BETHANY

7

Inside the Playroom

Max gritted his teeth. He was going to kill him. No, death was too kind a fate for him. He would be tortured. Tortured every day of his life. His cries would fill prison, until he would drive all the other prisoners out of their minds.

"Look at him Angel," Flint whispered. "He's suffering... I should kill him, put an end to his pain..."

"No," she sobbed, "no, please, no..."

He pointed his gun towards Terrin and murmured, "but you are heartless, my dear. I shall do it for him."

Beth's little body shook in horror and her eyes finally opened, wide and filled with fear. Max felt his heart beating painfully in his chest as she started to cry. "No!" She screamed. "No! No!" Her face was scrunched up in dread and pain and her hands went to Flint's to try to wriggle free of the fingers around her neck.

At first Flint laughed at her. He laughed so heartily and smugly, that Max knew that this was his moment of opportunity. The moment he could tear her from his grasp.

He took a step forward.

But then, suddenly, something happened.

The chandelier above their heads began to creak. A sinister creaking that made them look up. It creaked louder and louder, swinging loosely. Max grabbed ahold of Terrin, dragging him backwards away as Flint squeezed Beth's throat more forcefully, a hint of fear able to be seen in his eyes.

Then a menacing creaking came from a dangerously close place. Max looked, with his heart in his throat, as Flint raised his fearful eyes to the ceiling. Flint's mouth opened wide and he just had the time to jump back and shove Beth away from him as the chandelier fell to the floor and shattered right where they had been standing.

Max threw himself towards his daughter.

And then time stopped.