The Dreadful Story of Cassidy Harper *Discontinued*

Chapter 15

Snowflakes fell gently outside, and the cold breeze softly stirred the beautiful dust around a cool gray sky. Cassidy sat curled up on the freezing cement floor of the shed, shivering violently while wrapped up in thick, wool blankets. She wasn't sure how much more of this she could take before she completely turned to ice. Every night brought dark chills and gusty drafts that filtered through the shed walls.

"Achoo!" She sneezed as snot dripped unceremoniously down her chin. From within her cocoon she heard the muffled sound of the shed door opening.

"Hey." Owen gently tapped the blankets with his foot. "C'mon Cass get up." With a small sneeze Cassidy sat up and looked into the eyes of her captor and smiled and prayed today would be the day he took her back into the house.

"Here," Owen said as he reached out his hand to help her stand. Cassidy was perplexed, because he had never offered to help her stand. Normally he would just carry her. Owen sighed. "I haven't got all day, Cass." Nodding she grasped his hand and gasped as he tugged her upwards. Her bare feet hit the ice cold floor and her momentum carried her forward into his chest. She whimpered as her legs supported some of her weight and Cassidy felt very uncomfortable pressure.

"You can't expect me to always carry you, right?" Owen whispered into her ear. Blushing Cassidy nodded again, attempting to take on some more of her weight. Suddenly Owen stepped back, she lost her balance, and crashed to the ground again. Owen sighed.

"I guess it wasn't going to be that easy after all." Owen scooped her up once again and walked her inside of the thankfully warm house. Cassidy noted the christmas lights, garland, and holy strung around the kitchen and hallway. She even caught the faint glow of a christmas tree sitting in the living room. Owen took her into the door past the bathroom door. A made bed sat in one corner and an organized desk sat against another wall. Owen dropped her on the bed with a bounce, as Owen rummaged through the closet, emerging with a pile of clothes; a red sweater, jeans, and a winter coat.

"Put these on." Owen ordered as he left the room. Cassidy tried not to question where these clothes came from as she noticed the sweater was a size too big, but the jeans were made for someone with shorter legs. Owen entered the room again, while he threw a pair of socks and tennis shoes at her. Cassidy was still trying to slip the shirt over head, but was getting all tangled up.

"Hurry up, it's not that hard!" Owen said as he roughly tugged the sweater down and pulled her arms through the sleeves. Cassidy blushed as he knelt down and slipped on the socks and shoes onto her feet. The shoes pinched her feet, and they had trouble fitting over her misshapen ankle that had been broken.

Owen pulled out a wool cap from his pocket and tugged it over her messy hair. With both the hat and the coat Cassidy started sweating uncomfortably. Owen again pulled her to her feet without warning.

"Ack!" she cried as she clung to Owen's waist to prevent herself from falling.

"It can't be that bad. Just try this," Owen spoke as he handed her a worn cane with a carved wooden handle. Cassidy took it with shaky fingers as she tried to lean her weight onto it without toppling over. It took a few tried, but eventually she was able to stand and take a few shaky steps without Owen's help.

Owen glanced at his watch and sighed frustrated.

"Now we have to hurry to get there on time, fucking useless."

"Um, Owen where are we going?" Cassidy asked looking up at him nervously. Owen paused for a moment before answering.

"Out."

It seemed like an eternity since Cassidy had been inside of this car, she thought as she ran a finger along the bottom of the window. Owen had stuffed some gift bags in the back and took off without any explanation, so Cassidy had no idea what to expect. She supposed it could be a party. She knew from their time at college he had a friend group, but she doubted that he would take her to a party with people who would know who she was. Soon snow covered fields gave way to white buildings, and Cassidy felt a weird nostalgia watching them pass the exit off the highway that would have lead to her aunt's house.

Cassidy could picture those extravagant christmas parties she would always throw. Rich people would come, drink cider, and laugh at jokes that weren't funny, and Cassidy doubted anything would be different this year, even without her. She must have sighed out loud, because Owen broke the long silence.

"What are you thinking about?" Cassidy stared out at the car lights shining through the light, evening snow.

"I-I was just thinking about my aunt. She always held these big christmas parties and..." Cassidy tapered off as she saw Owen's hands clench tightly on the steering wheel. "Ah nevermind, it was nothing." Cassidy turned away from Owen and stared at the ground, praying that she hadn't made him too angry.

After another half-hour of tense silence Owen pulled up next to the curb of a dark street. Shabby apartments surrounded them, and laughter, screaming, and music could be heard leaking out of them.

"Get out." Owen said sternly. Heart suddenly racing, Cassidy slowly turned to look at him.

"W-what?" she whispered. Owen looked at her with an unreadable, steely gaze.

"Get out, right now."

"W-wait Owen-"

"Now!" Cassidy flinched as he yelled at her. Scared, her hands fumbled for the handle, and hastily she exited grabbing her cane right before Owen reached over and swung the door shut. Having fallen to the ground Cassidy didn't have a moment to speak before Owen had sped off down the street, leaving her...

Cassidy sat on the ground on the edge of the curb for several minutes, unable to process what had happened. She had been abandoned. Owen had left her... Where did he go? Was he coming back? Why did he leave?!

"Hey, you!" Cassidy started when an unfamiliar voice spoke to her from the shadows of a nearby building. Quickly, she used her sleeve to wipe away the tears that had made their way down her face. A young man holding a lit cigarette emerged into the light of an open ground floor window. "Whoa, what up with you girly?"

Refusing to make eye contact Cassidy grabbed her cane and attempted to pull herself up to a standing position. Shakily she started to stumble away.

"Geez you look like shit. What's up with your legs. Hey guys check this freaky chick out!" Cassidy barely contained a sob when more men walked towards her. "Was that guy in the car your boyfriend? What a jerk, dumping a girl on Christmas Eve."

Blushing from the cold and embarrassment Cassidy attempted to just keep going and ignore the men approaching her. She prayed that they would just get bored and leave her alone!

"Hey, hey no need to be in such a hurry! I'm sure my friends and I would love to keep you company. We won't leave you alone on Christmas Eve, right boys?" The main asshole laughed as he stepped in front of Cassidy. She attempted to step around him, but another man stuck his foot out and sent her crashing to the ground.

Cassidy squeezed her eyes shut and internally screamed for Owen to come back. She couldn't get away, and these men would hurt her. She just knew it!

"Aw you fell!" Another one of the men spoke, and they all erupted in laughter. "C'mon let's bring her inside!" As she felt arms grab her and pull her up, Cassidy started squirming. She wasn't going to just let this happen!

"No! Stop! Owen save me please! Owen!" Cassidy yelled into the cold night air as loud as she could muster.

"Whoa, no need for that, c'mon shut up!" The first guy slapped her, but she didn't stop screaming.

"We gotta get her to shut up or someone is gonna call the cops!" Suddenly a gloved hand was pressed over her face, and Cassidy struggled to shove it off. They started to push her into a nearby building, and Cassidy was losing hope.

Then she felt a jolt as a pair of hands released her and one of the man yelled out. The other men let go and she fell on the ground with a thud. Through tears she looked at the man who had attacked these jerks for her, her savior...