Page 40 of Siccitas

“Oh, because that’s going to work,” he says. I can see anger burning in his eyes.

He kneels down and pulls the bear trap open and off my leg, letting it snap shut next to me.

He scoops me up over his shoulder, and he starts to walk me back to the house.

He doesn’t want Skylar to know what’s going on.

“Skylar!” I scream. “Skylar, run!”

Suddenly he swings at me, and my head collides with a tree.

I wake up to find myself cuffed next to Levon again, this time on the studier pipe.

I turn to him to see how he’s doing, but his eyes are lifeless. I look down and see the blood that’s poured from his slit throat.

I try to pull away, wincing as my leg aches.

“He was whiny, really.” Luke says from across the room. “I need to make a decision about you, Jocelyn. The kids have to come in and do their chores soon.”

“I was willing to give myself back to you to look after those children,” I start to sob, sniffing. “I was willing to be their mother.”

“Until you could attack me,” he says. “I didn’t think you had any fight left in you.” He shakes his head. “My mistake. I won’t make it again.”

He stands up. “I’m going to go clean up while I think about your punishment.”

“Please, I can be a good girl, Daddy.”

“Oh, I know you can. You choose not to. That’s the bigger slight.” He looks down at me and shakes his head. “I once held such high hopes for you.”

He walks out, and I try to curl up.

I feel like I can’t breathe.

I smell the blood from Levon, and being next to him is reminding me of everyone who’s died in this house, at his hands.

At his will.

Why won’t he just put me out of my misery and kill me as well?

I’m starting to hyperventilate, and I try to calm myself down.

It’s not working.

I’m surrounded by the smells of death, and sex, shit, cum, and blood.

My grand plan to end Daddy Pater is crashing down around me. Who knows what depraved punishment he’ll come up with for me? How will he make me pay for daring to stand up to him?

Not once, but twice.

I should have stayed away, but that would have been the Greene thing to do.

Self-preservation.

Then I saw Skylar crying in the window, and she reminded me so much of Darby.

My Darby.

Why didn’t I save Darby? I should have stayed. Saved her, somehow.