Man in the Wall (Who is he?)

Chapter 12 - More pain. More bruises. Great

I need air! I can't breathe! I want to yell at him so badly. Sadly I'm restricted to only think my pleas.

It feels like decades, but Steven finally removes the washrag from my face. I immediately lunge my body forward, bending down till my head almost reaches my knees. I cough excessively, desperately trying to get the water to exit my lungs.

Ever had water accidentally go up your nose when you went swimming as a child? And it hurt so much you just kept smacking your hand against your forehead to get that feeling to go away? That is what this feels like. Just a million times worse.

Just as I finally catch a breath of decent air, my head gets crucially yanked back, causing my back to slam into the chair.

"No! Please don't! I-" and before I could finish my plea, my bare face gets attacked by the washrag. The water suffocates me once again. My lungs are aching. A blistering sting burns my nose and throat.

I fight in his grasp once again, shaking uncontrollably to get him to stop. But he doesn't. The zip ties seem to get tighter around my wrists each time I move. It's starts cutting into my bare flesh, but the pain is nothing compared to a near death repeated experience. He finally let's go of my head and again I lunge forward. I take this opportunity once again to get rid of any water I'm able to and to catch my breath.

This form of torture I wouldn't wish on my worst enemy. No, I lie. Kate. Yes. Nick, especially. Those two deserve to go through this. Why weren't they the ones kidnapped and placed in this miserable inferno instead of me? This purgatory should be their condemnation, not mine! I don't care how inhuman I sound wishing torture on my enemy and ex, they ruined everything. I'm so deep in thought while trying to catch my breath, I don't realize that Steven had placed the washrag and jug on the table.

What's the asshole up to now again!? I don't know Jess, but I have a feeling we'll find out soon. Steven turns to face me and slowly bends down towards me. My body automatically sinks back into the chair. He leans closer to my ear and whispers, "Never test the water with both feet. You might drown." Then he slowly moves away from me like the creep that he is.

"What?" I ask ever so faintly, half confused. "Lesson of the day hell cat. Don't fucking piss me off! I'm running out of places to hide the bodies." I immediately shut my mouth to prevent myself from saying anything that will fuel his anger.

A pain shoots through my wrists and I suddenly remember the zip ties cutting through my skin. "Peggy won't be happy to find new bruises on me. These zip ties are the perfect proof of what you're doing to me." And with my statement, he's behind the chair in a matter of seconds. I swear I saw a quick flash of panic on his face. He removes a knife from his hoodie pocket and quickly cut off the zip ties. As soon as I am released I bring my arms forward and start rubbing my wrists to relieve some of the pain.

"I'll simply blame it on you," he says as he gets up.

The nerve this guy has!

"It wasn't my fault," I try to yell but somehow my voice croaks. "I never said that it was your fault. I said I'm going to place the blame on you," he says in that damn nonchalant tone of his.

"How ar-" I begin, but of course Steven cuts me off. "One more word from you and we'll go for round three! Understood!?" And with those words hitting me harder than the bullets ever would, I grew inarticulate.

So this must have been what happened to that other blonde girl that they dragged out yesterday. Meaning these are the punishments Marcus was probably telling Peggy about. Jess always seems to find ways of filling in the blanks.