1972

Chapter Nine

"Where are we going?" I question as Rex yells at me to start moving.

We walk side to side as he dictated for me to do when we were inside the cabin. So far we were moving up the trail that we were walking early this afternoon. Night had fallen but it felt like days had passed. My stomach began to cramp up and I almost curled into myself. This seemed to have gotten Rex's attention.

"Did I say for you to slow down?" He hisses putting the words for and you together.

"I don't feel well." I say matching my pace back with his.

"That Jack fucked you good girly," He laughs. "We ain't ever enjoyed no foxy ass like that."

Flashes of each of them going inside and violating me sped through my head. My heart raced and I had to keep forcing myself to keep going.

"Irwin told us all about you and shit, we all thought he was crazy, smokin' up to many doobies." He looks at me and continues. "Then Irwin gets this bright idea to prove it to us."

"How did he decided to prove it to you?" I say not hiding my disgust.

"Quite bitch." Rex snarls. "Anyway he came back with a photograph he had taken of you."

That Must have been when I felt watched.

"He left out the fact you had friends but that's what makes this fun." Both of us turn left and I see Tom and Malinda's cabin. "Most of you honeys are fillet lil' whores, but that old bitch back there is packed with money and your going to help us find it."

"Like I'd know where it is," I spat out. "You should have used her not me."

"No because she knows where her things are and she won't give us all of it, but if we take you whatever you find is whatever she has."

I understood his reasoning but I wanted this to be over. When we get inside Rex questions me about the main house. We go through each room with a paper bag until it was nice and heavy. I had to end up putting some of Tom's things in there as well but none of it as expensive as the rest. I knew when we got back Malinda would probably die, if there was one thing she cared about more than herself it was these jewels.

On the dresser next to Malinda's hairbrush, I see a brass key with the abbreviation: H.K, scrawled on it. Rex had turned around to pick through Malinda's jewelry box and I quickly slipped it into my shorts. When he turned around I pretend to still look for things and he called it quits. I tried to figure out ways to get the pistol out of his had.

Rex may have been stronger than me-hell even faster, but I was smarter or at least tried to be. The way he clutched that gun was like a child holding a teddy bear. Rex's hands were steady and then the idea came into my head. I don't think twice when I fold into myself and cry out in pain. This in fact I didn't half to fake but I forced my body to believe I was pretending.

"Was wrong?" He says improperly.

"May I go to the bathroom?" I ask and he contemplates it. "Please?"

"Fine." He says and I keep my fingers crossed. "Make it quick."

I close the door behind me and don't look into the mirror. If I did I knew I would hate the person reflecting back. Malinda used narcotics for everything and I hoped by some chanced there'd be something for sleep. Rex was pacing around the room still but I hurried anyway. Flushing the toilet I searched even harder pushing bottles of empty or half filled pills around. None of them were for sleep.

Finally there was one bottle filled with Vesparax, and I took out at least a handful. Crunching them into my pocket I ran the faucet and quietly put them back. Opening the door Rex rolled up the paper bag and waved at me to go out in the hallway. I did as I was instructed. Everything was more than what it was when your doing something you shouldn't, especially when three lives beside your own, depended on it.

When we get back inside my face almost went into a horrid smile. Malinda was on her knees with a belt wrapped around her neck like a dog leash. Tears rolled down her face and the boys began to laugh even harder at her pain. If I knew this would happen I would have snuck a few pain relievers for her knees. Rex rolled in a fit of laughter and threw the paper bag on the wooden table.

One of Malinda's diamonds cut a hole through the paper and she saw it. Trying to scramble to her feet and grab them, Irwin yanked her back. The belt snagged on her neck and she fell back on her calfs . A nasty sound escaped from her parted lips and I could see the mark the belt was leaving which turned her skin completely raw. This became unbearable to watch.

"My jewels." He wailed. "You said you wouldn't hurt me!"

"No bitch," Jack says. "We said we weren't going to fuck you, however we didn't mention we were going to take you for all you got."

The boys snickered at each other and I wanted to yell for them to stop. Malinda may be a lot of things, but it doesn't mean she deserves a belt around her neck.

"I need a beer bitch!" Skitter addresses me."Grab us all one."

My heart leaped out of my chest. The Vesparax was tucked safely into my pocket and so was the key. I open up the beers and made sure everyone was occupied in the other room. Slowly taking the pills out I crushed at least four in each can. Dusting the tops off I made sure the pills dissolved into the brownish looking sludge. When I served it to them I made sure not to look, but when they threw there empty cans to the ground it was all a matter of waiting.