Caught In The Crossfire//A 10k Story

Chapter 5

My eyes fluttered open. I didn't know where I was. I groaned as I tried to rub my eyes, but I couldn't. My heart started pounding, I was tied to a chair.

"Hello sunshine," A man with black hair and a black beard smiled at me. He was wearing fresh clothes and he looked like he had recently washed. I was sat at a long table surrounded by various people. There were a few girls too but they looked like post-apocalyptic hookers. They were dressed in skimpy clothing with thickly painted lipstick.

Then I notice the two men who took me. "You bastards, " I growl through gritted teeth. I spat at them and the boss man tells them to wait outside.

A lady was sat at the table, staring at nothing with a blank expression. She looked like the only normal person although she looked brain-dead. "My name is Tobias Campbell, and this is my wife," He gestured at the woman. "What is your name?" He smiled at me. I glared at him. Does this asshole really think I'm going to talk to him after he kidnapped me and tied me to a chair?

"Please, tell me your name." He smiled innocently showing off his teeth. I sighed, if I wanted to escape I would need to be untied and that would mean getting them to trust me. "Jaime," I mumbled. He throws his hands up in the air. "Ahhh Jaime welcome to our family." He exclaimed as he untied me, throwing the ropes to the side. I rubbed my wrists and straightened out my hoodie. "I am not apart of your family." I gritted my teeth and glared at him. He tutted at me while wagging his finger. "Now you have upset mother, you will join us or we will find other purposes for you, and that wont be a friendly option," He said calmly with raised eyebrows.

He pushed a plate of meat towards me and nodded at it. There was no way that I was eating this food, god knows what it is or where it came from. I shook my head and he just left it there on the table. "You'll be hungry soon my dear," He smiled as he clapped his hands and two girls came in. "Find your sister some new clothes,".

20 minutes later and I stepped out of the rickety caravan . They dressed me very short black ripped jean shorts and a light pink bra with a pair of knee high heels. "Wheres my top?" I ask sharply with my arms crossed over my chest. They laughed and apologised, throwing a fishnet tank top at me. "Cause this is better," I mumbled to myself.

I had sharp cat eyeliner on with mascara and a nude lip. My hair was in loose curls, and I really looked like a hooker. I have never seen myself like this, it was concerning and I felt disgusted. They put my original clothes in a bag and left in a trailer that they had given to me. As soon as they left, I wiped the lipstick off on the back of my hand.

I walked around outside a little and looked around. The place was trashy, rubbish was strewn about the place and one side of the compound was full of trailer homes and caravans. On the small hill on one edge, two holes had been carved out. One had the table in it where the 'family' was sat currently eating.

The other was covered by a tarp. They had meat but so far I hadn't seen any livestock, that confused me. The whole compound was fenced in and there was a gate at the front with two guards. I crept over to the tarp and pushed it back slightly. There was a light somewhere giving off a soft glow of red light, but it was still dark. I pulled back the second tarp and saw something covered on a metal table. A feeling of unease settled in my stomach. Saws and hatchets hung from the wall and blood stained the floor. My gut feeling told me to turn around and leave but I didn't listen. Maybe this is where they killed the livestock and it was sliced of cow under the sheet and other various meats behind the next tarp. If so I should take some back to the others.

I hadn't thought about the others since I got here. Were they still in Philly? Would they just leave me? I hope not but then again, they had only known me a few days. If they were still there I'm sure they would appreciate some fresh beef or pork, maybe even lamb. My stomach growled at the thought of food. I grabbed a knife so I could cut some off and take it with me. I gripped the sheet in one hand and pulled it back. My eyes locked with another pair of eyes. I dropped the knife and covered my mouth to stop the scream. I wasn't looking into pig, cow or sheep eyes... they were human eyes!

There was a human led on the table, his mouth was sewn shut and he was dripping with sweat. I step back.

The man started to wiggle and tried to scream. The sheet fell off completely, he was missing half a leg! I screamed loudly and turned to run. I tripped over a string and the last tarp falls down. I quickly pushed my hair out of my face and I looked up. Right in front of me, four people were strung up on meat hooks, mouths sewn shut and missing body parts. I screamed loudly again as a pair of hands grabbed my shoulders, pulling me out of the tarp room. He threw me into a trailer home and locked the door behind him. I spent the night trying to find a way to pop the windows off to escape before I finally drift to sleep.

One of Tobias's men pulled out a chair at the dinner table for me to sit. Tears were rolling down my face as I sat there silently. "Now I know you probably have a lot of questions," Tobias started to talk as he set down a silver tray with a human leg on it. He started to saw a piece off for everyone. I whimpered as more tears rolled down my already wet cheeks.

"We were doing fine without the cannibalism and murder until black summer hit. It hit us pretty hard, even made poor mother here stop talking. Now, I know this looks bad but I was just doing what it took for my family to survive. We let people come in for a hour with our women and then we capture them. But, you see, we can't kill them because that infects the meat. And we can't infect our food. So, we sew them up and keep them in storage. It's a great lifestyle once you get into the routine." He finished, placing a slice in front of me. I felt bile rise in my throat, the acid burning the back of my throat.

He reached out a hand to place on my face, I instantly jerked away from him and scowled. "You're fucking insane!" I screamed at him. He simply smiled and shook his head. "You'll come around sweet child," His voice was quiet and with that, he started handing out parts of the leg.

The next day Tobias 'trained' me for my new job. Luring in the 'food'. He used a taser on me until I got it right. My body ached from the electric shocks, I was left with puncture wounds all down my arm. He raised it again, turning it on, but before he could zap me some guy shouts from outside, "Fresh meat,". I breathed out and tired to stop my shaking.

I heard a vehicle pull up. Tobias smiled at me and dragged me up right. "This one is yours princess, remember you training or else!" He threatened me.

I sat there with barley anything covering my bruised body, waiting. I heard men talking outside, getting closer and closer to my trailer. I squeezed my eyes shut, trying to stop the tears. My door opened and I kept my eyes closed.

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