Help Me!

<Chapter 7>

Stella's POV:
The drive home was silent. No radio, no A/C, no windows open. On top of which it is raining. Like the world already knows what's going to happen. Like it already knows how much pain I'll be in. Nick, please help me!!! I don't want to go down to the basement. You know how torturous it is. You've seen how bad it is down there. Come help me, please! "Stella." My brother breaks me out of my thoughts of fear. "Hm?" I respond, afraid to say any words.

"GET OUT!!! Can't you tell that we're home! Get out of you shirt and skirt and meet me downstairs. You know where the entrance is and you know where to go." My brother said strictly.

"I don't see the need to take off my shirt and skirt." I said.

"SHIRT AND SKIRT OFF AND MEET ME DOWNSTAIRS!!" Blake screamed.

"Yes sir." I replied. I opened the car door, exited, closed the door, and walked into the house. I went upstairs and took off my shirt and skirt, leaving me in my bra and underwear. I walked back downstairs and walked to the rug in my parents' old bedroom and removed the rug in the corner of the room. There is the trapdoor and ladder which leads to the basement. I climbed down the ladder and stood in the middle of the room. In the middle of the chains that were attached to the floor and ceiling. The chains in which I will hang from as my brother interrogates me. The chains I will more likely die on. I stand there, waiting for my brother. Mentally preparing myself for the torture my body will receive. The hurt my heart will feel with his criticism and comparison I'll be hearing. All the things that have contributed to my bad habits and the way I act. "Stella. Get ready." My brother says as he climbs down the ladder.

"Yes sir." I said as I walk over to the exact drop dead middle of the room where the chains lay and hang. I raise my hands up as my brother walks over and latches the chain cuffs onto my wrists. I begin to hang a bit. I bite my lip. Then he bends down and latches the cuffs onto my ankles. Then he goes over to a corner of the basement to a cranky thing that I never knew the name of and begins to crank it. Now I am levitating between the ceiling of the basement and the floor. Blake walks over to a cupboard and pulls out a whip. "We'll start off with the whip." He states.

"You mean you'll start off with the whip." I remarked. CRACK!!! One lash hits my back.

"Don't sass me. It's your fault we're down here." He says, circling me.

"It isn't my fault." I state, biting my lip. CRACK!!! CRACK!!! Two lashes hits my front. I hold back the tears that are about to flow. Stay strong, Stella, stay strong. I feel a little tickle on my stomach. I know for a fact that it isn't a feather or my brother. It's blood from the lashings I got to the front. CRACK!!! CRACK!!! "Are you listening, Stella?.." Blake asks passively.

"Y-Yes." I replied, even though I wasn't.

"Then repeat what I said, then we can move on to the next part of your punishment. If you get it wrong, then I will do fifteen lashes each front and back." Blake says, making me answer or else the worst comes. I can't answer it though because I don't know what he said. I remain silent. "Ok then. Here I go." Blake says, winding his hand back. CRACK!!! CRACK!!! That went on twenty-eight more times. Blood now trickling down every part of my body. I'm on the brink of tears, but if I cry, then Blake will continue with the punishment that has caused the tears to shed. I can't cry at all if I don't want to continue any of the punishments. Nick, where are you? Why aren't you here yet? "Ok, Stella, you get a choice between cuts to the leg, cuts to the arm, or cuts to the back. Which is it?" Blake asks.