The Orange Blossom's Lullaby

Chapter 6 - Numbers

Chapter 6

"What did you do this time?" Will asked the young girl, curled into a ball in the back corner of the closet.

"I-I forgot to clean my room." The girl looked up, quickly wiping her nose with her knuckles. The two locked eyes, and Will saw her bloodshot eyes and the fresh bruise on her cheek, a stark contrast from her scarily pale skin. He sighed.

Grabbing her small cheeks gently, he smiled bittersweetly. He placed a small kiss on her forehead and backed up.

"Tara, I'm gonna get you out of here. I promise."

I jolt awake with a screech, a pool of sweat beneath me. Slowly, I try to raise my hand to my head to smooth the raging headache. But my wrists are stopped. Something is holding them together. I writhe slightly before feeling cool metal on my wrists.

Handcuffs.

I sigh in frustration and try to move my legs to my chest, only to realize they are tied to the bed I was laid in last night. The room's darkness prevents me from seeing the extent of my bindings.

My body jolts as I hear a lock clicking, then a switch flipping.

That's why it's all dark.

I'm blindfolded.

A small sliver of light appears from the bottom of the blindfold. I shrink back slightly, not used to the light, but yelp in an unknown pain in my back.

"Have you learnt your lesson?" The man speaks from somewhere in front of me. I try to nod my head, but I whimper in pain. My hands instinctively itch to soothe the pain, but the tight cuffs restrict me. Cold hands engulf mine in what seems like a reassurance, but all it is to me is slithering and disgusting.

He tugs at the blindfold, bringing it down the hang limply around my neck. My eyes flash in pain, causing me to blink rapidly to alleviate it. Eventually, my vision is restored, and I notice the man sitting at the foot of the bed I'm tied to. In the same room I woke up in. Where Jimmy was killed.

I look away, ignoring the shooting pain that came from the action, trying to alleviate the wave of nausea washing over me.

"Go away... please."

A hand lands gently on the back of my head, causing me to sharply inhale.

"Answer me when I ask a question, angel." He grips down slightly, warning me.

"Yes. I've learned my lesson."

Don't make him angry.

Just be good and don't make him angry.

*****

After that night, I decided to never call him by his name. He doesn't deserve that level of respect. Even if it is the human thing to do, in my eyes, he isn't human. He is a monster. Every day I wait for him to arrive home from his new job that he wouldn't stop bragging about and eat dinner. No lunch. Then, he puts on a movie as he cleans up. He changes my bandages, then he leaves me in the bed. My wrists are now loosely cuffed, but he still keeps me bound to the bed. No more blindfold.

I later figured out the extent of my wounds. He whipped my back until it bled. He beat me. My body was covered in bruises. For someone who claims to love me, he sure did love to beat me. But at least it wasn't anything other than a beating. Nothing... inappropriate. I still thank the Lord for that.

I've started to pray again as well. Every night as I'm falling asleep I ask to make it through the next day and to send help. Father always used to say that because people prayed every day, God's phone lines were packed and that he'd listen to your voicemails when he could. That's why prayers aren't always answered.

I'm really hoping he has enough time to listen to my voicemails.

I've already called him 21 times.

*****

I know it's a short update, but I don't really want this chapter to be too long. Besides, we got a few very interesting chapters coming up soon. 

Please remember to like, comment, and save this story! Your interaction not only lets more people know about this story, but it also makes me feel more fulfilled and feeds into my own selfish delusions. 

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