A Trail of Murders

Chapter VII

I couldn't move. It felt like my body was on fire with pain. I could feel every ache and stabbing spark that raced along my body. He had destroyed my temple, and quite obviously enjoyed it as he wouldn't stop until I passed out after hours of torture. He hadn't touched the man once. Obviously saving the best for last. Now, I could hear the man screaming for mercy as Myles brought down a world of pain on him. My head drifted to the side as I lay staring at the trees around me from my position on the floor. The ground felt so cool, the soil so comforting. I never want to leave it. My happiness dissipated as the sound of crunching leaves and twigs brought my attention to the man heading my way.

    Myles's fake soothing voice did nothing to ease my fear as he lifted my body and brought me back to the tree, dropping me at the base and leaving me there. He knew I couldn't leave. I was filled with shame and embarrassment. What would my parents think, the police officers? I should have been able to stop him from raping me, from even kidnapping me in the first place. Now my father would think that those self-defense classes were useless. I let my thoughts drag me away from the screams, taking me to another place. This place wasn't happy, but it sure as hell wasn't as bad as the place I am currently in.

    I dreamed of the bad moments in my life, the ones where I could have done something to prevent it.... like my parent's divorce, or my father's death. I had caused the divorce. They hadn't said it out loud, but it was obvious in the way they had treated me afterwards. And his death? Oh, well he was coming to pick me up at a party where I had gotten drunk. It was my fault that he was on the road when the tornado hit. I killed him. All of the horrible things I had done floated around in my dream, haunting me. I eventually awoke, unable to scream but wishing I could have. The pain was unbearable, but I knew letting Myles know would only thrill him more. I couldn't let him have that. He has already taken away so much from me.

    Struggling to pull myself up against the tree, I bit my lip as sharp pains attacked my weak body. Myles looked over his shoulder at me, winking when our eyes met. I hurriedly looked away, fear consuming my body. How could I have been so foolish as to think that he wouldn't attack me in that way? Just because he hadn't done it at the beginning didn't me he wouldn't do it eventually. I looked up when I heard another grunt of pain from the young man. He looked horrible, worse than the previous two victims that I had witnessed Myles torture. His blonde hair was matted with blood, clothes torn to the point beyond recognition, cuts disfiguring his face. His left arm was broken and nailed to the tree, same with his right leg. I can't comprehend how he's still conscious. I shivered as the damp leaves beneath me started to affect my skin. I burrowed my head in between my knees, trying to stay warm. Wet snot started to randomly drip from my nose, causing me to jerk and move my hands to keep me from spewing it everywhere.

    Myles noticed my movement and looked back at me, causing me to cringe under his gaze and cower away. He chuckled with amusement and walked towards me, leaves and branches cracking under his boots. One of his warm, calloused hands touched my arm, making me shoot up, forgetting about my lack of clothes. I put my hands out in front of me in a defensive manner, trembling with fear and anger under his amused gaze. He held up his hands mockingly and walked back to the hanging man, resuming his fun. I sank back to my knees, wrapping my arms around myself again. I watched through lidded eyes as Myles picked up his phone and tensed up.

    "Well shit!" He yelled, shoving his phone in his pocket and running towards me.

    I yelled out in protest as he lifted me up, only to get slapped in return. He threw me in the car and slammed the door shut. I immediately grabbed the handle, only to find the door had been childlocked. I squeezed my eyes shut and rocked back and forth, slowly freaking out for the tenth time today. I wish I had never gotten myself in this stupid situation. Looking out the window, I watched with horror as Myles slit the man's throat, nearly deep enough to decapitate him. He quickly rushed about, grabbing his supplies and weapons. He was spooked, but why? Myles threw everything into the trunk but left the man hanging as he was. He got in the car and hit the accelerator, sending me forward into the seats. I whimpered and lowered myself beneath the seats, holding my knees to my chest as I laid on my sides.