A Web of Spider Bites

Chapter 14

Ben went for a wash after hurting Bell. He thought he'd be proud for doing something right, doing something the voice was after but now he doesn't feel anything. He's unsure. Why did he actually do it? Did he create the voice in his head? It must have been something he wanted to do otherwise the voice would never have been there in the first place.

Ben takes a minute to look at him in the mirror. His brown curly hair is falling elegantly by his face reaching just above his skinny shoulders. He moves down to look at his eyes. They're still the same as ever, nothing has changed but the ever growing purple bags that are under his shiny hurtful eyes make it harder for him to look like nothing has changed. Of course he is sleeping less, of course he is restless; he stole a girl and still doesn't know why. How can he sleep knowing all he has done without seeing a way out of the mess? Next he looks at his dry lips which were once perfectly soft and kissable, enough to make any female drop at her feet. There's two shiny pieces of metal that sparkly in any light given to them, it's as though they want all the attention that is aimed at Ben: good or bad. He brings his fingers up to his piercings and touches them for a moment, remembering what it felt like have his lips against Bells spider bites and her facile friends against his lips- he liked it. He could have it again. Was that the reason he took her? Because he liked that Bell has something in common with him. This never happened to Ben, he never has anything in common with anyone so did he take advantage of that moment? Seize the moment whilst he had it?

Questioning isn't good for yourself sometimes and this is one of those times, Ben knows this. Without changing his appearance at all his grabs his coat and walks out the door. He makes his way into town. Funny, he thinks, to everyone here I look fairly normal. Little do people know I have a girl locked away.

Ben goes into a corner shop to buy some simple supplies. Just milk, bread, that kind of thing- nothing out of the ordinary. Everything was how it used to be before he stole away Bell from her life and changed his own. Everything, but one thing. Ben doesn't normally care about things in the newspaper, it never affects him anyway so why should he care? Until now, until this title, until this story, until this day, until this new life, until he read this heading.

Dropping everything to floor he runs out of the store with the newspaper, with the money he should have used to pay for the paper. What was a 20 minute walk has turned into a 10 minute dash. He has to get back to Bell, now, right now.

*********

Bell's sat crying over everything that has just happened. The pain, the tears, the screams and the holding onto his head. What was that about? Out of all the forgotten things to hold onto she chooses the hair and head of the one person she never wants to see again. She could have gripped the chain, that would have been more dignifying and probably course a little less damage to her shoulder. However, just like her tears, the bleeding has calmed down and now it has almost stopped.

How did life turn so bad? How did she learn to hate her body so much? How do you get better? Will she even get out of here to make things better? It's been 3 days since she went missing, meaning it's Wednesday, meaning there is only 4 days until the hunt. But the hunt isn't coming near this place so there is no point in trying to scream because obviously no one will hear her and she will just get in more trouble. She doesn't have a family to go back to, though. She doesn't have anyone. Well her Mum is there, but she doesn't care. Not since her Dad walked out on them both.

Snapping Bell out of her thoughts is the feeling of eyes burning holes into Bells shattered body. Terrified, Bell looks up. She gasps. This was probably the last person she'd expect to see stood on the screaming stairs.

Bells breathes out, shocked "Mum?"