Salvation

Salvation #19

Darkness slips around me, moving tightly across my body. The eerie loneliness seeps inside my chest. I drag my legs against my body, wrapping my arms around them and hugging my knees.

The basement traps horrid secrets, along with me. They scratch at my skin and whisper inside my skull, hissing down my neck.

A deep, solid sound echoes inside the claustrophobic room. My gaze flickers over the ceiling knotted with wood. A frown creases my forehead, "Nate?"

The sound repeats itself and the echo doubles over inside the gloomy confinements. Drawing in a shallow breath I drag myself to my feet. The knocking spreads across the ceiling.

A small smile tugs at the corners of my lips, breaking through the fatigue. I stretch my arms above my head and pull my weight onto my toes.

The tips of my fingers gently brush the splintery wood of the low ceiling. I tap them against it and listen to the sound sweep across it.

I can hear the sound of Nate's fist lightly hitting the floor of his bedroom, an answer to mine. "Nate?" I whisper, drumming my fingers against it.

Suddenly the door swings open, squealing on it's hinges. Fear clamps down on my heart. I spring back, staggering against the wall.

The man's haunting silhouette strides swiftly down the stairs. He walks slowly toward me as if I'm a frightened deer caught in the silvery headlights of a car. "Shh," he soothes, "Don't move."

An icy chill crawls over my skin, freezing my muscles. His dark eyes bore into me and he strokes the side of my face. A whimper curls against my tongue.

He traces the edge of my jaw, stepping closer to me. "My beautiful prize," he mumbles. He kisses the side of my neck, sliding his hand along the collar of the dress. "My prize," his hot breath slices across my skin.

Gasping deep gulps of air I flash around. I scramble across the room, scooping up a stiletto. Crying I smash hit against the side of his head.

"You son of a bitch!" I scream, watching him stumble backward. He clutches the side of his head. Blood threads through his fingers, dripping over the back of his hand.

"Y-you let me go!"

"Now sweetheart you know I can't do that," he breathes, glancing down at the blood pooled in the palm of his hand. "Let me go. Let me go! Y-you God damn bastard!"

He lunges at me, throwing me against the wall. The force of his body slamming me against it bashes the air from my lungs. I slap the stiletto against his shoulder, thrashing wildly.

"Stop!" he hisses, snatching it from my hands. He slams his forearm against the side of my face, forcing it to the side. I can feel the solid weight of his bone pressing through his flesh and against my cheek.

"Go to hell," I snap. His fingers tangle through my auburn hair. He hauls me across the basement and drags me over the stairs. My screams flood the hall. "You bloody bastard!" I squeal, driving my nails into his hand.

The door to Nate's bedroom cracks open. "

Papá?" His dark eyes flicker over me. They widen and glaze with fear. "Papá what are you doing?" a panicked tone slips into his voice.

"Nate go back!" the man growls, "Natanael!"

"

Qué estás haciendo?" Nate's frantic Spanish fills the space around us.

The man ignores him, dragging me down the hall. He wrenches open the door, slamming my body against the wall. My gaze flashes frantically around the bathroom.