Tradition Comes Third

A Lesson

Author's Note: Thanks to everyone reading! Follow me on instagram @masonfitzzy I post more notes and stuff on there than wattpad.

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 I twisted my wrists as I tried to free them from the ropes. My skin burned, and I stopped moving. Ava had given up on trying to free herself too. She had stopped crying, but her eyes continued to dart around the basement.

The door was closed, but I could hear Mom and Dad upstairs talking. I could hear the sound of a drill, and what sounded like a hammer.

Mom always had a clock up above the television. I had looked over to see what time it was, but the clock was gone. I had no idea how long we were down here. My eyes were feeling heavy, and I could feel my head start to bob as I fought off sleep.

"Don't fall asleep," Ava told me. "He'll punish you if you do."

"Why did you run?" I asked. "Why did you run for the door earlier?"

"I always believed your Mom's book," she said. "I was fascinated about how two people in love could get caught up in something so sick. I thought your Dad wasn't like Tommy or Charles."

"What do you mean?"

"Your grandfather kidnapped your Mom. What they did to Carrie they did to her. They're going to do that to me."

"We're going to get out of here," I told her.

The door opened up, and the stairs began to creak. I looked over my shoulder to see Dad walking down the stairs with two men behind him. One was around Dad's age, and the other was only a few years older than me. Ava's eyes were locked on them as she watched them walk down towards us.

Mom had told me that Dad grew up on a farm, and it looked like they were displaying the farmer stereotype. They all had on a pair of faded jeans and a plaid shirt.

"Hunter, I would like you to meet your family," Dad told me. "This is Taylor and Jared. They're helping me teach you our family traditions."

Dad reached out and put his hand on Ava's head. She leaned as far away from him as she could. He grabbed one of her braids and pulled her head over toward him.

"This here is Ava," Dad said. "She is Hunter's girl."

"No, I'm not," she said.

Dad bend down beside her so that he was sitting on his heels. He continued to pet the back of her head. Ava squeezed her eyes shut, and she balled her hands into fists. Dad leaned in close to her so that his mouth was right by her ear.

"Ava, sweetheart, don't be rude," he said quietly into her ear. "Say hi to your family."

She shook her head. She was taking in quick and shallow breaths. Her pale skin was turning red. I could feel my heartbeat faster in my chest. I wish that I had read Mom's book. Ava had it practically memorized and that is why she's panicking.

"This can't be real," she muttered to herself.

"Leave her alone," I said.

"Hunter, we would never do anything to hurt you or Ava," Taylor said.

I looked up at him to see his arms crossed over his chest. He looked just like Dad, without the large scar.

"Emme and Leah are upstairs with Julie," Dad said. He stayed down by Ava's side. "Are you going to be a good girl and go upstairs to talk to them?"

"I want to go home," Ava said. The tears started to roll down her cheeks again.

"You are home," he said. "We are your family."

Dad untied Ava's legs from the chair. He untied her wrists, grabbed her arm and pulled her up onto her feet. Ava took a step forward before turning around and kicking Dad in the back of the knee. Dad yelped and grabbed his leg. Ava took off running for the staircase. Taylor lunged forward and grabbed her. Ava screamed as Taylor wrapped his arms around her and held her in front of him. She continued to scream and she clawed at his arms with her nails.

"Ava." Dad shook her head and walked toward her. "We are trying to be nice to you, but you're testing our patience. Taylor, teach her a lesson."

"No!" Ava screamed. "No, please don't!"

"Come on, sweetheart," Taylor said pushing her forward.

Ava cried and dug her heels in the ground to try and stop him. Taylor let out a deep breath and spun her around. He threw her over his shoulder. She pounded her fists into his back. He pulled her into the next room. There was no door, but he took a step to the side and I could no longer see them.

I hadn't realized I have been screaming. My voice came out hoarse, and my throat burned. The nausea hit me like a brick wall, and I could feel the bile creeping up into my mouth. Dad got down in front of me.

I couldn't see either Ava or Taylor, but I heard her screaming. I saw the end of a leather belt pass the doorframe before slicing through the air. There was a loud crack, and Ava let out an ear piercing scream. The rope burned in my skin as I fought against the restraints trying to get off the chair. Dad put his hand on my shoulders and pushed me back into the chair.

There was another crack and a scream.

"You have to stop this!" I told Dad.

"She has to learn," he said. "We never want to use violence, but sometimes that all that works."

Another crack and a scream echoed throughout the basement.

"Get the fuck away from her," I growled.

Pain exploded across my already sore nose.

"Don't swear, Hunter," Dad said.

Taylor walked out from the room sliding his belt through the loops of his jeans. Dad looked over his shoulder at him.

"I only gave her three," Taylor said. "It's her first time. I thought it would be more than enough."

"I'm going to go up and check up on Leah," Jared said.

"Go up," Dad said. "We'll be up in a few minutes."

Dad reached forward and untied my legs and wrists. I rubbed my sore flesh, and saw that it was swollen and red.

"Take care of Ava," Dad told me. "When you two are done. Come upstairs."

I stood up and pushed past Dad. My legs felt wobbly, but after a few stumbles I was able to run into the next room. I could hear Dad and Taylor thud up the stairs.

Ava was crumpled on the floor next to the freezer. Her shirt and bra were thrown across the floor. She had her arms crossed over her chest, and was curled up on her side. Three red lashes were crossed over her skin. Blood was trickling down her back. She was sobbing, and gasping for breath.

I got down on the floor next to her. She opened her eyes when she heard me. She crawled across the floor and grabbed my shirt with her hands. I looked to the side, not trying to stare at her half naked body as she moved closer to me. She pressed her face into my chest and continued to cry.

I didn't want to touch her sore back. I but one hand on the back of her head and the other on the back of her head.

"It's going to be okay," I told her. "We're going to get out of this."

"They're going to keep punishing us," she said. "We have to do what they say."

"What do you mean?"

"Carrie talked to the police. She said that your Mom said in order to not get punished you need to never swear and never say no."

"I'm not going to let them hurt you," I said. "I will say no."

"We will come up with a plan," she told me. "But we need to gain their trust. I don't want to get hurt again. Just do what they say."

"Okay," I said. "We'll come up with a plan."

I held onto Ava until she stopped crying.