The Family (VOL. 1)

Chapter 19

Sleep never came to me. How could It after all that's happened? The house was eerily silent. I haven't heard Nubbins loudmouth in a while so I can only assume everyone is sound asleep, well, all except me of course. Sleep would be such a blessing, to just slip away into the abyss of dreams and not have to keep reliving yesterday's horrors is all I'm asking for. Lying awake dwelling in my thoughts is pure torture.

I was forced to 'marry' my boyfriend's cannibalistic murderer who let his sadistic brother brand me as if I were nothing more than cattle then drug back down to his basement to spend my wedding night. So, yeah, to say yesterday didn't go very well is the understatement of the century.

I shook the thought from my head and rubbed my burning eyes which screamed to close. Bubba snored softly beside me, his pudgy chest pressing against my back rose and fell in a soothing pace. He'd draped his heavy arm around my waist and nustled his face in my hair, his muffled breaths tickled my neck. That's the way he fell asleep, stroking my locks and cuddling me like a stuffed animal. I tried to push him away, telling him to sleep on the other side of the bed.

"Personal space is a thing, Jedediah," I told him, making sure to use his real name because he didn't deserve for me to use his nickname.

That worked for a moment or two. He'd jut out his bottom lip and scoot away opting to merely stare as I pretended to sleep, but eventually, that sneaky thing would manage to wiggle his way back next to me Every. Single. Time. I finally gave in and let him cuddle me no matter how much the feeling of his touch on my skin made me want to recoil.

The night hours seemed to trickle by like minutes. The light ebbed into the room through a split in the boarded-up window telling me dawn was fast approaching. The family will be awake soon, the boys up to do their 'chores'- whatever they might be. Another long day ahead with no chance of rest and new horrors awaiting me around every corner. This is my new life now. I have to accept that.

I picked at the dried blood beneath his fingernails. I can't help but wonder if it's from his so-called 'chores', i.e., murdering my boyfriend or because he's bitten every one of his nails down into the quick-one of his many nervous habits I've picked up on. Actually, I've picked up on a lot of his habits. Usually, I can tell what he's thinking before he even tells me. We know so much about each other. I even thought in some weird messed up way he cared about my happiness.

Oh God, why did he have to do it! I could've overlooked everything like I've been doing since I got here if I had the hope Matt was still alive. I had a reason to stay then, a reason to keep fighting, but that's all over now. I don't know what to do anymore. Do I stay or do I run? Do I plaster on a fake smile and play house or do I make their lives a living hell? My mind is so messed up...

Tears spill from the corner of my eyes soaking the pillow beneath me. In the darkness of my mind, I can still see his face, not as some gory mask, but as it should be. I can see our last kiss, feel his touch against my cheek, hear his voice and the promise he had me make...THE PROMISE! Gosh, darn it! He made me swear to him. I can't stay, I made a vow that I would run. It's either escape or die trying. Hopefully, it'll be the former, but if not...then so be it.

I rolled over in bed to face him, his eyes closed and dreaming, Matt's face still on his. I'm terrified to leave, but I know if I remain, I'll end up just as crazy as they are. I grabbed his hand and ever so carefully lifted it off my waist. Sliding out of the crook of his arm, I replaced myself with a pillow Indiana Jones style and prayed he didn't realize I was missing.

Slowly backing away, never letting my eyes leave his form in case he was to wake, my heel came down on something that crunched beneath my weight. Kneeling down, I picked up a homemade card with a glittery red heart on the cover. It's the one Matt intended to give me on Valentine's day. My tears smeared the ink and blurred his scribbly handwriting. My heart is in a million pieces, shattered like an hourglass, my every emotion spilling out like sand. I took a shaky breath and pushed it all down, choking back my cries before I accidentally wake Bubba up. I tucked the card in my bra strap next to my heart for safekeeping; It's the only piece of him I have left.

I took one last look around at the room that's served as my cage for the past...um...how long has it been? A few months, maybe? Nevertheless, this'll be the last time I'll see it because I'm either gonna escape and make it back home or die trying. Goodbye dark musty basement! I'd say I'd miss you, but that'd be a lie.

"God, be with me" I whisper to myself as I shuffled towards the stairs as quiet as a mouse.

The staircase loomed before me like Mount Everest taunting me to break Bubba's rules and ascend on my own. A mix of guilt and fear of being caught gnawed at me. I'm not supposed to be anywhere near the stairs unless he's with me. I've seen him mad and I've seen what damage he can do when he's in the midst of one of his tantrums so defying him had never even crossed my mind.

I took a deep breath and started up the rickety stairs, sliding my hand against the wall to steady myself in the dark. My hand brushed the corner of an old mirror, the glass shattered from his last fit, and accidentally bumping it off its bent nail. Before my brain realized what was happening, My arms flew out in a natural instinct and caught it before it could hit the floor.

"Holy crap, that was a close one." I thought to myself as I propped the mirror against the wall, breathing a shaky sigh of relief and wiping the perspiration from my brow.

I continued up the steps laughing to myself about how disastrous that could've been. Leave it up to me to almost screw up this whole thing. My foot caught on something sitting on the next tread. The object bounded down each step like a bouncy ball before landing with a resounding crash on the concrete floor below.

I dropped to my knees, hiding behind the railing, not that it provided much cover, and clasped a hand over my mouth. A soft moan filled my ears. He's awake! That's it, I'm screwed. Welp, this is the end of Tilly. He's probably coming over here to kill me now. I waited for him to round the corner, but he never came. As a matter of fact, I didn't hear his footsteps at all. I slowly peered over the rails like a meercat expecting to see a furious Bubba and instead saw him snoring away. Okay, Is it just me or does he make a terrible serial killer cause I could've sworn all of China heard that?

I wasted no time, hopping back up and cautiously venturing to the landing, avoiding the steps I remembered being squeaky; I can't afford to make another sound. The heavy wooden door was open a hair. They either forgot to lock it or trust me enough not to bother. Terrible decision, really. I pressed my ear against the door, listening for any signs of life, but not a peep could be heard. Perfect, they're asleep still. My fingers clasped around the cold metal doorknob and gave it a slow careful turn letting it pop open the rest of the way. Ha! This is too easy! I think I'm gonna make it. Freedom here I come!

A creak like that of a rusty hinge sounded out behind me breaking the eerie silence. Aw crap! I whirled around to find Bubba at the bottom of the stairs, a foot upon the first step, his posture looked ready to pounce. A shudder ran up my spine as I stared down at his broad figure cloaked in hazy black shadows; his eyes gave off their own light like two matches in the darkness. He lifted his arm and pointed a single finger towards the bed as if he wanted me to return there. He made no sound, no other movement, but something about his demeanor made me break out in a cold sweat. He's not messing around. This is serious. Part of me wants to obey him and get back in bed, but the other part, the sane reasonable one, tells me to run for my life...and that's the voice I have to listen to.

I wrapped my fingers tighter around the doorknob and shook my head."I'm sorry" I signed, rubbing a fist over my chest in circular motions as I flung the door open, bolting into the foyer and beginning the race for my life.