Page 23 of Retribution
Papa tosses Earl a knife, then claps him on the back as he comes closer. “Earl, you did good bringing my wayward daughter back home to us. You’ve been a valued member of our little enterprise here, and I want to reward your loyalty. Rebecca is going to learn her lesson, and I want you to help teach it to her.”
Earl laughs, a malicious sound more suited to a TV villain than a real man. “What do you have in mind?”
Papa paces around the room, mumbling to himself as the smirk stretches wider and wider across his face. Turning to Momma, he orders, “Go lock Reese and Ruth in their rooms, and take Rosalie down to the basement. Strap her to the table.”
Cackling under her breath, Momma stands to leave, and I rush forward, dropping heavily to my knees as I wrap my arms around her legs, preventing her from leaving. “Please, Momma! I’m sorry! I’ll never try to run again. Please don’t let Papa hurt my sisters. I’ll be good, I swear!”
I can feel the evil pouring off of her in waves, and terror unlike anything I’ve known so far pierces my heart in an agony so real, I double over from the pain.This is my fault. I should have listened.
Momma reaches down, eyes glinting maliciously as she strokes my hair. “Shh, Rebecca, all will be fine. Once your sisters have been punished for your reckless actions, we’ll take care of you, too.” Her hand turns cruel, gripping onto my hair with force, tearing and ripping at it until I cry out, letting go of her legs. Giving me a kick to my chest, she backs away, going upstairs to do as Papa bid.
Collapsing to the ground, I bring my knees to my chest as sobs wrack my shoulders.What have I done?Thumping comes from upstairs as Reese and Ruth pound on their doors, calling out in fear as they are locked in their rooms.I failed them.
Papa and Earl laugh and discuss their plans while the floor keeps me prisoner in my despair. Grief, horror, terror, and soul-crushing helplessness flood through me in waves, rendering me nothing more than a sobbing rag doll, useless and hopeless.
Momma walks past with Rosalie, leading her to the basement. Earl watches with lust in his eyes as she goes past, moving to follow after them, but Papa stops him.
“She’s last,” he informs him with a grin. “You’ll be able to have your fun with her then. Grab Rebecca, let’s get this started.”
Earl grabs my arm, pulling me out of the room as I scramble to get to my feet. “Get up, whore!” he screams at me, pulling me up to my feet. The room feels as if it’s spinning, my balance off as I stumble again. My eyes are out of focus, the room wavering around me as if I’m underwater. He grips my wrist tighter as my faltering steps follow behind him.
Your fault, your fault, your faultrepeats over and over again as my legs lead me up the stairs towards Ruth’s room. She screams as Papa unlocks her door, sending it crashing against the wall with the force of his entry.
Ruth is on her bed, back against the corner of the wall, rocking herself with her thin arms wrapped around her skinny legs, wearing nothing but a nightgown. Her twelfth birthday is next week, and twelve is Papa’s favorite age. With her long blonde hair and big blue eyes, I know that Papa has been anxious for her birthday to arrive. They’ve been keeping me away from her, stopping me from warning her what will happen on that day.
Earl keeps a firm grip on me, and when I step forward he pulls me back against his chest, the knife in his hand coming to my throat to prevent me from trying to stop what will happen.
“Come here, Ruth,” Papa coos softly to her. Her eyes meet mine, and I hope she sees the apology within.
All your fault. Stupid girl, thinking you could save them. What have you done?
Ruth moves cautiously out of the corner, shuffling closer to Papa. Reaching out, he snags one of her legs, tugging her closer. Leaning down, he grabs one of the restraints hanging from the headboard and binds her arm.
She doesn’t protest or make a sound. Ruth stares at the ceiling, tears streaming down her face in resignation. I think she knows, and I’m not sure she cares that it’s over. Maybe it’s a relief; one I wish I could feel.
“Watch closely, Rebecca. Know that this could have been avoided if you had just followed my instructions,” Papa informs me, his tone jocular and light, as if discussing the weather.
I try to turn my head away as Papa climbs onto the bed, but Earl grabs my chin, squeezing hard, preventing me from turning my head away. “Watch, bitch,” he hisses in my ear, the knife tightening against my throat.
I let my eyes go out of focus, turning myself inward, not allowing myself to observe my sister’ death. Deafening myself to the sick words Papa spews at the two of us. I should force myself to watch, to punish myself, to bear witness, to remember her final moments so that I may one day tell the world of the evil that existed here.
But I am weak. A failure. My sisters deserved better than me, for not only did I fail them, but I am the cause of their fear and pain. I am nothing more than an angel of death, come to visit them too soon.
A knife flashes in the light, ripping into her flesh. Unholy screams tear through the room, banging from Reese’s door mixing with them to create a hellish melody that cuts off mercifully quickly. Bile rushes up my throat, clawing and burning its way out of me as I spew it across the room, Earl shouting out in disgust as he steps out of the way, his arm dropping from my neck.
Papa rounds on me, fist flying out as it connects with my eye. I bite the inside of my cheek, hard, forcing myself not to cry out as I lower my head.
“Sorry, Papa,” I murmur, hands curling tightly into fists to stop myself from hitting back.
“You’ll be cleaning that up later,” Papa hisses at me, dragging me out of the room. “Who’s turn shall it be now?”
Earl cackles, following behind us, pounding his fist against Reese’s door as we walk past. “I have a suggestion,” he offers slyly, cutting his eyes to me before turning to Papa. Leaning towards me, a smirk growing larger by the second, he says, “I think Rebecca needs to take part in the punishment, don’t you agree?”
My head shakes in the negative as I try to back up, to escape this nightmare I’ve found myself in. Papa’s nails bite into me as he holds me tighter, eyes narrowing at me in warning.
“Excellent idea, Earl.” Stepping back to Reese’s door, he unlocks it, pushing Reese back into the room as she tries to get to the door. “Get on the bed!” Papa shouts at her, dragging me with him to her bedside as she scrambles to do as he tells her.
“Reese, Rebecca tried to escape tonight. She went to the police to try to save you,” he tells her. Eyes bouncing between the two of us, horror dawns on her face as she realizes what I’ve done. “Tell Rebecca goodbye, Reese. Tell her you’ll never forgive her for what she’s done.”
