Fettered

The Shock Collar

It all came out of nowhere. Persephone had been sitting on the edge of his bed, doing everything she could to avoid his eyes as he rested across from her and typed on his phone. Her chest hurt and a dry cough tingled at her throat, so she hacked it up inside of her elbow. Pain scorched her chest and esophagus; she shot up on quivering legs and steadied herself against the wall. She felt a warm, wet splatter on her skin after one big cough. With a racing heart, she looked.

It was black goop. Like Eveline's vomit. Her breath shook and her legs gave way, sending her tumbling into the wall.

"Now, Pers, calm down," said Lucas.

Calm down? She wanted to demand how she could possibly calm down, but she noticed something standing in the doorway. It stole her voice.

Eveline smiled maliciously, sending a ripple of fear through her. Those glaring eyes, that smirking face, the absolute chill that ran cold to her core caused her terror to spiral out of control until she screamed.

"Why are you so scared, Sis?" Eveline's words only caused her to panic more.
Lucas vaulted over his bed and ran over, throwing his arms around her. "Calm down, Pers, she's not really there! Ya gotta fight her—"

Her hands plowed into his chest, throwing him to the floor. Blind panic coursed inside her veins, and she dashed through the kitchen and toward the security door. She didn't bother with any of the mechanisms and threw herself into it, busting the locks clean off. She had to get out of there; she didn't care how, couldn't focus on a route or destination. All she did was run as fast as she could.

Her heart thundered and lungs seared. She didn't care that she'd broken out into the open backyard where anyone could find her. She would swim through the damn bayou if it got her away from this hell house.

At the entrance of the trail to the old house, Eveline's imposing figure awaited, giggling at her.

"Where are you going, big Sis?"

Persephone staggered away from the little girl, heavy legs pounding into the bog. She whipped around and rushed to the main house's back porch. She'd tear through to the front door and climb over the gate if she had to. She couldn't stay in this place a moment longer!

On the porch, Diane blocked her from going in the door, whimpering with tail between her legs. She apologized as she shoved Diane aside and darted into the house. The front door, however, had been barred off. Furniture barricaded the boarded-up door. Her shock was short lived. She worked on tearing down the furniture, flinging chairs and a desk behind her — fuck the racket, fuck this house!

Almost to the front door, her muscles tensed and froze when Jack's voice pierced her ears.

"Just who th' hell are you?"

Before she could face him, he grabbed her by the collar of her shirt and hoisted her off the ground.

"That's very rude, ya know, comin' into a man's house an' throwin' his furniture around."
"Mr. Baker, it's me! It's Persephone!"
She was lowered to her feet and he seemed to contemplate what she said. Then he grinned. "Persephone! Of course, of course! Lucas has told me that you been stayin' with us. Congratulations on becomin' a member of our family again!"
"Yes, th-thank you."
Jack released her shirt. "So great ta have ya back. Come on, let's go see yer mother! She's in th' kitchen makin' supper."

He wrapped his arm around her shoulders, tugging her in so hard that it knocked the breath out of her.

Soon, Persephone was trapped in the dining room, with Eveline holding her arm, Jack raving about Marguerite's 'delicious' food, and Marguerite preparing a small sample of the dinner. Marguerite brought in a bowl of it, showing the mixture of guts and moldy sauce to her and taking a savoring whiff.