If you tell anyone...

Unexpected Kindness

(Pic at the top is Tom)
He tied Rider up to a dresser facing opposite me as he knelt down at the side of both of us. "Let's get to know each other a bit more, eh? So, I'll start. I'm Tom Reigns. I've known Rich and Sarah since high school and they are my best mates and if anyone disrespects them, I won't let it happen again." He looked at both of us and then pointed at Rider with the knife. "You, tell me your name and about your parents." Rider looked at me but his gaze was quickly cut off. "DO NOT LOOK AT HER BOY, DO WHAT I HAVE ASKED!" He put the knife up to Rider's throat as he backed away. "I'm Rider Wood and my parents were absolute bastards like Mr.Sadie and Sar-"
" WHAT THE FUCK DID YOU JUST SAY?" Tom took Rider's arm and sliced across his skin as I flinched and closed my eyes. Rider screamed out in pain and began to cry. "When I fucking say to respect my friends and me, you fucking do it! You'd have thought you'd learnt by now. I could beat you up again like I did downstairs y'know?" He looked behind him at my frozen face and pointed the knife at me. "What about you, Millie?" Leaving Rider alone, crying he came up to my face. "Tell me about you." I hesitated, looking at Rider, who was looking at me through tear-stained eyes. "Umm... My, my, my name is Mil-Millie Hart a-nd ummm... I was abandoned a-as a baby." Cautiously, I looked at Tom. "Good." He said. He took at strand of loose hair and tucked it behind my ear. Then, he rolled up my sleeve and circled the still-throbbing burn he had given me earlier. "Just remember, that I will do what I like to both of you."

About an hour later of cutting and interrogation, my arms were left red and Rider had passed out again. Rider always got it worst than me because he was a boy, and Tom hated him. They thought that they were putting us in line and making us tough. In fact, it was the opposite. Tom looked at me and laughed. "You look at him like he is a God, Millie. Maybe you'll like each other when you're older. Both of you shits will probably be dead by then." He sniggered again and stood up.
(I think I did like Rider anyway. He was the only boy I knew, and technically, he wasn't my real brother so it was allowed).
After Tom had left, Sarah walked in.
"I see he did a good job to you guys, eh?" She said, untying the rope around my wrists. When they were off, it felt like a heavy weight had been taken off my palms. I sighed in relief, clutching my hand towards me. She went over to Rider, who had still not woken up. "The little Shit's out again,fuck, they pound him down way harder than you." She quickly untied his hands and looked at his sleeping face. "He's gonna be real good lookin', y'know. I hope you guys make it that far." As if another person had entered her body, she smiled at me and began to clean the fresh cuts in my arm. "You just have to be quiet and not get in our way. You're the kids we never had." She looked deeply into my eyes. I rarely saw this side of Sarah, keeping in mind that she had strangled me only a few hours ago.
Once my cuts were all cleaned up she went over to Rider, picked him up and placed him on the bed. After, she started to wipe the blood off of him too, looking as if she really cared. "Tomorrow lessons start again. I'll bandage you guys up in the morning and then we'll get to work, yeah?" I nodded. We sometimes did 'lessons' with her when Mr.Sadie was out. We just read from books and did some sums, but she insisted that we didn't turn out dumb. Of course, if we got anything wrong, we were hurt, but me and Rider were fairly intelligent. She got up and headed for the door. " Thank you." I said, looking up from where I sat on the floor. She nodded and walked out, locking the door behind her. The distant rumble of voices still came from downstairs and I checked the time off of a small clock on the bedside table. 03:05pm. Slowly, I clambered onto the bed and tucked myself and Rider in. I kissed his swollen forehead and he groaned softly. "Mi-Mill-ie?" He said. "I'm here. Don't worry. We're safe. For now.