Cheshire Girl

Ch. 47

By the time the car turned and slowed down to a stop, there were three things about which I was absolutely certain.

                First, I didn't have my cell phone, so that meant Wyatt must've taken it and left it at the lobby… with Ethan, probably.

                Second, my hands hurt from gripping the trunk lid closed.  They would probably be useless to put up a fight.

                And, third—I'd made peace with myself.

                I already found out what had happened to Charlotte Jones.  I found out why she did it.  I'd found what I needed to help Cathy and those other girls, and I'd even managed to free Cathy.  I did the best I could do.  I felt accomplished and, even though I was scared shitless, I felt… complete.

                The car turned off.  The door opened and slammed shut.

                I'm at peace with myself.  I made peace with myself!  I still couldn't stop my body from trembling like a leaf.  I was still scared I was going to die.  Was I going to die?

                "What the fuck?"  The trunk lid flew open, Wyatt's silhouette towering over me.  "What the fuck did you do?"  Even though he was an evil man, hearing the principal say cuss words was still weird.

                I found my own bravado.  "Guess."

                He grabbed my hair and pulled me out, though I moved so that he wasn't holding up my weight.  I fell out of the trunk and onto the ground.  It was really cold out and dark.  My trembling in fear slowly included trembling from the cold.

                "Fucking bitch," he growled, seeing as how I was the only occupant.

                I turned and sat up, watching him.  I worked my brain into max speed trying to decide what was I going to do.  Was I going to be compliant… let him do what he wanted in hopes (though I hoped not) that it would take long enough for someone to find me?  Or should I fight for a chance to escape?  How far could I get?  He had a car.  He was stronger.  What if he just killed me instead?  Despite making peace with myself, if I could avoid dying, I would.

                I glanced around, cursing the fact that he'd turned the car, so I couldn't tell from which direction we'd come.  The little house— more like a big shed—was behind me, nothing but complete darkness everywhere else.  If Wyatt got me in there, it was over.  We were out in the middle of nowhere and it was cold.  No one would have a reason to come out all the way here… except Wyatt.

                Before I knew it, Wyatt was standing over me.  He grabbed my throat again and stood me up, pushing me back against a wall of the shed.  "Maybe we should start right now, before I welcome you to your new home." 

                One of his hands started roaming my body and tears burst in my eyes.  In my flimsy dress and thin leggings I felt completely naked. 

                I started to struggle and he tightened his grip on my neck, a strangled cry coming out and make me freeze.

                He looked amused, never stopped touching me.  "Bella… are you a virgin?  You are, aren't you?"  He smiled.  "Tell you what.  You can be out for your first time, how's that?  I'll be nice.  I was nice to Cathy too, her first time."

                I blinked away tears as he looked down.  He was still dressed in his principal attire.  He reached into his jacket pocket, his hand on my neck a little loosened.