Man in the Wall (Who is he?)

Chapter 18 - Pain and suffering

Frank gets down on one knee. The audibility of my pounding heart frightens me as the air around me instantaneously evacuates. It leaves me clasping onto the last bit of air left in my lungs. My trembling hands still cover my mouth as a mixture of warm tears and hot sweat glide down my face.

What a terrible morning to be alive.

I keep my eyes locked on Frank's body, not daring the presence of the snake to send me screaming, but my eyes forsake me and take a sneak peek towards the limbless serpent. If possible, I wrap my hands even tighter around my mouth to muffle any sound daring to push through. The creature slowly slithers his army green body closer towards himself. Or herself... you pick the gender Jess because right now that's the last thing to quarrel over.

Frank's palms hit the ground causing my eyes to dart directly towards him and I don't know whether or not to be thankful that he's distracting me from the slithery reptile. Not to mention that it's most likely poisonous.

As if choosing my fate, the snake leaps out into the air, directly towards Frank.

"What the-... Aaaahh! Get it off!" Frank's voice overflows with fear and panic as he tries to get up and run, except he trips over his own two feet. Instead of attempting to get up again, he scrambles backward trying to get away from the snake that is already latched onto his shoulder.

"It's a fucking snake!" Steven yells as he lunges backward.

"Get it off!" Frank's eyes widen with the realization that it could potentially be poisonous. Well, I'm guessing that's what he realized.

"It's a snake!" Steven doesn't move one inch closer to Frank.

"No shit Sherlock! Now get it off of me!"Frank continues to have a minnie battle with himself, throwing and shaking his body around trying to get the snake off.

"Fuck no!.. Get it off yourself. I'm not touching that thing." And just like that Steven turns around and walks away.

"What do you-... Where are you going!?" Frank yells. Fear still plastered on his face.

"To look for the girl you dumbshit," Steven yells in a 'duh' tone from a distance before continuing to walk.

The fact that I can currently see Frank's face while he struggles with the snake is what scares me even further. What if he looks my way? Or if he feels the presence of someone staring at him and starts looking around? I can't risk that.

Think Vivian... come on... think, I chant in my head.

Just then a random idea pops into my head and I decide to go with it as nothing else surfaces. I slowly remove my one hand from my mouth and up my head. As my hand travels up, I catch a glimps of my raw wrist and unwillingly remember the zip ties Steven used to restrain me before performing the punishment. The memory sends shivers down my spine. I grab at some of my brunette hair and allow them to fall over my face, camouflaging my light of complexion skin. I don't want or need Frank to see me. They cannot find me.

I use my fingers to carefully part my hair in a way that I can still see what's going on in front of me. Then place my arm down to the ground right next to my chest.

Frank somehow manages to get the snake to detach from his shoulder. The reptile now nowhere insight. Dammit. I wanted to thank it for being my knight in shining armor. Figuratively of course.

He starts looking around while rubbing his shoulder. Just get up and leave. Just get up and leave, I nervously chant. Frank lifts his behind and pulls out a cell phone from his back pocket. He types frantically before placing it against his ear.