Page 159 of Devil's Bargain

I’m woken up by Baron ripping off my quilt and clasping my arm. He pulls me out of bed and drags me through the house. “Playtime is over! It’s time you start to fucking listen! You think you can run away and fuck my son?!”

I dig my feet in, but he’s too strong, so I end up slipping on the hardwood floor.

“I’m going to show you what happens when you defy me!”

Down the sweeping staircase we go. The paid staff turn a blind eye to what’s happening as they scurry away like cockroaches.

We stop in front of the basement door, and Baron digs inside his pocket for the keys.

“No, no, no!” I plead as he drags me down the stairs and throws me on the cold concrete ground. Pain sears through me.

“I gave you a nice fucking room with the best bed money could buy, but it’s becoming obvious that you want to sleep in the fucking basement with the rats!”

I push up on my bleeding knees. “Don’t leave me here! Please!”

“It’s too fucking late to say sorry.” He walks back upstairs, adjusting his tie as he goes.

The sound of the keys in the lock makes me scramble to my feet. I run up the stairs, falling at least twice. The pain barely registers. “Please!” I beg, banging on the door. “Let me out!”

When pleading doesn’t work, I scream, “LET ME OUT!”

Nothing. Not a sound on the other side.

I sink back against the door, sobbing as cold fear spirals through me. It’s pitch black down here. I lift my hand in front of me, but I can’t see it. “Baron, please let me out.” I press my forehead against the door. “I’ll be good! Please! I’ll be so good!”

No answer.

“BARON!” I scream, banging on the door until my hands throb with pain. I take wheezing breaths. The panic is too fucking much, and I don’t know how to survive this. I feel like a rabbit in the presence of a fox. I read somewhere that rabbits can die from fright if a fox is nearby. I’m convinced that’s what’s happening now as I slowly scoot my ass down the stairs until the cold concrete beneath my feet bites into my skin. It’s a big basement, but it feels like I’m slowly being crushed to death by the oppressing darkness.

I find a wall and sink back against it, sliding down until my butt hits the floor. I count my breaths.One, two, three, four, five.The silence is deafening.

I bring my knees up, wrap my arms around them, and close my eyes. He can’t keep me down here forever. At some point, he will come to see me again. That’s what I tell myself as the minutes turn into hours.

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