When the Clock Strikes Midnight

9:00 a.m

A/N: I'm so sorry that it took this long to get this chapter out. I have been insanely busy. But school is out now. And it's summer. So I should be getting out chapters much faster now. Thank you so much for reading. I really appreciate it

A tear slides down his cheek and he lets go of me to swipe it away. When he lets go I quickly twist out of his arms, wrapping my arms around myself. He locks eyes with me, sighing sadly. He brushes past me and I quickly head down the stairs to the basement. I close the basement door behind me and then turn on the light, walking down the stairs to meet up with the others. They have all been eating in silence, sitting close to each other. My heart aches for them, and suddenly I want nothing more than to be down here with them, even if it means that I am getting tortured. They look up when they hear me and set their plates down, moving so that there is a spot for me in their circle. Hailey can't control herself any longer and throws herself into my arms, starting to sob. That starts a chain reaction, and soon everybody is wrapped around me, crying. I start crying too, trying my best to comfort them. We all finally pull away from each other to catch our breath and I smile gently at all of them. Hailey sits right next to me, her head on my shoulder and our fingers intertwined. I turn my attention to Veronica, my eyes questioning.

"Now that Elizabeth isn't here, can you tell me how you are doing?" She nods, looking down again and grabbing Theo's hand.

"Well, he hasn't been hurting us quite as much since you left. He still has been, but it's like he has run out of things to use to torture us. So it hasn't been too bad. Most of us are used to it by now. My whole body still aches from when he raped me. I don't know how you survived that. Twice. And he has been using me to torture Theo, because that's the only way that he will do as he is told." I nod lightly, my eyes turning to Theo.

"And how are you doing? I don't know exactly what you have been through because I haven't been here." I can see his jaw clench and his hand tighten slightly in Veronica's.

"Well, he has just now started torturing me. It hasn't been too bad. He hasn't gone to the lengths that he has gone with you guys. Just some whipping and cutting. No shocking. But Veronica was telling the truth. He will usually hold a knife up to her neck to get me to go and lay down on the bed. And if I start fighting, he will start hurting her." A singular tear rolls down his face and he wipes it away angrily.

"But I've been ok. I've been worried sick about you though. We haven't had any idea what was going on with you, but we can hear your occasional screams." I look down, fighting to keep the tears from falling.

"Yeah, I have been screaming a little bit. But I will explain all of my stuff later. I just need to know about you guys. I have been worried sick about you all." I turn my attention to Amy, who is resting her head on Jack's shoulder. A tear rolls down her face as her eyes meet mine.

"I've been ok. He hasn't done much to me. Just the shocking when we first got here. And then the occasional whipping and shocking. But he hasn't cut me yet. I hope that he never does." I nod, smiling sympathetically.

"Yeah. I'm sorry that you have been going through some of this stuff. I promise it gets better over time." She nods and I turn to Jack, who is holding Amy's hand. I smile sadly, remembering when it was me and him against the world.

"What about you Jack? We haven't really talked that much lately." He smiles, his usual Jack smile back.

"He hasn't been doing too much to me lately. He has been focused more on the girls, not really us guys. He doesn't have to use anyone to get me onto the bed. Its just been the usual stuff. Whipping, cutting, shocking. He hasn't carved anything else into me though, which is good. I have also been worried sick about you. And that little girl that you had with you. I didn't even know that she was in the house." I nod, smiling at him.