Secrets Unknown

Chapter 12

I wake up to screaming. I quickly put on a jacket and then I run downstairs to find my mom and dad holding knives and pointing them at me. I stop dead in my tracks.

"What's going on?" I ask, terrified.

"You have brought this to yourself. You should've never called for help back at the house." Mom says.

"Why are you out of prison? You guys should be there right now. Not here."

"It's called escaping, you brat! Now.. Will you let us do what we want with you or suffer the consequences?" Dad asks.

"What are the consequences? You killing me?" I'm really fed up at this point. How dare they just walk here and threaten to have me let them do whatever they want to me, or to have me suffer consequences.

"Well... Look for yourself." Mom says.

They start walking to another room. I am curious, I admit that..but I'm not dumb enough to follow them.

"Come on. What are you waiting for?" Mom asks.

"I'm not following you into some small room just so you could do whatever you want to me." I snap at her.

"We're showing you your consequences. I believe these are some of the people you love." Dad states.

It feels like my heart dropped to the ground. I walk around the corner and sure enough, I see Sawyer, Miles, Mr & Mrs. Smith, Mason, Niall, and Wesley. They all have gags tied around their mouths. All of their facial expressions scream that they're scared..except Wesley's..his is filled with pain, sadness, and anger. I start tearing up as I meet his eyes. I look back to our parents.

"Let them go."

"No. We'll only let them go AFTER we do what we want to you." Dad says.

"Well..." I start to say, but the boys started squirming and yelling in their gags. I look over at them and meet Sawyer's eyes. The guy I love. He has tears and he's shaking his head "no".

"What's it going to be?" asks mom.

I look over at her, Wesley, and then Sawyer, I sigh. "I'm not letting you hurt me and I'm not letting you hurt them."

"Bad decision." Mom says.

I open my mouth to ask why, but dad pulls out a knife and cuts me in the side. I scream out in pain, "AHHHHH!"

The boys and Mrs. Smith all start screaming in their gags and squirming to break free. I look up in time to see my dad going up to Wesley. Wesley's face is all red out of anger and he's crying. Dad slits a knife to his side.

"AHHHHHHHH" Wesley screams out in pain.

"NOOO!!!!!!!!!!" I scream and start crawling towards Wesley.

My mom pulls me back by holding my arms. I scream as I watch the scene play out in front of me. My dad goes to everyone else, and slits them in the sides one by one.. I scream as I see Sawyer staring at me as blood pours out of his mouth.

"Riley... Riley...Riley..." I hear a voice calling out my name but I'm screaming too much to listen. "Riley.. RILEY!"

"RILEY!!" A voice yells.

I shoot straight up breathing hard and sweating. I feel my cheeks and feel tears streaming down them. I look up to see Sawyer. He looks really concerned. I look around me to see that it's dark. I look back at Sawyer and ask, "Where am I?"

"We're at a hotel. You're in a hotel bed. You were having a nightmare."

I pull him into a hug. He hesitates at first but wraps his arms around me. I snuggle into his neck and sob. He rubs my back in a comforting way.

Sawyer's Side of Things:

She pulls me into a hug. I hesitate at first but then lean into her embrace. She snuggles into my neck and sobs.. I rub her back, trying to comfort her. I really hate her parents for doing this to her.

I quietly whisper into her ear, "Shhh..you're going to be okay. It was just a dream."

She shakes her head and leans back to look at me. Her eyes are filled with so much emotion. Anger, sadness, you can also tell that she is scared. I want to take all of that pain away.

"You died. Right in front of me." she says to me with a shaky voice.

"What?" I ask while wiping her eyes.

"My dad cut you in the side of the stomach and you stared at me as you were dying with blood coming out of your mouth. It was the same way with your brothers, mom and dad, and Wesley. I could do nothing about it because I was cut in the side too and my mom was holding me back. All I could do was scream."

So that's why she was crying. I'm seeing red now. That man and woman are hurting her even when they aren't around.

"They can't hurt me..but most importantly, they can't hurt you now, I promise."

"Promise?"

"Oh yeah."

She smiles at me and wraps her arms around my neck and hugs me. I hug her back.

"I'm so sorry for what they are doing to you."

She pulls back and shakes her head, "Don't be. This is my battle not yours."

"Yeah, but..."

"But nothing. This has been my battle for the last 9 or so years. I pulled you guys into this and I wish I never have."

"We don't care that you've brought us into this. We're glad we met you."

She nods and places her hands on both sides of my face and smiles slightly, "I'm glad that I met you guys too. I really am. But, I'm upset that I've met you guys also. You guys mean the world to me now... I couldn't ask for a better family..and I..."

I look at her. She wants to say something, I can tell..but something is holding her back.

"What?"

"Never mind. Just go back to your room."

"I am in my room."

She looks at me with wide eyes, "What!?"

I laugh at her confusion, "Yeah. That bed over there?"

I point to the other queen-sized bed. She nods. "Oh."

"Yep. That's mine."

I stand up, walk over to my bed, and lay down. She wipes her face and then lays back down. I sigh and stare at the ceiling. If only she knew how much I loved her and how much I would protect her.