Joshua woke up four hours later, the back of his neck throbbing. He looked at his surroundings with grim reality and fear.
This is not good. Joshua thought. Please God, protect me and keep Mary and Nadia calm!
He saw the killer standing over him and he shuddered.
"Well, I can see you're awake," the killer told Joshua. "Let's get down to it. You can never leave this house while I'm out or sleeping, otherwise there will be serious consequences." He emphasized the last two words.
"Like what?" Joshua gulped.
"If you dare try to escape this house the first time, you'll get a beating. The second time you try to escape, the punishment will be severe." He licked his lips and stared at Joshua's gaunt body which made Joshua shake on the inside.
Joshua said nothing.
"The third time you try," the killer added threateningly, "You'll die like all of these victims I killed and your pathetic sister before you!"
He showed Joshua pictures of the victims he killed. They were all dead in the pictures from beatings and gashes. Joshua felt sick to his stomach but dared not show it to the killer.
"Any questions?" the killer asked.
"What's your name, then?" Joshua asked. "Are we still in Lakewood?"
"James McCoy," the killer answered. "And yes, you are on Belle Avenue. You ain't going anywhere now. No one can save you, boy."
"You're wrong," Joshua shot back. "There is someone who can save me by His grace and His wisdom, and He's not of this earth! He'll save you if possible!"
Joshua was slapped in the face. Hard.
"SHUT UP!" the killer roared. "There'll be no more of that shit! You belong to me, you understand?"
Joshua nodded in fear, yet he didn't show it. He gingerly rubbed his cheek.
"Now stay here," James McCoy said. "I'm goin' out. You can do whatever in here, read a book, eat or somethin'. Just don't get caught by me or you're done."
He slammed the door.
Andrea's spirit gasped when she saw Joshua on the killer's sofa praying for strength.
"Oh no," she said to one of her comrades.
"Is that the boy you were talking about, honey?" another spirit asked.
"Yes," Andrea said in dread. "He won't last two weeks here; he'll die!"
Joshua heard Andrea and looked around, perplexed. Shrugging, he went back to praying.
Meanwhile, James, Brianne, Mary and Nadia back on Lakeside Avenue in Lakewood worried that something bad happened to Joshua.
"It's been 4 hours! Joshua wouldn't be out this late!" James tensed. He looked like he was about to break something.
"You're right, it's not like Joshua! He would be home before dark!" Mary said, checking her watch and looking at the twilight sky.
Liam came in the door after training, Miranda and Maria behind him.
"Hey, Joshua's not home yet?" Liam asked.
"No," Brianne said.
"Hm, that's strange. He'd usually be home by now." Liam was surprised.
"Si, something's up," Miranda said.
Just as she said that, Jesse and Police officers Winter Woodward, Edward Howie and Laurie Bennett came in.
YOU ARE READING
JOSHUA BOOK 2: THE TIES THAT BIND
Non-FictionThis is a series near and dear to my heart. I created this story when I was in my late teens and early twenties. These are fictional characters living in a nonfictional world dealing with the issues we all face every day. I based this off of my own...
