Kid

"Whatever. Just come down for a while and say hi? No one is going to leave until they see you and you know it. We can't end this thing till you show your face."

"Fuck that, the old bitch knew I wouldn't show up to her fucking party. She did it to try and trap me. Fuck her. Tell her I left, I went out back and into the woods. Hah! Tell her I took the friend with me and I'm gonna go fuck the little white trash bitch in the dirt. Bet she won't bring me up again. Go on."

"Tem..."

"Leave off or I really will go! Find me that little bitch first, drag her out there with me."

Jerid huffed, but left, slamming the door.

Temple chuckled darkly, then I heard a creak like he was laying back on the old couch he was on.

"You think I didn't just spout off for your benefit, you're wrong," Temple spoke softly into the darkness.

Who was he talking to?

"I saw the way you looked at him. He don't hate you, just hates that he could never fucking have you."

Shit... was he talking to me? Did he know I was here?

"Come out of there, Kid," he called, his voice turned my direction now.

I froze, terrified, then what he said registered.

Jerid liked me.

"Now."

I jerked at his commanding tone, then eased up and slipped between the boxes to move into the light.

Temple looked me over as he sat back in the chair and I looked at him. He and Jerid had a resemblance, but that was all. Temple was older, harder. Jerid was beautiful and soft with delicate features that you wanted to touch. Temple had the same soft red curls, but his features were harder. Ruggedly handsome instead of androgynously beautiful. He also had a scar that went across his cheek and down his full bottom lip, marring the perfection of his features. He had another, newer and still healing cut on his other cheekbone, like he'd recently been fighting.

Temple stood suddenly and I stepped back, pressing myself against a box.

He was taller than Jerid, 6'6" to Jerid's 6'2", and more broad, his arms larger and looking like they'd seen work. His hands HAD seen work, they were calloused as he held one out.

I looked up at him in confusion, then reached as if to shake his hand.

With a derisive snort, he caught my hand and started to the servants stairs, pulling me along with him.

"I..."

"Stay quiet," he hissed. "You get me caught and I'll turn you over my fucking knee."

I swallowed hard and tried to tug my hand out of his.

At the bottom of the stairs, he hesitated and looked around, then pulled me out and through the back of the kitchen. I looked around, but no one was looking back at us as he opened the back door and pulled me into the night.

"Please!" I whispered, pulling harder on my hand as he dragged me into the soft grass of the garden. "I don't..."

"I said stay quiet!" he growled, pulling more insistently as he tightened his grip and kept dragging me.

When we got to the edge of the woods, I began fighting in earnest, struggling and digging my heels in. I lost both of my shoes in the struggle as he dragged me along the ground, then hauled me up and tucked me under one arm.

He slipped into the woods like he could see in the dark and I was panicking as I watched the light of my phone on the ground disappear at the edge of the woods as we went deeper in.

His words came back to me. 'I'll fuck her in the dirt.' 'I'll drag her out there with me.'

"Please," I began again, shaking my head.

"Hush!" he growled harshly, jerking the arm holding me to shake me slightly.

Tears fell, but I stayed quiet as I tried to see around me.

He didn't take me far, stopping at a cliff face and yanking on a rock.

A panel opened when he did with a keypad under it. He punched in a 7 digit code, then the cliff face clicked and a door swung open to reveal that it was a false rock face.

Temple slipped into the darkness with me and the door slid shut behind us. He was still for a moment, then as the door shut completely, a light came on and we were in a small room that felt almost like an elevator. There was another panel and another door.

Temple eased me down, but took hold of my arm in his left hand so he could put his right hand on the panel. It was lit up and scanned, then he punched in another code and the second door opened.

Stepping through it, Temple pulled me into a well lit steep stairwell at least three stories deep that led down to another door with another code, and then in.

The huge room he stepped into was lavish and plush, but it was also very obviously a bunker. A nice bunker. The main room was a living room with a lot of bookshelves and only one corner looked well used. There was a desk with a computer on it. Further back, I could see into a dining area and a kitchen, but the other rooms were behind closed doors.

Temple led me to a couch and gestured to it as he let my arm go.

Glancing at the door that was making a hissing noise as it sealed shut, I sat down, then watched Temple go to the kitchen area.

He came back with a wet cloth and handed it to me without a word.

I took it gingerly, looking up at him in confusion.

He gestured to my face.

Was it dirty? Had I gotten dusty in the attic?

I quickly wiped my face, blushing as I tried to figure out what to do.

Temple seemed to be frustrated with my efforts as he took the cloth from me, then held my chin up as he took a knee. Roughly, he scrubbed it over my lips, wiping away the lip gloss, then over my eyes as he scrubbed away all of the eyeshadow and mascara and eyeliner.

Pulling back, I tugged the cloth away and cleaned the makeup off my face as he stood up to watch.

When he seemed satisfied that it was all gone, he took the cloth and left again, this time disappearing behind a door.

I looked at the front door again, looking over the panel and wondering what the code was.

Temple came back with a black t-shirt and held it out to me.

"I..."

"The bathroom's through there," he cut in. "Shower and wear that. You have 3 minutes starting now before I come and do it for you."

My mouth opened in shock, then I jumped up and ran to the bathroom to shower and change.

What the hell was his problem?

I came back out drying my hair with one of the smaller towels, watching him warily.

He glanced at me from the couch he was on as he searched for something to watch on the huge TV. Turning back to what he was doing, he made a vague motion at the other end of the couch where I'd been sitting.

I sat down on the edge, gripping the towel and trying to slow my breathing.

"He doesn't fucking deserve your love, Kid. He's a prick. He doesn't even like the bitch he's engaged to, he's using her to piss our folks off. He's never going to marry her, you know. He's got more hate in him than I do, half of it's for himself. You know he's half queer, right? He likes boys too? Yeah, the year he met your friend? He was at a conversion camp. Got caught kissing a boy and getting a hand job from him. Didn't matter that he liked girls too, folks sent him to conversion camp, right there at the same military school he met the boy at. How fucked up is that? He met her and she came onto him and he just held the fuck on. He knew it would upset them more to see him with a common trash whore than it did to see him with a rich boy. They know he's bluffing, that's why they haven't paid her off yet, they think they'll outplay him."

I looked away at a nearby bookshelf.

"Nothing to say to that?"

"I knew he liked boys too," I answered softly.

"The bitch know?"

"Lottie's not a bitch, she's nice. Sweet."

"Right," he snorted. "She know?"

"No... it would hurt her feelings if she knew."

"Why the fuck would she care as long as he kept his dick in his pants?"

"I don't know... she just would."

"Because she's a bitch."

"I need to get home, my mom..."

"Not another word, Kid," he scowled, turning back to the TV and picking something.

I curled up, pulling my legs and arms into the giant t-shirt as I looked around. What the hell was I going to do? What did he want?

I flinched when he sat up at the end of the movie and turned it off, then stood up. He looked me over as he stood there, then motioned me to get up. Jumping up, I hugged myself and backed away, giving him wide berth as he stepped through to go to a closed door. Standing there, he held it open for me and waited. I hesitated only a moment before going in and looking around.

It was a bedroom... his bedroom. The huge bed was unmade, but not destroyed and he made a motion to the far side before pulling his own shirt off.

"I need..."

"You need to shut up," he snapped dangerously, pausing in unbuttoning his pants to give me a dangerous look.

Looking down, I went to the other side of the bed and got in, clutching the blankets close as I stared at the far wall in terror.

The lights went out and I squeaked a whimper as the bed moved, him laying down next to me.

"Please!" I whispered in fear. "I've never been with a man and I don't..."

"No fucking shit?" he snorted derisively. "Go to fucking sleep, Kid."

I let out a ragged breath, confused and... a little bit offended? All of this and he wasn't going to do anything? Not even try anything?

Was I so awful?

Why was I here? Was it some crap he was pulling for Jerid's sake? I didn't understand it at all.

"What if I..." I began.

"Latrine is right fucking there. Hurry up and be fucking quiet."

I slipped out of bed and into the bathroom attached to the bedroom. When I got back into bed, I knew he'd rolled over facing me. Turning, I hugged the edge of the bed. But his giant hand wrapped around my waist and pulled me back across the bed. He curled around me from behind and his massive arm held me in close like I was a teddy bear.

"Go to fucking sleep," he rumbled with a sigh.

I stared wide eyed into the darkness, feeling stunned and so... off.

I'd never been held before, or even shared a bed before. Even when I'd spent the night with Lottie, I'd slept in her trundle. I'd never been held like this, or felt what it was like to have a solid chest pressed to my back as someone breathed slowly. Breath moving my hair slightly and the weight of an arm pressing into me. I couldn't move and I felt trapped!

But there was also a strange sort of comfort to it. Knowing I wasn't alone, feeling the heat of another human being... a man. A man with his arms around me, holding me close in his bed.

Closing my eyes, it wasn't hard to imagine it was Jerid, even if Temple was a lot bigger.

The bed shifted and I jerked awake, still sleepy and out of it. The bathroom light turned on as the door was closing and I sat up to look around.

What time was it? How long had we slept?

Temple came out of the bathroom in nothing but his boxers, not even looking at me as he left the room.

I got up and peeked out as he crossed to the larger bathroom. He didn't shut the door and I heard the shower start.

Slipping out, I went to the main door and tried it, then looked over the panel.

"You touch it, this place will lock you down for a fucking week," Temple snarled, walking back to his room in a towel.

Holy shit he took fast showers!

I went to the couch and curled up, watching the bedroom door with a yawn.

He came out moments later fully dressed, then walked out the main door without a word.

I stared after him, my lips parted.

How long was he going to be gone? What was I supposed to do?

Going back to his room, I pulled a blanket off the bed and dragged it out to the couch, prepared to wait for him.

The door opening again made me jerk awake and I realized I'd gone right back to sleep.

Temple looked me over on the couch with his blanket, but said nothing as he headed to his room. He paused at the door and lifted a bag at me. "Yours," he told me, then set the bag inside the door before moving on to the kitchen.

I got up and went and peeked in the bag, then pulled the clothes out. A full dozen of the same black tank tops, black yoga pants and black boy short underwear. No bra's.

This did not bode well for me being able to leave soon.

I changed, then pulled on one of his giant flannel shirts and padded out to the kitchen barefoot to see what he was doing.

His eyes took me in, but he said nothing as he scrambled eggs.

When he set two plates on the table, he pulled a chair out for me and I went to it slowly. He stopped me when I got close, holding his hand out to me.

I knew exactly what he wanted.

Shrugging his shirt off, I handed it to him, then sat down when he moved.

"I'm cold," I told the table as he sat down across from me.

"I can see that," he answered, not looking up from his eggs. "Eat."

I ate, peeking up at him.

He finished quickly and got up, then went to his desk and sat down. Without a word, he started working on his computer, not looking at me.

When I headed towards the blankets on the couch, he finally spoke.

"Dishes," he snapped.

I blinked and felt a little outraged, but I turned and did the dishes in the sink.

When I left the kitchen again, he spoke again. "There's food in there, a lot of it. 7 AM, 1 PM and 7PM, meals on the table. Understood?"

I looked back at the kitchen, then at him. Was he telling me I had to cook for him and have his meals ready at those times? Or that there would be meals at those times?

"Do you fucking understand?" he demanded more loudly, turning to look at me full on.

"I... no? I don't?"

"What do you not understand? Are you simple minded? You don't strike me as stupid, so what do you take issue with, Kid? Don't even try and tell me you don't know how to cook, I saw you in half her fucking videos always cooking for her."

"I understand," I whispered, blushing. He wanted me to cook and keep house for him? In this secret bunker? What the hell was his problem?

I sat down, then jerked when he spoke again.

"Laundry room is off the bathroom right there."

I gritted my teeth, but got up and went to find the laundry room.

He didn't speak again after that, working on his computer. It did look like work, the way he was typing and clicking and looking things up. He wasn't playing a game or browsing, he was very focused.

I didn't stare at him, but I watched him.

In the evening, he closed his laptop and stood up, his motions so quick that I flinched. He said nothing as he went past me to the bedroom, then came back out. He was sliding his wallet in his back pocket as he left, all without saying a word.

When he finally returned, he was carrying a LOT of grocery bags and he glared at me as I stood up.

"First you don't bother with lunch and now dinners not on the fucking table either? Apparently, you are dense. What times did I say meals were?"

"I... have no way to know time? My phone was lost back in the yard and..."

"There's a fucking clock on the stove, Kid. Do you know how to read a clock? A real one and not a digital clock?"

"Yes! It... wasn't working earlier? It said 3:45 and never moved from..." I began, but he growled and stormed into the kitchen.

Stopping and staring, his posture relaxed slightly as he set the bags down.

"Put all of this away. I'll either fix it or get a new clock. There's a clock on my computer," he told me coldly, walking past me to go to the bedroom.

I went to the kitchen and started putting the food away, feeling more stressed now.

When he came back, he stood over me as I peeled and chopped potatoes, but said nothing as he watched me make dinner.

"I don't eat this late," he scowled as he sat down. "It's after 9. Never serve this late again, do you hear me?"

I nodded, picking at the food.

"Eat."

I ate.

Going back to the couch after we ate, he picked a show instead of a movie and I sat there hugging my knees, trying to think of what to say. I wasn't used to talking or trying to talk. My mother couldn't speak or hear and Lottie did all the talking for both of us. I never really felt the need to share. I didn't now either, but I needed to get across to him that I wanted to leave.

Finally, I got up my nerve. "My mom is..."

"Go get your shower. Three minutes."

I swallowed hard, then hurried to the bathroom.

There was no t-shirt to wear this time, instead it was a little black cotton camisole gown.

Pulling it on, I hugged myself as I peeked out to the dark living room, then hurried across to the bedroom. Temple glanced at me as he looked up from his phone, but went right back to what he was doing.

"Could I text my mom and..."

"Get in bed," he snapped.

I got in bed, curling up and shivering, wanting to say more.

He turned the light off, then threw himself into bed angrily. After a long moment of tense silence, he spoke. "Your mom knows you're fine," he grumped. "I have your phone."

"Ok," I whispered, a little confused. "What about Lottie? She..."

"That bitch thinks you got an Uber out of here and you're pissed because she ditched you. She did, by the way. Ditch you. Had drinks, got drunk, forgot about you till morning. You are so afraid that you were a bad friend to her because you had a crush you never acted on, you have no idea how bad she was using you, how bad she treated you. How bad he wanted her to leave you alone with him for half an hour. They're both shit people."

I said nothing, only huddled up as my heart ached. She'd forgotten about me?

Temple's hand on my waist surprised me less this time as he yanked me close.

Was this going to be it? The time that it happened? I went still, holding my breath, but he only curled around me and sighed sleepily.

That was all.

Like I was just a useful teddy bear.

I woke again when he got out of bed, watching him as he gathered clothes to go take a shower. This time, I noticed all of the small scars all over his back and shoulder, all of them thin and less than an inch long and going in the same directions. When he came out of the shower, I was starting breakfast and he said nothing as I dragged a dining chair around the kitchen to do it.

He left just after breakfast, but came back in less than an hour with a folding ladder stool for the kitchen for me to use. Sitting down at his desk, he said nothing as he worked.

I paced a moment, wringing my hands and trying to think of what to say to him.

"Go wash the bedclothes," he snapped irritably.

When I came out of the laundry room, he was gone.

Feeling frustrated, I took the opportunity to look through the rest of the large bunker. There were eight other bedrooms that looked like people actually owned them, then two more that were generic guest rooms with empty drawers. Past that was a bay full of beds and bunk beds with foot lockers that looked like it hadn't really been used ever. A huge supply room full of water, foodstuffs, and all kinds of toiletries as well was directly down the stairs, taking up the whole floor. Another room on the floor below that was a gym that also had a sauna and hot tub and another giant room with a pool, as well as a playroom that looked like it was for kids. A library with a lot of books and a small schoolroom as well. Four floors down was a huge garden with sun lamps and what looked like a water cleaning facility as far as I could tell. There was more, but I headed back upstairs.

Why did they have this? What was it for?

I was back in the living room, sitting on one of the chairs near a bookshelf when the door opened.

I looked up, then gaped as Jerid came in and looked back at the desk where Temple usually sat.

"Tem? Tem, you here? Come on, we have a fucking issue, we need your help with! The Kid's gone missing and..." he stopped, his eyes landing on me. "Shit," he breathed. "He was fucking serious!"

I stood up, unsure what to say.

I was saved! Jerid had come to get me! MY Jerid had come for me!

He cocked his head, moving closer. "No fucking consequences," he laughed, shaking his head. "Yeah, this is one fucking way to do it. Hell fucking yeah!" he crowed, sliding fingers into my hair, then gripping painfully.