Misery Loves Company

Most of that first day went by as a blur. I sat in the bathtub crying for so long time became non-existent. All I wanted was to see my Momma again, no matter how angry she was with me. I missed Aaron so much, his flirtatious gestures aside; I needed his arms around me, holding me, making me feel safe. And my baby sister, my darling little Amelia, was I ever going to see her again?

The misery I was trapped in was intruded by a bang at the door. I shifted uneasily, trying to peer out into the bedroom. Footsteps thudded on the wood.

"She's in here." A woman called. I sunk deeper into the bath, as if I could somehow become a part of the ceramic structure. The bathroom door squeaked open and a skinny, frail woman hobbled inside. She stared at me for a moment, her gentle blue eyes almost pitying. A few seconds later Father Brendon pushed past her, his cruel, malicious eyes narrowing in on my foetal position. He rolled his eyes.

"I thought I told you to relax?" He sighed, shaking his head as if I was a little child being chastised. I closed my eyes and looked away.

"Come on, get up." He ordered, his voice slightly harsher. "You need new clothes."

I looked down at the white dress. The white had become less clean with my capture but dirty or not, it was mine from home.

He cocked his head to the side and motioned for the woman to walk into the bedroom. He came towards me, his arms outstretched. I pushed away from him, and try to get out of the bathtub but he wrapped his large arms around my waist and dragged me along with him. Bursting into the bedroom, the weedy woman had an assortment of dresses lined up on the bed.

"Stop…struggling." Father Brendon grunted as I thrashed in his arms. He jerked me roughly and pulled me against him as the woman came closer. She went for the dress hem and pulled it up, over my head, leaving me standing there in my underwear, exposed and humiliated. Father Brendon let out a throaty chuckle.

"Which one?" She asked him, pointing to the dresses.

"The blue one with the frills." He decided. I kicked back at him, my feet clumsy. His fingers tightened on my skin. "Valerie," He whispered, his cold breath on my ear. "I said stop struggling."

I couldn't do it. Everything in my mind said to do what he was saying. But my body wanted out of this prison. I screamed, my elbows flying back, contacting with skin. The grasp on me loosened but didn't break.

I was spun around to face him. His eyes roamed my body, his teeth pulled over his lip in a ferocious snarl. A growl ripped through his chest. He raised his hand high and slapped me across my right cheek.

"Shut the fuck up!" He hissed at me. I whimpered as he pushed me down onto the floorboards. Looming over me, he rested his foot on my neck. "Nora," He growled at the woman. "Will you hurry up and just put her in the dress. She's not going to hit you."

The woman wobbled forward, her feet weak and unsteady. Father Brendon picked me off the ground and held me up, gentler this time.

I closed my eyes as I felt my underwear being unclasped and pulled down, replaced with a fresh pair. Tears trickled down my cheeks as softer fabric was pulled over me. I tilted my head towards the roof and let my fingers curls around the cross hanging from my neck.

Up there, somewhere, I prayed that He would give me the strength to get through this.

They left me lying on the ground, broken and alone. After forcing make-up on me and tidying up my hair, they deemed my appearance decent and left me in peace…or, at least something less torturous…this place could never have any peace.

I closed my eyes, the only sound the faint beating of my heart, thudding heavily inside me.

Hours passed, and I lost track of the time once again. Outside, the sun went away and was replaced by the moon and dark sky of glittering lights.

The door to the room – my room – creaked slightly, and I raised my head, tired, yet still alert.

Someone was standing in the doorway, but this person was not Father Brendon or Nora, or even the dreaded brother. This was a boy. Lanky built, blonde, and still as threatening as the rest. I stood up, my body already engaging into an attack stance.

He didn't say anything. He just kept staring at me with those soft, green eyes of his. These eyes were different from Father Brendon's, yet completely identical at the same time. Father Brendon's was cruel while this boy, this strange boy, looked almost as broken as I felt.

He stepped into room, barely making a sound. His sneakers squeaked against the wood as he walked towards me. I flinched and he froze. In his hands, he extended a tray.

"Eat," One simple word.

He placed the tray on the ground and turned away, leaving the door wide open. I stared after him, listening as his footsteps disappeared down a hallway. Looking back down at the food, I felt sick to my stomach. I shoved it away and began walking to the door.

I peeked around, staring at the long corridor. It was well lit, furnished with a distant red rug and paintings hanging decoratively on the peach walls. A brief chill ran down my spine.

It was my first step outside of this room, and it felt terrifying. As if I was crossing a boundary.

I slowly walked towards the staircase, spiralling down. Rooms adorned each side of the hallways, sets of doors hiding mysteries behind them. With a glance around me, I ran down the staircase to the front door.

I don't even know why I had hoped. Of course, it would never be that easy.

I slumped, looking at my surroundings. The house was like a little cottage almost. Coming off the entrance was a small, open kitchen with an adorning living room attached with a large archway. It was beautifully furnished, something I found strangely odd. Why would Father Brendon spend so much time on a house just to hold someone captive in?

In the kitchen, there was one other set of doors…perhaps leading to a basement. As I wandered into the room, I noticed it was locked with a huge padlock…and the smell…there was a disgusting rust smell flittering in and out of my senses.

I quickly walked away from it, my stomach turning over and making me feel faint. I made my way back up the staircase, my nails digging into the polished wood. Choosing the first door I laid my eyes on, I opened it gently and proceeded to gaze inside.

A hand slammed down on the door, closing it aggressively. I jumped back and stared up at the boy, his blue eyes blazing.

"Don't" he breathed. "Don't go in there."

I nodded, words not managing to surface. His shoulders slumped slightly, the hard expression on his face slowly softening. Then, as young as the boy looked, he rolled his eyes and rested on the door.

"I'm Noah." He said gently. "And I'm very sorry to meet you here."

I rested my eyes on the floor and he let out an irritated sigh. "It's Valerie, isn't it?" He murmured, running a hand through his hair. "Well Valerie, you're from White Chapel right?" He clicked his tongue. "Damn Bastard's taken you pretty far from home."

I shivered, pursing my lips at his language. "Where are we?" I finally mumbled.

"Oh you do talk," His lips twitched. "Well I can tell you where we aren't" He pinched the bridge of his nose. "Montgomery, Jackson, Bolivar County, Flora- that's where all the other girls came from. So if my geography is as half-decent as I think, I'd presume we're on the border between Mississippi and Alabama…and we could possibly be in Tennessee too.

That far from home? My heart sunk. "You said there were other girls?"

"Yeah," He coughed. "You're not his first little toy." His eyes darkened slightly. "I'm sorry; I don't mean to scare you. Just…do as he says. It will be better for you. I think he'll keep you around longer since you're "pure" or whatever. He's very interested in you."

"But what happened to the other girls?"

Noah caught my eye. "You shouldn't ask so many questions here. It'll get you into trouble." He pushed away from the door and sauntered down the narrow hallway, peeking into the bedroom on the way out. "Eat." He said again. "Trust me, starving yourself will only make it harder."

A cold chill ran up my spine, pricking at the hairs on my neck, making them stand on end. I slowly wandered back to the bedroom. The food still sat warm and untainted, and somehow, through everything, I knew I needed it. I closed my eyes and sat against the bed. Those other girls…was it too disillusioned to dream that he'd let them go home? Would he let me go home?

I looked towards the sky and the twinkling lights, wondering if my family were looking up at them too.

YEAH YEAH I KNOW - "why did it take such a long time to update?" SHHHHHHHHH I'VE BEEN BUSY OKAY.

Once again, this is a first draft so pretty damn rusty aye?

Anyway Fav, Review, Just simply read, Recommend me your story? OR JUST GO EAT WAFFLES. idc. LOL

Byeeeee babehs.