Page 46 of Monsters

I visibly cringed. I needed to remove myself from this situation and get as far away from Mason Carter as possible. But I couldn’t. I was stuck in his presence until we made moves the next morning. Opposite me, Mason propped himself up on a rusty stool and juggled a shiny green apple. He held my gaze before taking a large crunchy bite, winking as he chewed, humiliation his goal.

It was going to be a long night.

~

The journey was the longest it had ever taken. Mason led the way, followed by Lucas then me tagging along. Infuriatingly, Mason was in an unusually cheery mood. He whistled the same obnoxious tune, Itsy bitsy Spider, the entire distance, completely indifferent to what he’d done to me the day before.

He seemed proud of his efforts.

Lucas was more reflective, quiet as he contemplated the volatile week ahead. I didn’t envy his position. And I too was lost in my own thoughts. The night before had ended without incident, and I’d excused myself early to bed opting to be closest to the wall, keeping a greater divide from Mason. That didn’t stop the nightmares. I slept lightly, frightened by every noise, worried I was being watched and terrified he was close. The carved area of flesh throbbed throughout the night, and I feared infection. Eventually, however, with both boys lightly snoring, I fell into a late morning slumber.

We reached the edge of the woods where our bikes were chained to the trees, and the boys pushed away the concealing shrubbery. Lucas wheeled over mine, and I took the handlebars. He wore a look of pensive sadness, and my heart broke a little more for him. I hated seeing him like this. A part of his soul was dying, and I could do nothing but watch.

“You can always stay with me, Luc,” I said out of earshot from Mason. “You’ll be safe there.”

He shook his head, linking his pinkie finger through mine. “He’d find me. And when he did, he’d hurt you, too.” Side by side and in silence, we wheeled our bikes until we entered the clearing that would take us down the hill and into Little Valley. The three of us hopped on our bikes and continued the rest of the journey, each lost in individual contemplation.

Mason rode ahead, always wanting to be first. Lucas on the other hand pulled up by my side.

“Truth or dare?” he asked, flicking me a shy smile.

“Truth.”

“Could you see yourself marrying anyone else but me?”

Despite everything that’d happened, I returned his smile loaded with warmth and affection. “No. Only you.”

His turn.

“Truth or dare?”

“Truth.”

“Do you promise to always be in my life no matter what?”

“That’s not a true-false, Gem,” he teased. “But the answer is yes. I’ll always be in your life.”

~

Pushing in the bathroom door lock, I stared at my tarnished reflection, too terrified to remove my shirt. Mason’s face sneered before me, haunting my thoughts. I could feel the weight of his body on mine while he carved into my skin. I could hear the satisfaction in his voice when he claimed me as his. They played over and over. Exhaling sharply, I pinched the hem of the shirt and lifted it over my head. Tears slipped down my cheeks, my broken skin stinging with each movement. I groaned, gripping the basin until the pain subsided.

A gentle knock sounded at the door. “Gem darling, is everything all right?”

“Yes, Mom,” I replied staring at feet. “I’m just going for a shower.”

“Dinner will be ready in fifteen. Do you want to invite Lucas and Mason over?”

My heart moved from thudding to a slow, agonizing pound. “N-No,” I stammered. “They have other stuff going on.”

“Fine, darling. Don’t be long.”

“All right, Mom.”

I waited barely breathing until I heard her voice talking to Dad downstairs.

I peeled the bloodied gauze from my skin, seething in agony. By the time it was fully removed, I was weak and defeated.

For the first time, I stared at Mason’s engraving.

His branding.

It was a mess, the writing crude. But it summed it up perfectly. The nightmare that was Mason Carter was etched into my skin reminding me he had claimed ownership. And all it took was four letters.

Mine.

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