Behind Closed Hearts

Chapter 13

James stepped back against the counter, clutching the knife hard in his hands as he heard the footsteps stop outside the door.

He unconsciously turned the blade upwards into his sleeve so that the blade was resting cooly against the inside of his arm. Breathing hard, he waited.

The doorknob jostled until finally it turned and Nathen's towering figure teetered out of the dark garage and into the bright sunlight from the window. James' breath caught as he observed the dark circles around Nathen's eyes and the way his hands clenched tightly over a bottle with clear liquid inside.

Nathen stopped dead, seeing him, with a calculating look on his face. "James..." Nathen slurred, taking a step toward him.

Startled, James pressed far against the counter, gripping the knife harder. "Please," James said lowly, closing his eyes and turning his face away.

"What's wrong with you today?"

He opened one eye and peeked at the man warily. Nathen was looking at him oddly before his gaze darted to the open kitchen closet. "Have you seen Lily today?" He said carefully.

"N-no."

Nathen grunted and turned away to slam the half-full bottle down on the kitchen island with a hard clunk. He then began to rummage through the fridge.

James took a good look at the bottle and his eyes widened when he realized it was a bottle of vodka. "Did you drive with that?" He said, unable to stop himself.

Nathen turned, holding a jar of jelly. "What was that?"

"Nothing," James said quickly, averting his eyes.

"No, you said something. Please, share with the class." Nathen voice was full of malice. It was enough to make James shiver in fear.

"No, I didn't mean-"

"What did you say, boy?" Nathen growled, shoving the fridge door closed. He advanced on James with a tight grip on the jar.

He whipped out the kitchen knife and pointed it threateningly at the man, shaking heavily. "Stay away from me!" James' voice shook.

Nathen halted, staring. "You would pull a knife on your guardian?"

"Just stay away," James said, feeling his resolve strengthen. "I won't let you hurt me or Lily ever again. Come near me and I will stab you."

"That little bitch," Nathen growled, rolling his eyes. "She told you?"

"She fell out of the closet," James snapped, shaking the knife at him.

Nathen grinned slowly and suddenly he was launching the jar at James before he could react.

The jelly jar connected with James' right temple with a sickening crunch, splattering the grape jelly across the kitchen and down his face mixed with shards of glass. James cried out, feeling the glass tearing at his skin on his forehead and he stumbled backward, hitting the counter harshly.

The impact caused him to stumble and he fell hard and fast with the knife still in his grip. A new pain was sharp and consuming as his knife came down on his left arm, slicing across his forearm.

James immediately dropped the knife and rolled away from it, falling into sobs. Blood swelled from his forehead and arm. He clutched at his tender flesh on his arm and cried, watching blood running between his fingers and onto the tiled floor. The cut wasn't deep but it was long.

"Look what you did!" Nathen roared, staring down at his weeping form. "You're getting blood everywhere! Get up!"

James continued to clutch at his arm. He's never been cut in such a sensitive spot; it was a complete shock. "Help me," James found himself whimpering as he stared at the blooming blood. Could he bleed out from a cut like this?

"For fuck's sake!" Nathen growled. He reached down, pulled James up by the shoulder, and kicked the knife away from James to the other side of the kitchen. "Next time don't be so fucking stupid!"

He couldn't reply because suddenly Nathen was dragging him away from the kitchen and out into the foyer. It was all of James' effort just to stay upright.

James stumbled under Nathen's grip as he was led into the living room and towards what looked like a closet. Immediately, he dug his heels into the carpet, trying to stop the drunken man.

"Please, please," he whimpered as they approached the door. Nathen yanked James hard and painfully.

"Fuck!" Nathen cried at one particularly hard kick to the shin from James. He swung the door open and shoved James inside unceremoniously and yanked the door shut again.

James was plunged into complete black and he backed away from the door as he heard something being shoved in front of the door. It sounded like the heavy bookshelf.

James took another step back and almost fell, suddenly teetering on an edge. He cried out, grabbing out the wall, and righted himself when he snatched a hold against a railing.

Then he realized; this led to the basement. Clutching onto the railing, James peered anxiously into the unending darkness behind him. It was eerily quiet besides a small creaking sound.

His arm was still aching as he turned away and he immediately searched the wall for a switch, for a light. There was nothing.

Then he turned to the doorknob. He could barely make it out through the thin slice of light coming from the cracks around the door. He jiggled the doorknob and rammed his body against the door, attempting to throw it open. It hit something heavy and solid. Trying again, James realized that it would not budge.

"Let me out!" He called out desperately, jiggling the doorknob again. "Please!"

"You're staying in there until you learn your lesson!" Nathen chuckled from the other side. "I'll try to remember to let you out in the morning!"

"Wait! PLEASE!" James called out, panicking at the thought of being in there all night. "I'll be good!" He cried through thick tears. Nathen's steps trailed away until they fully disappeared.

James pressed his forehead against the wooden door, crying softly, and clutched his bloody arm to his chest. It still pulsed with pain and he quickly jerked his head away from the door when he realized his forehead was leaking blood all over the door and across his nose. He turned slowly and slid down the door until he was sitting on the floor.

He sobbed, staring into the dark, hungry and in pain.

He hadn't even known they had a basement.