microwave popcorn

3

"stay still and shut up. they'll want discounted rates if you're covered in shit from everyone else." avanna felt around in the grass for the hose, still sitting in the same place as the day before. the sun had already gone down. her highest-paying "client" was going to be there in half an hour.

she didn't really have to yell at flower anymore. they didn't talk to her. they did as she said and let her kick them around if she ever needed to teach them a lesson. or, if she just wanted to hurt them for fun. but sometimes she missed their screams.

the water from the hose was cold. it drenched flower from head to toe and stung their fresh wounds. but they just stood there, shivering in the night air, waiting for her to finish and drag them back down the the basement.

the man was already waiting for them, leaning against the wall and holding up the chain that used to hold flower to the floor. "good to see you again," he said with a smirk. "you got them all nice and clean for me. how sweet."

avanna grinned at him, pushing flower onto the floor. "just how you like it." she held out her hand, he gave her the money, and she left him alone with flower.

he was a big guy and always left things a little bloody. he cleaned the blade of his pocketknife when he was done but left a new symbol or word carved into flower's skin every time he visited.

he started with the knife too. stripped off his clothes and stood over flower, then pinned them down and cut a nice little heart into their thigh. squeezed the skin to make the blood come out faster.

he finished in their mouth and they gagged, then got sick all over him. and it pissed him off.

"dumb fucking slut," he cursed, grabbing them by the hair and tilting their head back. "why the fuck did you do that? huh?"

they didn't give him an answer, just stared back into his eyes. he swore again and shoved them over, pushing their face into the ground. he could hear them gagging and he pulled them back up, kicked them in the stomach, and watched as they were sick on themself this time. "disgusting," he muttered, taking out his pocketknife.

he cut into their back this time, doing his best to make readable words. DUMB FUCKING SLUT. DISGUSTING BITCH. the whole time they barely made a sound other than trying not to get sick again.

he shoved their face into the floor with his foot, and when they gagged again he picked them up and slapped them across the face. they still didn't say anything. he swore under his breath and tossed them to the floor, then dressed himself and left. made sure to wipe his pocketknife off as usual.

avanna was pissed off she had to clean up after that. she tried to make flower do it but they got sick from just the smell, and she had to take care of it herself.

"looks like he left an accurate message this time," she remarked, looking at the words cut into their back. "i'd hate to ruin those words. guess i'll find a punishment for you tomorrow."

and she left them in the basement, hiding in the corner. she went out in the morning like always.
and just a few minutes after she left, kyo arrived to open the door. picking the lock was easy. finding the basement wasn't hard either. the place was empty as far as he could tell.

he texted miku the all clear, who communicated it to sock and rose. they told her they were at the house. kyo took off and they went inside.

miku was in her hotel room, curled up in bed with her stuffed cat. she'd been too nervous to eat any breakfast. staring at her phone, watching earnestly for updates from sock or rose. she didn't expect anything that fast but knowing it was happening without being there was terrifying.