Stockholm Syndrome

The Brother

2016

"Where were you?" Mr. Walker's loud voice booms throughout the house. He grabs Camden by the hair and drags him to the sitting room.

"You know, I don't ask for much, all I ask is that you stay inside and follow the rules, is that so hard?"

"No sir," Camden replies. Mr. Walker leaves the room mumbling under his breath. Cam knows not to move, we all do.

"And if thy right eye offend thee, pluck it out, and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell."

He re enters the room with a long black leather belt and fire in his eyes. We all look at him with terror and he sighs.

"And if thy right hand offend thee, cut it off, and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell, Matthew 5:29-30." He looks at Camden and his eyes soften, "I'm sorry son, I'm doing this for you, for if we repent of our sins before God, he shall forgive us and we shall enter into the kingdom of Heaven." With those words, he raises his arm and whips the belt across his face with so much force that he stumbles back into the hard wooden table. Camden screams, attempting to block his face, but the lashes don't stop. We know we can't leave, for if we leave we will share the same fate. He is to be an example unto us and we shall all bow humbly before God. It seems like an eternity before it's over, but 20 lashes later and he is finally finished. Mr. Walker wipes his mouth and glares at Camden.

"Now get up and don't you ever leave this house again."

2018

There are noises in the hallway and I get up to see what is happening. Someone is screaming, it's familiar. I'd know that voice anywhere.

"Cam! Camden!" I slip out of the room and see him on a stretcher in the hall.

"Margie! Margie what's going on?" The nurses look from him to me, and quickly try and usher me to my room but it is too late. I see the pain in his eyes and it breaks my heart. He is terrified, just like I was when I was brought in. I start to walk forward and the nurses nod at each other and back up. I walk up to Camden and lay my hand on his shoulder.

"Shh, it's okay. You're gonna be okay," I whisper and he starts to calm down. His eyes glisten with tears and he whimpers.

"Where are we?" I don't answer him, for I don't really know what to say. He starts to cry harder and I rub his shoulders. The nurses start to roll him to his room. They let me sit with him until he falls asleep, then they move me back to my room across the hall. I don't leave my room much. They try to get me to go on walks, but I stay put. Not wanting to get relocated again. Back in my own room, I lay on my back staring at the ceiling, thinking about nothing and everything all at the same time. Who is the boy that keeps coming to visit? The woman? How did they find us? And what do they want from me? It's that last question that gives me shivers. Mr. Walker used to say that Christians are being persecuted. He told me about the conversion camps, and the sin infested world. Maybe that's where I am. Maybe they are trying to change me. My heart starts to race, but I keep myself calm. Mr. Walker will be here soon, he will be coming for me. He will save me. Mr. Walker is on his way. I know it. He would never leave us here. My eyes grow heavy and I give into the darkness as I slip into sleep.

I wake up to a light tapping on my door. I look at the clock and it's about 3:30am. The door creaks open and I see a figure standing, watching me for a moment before stepping inside.

"Margie, are you okay?"

"Cam," I say as I run to him and wrap my arms around his waist. "How did they find you?" He sighs and steps back from me, refusing to meet my eyes.

"I, um, well, I came looking for you. When you didn't return we got worried and so I came to look for you, I was going to bring you home, and fix everything. I was scared that if you weren't back in time, that Mr. Walker would hurt you."

"You never should have left. You know the rules, and you know that it's not Mr. Walker's fault that we get punished. He is helping us, helping us grow closer to God. I knew my consequences and I needed to face them. Don't lose you faith Camden. God will deliver."

"Faith? God? Are you dumb? That man has been beating us! And in the name of God? Where was He then huh? Where was He when we were bleeding, crying, begging for it all to end, where was He then huh? Yes, he adopted us. Yes, he feeds us and makes sure we have clothes on our bodies. He doesn't love us, he only ever loved you," I can hear the bitterness in his voice, just now realizing that he has been harboring these feelings for a while. I shake my head, dismissing the thoughts. Mr. Walker loves all of us, the other kids just don't follow the rules.

"He's doing it for us! Proverbs 23:13-14: 'Do not withhold correction from a child, For if you beat him with a rod, he will not die. You shall beat him with a rod, and deliver his soul from hell.' He is simply fulfilling the will of God, so that we can go to Heaven. And you know what you said isn't true. He loves all of us, if he didn't he wouldn't act as he does." I respond as tears filled my eyes. My family was falling apart. Satan has worked his way into my brothers heart, "God will forgive you," I whimper as he storms out of the room. I let my tears fall as I make my way to my bed. I kneel on the floor and fold my hands, resting my elbows on the bed and my forehead on my knuckles.

"Please God, forgive him for he knows not what he does. Please save us and save my family. We may have drifted from the path but you are forever in our hearts. We thank you for your sacrifice, your love, and your forgiveness. Amen." I crawl back into bed, my body shaking from the sobs. This will all be over soon. Mr. Walker will be coming for us. Those are the final words in my head as I drift off into a restless sleep.

I shoot out of bed with a cold sweat dripping from my forehead. Sunlight drips into the room through the plexiglass windows. The nurses are finally gone and I see an opportunity to escape. I sprint into the hallway and make a break for the doors, stopping in my tracks as I remember that Camden is here too. I run to his room and wake him.

"Camden, we have to go. We have to go home." He wakes us, slightly dazed.

"Margie, calm down, what's going on?" He rubs his eyes and sits up slowly.

"Cam, we have to go now," I respond tugging on his arm . One of the nurses sees me and yells my name. I ignore her as I continue my quest to go home.

"Delaney sweetheart you need to calm down," the nurse said to me. I ignore her as my heart rate starts to speed up. I can't catch my breath. I'm hot and dizzy. The nurses are yelling but all I can hear is the ringing in my ear. Suddenly there is a sharp pain in my arm. Everything seems to stop and the world fades away.