Terror in the Snowstorm Ch. 01

PLEASE NOTE: I first published this story on another site, under a slightly different pen-name. The story is reproduced here with a few small revisions.

Introduction: This is not a "cute hot teen and her well-hung boyfriend have wild sex in eighteen different positions in two thousand words or less" kind of story. It will take a while to read, and it's a dark tale, but one I hope you like. Constructive criticisms, please.

I was driving home from college for Christmas break. My sophomore year had been, so far, pretty boring. I had broken up with my girlfriend from freshman year shortly after summer break had begun, because I caught her cheating with her old high-school flame. I worked hard all summer, trying to save up enough money to pay some of my tuition and costs for my sophomore year, so I had pretty much had no life over the summer. When I had gotten back to campus at the end of August, I applied myself very hard to my studies, and really didn't socialize much. I made no time in my schedule to pursue a campus romance, partially because I had been hurt so deeply by my experience the previous year. I had really only tried to approach one girl, a sophomore who came from the city only a few miles from my home town. She had pledged the snooty rich girl's sorority. Tara was polite enough to me at first, until she found out that I had worked as a mechanic at a small garage in my home town for a year between high school and college to save enough money to go to college. She learned that I was the only son of a dirt-poor family, while her mother was chief of neurosurgery at a well-known research hospital and her father was senior partner in a powerful corporate law practice. Both parents came from old money, so Tara had been raised in the lap of luxury. Basically, she was a spoiled brat who never had, and probably never would, understand hard work and hard times. She was beautiful, 5'6", blond, slender, with what I guessed were C-cup tits, a tight little ass, and a come-fuck-me smile. She had initially seemed attracted to me, until she found out about my pedigree. Then she would only talk to me in the one class we shared. Another dream shattered.

It started to snow as I was packing for my hundred-mile trip home. I wasn't really that worried, since I knew that my old rust-bucket Chevy 4X4 pickup was mechanically sound and I had mounted four good used snow tires on it before I had left for school in August. Even when the radio station I was listening to announced that the main highway I was planning to use for part of my trip had been closed due to a massive pile-up, I figured I would be OK, since I knew the back roads I could use to get home. I settled in for a long, slow drive.

After about an hour of crawling along in what was turning into near-blizzard conditions, I saw a car ahead of me. The emergency flashers were on. I quickly realized that the car had skidded off the road and had crashed into a large tree. There was a lot of front-end damage. I put on my own four-way flashers and parked behind it. I zipped up my insulated hunter coveralls and put on my warm hunting cap and got out of the truck. As I approached the car, a new BMW coupe, I could see the driver was still inside. I walked up to the driver's window and knocked on it. Then I wiped the snow off the window so I could see inside. The driver was Tara.

"Seth! What are you doing here?", she yelled through the closed window.

"Driving home for the holidays, same as you," I replied. "Are you OK?"

"Do I look OK, you fucking moron?" she spat back at me.

"Tara, don't talk to me like that. I want to help you."

"Wonderful," she said, "use your finely honed mechanical skills to fix my damn car so I can get home!"

"Considering that the radiator is leaking, the airbags are blown, and you have pretty heavy front end damage, this car isn't going anywhere without the help of a tow truck and a body and frame shop. I don't know how you even got this far on those performance tires you have."

"Daddy said it has all-wheel drive. It has all the latest driver aids, including a built-in GPS system. That's how I knew the route through this god-forsaken wilderness when they closed the interstate. Oh, shit, Daddy's going to kill me when he finds out I wrecked my car. I wish I still had my Cadillac Escalade that he and Mom gave me for a graduation present."

Her and her damned money, I thought. "Tara," I interrupted, "are you OK? Are you hurt?"

"My left hand hurts like a bitch. I think I sprained my thumb, and part of my hand burns like fire. I guess that's from the airbag. The engine won't start, the windows don't work, the climate control is only blowing cold air, and I'm getting really cold. My cell doesn't get any reception out here in the boonies. What am I going to do?"

"You're going to come with me. I put a new radiator and heater core in my truck this summer, and it gets toasty in there in no time."

"I'm not riding with you in that piece of shit. I'd rather wait here. You go home, and call my family, so Daddy can send out the gardener to get me. Oh, wait, do you actually have a telephone in your family shack?" she sneered.

"Tara," I said, "at the beginning of the semester, when I first met you, I thought I could have real feelings for you. I'm actually glad you snubbed me when you found out I was not born with a silver spoon in my mouth. I'm embarrassed to admit that I didn't see at first what a miserable, snobby little bitch you are. That being said, I still feel obligated to help you. Not because I'm the least bit attracted to you anymore, but simply because you are a fellow human. No amount of your money is going to keep you from freezing to death if I leave you here, so you might as well gather your designer purse and get your blueblood ass in my truck so I can get you home before Mommy and Daddy have drunk all the vintage scotch and eaten all the caviar they probably have waiting for their little princess."

"God, you're insufferable! You don't know anything about me. And you're way too poor and ignorant to ever be able to comprehend how I live," Tara hissed.

"Stop being a bitch and face reality, Tara! You're going to suffer hypothermia and frostbite, if not worse, if you don't come with me right now. Hell, I'm dressed for the weather and I'm getting cold out here. You must get out of that car and get in my truck now so I can get us out of here. There's already a foot of snow and the wind is picking up. If we don't leave soon, it's going to be hard for my truck to get through the drifts. Then were both fucked!"

"Oh fine," she sighed, sullenly. She tried to open her door. It unlatched, but it wouldn't open. "Why can't I get out of the car," she asked, suddenly looking panicked.

I wiped snow off the seam between the fender and the door. "The fender's crushed around the door, and it looks like you have enough frame damage on this side that we won't be able to get the door open. You'll have to get out the passenger's side." I walked around the back of the car to help to pull her out, only to find that the other door was wedged against a tree that was at least a foot in diameter. I went back to Tara's window. "You're not getting out that way, either. I have a crowbar in the truck. I'm going to get it and try to pry your door open. If that doesn't work, I can break the windshield and you can crawl out that way."

"Just be quick about it. I can't stop shivering, and my feet are so cold they're getting numb."

At that moment, we heard a vehicle approaching from the other direction. It was an old Jeep wagon. When it got next to us, I could see that it had huge mud tires and a high suspension. The entire under-carriage was at least 18" off the ground. This rig would be able to get through almost anything, I thought. The driver and his passenger got out. They were both huge. The driver looked to be about thirty-five years old, roughly 6'3" and over 300 pounds. He had a beer belly, but still looked like he was mostly muscle. The passenger looked a little younger, but he was taller and could have been close to 400 pounds. They both looked like pro wrestlers who had degenerated into grizzled mountain men. They were dressed for the outdoors in old, ratty hunting gear. I didn't like the look of them, and Tara seemed actually repulsed.

"Man," the driver said, approaching Tara's car. "Somebody really fucked up their purty little furrin car. Oh, pardon my French, little lady," he laughed, showing his brown, broken teeth. "And pardon my manners. I'm Zeke, and this here's my kid brother, Merle. I call him Ox, 'cuz he's that strong and that dumb. Ain't you, Ox?"

"Fuck you, Zeke," Ox growled.

"Aw, that's no way to talk in front of a fine, pretty little lady. You apologize to her right now, stupid."

Ox just stood there looking at the ground. Finally, he mumbled, "Sorry, missy."

"That's better," Zeke said. "Looks like you kids need a little help. What's your name, boy?" he said, addressing me.

"My name is Seth, and the young lady here is Tara."

"Well, Miss Tara, you ain't goin' nowhere in that car on these here roads, even if you hadn't gotten real friendly with that there tree. You'd best get out of that car."

"I can't," she said. "The windows and doors won't open, but my friend has everything under control. He has tools in his truck to get me out, and then he's going to drive me home."

"Oh, missy, I don't think that's how it's going to work out. The road the way you was goin' is blocked by a downed tree. This here old Jeep was able to crawl over it, but your boyfriend's pick-up would never clear it. You're just going to have to come to our cabin to warm up until this storm lets up. Ox, help this pretty young thing get her door open."

Ox walked over to the car, grabbed the door handle and pulled. I could actually see the sheet metal of the door bow out as he pulled the handle. Suddenly the handle ripped out of the door, and Ox landed on his butt in the snow.

Zeke roared with laughter. "They don't make 'em like they used to, do they? Ox, get off your stupid ass and grab the door frame."

Ox did as he was told, wedging his huge hands into the space between the body of the car and the frame of the unlatched door. He started to pull on the door and, incredibly, it began to open. I couldn't believe my eyes. This beast was actually bending the sheet metal that was crushed around the front edge of the door. The bent hinges were groaning, and the door was moving. I've seen rescue crews, using hydraulic jaws, struggle to do what this giant was doing with his hands. In only a few seconds, the door was open wide.

"Good boy, Ox," Zeke said. "Now help the pretty little lady out of the car."

"Don't touch me," Tara said, her voice trying to sound defiant, but seeming truly scared.

"Now, I don't know nothin' about the manners of the high and mighty," Zeke said, "but us simple folk would say thanks to someone who helped them out of a jam and would accept their hospitality. You don't got nowhere else to go, so you're gonna have to stay with us."

"You're right, I was rude," Tara said, her voice trembling. "Thank you very much for helping me. I do appreciate it. But we really can't stay. Seth will drive us home."

"I told you before, missy, the road's blocked ahead. You ain't goin' that way. I know these woods real good, and with the wind and the condition of some of them trees back the way you came, I reckon you won't get far that way either. Just be real nice and let us take you to our cabin. We got plenty of firewood and grub, and some of the best moonshine you ever tasted to help you warm up. We'll have a regular party."

"My father will pay you very well if you would drive us home," Tara said. "We'd much prefer to be home with our families."

"You just don't get it, do you sweetie? See, me and Ox don't get to see many fine women around here. We're gonna go to the cabin and have us some real fun. "You'd like to spend some time with this here pretty girl wouldn't you, Ox?" Zeke said leering at Tara and grinning his broken-toothed grin.

"Yeah, Zeke, that would be real nice. I ain't never had no woman that looks like her."

"OK, guys, that's enough," I said.

"Boy, you need to shut the fuck up," Zeke said, moving in front of me.

Now, I'm a pretty strong guy myself. I stand 6'1", and weigh 225. I was a varsity tackle in high school, I do a lot of manual labor, I lift weights, I've never backed off from a fight, and I've won every one I was involved in since kindergarten. Still, I knew this wouldn't end well. "You're scaring her, and I don't like what you're saying either," I said.

"You really don't know when to shut up, do you, wimp?" Zeke said, his putrid breath in my face. "I guess I gotta show you." With that, he lunged at me and grabbed me in a bear hug. With no effort at all, he picked me up and threw me against Tara's car. My head hit the rear window frame hard. As I blacked out, I heard Tara scream.

The next thing I knew, Zeke had thrown a cup of water in my face. I sputtered awake, and realized I was tied to a chair in the brothers' filthy cabin. There was a fire roaring in the huge fireplace. Tara was tied to a chair next to me. Zeke grabbed my hair and pulled me to look at him.

"Sorry I had to knock you out, kid, but you just wasn't cooperatin' and you was gettin' real annoyin'. I thought you might like to join our little party, but I guess you're just gonna have to sit there and watch the fun. We're gonna keep you real comfortable, though. The fire's makin' it nice and cozy in here, and Ox is cookin' up some real nice grub for all of us. I'm gonna go help him. When dinner's ready, we'll untie you so you and the pretty one here can get your bellies nice and full. I'd be happy to share some of that fine moonshine with you, then we'll get the real party started." He checked the ropes holding Tara and me to the chairs. "Now don't go nowhere, hear?" He belly-laughed, pleased with his own joke, and left the room.

Tara said, "I thought you'd never wake up! Seth, you have to get us out of here. I'm terrified. I think Zeke is planning to rape me! Do something!"

"In case you haven't noticed, Tara, I'm tied up just like you are. What do you expect me to do?"

"I don't know, Seth. Think of something, please. I'm begging you. You have to save me," she cried, miserably.

I had long since convinced myself that I didn't like this girl, but seeing her so terrified and helpless touched me deeply. I also realized that these two Neanderthals probably weren't going to just rape Tara and then let us go so we could report it to the authorities. I didn't know exactly where we were, but I knew the area fairly well from hunting around here when I was in high school. If they threw us out into the storm, we would probably freeze to death before we got help, and if they kept us here, they would probably kill us both.

"Tara," I said, "I need you to calm down so you can help me."

"How can I help you?" she moaned.

"I was knocked out when Zeke threw me against your car. The last thing I remember was hearing you scream, and the next thing I knew we were sitting here tied up. You have to tell me everything that happened while I was unconscious. Try to remember every detail. Maybe something will help us to plan our escape."

Tara was trembling. She attempted to wipe her eyes against her shoulders, and she forced herself to breath deeply, trying to gather herself. "OK, I'm trying to replay the whole thing in my mind. Let me get it all in order."

Sounding a little calmer now, Tara said, "OK. The scream you heard was from me watching Zeke pick you up and throw you like a rag doll. Then Ox dragged me out of the car and held me in a bear hug so tight I thought he was going to crush me to death. He picked me up and kissed me. I thought I was going to vomit in his mouth. Then he put me down and held me tightly, but not painfully. I couldn't have escaped him, but he wasn't hurting me. He put one finger under my chin and raised my face to look at him. He smiled at me with a vacant look and told me he thought I was pretty. Then he apologized to me for scaring me and for Zeke having hurt you, since he thought you seemed like a nice guy. He said Zeke was mean, and that he thought Zeke was crazy. Zeke was busy tying you up and making room in the back of the Jeep to put you in, so he wasn't paying any attention to us. It dawned on me that he was actually afraid of Zeke.

"I asked him if Zeke was mean to him. He said Zeke was always mean and that he didn't like it. I started to get the idea that if I was nice to him, I might be able to actually get him on our side.

"I asked him, 'How do you feel when Zeke is mean to you?'

"Ox said, 'It makes me feel bad. It makes me sad. Sometimes I get real mad at him.'

"I gave him a sympathetic look and said, 'What do you do then? Do you tell him to stop? Do you tell him how you feel?'

"He said, 'Oh no, Miss Tara, I couldn't do that. He'd be even meaner to me. He'd hit me. Zeke's a real bad man and he can get real mad. Once, he killed a man who was hunting near our cabin. He just sneaked up behind him, and kicked him real hard. The man dropped his rifle and fell. Zeke rolled him over, sat on his chest and looked at the man right in the eye. He told him no one hunts on this land but us. Then he took the man's hunting knife and slit his throat. Zeke made me bury the man in the woods. He didn't have to do that to the man, Miss Tara. He's just mean and crazy.'

"I said, 'That's horrible, Ox. Do you think he would do that to you?'

"Ox thought a moment and said, 'I don't think he'd kill me. He likes to have me do stuff for him. I think he likes to have me around to do all his dirty work for him.'

"I said to him, 'Then just tell him off when he's mean to you. If he hits you, hit him back. You're a big, muscular guy. If he really decides to make a fight out of it, I know you could beat the shit out of him. I know it would be hard for you, since I can tell you're a really nice guy, but you have to stand up for yourself.'

"Ox just looked at me and said, 'Do you really think I'm nice? I really like it when you say things like that to me. I really like you, Miss Tara.' "

Tara continued, "By that time, Zeke had finished loading you and the rest of his stuff into the wagon. He looked over at us and yelled, 'What the fuck are you doing standing there and talking, retard? Get the bitch in the back seat with you and don't let her try anything. It's time to get home and start our party.' Then he laughed that cruel laugh of his.

"I think we drove about two miles to get to this cabin. Zeke had the radio on listening to some hick station and wasn't paying any attention to Ox and me in the back seat. Ox was hanging on to me so I couldn't move, but he was being really gentle. I said to him, 'Just remember what we talked about. You're a nice guy, Merle, and you shouldn't let him be mean to you or anyone else anymore.'

"He gave me a surprised look and said, 'Why did you call me Merle? Zeke always calls me Ox.'

"I put on my best kind smile and said, 'Merle is a nice name. It fits you. It sounds strong, but kind, just like you are. Ox is just the name Zeke uses to make fun of you and to be mean to you.'

"Tara, are you nuts?" I said. "You almost sound like you like this beast!"

She replied, "I feel really sorry for him. When I was in high school my Mom made me do volunteer work at the children's hospital that is affiliated with her hospital. Some of kids were brain-damaged from birth or childhood trauma. They functioned on a really low level, but in some way, I got to like them. Merle reminds me of them. A lot of those kids are going to grow up to be like him. Plus, we can use any ally we can come up with at this point."

"Do you think he'd really help us?" I asked.