Into the Woods

Chapter 2

Into the Woods

Chapter 2

"AUGGGGHH!!"

I literally hate every single person on this planet. Especially my attractive kidnapper, who's name I learned was Corey. We had been walking from the clearing back into a forest that was placed on the other side of the clearing. After complaining for quite a long time, we finally took a break at a small waterfall that gushed water into a semi-huge lake. It was actually really pretty. And of course, boys being boys, Corey wanted me to swim with him. Obviously, I said no. Then he picked me up and dumped me into the water, with my clothes on. Which consisted of sweatpants and a white t-shirt.

I had never learned how to swim because of my aunt, and I certainly wasn't going to suddenly gain the skills. So there I was, flopping around in the water, trying to stay afloat. I didn't think that it was particularly funny, but he did. After realizing that he wasn't going to save me like this, I thought of a nasty trick that would probably get me in trouble.

Instead of continuing to thrash around, I relaxed my body and slowly sank down towards the bottom of the lake. Holding my breath wasn't hard, but being under water felt weird. My overly large shirt was slowly floating up around me. My arms and legs didn't feel heavy, and the sunlight shining through the water made the lake have a greenish blue tint. It was beautiful. I had no idea how long I was under until the man saved me.

He had disrupted my little daydream by diving suddenly into the water, grabbing my arm, and hauling me up and over the lake's edge. Gasping, I blink the stinging sensation out of my eyes. We both sat there panting for a while, and then I was tackled by a huge force.

"HEY! Get off me, you jerk!" I snap, his grip on my wrists tight. I was extremely uncomfortable, seeing that he was basically straddling me. I've never been used to physical touches besides being hit.

"I'll get off you when you tell me about the scars on your back and abdomen," he hisses. I freeze. How had he seen them? I had made sure the whole time that my shirt covered all the evidence of beatings.

"I'll ask you one more time. How did you get those scars?" he shouts, all the niceness from before gone. I flinch. My aunt always shouted at me before she used the belt. The man straddling me noticed my attempt at a retreat, but didn't say anything. He just kept staring into my eyes. I sigh.

"My aunt used to beat me with a belt," I murmur, looking down. He growls like an animal and grabs my chin, tilting my head up to look back into his icy blue eyes.

"Why?" I sigh again.

"She blamed me for my parents' deaths. She was always close to my mom, and when she lost her only family left, she took it out on me." I was speaking quietly; this was the first time I've ever opened up to someone. Something about him made me want to trust him. And for some reason, I did. This time, it was he who sighed.

"Which part?" Corey asks.

"Huh?" I say, confused.

"Which part of the belt did your aunt use?" he repeats. I look down again, not wanting to tell him the answer. I was afraid of what he would do. He had already proved that he needed anger management lessons. "Tell me, love. I need to know."