Next Door Neighbor

CHAPTER 21: WATER

TW: Violence

STEPHANIE'S POV:

No. Not again. "Please. You can do whatever you want to me, just leave him alone. I'm begging you." I plead, desperation in my voice. Lance shakes his head. "We can't, love. We have to punish him for keeping us apart." Lance says softly. Fear rushes through my veins.

"I'll be right back. Don't go anywhere while I'm gone." Lance gives a cruel chuckle. He leaves the room. I rush over to Spencer. I pull him into a hug. "I love you, so much." I whisper. I don't know what's coming, what he will have to endure. There is so much more I want to say, but there isn't time. He grabs my face and pulls me into a kiss, tears in his eyes. "I love you too." He says, eyes locked onto mine. The moment ends too quickly.

The door opens again. We pull away. Lance is holding a bucket of water. He lays it on the ground and shuts the door behind him, making sure the locks are secure. He stalks over to us. He grabs Spencer's hair, pulling him farther away from me. He lets out a yelp, falling to the floor. I reach out to grab him, but the chains keep me from getting to her. Lance drags him to the bucket in the middle of the floor. He forces him to get on her knees.

"I had so much fun coming up with this next game. I think you'll enjoy it as much as I do." Lance says, his lips curving into a smile. My stomach flips. Lance grabs Spencer's neck and pushes his head into the water, submerging his face. He struggles, but the bonds around his wrists keep him in place. "He can't breathe, let him come up!" I scream. He ignores me. Spencer's body starts to go limp. Lance pulls him back up. He takes a giant gasp of air, but doesn't get time to breathe out. He pushes him under again.

It continues. I pull against the chains, a vain attempt to break free. The metal holds firm, never bending. Lance enjoys this, a smile on his face. Five times it happens. Ten. Twenty. Thirty. Never stopping. It's too much. My voice is hoarse from begging, hoping that he will have mercy and let him be.

Spencer stops struggling. He breathes in, gets pushed back under, gets pulled up, breathes in, and the cycle continues. I watch him get closer and closer to death each time. I can see the life fading from his eyes. I'm sobbing, pleading with him, but Lance doesn't stop.

30 minutes pass. An hour. It finally ends. He pulls him over to me, dropping Spencer to the ground in front of me. He's barely conscious. Lance looks at me. "You'll understand soon, my love. I have to get rid of Spencer first." The hatred in his words is clear, emanating from every letter. He's going to kill Spencer, all to get to me.