The Dead Among Us

Another warning

    Fabia's POV

    What the fuck happened? I just screamed at his big brother... is he going to punish me? I can't fucking breathe...

    I bolt up the stairs, every step is felt in my sore ribs. I'm almost to the last step when I hear someone behind me. I turn my head; it's Sabin; he's following me.

Shit...shit...shit...shit...shit

I rush to our room, his footsteps thumping the ground behind me. Why are they so loud?!

    As soon as I enter the room, I spin around and wait for him. He enters a second later, his face unreadable, and he slams the door behind him.

    I start backing up in fear, my hands up. 

"I'm so—" I don't finish because he throws his hand over his own mouth, his eyes wide.   

    ...What is happening?

    His eyelids gradually come together, and his head tilts downward slightly. There's a sense of something significant being held back; I can't quite discern what it is, though. Suddenly, it dawns on me. He's genuinely trying not to burst into laughter.

    "Sabin?"

    "Don't... don't..." he mumbles through his hand and shakes the other at me.

    With a deep breath, he removes his hand, revealing a cheeky grin, and it's adorable.

    "You can't," he starts and interrupts himself, biting his lip. His eyes seem to glow with amusement as they rise to the ceiling, trying to gather his composure. "As a slave," he tries again. "You cannot yell at my big brother. You're supposed to respect my entire family as if they were all your masters. With the exception of the kids, they are to listen to you when the time is appointed."

    "Please don't punish me! I'm so sorry!" I get out through a pained gasp. "I didn't mean to, I swear! He just... he... he got under my skin so fucking fast!"

    "Calm down," he hushes me. "Sit down; you can barely breathe."

    He's right; my ribs are torturing me again. I sit on the bed, and he grabs my medicine.

    After giving me some fresh pills, he explains, "I'm not gonna punish you. I'm letting this incident go. I didn't prepare you for him tonight. He can be a lot. But listen." He kneels down, placing his hands on my shoulder

    The way he said, 'Listen,' hits me hard. 

This is my warning... and I wonder if I can obey it down the road...  

    "This is your warning," he says like he just read my mind, his stern eyes piercing me. "Respect Jon, Papi...Manny...and unfortunately, Jason and Jessica... She's not a slave; she's a wife. It's different... I have to warn you as well. They can punish you in my absence."

    Fuck. My. Life.

    "Jason can spank me?!" I spit out in horror.

    "In my absence," he clarifies.

    "Jessica, too?!"

    "All of them can, Fa... but in—"

    "In your absence... got it..." I interrupt, grabbing my head and running my fingers through my loose hair. 

As I sit there, feeling his hand leaving my shoulder and resting on my thigh, a rush of emotions fills me. When his hand eventually leaves my leg, I look up to see him standing up.