just holds them over me, before letting out the most painful screams. I look down my arm to see a gun still in my hand. Michael runs in behind her, wrapping his arms tightly around her.
"Baby, it's okay." He reassures her, as she screeches. He holds her, grabbing onto her trembling hands. "It's going to be alright..." He whispers, before a small shadow stops in the doorway.
"Daddy?" I hear a six year old Audrey release, looking at me in horror. Michael stands quickly, picking her up and carrying her to another room. "Dad!" She howls, while Faith winces. She bends down and kisses my cheek, running her fingers through my hair before accidentally touching the wound. She pulls her hand back quickly, before noticing the dark blood on her fingers. It runs down to her palm, making her come apart.
"Stay with me... Please don't do this to me..." She screams, grabbing onto my shirt. After a few moments of sobbing, she begins to punch my chest repeatedly. "Fuck you! Fuck you...." She screeches violently, before hitting even harder. "I fucking hate you! You selfish fucking asshole, please don't do this to me!" She screeches, punching so hard it cracks a rib. Michael rushes back in the room, and pulls her off of me, as she fights against him. "I hate him..." She whimpers, as he rocks with her in his arms. "I hate him so much..." She sobs painfully, before the world seems to go black.