Fall in New England Pt. 02

William reached down and stood Susan up by the arm while holding the weapon steadily aimed at her chest. Susan looked at him and was all the more upset by how unconcerned he seemed to be. He had no apparent fear. No worries. He was in complete control. Susan knew it and she was certain that William knew it.

William motioned with the gun towards the door of the room. The gesture's intent was obvious. It was time to walk into the living room. It was time to call Janine. Susan's shapely legs felt weak, as if they couldn't support her. But she managed to stay upright as she slowly made her way into the large well furnished living room.

William pointed to a chair at the left end of a sitting area in front of the fireplace. Susan sat down slowly, hanging her head and doing her best to avoid looking at the man in the room with her. She had seen his face already. She did not need to see it again. And she did not want him to see the defeat in her eyes, even if she knew he already was well aware of its presence.

William walked slowly around the room, closing the luxurious drapes covering each of the three windows on the front wall of the room. The only light coming from a single lamp he had lit before Susan arrived home. Funny, he thought, she hadn't noticed the light on when she was coming up the driveway. But Susan had noticed it. Nothing would have made her think that this was anything but a lamp Janine had left on before they left. As she sat in the chair she berated herself for not realizing that something wasn't right. What if she had? Would she and Janine be in this situation? Feelings of guilt swept over her as William took a seat in a chair on the right end of the three pieces of furniture that made up the grouping in front of the fireplace. That fireplace, he thought, would make a nice backdrop for what he had planned to start the evening's entertainment.

Susan sat silently, defeated. The only sound the gentle ticking of the grandfather clock on the wall of the room opposite the fireplace. The silence was broken when William leaned forward and whispered. "Call her. Tell her to come downstairs." Susan hesitated. Perhaps some small tattered remnant of her defiance remained. But, if so, it was quickly wiped away by the knowledge of what was to come and her helplessness to stop it.

"Janine, I need you." Her voice was quiet, barely audible. Fear evident in the way she was unable to call out.

William leaned forward, whispering again, aiming the gun with a steady hand at Susan's chest as he did so. "Call her!"

"Janine. Please, I need you to come downstairs. Please Janine"

Susan heard Janine's desk chair slide against the floor as she stood up from her work.

"Is something wrong, Mom?"

"Please Janine, please come downstairs and have a seat in the living room"

Janine detected something different in her mother's voice. She was worried. Had something happened to her father? She knew he was away on business. Was he sick? Had he been hurt? What else could be wrong at this time of night? Slowly she came down the stairs, her concerns centered around what she was now certain was some type of bad news about someone she loved. She had heard the anguish in her mother's voice and knew, with certainty, that something was very wrong. But, in no part of her imagination did any thought of what was in store for her occur.

She came down the stairs and saw a stranger seated in the living room. The gun was hidden from her view as William carefully concealed it, still held tightly in his grasp, inside his sports coat. Janine now was certain that her father was hurt. Why else would a stranger be sitting in the living room talking to her mother, who was clearly trying to keep Janine from seeing her crying, something Susan was unable to hide despite her efforts.

"Mom, what's wrong? Is Dad OK" Janine said, her voice quivering in anticipation of the bad news that was surely about to follow.

"Sit down on the couch" said William, pointing with his visible hand at the elegant sofa between the two chairs on which he and Susan were seated.

Janine was taken aback by the stranger's tone. It seemed more demanding than sympathetic. Who was he, she thought as she seated herself in the middle the couch. "Is Dad OK?" she asked.

At that point, William withdrew his hand from his coat revealing the weapon to

Janine for the first time. It took Janine several seconds to comprehend what she was seeing. She gasped, and look at Susan, the fear in Janine's eyes now matching that in Susan's. Yet Janine still had no thought about why this stranger might be in her home. All she felt was shock, fear, and confusion.

William was the first to speak. "Susan, please explain to Janine what is going on. I think she needs to know, don't you?" William smiled. It was an evil grin born of satisfaction for the control he had achieved and anticipation of what was to come, what he had looked forward to for so long.

"Janine" said Susan. "please don't move and don't say anything. I need you to listen carefully and be very brave for me." She looked up at William, hesitating. After five seconds of silence, she bit down on her lip, took a deep breath, and closed her eyes. Opening them again, she looked at Janine and continued, tears now welling up in her already reddened, tear stained eyes.

Janine said nothing, doing as her mother had asked, just as Susan knew she would do.

"Janine, this man is a terrible man. But he isn't going to hurt us. We just need to do what he says."

Back in the deepest depths of Janine's mind, a glimmer of realization began to glow, a glimmer she was not yet aware of. All she was aware of was the sudden increase in her fear and nervousness.

"Janine, this man is going to do things to me. Sexual things. He said he is going to rape me." Susan sobbed. Through her tears she continued. "He says that he wants you to sit quietly and watch. Please Janine, I need you to do that for me. I need you to sit quietly and watch whatever happens. He says he will kill us if we don't do as he asks. Do you understand? Can you do that for me Janine?"

Janine felt as if she had been punched in the gut. Had she heard correctly? Rape? This had to be a joke. Surely no one would be in her house making such demands. It was unthinkable. Who was he? Her mind was cluttered with confused thoughts and disbelief. She sat silently staring at her mother, than looked at William, who was still wearing the same puzzling grin. "You can't be serious" she said to William. "I am not going to watch you do that to her. You CAN'T do that to her."

Susan, whose head was now hanging down looking only at the floor, looked back up at Janine. "Janine, please, we have to live. I am going to let him do whatever he wants to me. We have to do what he says. Please, Janine, please say you will do what he asks."

Janine looked up at William, hatred mixed with fear showing in her eyes. "What kind of monster are you", she said quietly. Looking back at Susan she spoke softly, as if trying to console her, trying to reassure her. "Mom, I'll watch what he does if that is what you want me to do."

Susan was openly weeping now. "Yes, Janine, that is what you HAVE to do. I don't want it, but you have to. Do you understand?"

Janine paused a moment then slowly nodded her head.

Susan paused, unable to find the words for what she had to say next. She looked at William, then at her daughter, then at the weapon William was holding, now aimed directly at Janine. Looking back at William, she pleaded, "please, please don't make me do this." William knew exactly what Susan meant. But Janine thought her mother was asking for her own salvation. She had no idea that she was asking for Janine's.

William spoke for the first time since Janine entered the room. "Susan. You know the instructions. Do what I asked."

"Janine", said Susan through tears she could not suppress, "I'm not the only one he is going to do things to. Just do what he asks. I'll be right here with you I promise."

Janine sat silently, momentarily stunned by what she heard yet still unable to believe it. She spoke softly, her voice pleading as she looked at Susan. "Is he going to rape me?"

Susan looked down at the floor then looked back at her daughter. "I wish I could say no Janine. I hope not. But it would be a lie if I promised. Whatever he does, he says I have to watch while he does it to you. I am so sorry"

Janine turned to the stranger, panicked now. "Please, please don't do that. Please. I've never done anything. Please don't. Mom, please don't let him do that to me."

"I'm so, so sorry honey. I wish I could make him go away. But I can't. If we are going to survive the night, we have to do what he wants, whatever it is. I'm so sorry. Please, just do what he asks. It will be over before you know it. It will be OK, I promise. I'm here. I'll always be here for you, no matter what. Please, I don't want you to die because some stranger wanted to do this to us. Let him do what he wants and we will find a way to get through it. Be brave for me Janine. Please be brave."

Janine couldn't bring herself to speak. She was barely able to move as she sat trembling on the couch. This couldn't be happening. Is this what her first time was going to be?. Maybe he will leave her alone after all, she hoped. But she knew he would not leave her alone entirely. She was going to be used by this man. She just didn't, yet, know how.

Having witnessed the scene almost exactly as he had imagined it, he turned his attention to the business at hand. "Janine, please go stand up in front of the fireplace."

Janine looked at her mother, then, on shaking legs, stood, moving slowly to stand in front of the fireplace. As she did so, William moved to the couch so he would be facing her directly. As Janine stood alone in front of him, any hope that she would be completely spared died and was replaced by utter defeat. All that he had in mind, she didn't know. Nor did she care. She was standing in front of a man with a gun who was going to use her in ways she had never been used. And there was nothing she could do about it. She looked at Susan.

"I love you Janine, please remember that." Susan said.

"I love you too, Mom"

Janine then looked at William, waiting to find out what was in store. It only took a moment before he spoke. "Janine, I want you to very, very slowly, undress. Take everything off; your jewelry, all of your clothes, your shoes; everything. You can try to hide yourself if you wish. But you will stand naked in that spot for as long as I wish to study you. Do you understand?"

Susan looked down at the floor, unable to look at Janine. She could hear a quiet rustle as Janine began to do as she had been commanded. Susan knew that Janine was beginning to undress. She knew Janine would do what she, herself, had told her she had to do; to do what the stranger had asked. Torn with guilt and shame, she could not bring herself to take her eyes off of a spot on the floor in front of the chair in which she sat.

Janine had started with her shoes, stepping out of them one at a time. Then a sock, then the other. Even though she had not shown him anything but her feet, she already felt exposed and vulnerable. She hesitated, took a breath, then pulled the sweater her father had given her as a gift last Christmas over her head. She hesitated again, unable to bring herself to begin unbuttoning her blouse. She knew that this was the point where her deeply rooted modesty was going to start being stolen from her.

Suddenly she remembered the stranger's words. Her jewelry too. She was wearing a necklace. One more item she could use to delay the inevitable. Quickly, she reached behind her and unfastened the necklace, holding it out for him to take, hoping that he might decide to grab the necklace and just rob them, instead of what she knew was intended.

But, William never reached out. He simply pointed to the sweater and shoes lying on the floor, a clear signal that she was to place the necklace on the pile. Janine's heart sank as she dropped the necklace on the floor while tears began to well up in her eyes. She looked at Susan, and saw that she was still staring straight down at the same spot on the floor, then looked up at William.

"Mom, please, don't make me do this. I can't do this." She said as she looked back at her mother.

Susan heard her daughter's voice and perceived the anguish in it. "Please sir. Can't you see that she is frightened? I'll do anything you want. Anything at all. Please just leave her alone."

"Shhhhh" William said, hushing her. The gun was now aimed at Janine's chest. Please continue Janine. You know what I want. Now do it."

Susan slowly nodded, an acknowledgement that any hope was gone. Janine saw this and realized the message in that simple gesture. Her mother could do nothing. She was helpless. Janine bit her lip then began unfastening the buttons on her blouse, one by one with agonizing slowness using one hand to clutch her blouse back together over her while the other continued to unfasten the buttons. She then let out a sob as she took off the blouse and dropped it on the pile at her feet, her lacy bra fully exposed for him to see.

Her jeans were next. First the button in the front, then the zipper. She slowly slid them down and off revealing the shapely legs of a young girl who exercised regularly. In his imagination, William could already feel those legs wrapped around his waist, something he knew was to happen soon enough. But there was more to do before then.

Susan was looking at her daughter now, not because she wanted to see what was happening to her, but simply to let Janine know that she was with her, that she would help her get through this. She hoped Janine was receiving that message of reassurance.

Janine stood frozen wearing only her bra and panties. She was standing somewhat bent forward subconsciously hoping this would hide her from the eyes she could feel boring into her. She knew she had to continue, but hesitated. William said nothing, giving her time to make her own decision, a decision that was already made for her by the weapon he held in his hand. He waited for Janine to take a few breaths as she summoned the courage needed to go on. She was a brave girl, he thought. But no thoughts of mercy entered his mind. His lust for her only increased.

She slipped the straps of her bra off of her shoulders then quickly reached behind her to unfasten it, using her other arm to hold it against her chest. She slipped the bra out from under her concealing arm in hopes that he would see nothing and dropped it on the floor. Resigned to being exposed to this man, she reached down with her other arm and slid her panties down her legs, stepping out of them as her hand reached to cover her pubic mound. And there she stood for a full five minutes while his eyes passed up and down over her. She barely heard the comments he made about how beautiful she was, about how perfect her body was, about how he was going to enjoy what he would do to her later. She just stood in place, not moving.

William reached inside his sports coat with his free hand and took out a small digital camera. He aimed it at Janine whose eyes widened as she saw the flash. The idea that he now had a picture of her like this was terrifying. "What might he do with it? she thought."

At last he spoke. "Janine, please have a seat." Quickly Janine sat down in a chair next to her mother and curled into a tight ball as tears welled up in her eyes. She knew now that it was likely that she was going to be raped. This was probably how she would lose her virginity, not in the romantic way she had imagined with some boy she truly loved. Her innocence could be taken by this man; this beast who cared not at all about her feelings or her hopes. And there was nothing she could say or do that would change it if that was what he intended.

Susan knew, too, that she was almost certainly going to witness the rape of her sweet innocent daughter. Although she held onto hope that this would not be the case, she was crushed by the possibility. But now, she realized, it was her turn. She heard William's voice say, in a firm tone that left no room for discussion, "Susan, please go and stand up where Janine stood and strip yourself as naked as Janine."

Susan hesitated, but only for a moment. She would not let him see her fear. She would be strong for Janine. She had to be. Susan stood facing William, glanced at her daughter, then quickly used her left foot to remove the shoe from her right. She repeated the process to remove her other shoe. Without pausing, she bent over and took off her socks, first the left then the right. The rich wood floors she was standing on were surprisingly warm under her now naked feet. Taking a deep breath, Susan unbuttoned her blouse, took it off of her shoulders, slid the sleeves down her arms, and added it to the pile of Janine's clothes stacked on the floor next to her. Despite her efforts to appear strong, she fumbled with the button on her slacks as her fingers trembled, something William observed and understood. "She isn't nearly as brave as she wants me to think she is" he thought. Janine noticed it too as she glanced up briefly, before looking back down again. She understood her mother's efforts to seem strong for her, but knew it was nothing more than her mother's attempt to provide some type of reassurance. It was an act. Janine was well aware that her mother was almost as frightened as she was.

Susan lowered the zipper on her slacks and, once she had accomplished that task, she slid them off quickly, stepped out of them and added them to the pile of clothes on the floor next to her. Susan made no effort to hide herself. She was going to be strong for Janine. Standing before William, she looked him squarely in the eye as she reached behind her and unfastened her bra. Slipping it off, she dropped it on the clothes pile and stood straight, allowing William an unobstructed view of her breasts. Janine looked up briefly then looked away again, staring at the floor.

Susan slid her fingers under the side of her panties and quickly slid them down her legs, stepping out of them, adding them to the pile, then stood straight up, giving William the opportunity to inspect her. It was only then that she felt his eyes focused on her. Susan looked at William watching his eyes pass up and down over her. Unconsciously, her arms started upward in an attempt to cover her nudity. But she made the mental effort to put them back at her side, letting William study her, in hopes it might spur his interest in her and distract her from her daughter.

And study her William did. She was a very beautiful woman, all he had imagined when he first saw her so long ago, and then some. Her perfection, he thought, was only surpassed by that of Janine. Janine had been able to conceal herself somewhat from him, but he had seen enough to appreciate how truly lovely she was.

"Turn around Susan", William said in a soft but commanding voice. Hesitating a moment, she slowly turned away from him, allowing herself moment to shed a single tear. She heard movement behind her as William approached her.

"Put your arms behind your back Susan."

Slowly she did as asked only to feel cold metal snap around her wrists as William snapped on a pair of handcuffs he had taken from the pocket of his sports coat.

"What are you doing? I said we would do what you want. You don't need to do that!" Susan said.

William smiled. "I'm a cautious man Susan. I'm not taking any unnecessary chances. When I need them to come off, I will remove them."

He left Susan standing, her back to him and her hands secured behind her.

"Please don't do that." Susan heard Janine say as William placed another set of handcuffs on her. He had walked over to her and, grabbing her wrist, shackled it. Then pulling her out of the chair, he turned her around and grabbed the other wrist, pulling it behind her to snap the other metallic bracelet in place.