1 Alone

She opened her eyes slowly. Her head hurt, and her whole body felt weak. At first everything looked blurry, and it took a few seconds for her eyes to adjust to the light. That's when she saw him--a man sitting down on a chair next to the bed where she laid.  Was she dreaming? He wasn't young but he wasn't old either. Tall, black hair, green eyes, a scar over his left eyebrow, fit build. She looked at him confused, and it took a moment for the fear to set in. She had never seen him before. She was fourteen years old, with black eyes and black, straight hair that went down past her shoulders. She wore a t-shirt and a pair of shorts that she had changed into to go to bed, but...she wasn't in her bedroom.  She gasped for air as she realized something was very wrong. She tried moving, but her body felt heavy and her wrists and ankles were tied up. She tried to speak, but no sound came out of her mouth. She didn't know what was going on, but she was terrified.  She wanted to move, get up, leave, yell for help, but her body wasn't responding. 

"Try not to speak or move," the man said in a calm but serious tone. "You are still recovering from the sedative I gave you." He didn't seem threatening but neither did he seem friendly. He just seemed...detached. "You'll be staying here for some time so you better behave. If you scream, try to escape or fight back...you are going to end up in a lot of pain.  You don't want to test me.

"This room has everything you need to be comfortable. You are free to do as you please. But, as you can see," he paused as he looked around the room, "I'll be watching you." She looked around and saw the cameras. "Also, I choose whether you eat or not. You will do as I say. If you misbehave, I will punish you.

"Are you afraid?" he asked as a thin smile crossed his lips. "You should be. There is no way out of here for you, and I won't hesitate to hurt you or even kill you. No one knows you were taken. When your parents realize you are missing, they'll just think you ran away. No one will be looking for you, and no one will find you. You will be forgotten by everyone real soon." The man stood up and looked down at her. "You are alone. From this day on you only have me. No one is coming to save you. No one is going to care that you are gone." He could see the expression of hopelessness in her face. He enjoyed that, and he smiled again.  "I will untie you now."  He began to cut the rope he used and continued talking. "You will not scream. You will not try to escape. You will not try to fight me. You will keep this place clean and yourself presentable. There are clothes for you in the dresser--plenty of skirts, shirts, and underwear. You will behave, or I will hurt you. Understand?"  She nodded her head yes. As he walked away, he said, "Welcome to your new home."

She watched him disappear up the stairs and heard the door close.  She was scared. She felt so small. She wanted to cry. What was she supposed to do? How did she get herself into this type of mess?  What was going to happen now?  She still felt weak and needed to process what happened, but she knew she had to find a way out. There had to be a way.  But, at that moment, she felt so helpless and alone.

*****

The man closed the door and entered a code into a keypad lock positioned on the outside of the door. When he was done, he turned around. He didn't seem surprised to find the fourteen year old boy watching him.

The door the man had just locked led to the basement which was located by the kitchen. The boy had come down from his bedroom to get a drink and was holding a glass of juice in his hand. He had turned fourteen in December, seven months ago.  He had short, black hair, and the color of his eyes started out grey, then blue, and then darkened into black. He had started to lose his boyish features and was beginning to change into the man he would soon become.

They both stood still, sharing a long, cold stare.

"Hiding something in the basement, sir?" inquired the boy, in a somewhat emotionless tone.

A thin smile crossed the man's lips. "I have a new pet."

"And what kind of pet would that be?"

The man laughed lightly.  "Oh, Jason, why all the questions?  Must you be so distrustful?  After all, I am your father." He walked past Jason and began making himself a drink.

"I'm just curious as to what kind of pet would need to be kept locked up in the basement." He followed his father's movements with his eyes but he himself did not move.

"It's a girl." The man answered as if it was the most normal thing in the world. He poured himself some liquor, took a sip, and turned to look at Jason. "She is your age.  You might know her. She goes to the school you used to go to."  

Jason was trying hard not to let his fear and concern show.  He drank some of the juice from the glass he was holding, trying to regain his composure. "Is that so?" 

"Yes, her name is Maryann Copeland."

When Jason heard her name, his eyes widened in fear. He quickly looked away, hoping his father hadn't noticed his reaction. He drank the rest of his juice.  "And what exactly are you planning on doing with this...pet?" he asked as he regained control of himself. He couldn't let his father see how much pain he was in.

His father leaned back against the kitchen counter, took another drink, and answered, "Well, I thought I might have some fun with her."  He watched Jason attentively, trying to read him and admiring how composed the boy remained. "On second thought, I might just give her to you." He walked closer to Jason.  "You are about the right age to be interested in...the opposite sex." 

"You are going to give her to me?"  Jason laughed sarcastically.  "I thought you only provided me with the essentials."

"Learning how to fuck is essential for a young man.  Anyway, you are my son, and you will soon become a man." He finished his drink and poured himself another one. "I'm pretty sure she is still a virgin, so she'll be well suited for you."

On the outside, Jason appeared cold and indifferent. Inside, he was falling apart. "Perhaps." He walked to the sink and began washing his glass. His father watched his every move.

"You are not shocked by what I said?"

"Very little surprises me when it comes to you, father." He sat his glass down to dry and turned to face his father.  "Well, I hope you have fun with your...pet."

The man walked to him, grabbed him by the front of his shirt, and punched him in the stomach, hard. Jason dropped to his knees, trying to shake off the pain and catch his breath.

It hurt, but he just took it...like he always did. "I don't know what's going on in that mind of yours but stay away from the girl and stay out of the basement.  Don't anger me." His tone of voice was cold and threatening.  "Now, get up." 

Jason stood up and looked straight at his father with icy, cold eyes. He struck Jason across the face, splitting open his lip. Jason almost fell back, but was able to hold on to the counter.  He wiped the blood off his lip with the back of his hand. He looked at it, then looked back at his father with a cold, empty, defying smile.  "Is that all you got?"

Normally he wouldn't try to provoke his father into giving him a beating, but knowing his father had abducted Maryann changed everything. His father would beat him, drink, beat him again, drink again, over and over until he passed out drunk. That's when Jason would try to help Maryann escape. He just needed his father to take the bait.  But...he didn't.

"Look at you, kid. You are becoming more of a man everyday."  The man had a proud smile on his face. "I think you may deserve to have that girl after all. There is something so sweet about fucking a virgin. I think you'll enjoy it." He paused, looking at the locked door and then back at Jason. "But not tonight.  She is not ready, not yet, but she will be."

Then, the man took the bottle of liquor and left.  Jason followed him with his eyes and watched him go to his bedroom. He was worried. Getting Maryann out of there was not going to be easy. He walked towards the basement door and put his hand on it.

He closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and when he opened them the memories came flashing back.

<He was six years old. His father was angry. He grabbed Jason by the arm and dragged him to the basement door then tossed him down the stairs. His little body hurt as he reached the bottom, then...he heard the door being slammed shut. The unfinished basement was cold and dark. He couldn't see anything. He was scared, but he tried to stay calm. He used his hands to find the stairs and was able to crawl back up. He reached for the door and tried to open it but it was locked. He was just a little boy, and, even though he tried to hold back his emotions, he began to panic--not for himself but for his mother. He hit the door over and over again until his little fists hurt too much. He didn't want to, but he was crying. He sat at the top of the stairs, in front of the door, with tears rolling down his face. Then, the door opened. His mom smiled at him as she saw his face wet with tears, sweat, and blood. His father stood beside her. He moved her to the side, bent down to grab Jason's arm and pulled him down the stairs until they reached the bottom. He pushed Jason hard against the wall. "Stay here and be quiet. If you are good, maybe I'll let you out in the morning."  Jason didn't say anything. He watched his father go up the stairs and his mom smile as she closed the door. He was down there for three days.>

I promise I will do my best to not let him hurt you, Maryann.

*****

Three days had passed. Jason wasn't sleeping much, and when he did he slept on the couch in the living room only when he knew his father had passed out in his bedroom, and even then he didn't sleep for long. He didn't know what to do. He hadn't been able to figure out the code to the lock to the basement. His father hadn't gone to see Maryann for more than five minutes a day.  He didn't know what he did with her during that time, but he wasn't bringing her food. Jason worried. Once he is able to open that lock, she would need her strength to escape.

Jason knew the moment he helped her get out he would have to stay behind and confront his father.  At fourteen, he was no match for him. His plan was to fight back, endure the beating, and give her as much time as possible to find help. Even if his father killed him, he was ok with that as long as Maryann got away. He needed to think up a plan, and soon. He knew his father was probably trying to tear her down…the same way he had done with him. Jason needed to do something before that happened; he needed her to know that she was not alone.