The Attic

Chapter 21: Compliance

A/N: Early update. Nothing to do with the story itself, but a twitter mutual of mine has been working super hard on their story, and it is amazing! Please go check her out! Their @ is @loversrevenge69 so please send them some love 💕 They're the reason I'm updating early for y'all. Her story isn't the same sort of story as this one, but is LGBTQ+ and super relatable and cute. I better see y'all over there!!

After the next two meals, Thomas made me wash all the dishes, never to his liking. Each time was like the first, only the length of time he made me hold the quarter against the wall increased.

If anything, it got through my head not to talk back to him. I'd learned my lesson the first time. As long as I keep my mouth shut and do as he says, I won't get hurt like that again.

That night, he allowed me to sleep on Jenna's bed instead of making me sleep on the concrete, but that doesn't mean I slept any better.

I woke up that morning in a cold sweat after a nightmare. As I laid there waiting for morning to come, I wanted desperately to be back home again.

The breakfast dishes the next morning were deemed unclean again, so he pulled me back to the wall, telling me my time had reached an hour.

That was nearly an hour ago. I can hear the TV behind me, and it's the only way I can tell time. Roughly two episodes of a show I've never heard before have passed, and my muscles are aching desperately to be released from this position.

Jenna enters the room, humming slightly. Once she's close enough she stops humming, though I can still sense her behind me.

"Can Raiden come upstairs with me?"

Thomas tightens his grip on my hair, but I stay still. "He's not finished with his punishment."

"When he's done, can he?"

My hair is released as Jenna takes a seat next to him on the couch. "Hey, Boy. Answer me. You're gay, right? Like, only attracted to men?"

I clear my throat, unused for the past 24 hours. "Yes."

"Good." He places his hand under my chin with a command to lean back. The quarter drops into his hand and he sets it back into his pocket. "Follow Jenna upstairs and do whatever she says. Treat her right or I won't be responsible if I have to send you back in more than one piece. Understand?"

"Yes," I promise, shaking my head in reassurance.

"You have my permission to look at her and to talk to her. You can both go."

Jenna leans over and kisses him with a quick thanks before grabbing one of my arms and pulling me along with her. She guides me up the stairs and into one of the bedrooms.

When she lets go, I take the chance to walk around and look over everything. "Whose room is this?"

"Thomas's and mine."

"You don't stay in that place behind the fake pantry wall?"

"Oh, no," she laughs. "Not anymore. I did when I first came here, but I've been staying with Thomas for a while."

"He trusts you?" At the edge of the bed, I sit on the smoothed out comforter, watching as Jenna looks over herself on the mirror above the dresser.

We make eye contact through it. She tips her head to the side, confused. "Of course. Why wouldn't he?"

"I don't know," I shrug. "It's just kind of strange to me."

"It's strange to sleep in the same bed as your fiancé?"

"You're marrying him? Why? He kidnapped you."

"I love him and I'm here of my own free will." She turns away from her reflection, leaning against the dresser and crossing her arms. "Do you want to hang out or not? I thought you'd like some company after being so alone, but if you're going to be a jerk, then I won't bother."