Taken Back Pt. 04

"Of course, when would you like me to remind you?" Lyndsay kept her voice faint, always wanting to assure that he never mistook her tone for anything other than conforming and pleasant. Michael had drilled over and over the proper wife behavior.

"After our company leaves, then we will take a trip into town." Clyde handed her a dress and pointed to the dresser where undergarments were neatly folded into the drawers. She pulled out the long underwear and the ugly bra, which ended up being too big so the straps kept sliding down her shoulders which was difficult to adjust in a long sleeve gown. It was made of linen and had yellowed slightly near the collar and edges of the skirt. It was old, she could tell that right away by the elegant lace work. After digging around the shelves in the closet he pulled out an old shoe box that held a delicate lace bonnet. Lyndsay could tell by the way he held it in his hands that it held value of some kind.

"My great grandmother made this. I want you to understand the full value of it. You will be wearing this tonight and if you so much as put a wrinkle in it I will give you a black eye that lasts for weeks," he warned.

"I will treat it like a treasure," she swore. He replaced it and set the box on his bed.

"You will put it on right before the ceremony. Now carry these, you get to help Emily and Caitlin get ready for the christening." He handed her two more gowns and finished dressing himself. Her toes were a little cold as she followed him back to the basement door but she didn't complain. She was apprehensive about what they would find downstairs. She didn't know what condition they'd find Emily and Caitlin. He knocked several times before he unlocked the door and allowed her to lead the way. She took a deep breath and started the trip down. She swallowed hard as she heard him lock the door behind him.

"Do you still think you have rights?" Michael sneered as he pressed the heel of his shoe harder into Emily's cheekbone, crushing her face into the cement floor.

"Enough!" Clyde barked. Michael didn't argue, but he didn't look pleased at being told what to do either. Emily whimpered as she sat up and wiped the trail of blood from her mouth. She'd cut the inside of her mouth on her teeth.

"Nice choice you've made for me Brother," Emily sneered in Clyde's direction, fearless in her moment of endorphin induced bliss. She smiled as she gingerly touched her cheekbone where a dark bruise was already blossoming in the shape of a boot heel. Her hair was a tangled mess and her clothes had been torn. Caitlin was humming as she held her hands over her ears and rocked back and forth while facing the opposite direction.

"If you were to behave properly you know there would be no need for such strong measures." Clyde chided. Emily laughed as she shook her head and revealed a red smile.

"You are sending me to live the rest of my life to be treated no better than livestock, even with my knowledge of medicine. You know it, I know it; Hell even SKYE knows it." She emphasized Lyndsay's chosen name as though it were an insult and Clyde didn't miss the jeer.

"Emily, young lady, if you do not control your mouth I will make your other cheek match," he threatened.

"Control my mouth? Do you even hear yourself? Do you have any idea the things people think about our family? That we're all inbred mutated hillbillies." Clyde's fists clenched tightly as he ground his teeth together in an effort to control his temper.

"You have been tainted by the filth of the world Emily, you need this christening more than you know little sister." Emily let out a bark of laughter and winced as she carefully assessed the damage she'd endured.

"We don't need to be baptised damnit, you need to open your eyes! You need to educate yourself Clyde because what you are doing, what our entire family has been doing, it's a crime, it's against the law. Our Bible, it doesn't even exist outside our family." Lyndsay had never known that Emily had gone through the trouble to find all that out.

"I have heard enough. Do not utter another word!" Clyde shouted, face turning red as he started to breathe heavier. Before Emily could piss her older brother off further Michaell brought over Clyde's medicine bag. He quickly pulled out the needle and medication. Lyndsay felt faint as she watched him plunge the large needle into Emily's bicep. She instantly felt woozy, leaning her head on Clyde's shoulder to prevent from collapsing to the floor.

Clyde leaned Emily against a beam and began wrapping the chain around her chest, securing her to the pole. Once she was locked in place Cyde turned to Lyndsay who remained standing at the bottom of the staircase.

"Skye, help Caitlin clean up and dress please." Lyndsay nodded and walked to Caitlin, not daring to look up at Michael as she passed him and kneeled beside Caitlin. She was still rocking back and forth as she hummed a bible hymn, any other tune earned them lashings. Lyndsay rested her hand on Caitlin's shoulder, she opened her eyes and stopped. Tears stained her cheeks and Lyndsay held out her hands.

"Cmon, lets wash you up and put on this beautiful gown." Lyndsay held it out for her to see, it was made of the same linen fabric as hers, but hers had more lace. Caitlin sniffled but accepted her help and stood. Lyndsay turned the water on to hot and began to soap up the washcloths and helped Caitlin with her hair. Once she was clean and dressed, Lyndsay set to work braiding her hair straight down the middle.

Caitlin returned to her spot and hugged her knees again. Clyde was checking Emily's vitals when Lyndsay returned.

"What else can I do for you?" Clyde smiled when he looked up and stroked Lyndsay's cheek affectionately.

"Emily is next. Please secure her ankle with your chain and I'll let her free of this one." Lyndsay moved quickly. Clyde had to hold Emily's leg down so that Lyndsay could wrap the chain around her ankle. The lock clicked shut and she looked back to Clyde for further instruction.

"Warm some washcloths up please." She nodded and moved to do his bidding. After Emily stood she swung at Clyde and was rewarded with a giant fist to her face. She would have collapsed had he not caught her and shoved her towards Lyndsay. She held out the warm washcloth and Emily slapped it away, it hit the ground with a loud slurp and Emily nervously looked to Clyde.

"Emily, do not try my patience. Skye, please hand my sister another one." Lyndsay nodded and repeated the steps, holding it out tentatively towards Emily.

"This isn't you, you are stronger than this Lyndsay. Fight it." she pleaded. Clyde hit her upside the head with an open hand and she winced.

"My name is Skye, please wash up before the water goes cold." Emily frowned in disgust as she swung. But Lyndsay had a better grip and the washcloth simply flipped to the side.

"No!"

"Emily, you will do this the easy way or the hard way, but you will be getting into that gown." Clyde warned. Emily stiffened at the threat and weighed her choices before finally grabbing the washcloth from Lyndsay's hand. The last thing Emily wanted was her remaining brother to strip her naked and scrub her. Lyndsay just continued to make sure there was a warm cloth ready as Emily gave herself a sponge bath and changed into the third gown. She was shaking and had her arms crossed over her chest, but she seemed a little less intimidating now. Clyde wrapped the chains back around Emily and stood.

"Michael and I shall get ready, please rest until we come to retrieve you." Lyndsay sat on the edge of the mattress and nodded. She wasn't locked up, but she wasn't going to risk moving about just yet. Once they were alone and several locks slid into place Emily turned to her with a horrified expression on her face.

"Lyndsay, please, talk to me," she pleaded.

"Please refer to me as Skye now."

"Are you so easily broken? Where is the Lyndsay who convinced me to help her escape? Who showed me the truth of the world. We have to get out of here! What are your plans?"

"I was wrong Emily. I should have never taken you out into the world. I was wrong, about everything." Lyndsay apologized softly, too exhausted to even cry about it anymore.

"Please, Lyndsay, listen to me. If anyone can get us out of this, it's you. You're smart, you're brave, you're the strongest woman I know. Don't let them win," she begged. But Lyndsay had no heroic plan. She didn't feel like any of those things, just tired.

"I am Skye, please refer to me as such." Emily let out a frustrated sigh and shook her head.

"Alright, I'll do it myself! I'll rescue all of us. I don't need you." Lyndsay continued to stare at her hands and eventually Emily gave up trying to get her attention.

~~

"Ready to be purified ladies?" asked Michael cheerfully as he made his way down the stairs, pulling handcuffs from his back pocket and cuffing Caitlin's wrists together before moving on and freeing Emily. Lyndsay waited patiently and didn't argue when Clyde pulled out a pair of cuffs of his own. With all of them dressed in their gowns and secure, they made their way up the stairs and followed both Clyde and Michael outside and towards the barn. The grass felt wonderful against her bare feet, the sun was just setting, throwing the sky into hues of pink and blue. The barn was old and smaller than the one on the previous farm. A large aluminum water trough was filled and sat in the middle of the open space.

"I was baptized when I was born," Emily growled as she pulled against her restraints, which was secured to Michael himself. He knew who the biggest problem was going to be that night. Clyde almost found it amusing that it was his sister, instead of his wife, was the bigger problem. Clyde walked Lyndsay right up to the tub of water and instructed her to stay put as he assisted Michael with securing his wives. While neither Michael or Clyde had a gun or knife, all the girls knew they could be just as deadly with their own two hands. They were taking no chances. With all three women taken so close together, it was dangerous and neither Michael or Clyde wanted to risk exposure.

"As the elder of our family, it is my honor and duty to be the one to perform your baptisms,"Clyde announced.

"Is there anything I need to say or do?" Lyndsay asked quietly. Clyde shook his head as he removed her cuffs and assisted her into the trough, one foot after the other. She gasped from the cold water and shivered but held his hands firm. He stood beside her and held her hands in prayer as he bowed his head.

"Oh Lord, pour out your Spirit upon this servant, that he may do this work with holiness of heart," he prayed as he took her hands and fold them across her chest as he placed one hand behind her neck and the other on her chest.

"Skye Gaven, are you ready to accept the Lord, your savior?" She let out a shaky breath and nodded her head.

"I baptize thee, having authority from the Almighty God, as a testimony that you have accepted the Lord into your heart. May the Spirit of the Lord be poured out upon you; and may he grant unto you eternal life, through the redemption of Christ. In the name of the Son, the Father and the Holy Spirit, Amen." And with those last words, she took a deep breath and he shoved her under the water.

It was so cold she gasped as she was consumed by the water. Even when her lungs felt as though they'd burst she remained under the freezing cold temperatures until Clyde released her and she stood, sputtering as she coughed the water that had attempted to invade her lungs.

"A clean slate Skye, dont mess it up." She shivered and smiled when he wrapped a large fluffy towel around her and her soaking gown which was sticking to her skin and revealing everything underneath. Dirt stuck to her wet feet as she climbed from the trough and took a seat where Clyde led her and watched as Michael dragged Caitlin to the water where she shook her head when he demanded her to climb inside.

"You can't baptize someone against their will, it defeats the purpose of what a baptism stands for." Emily said in disdain.

"Patience sweetheart, you'll be purified next." Together Michael and Clyde dunked Caitlin beneath the surface, submerging her completely for what felt like minutes before they let her stand up. She cried as she shook from the cold, swinging wildly at both of their hands until she was standing alone.

"DON'T TOUCH ME!" she screamed. Michael didn't hesitate, he backhanded her, the sound intensified due to the water.

"We can do this again," Michael offered. Caitlin sniffled and shook her head, crossing her arms tightly as her husband wrapped the towel across her shoulders. She sat down beside Lyndsay and they briefly touched shoulders as they were forced to watch the men take on Emily. The second they got closer to her she started thrash, kicking her feet out as they both grabbed an arm and pulled her to her feet, hardly letting them touch the floor as they dragged her forward.

"You can baptize me, cleanse me and even crucify me but you can never make me go along with this." Emily roared as they lifted her up and set her into the water. Michael climbed in and wrapped his arms around her torso as he held her arms across her chest and Clyde began to recite the prayer for the third time. Emily snarled and screamed as she splashed water over the side of the horse trench.

"I do NOT accept your lord," Emily yelled in response as Clyde finished his prayer. Michael nodded and he shoved her under the water. She splashed, arms flailing like a wild animal and Lyndsay couldn't look away. She knew not to move, but she also knew Emily wouldn't survive much longer under the water. The splashing went silent and Lyndsay started wringing her hands, heart beating so fast she felt like she would faint. 'Cmon Emily' she pleaded silently. Michael reached in and pulled Emily out, letting her drop on the floor with a loud thud. She was still, her lips a light shade of blue.

"What have you done?!" demanded Clyde. Michael nudged Emily with his foot as he climbed out; but she remained still and lifeless. Clyde rushed around the tub and kneeled next to her, tilting her head back and listening for breathes. He clasped one hand over the other and began compressions, Lyndsay watching in suspense as she waited for Emily to start breathing. Clyde worked furiously, brows furrowed as he tried to save his sister.

"I lost my temper," But Michael's words fell upon deaf ears, Clyde tilted her head and quickly puffed two breathes into his sister's mouth, the dirt clinging to her hair, it had spread to Clyde's slacks and he started compressions again.

"C'mon Emily, breathe dammit!" shouted Clyde, his voice cracking as he tried desperately to resuscitate his sister. As Lyndsay counted his breaths she glanced up; Michael stood there watching with a look of indifference on his face. He'd just murdered his wife and he had the audacity to look bored.

Her fists clenched, her nostrils flared, rage boiled through her veins and then it hit her. Both of their attention was on Emily, Clyde desperately trying to save her life, Michael seemed to be simply observing as though the outcome mattered little. As her heart beat quickened and the adrenalin rushed through her body she scanned the barn Her eyes suddenly hyper focused on finding anything she could use for a weapon. When her gaze fell upon it, she almost wept. Discarded in an empty stall was an old rusty pitchfork end. No handle, but the four prongs seemed sharp enough to do damage. Knowing that the opportunity was slipping through her fingers like sand, she took a deep breath and leapt from her chair, tossing aside her towel and she bounded across the barn as fast as her legs could carry her.

It took seconds for Michael to catch the movement and start after her, but as he vaulted after her, Caitlin threw Lyndsay's chair under him and he tripped, hitting the floor with a hard thud; but it didn't keep him down for long. He was up and almost as quickly as he fell, and just as he pounced on Lyndsay she turned and he caught her with a hand around her throat. He squeezed so hard she was sure he was seconds away from crushing it. He shook his head and laughed.

"Deep down, I KNEW it!" He was smiling sadistically as he watched the light begin to fade from her eyes. Her vision began to fade, she tried to pry his fingers apart but he was too strong and she helplessly watched as four metal prongs pierced his chest. She could feel the hot blood as it sprayed down the entire front of her. She collapsed as Michael suddenly released her; he stared down at his chest in horror and disbelief before collapsing to his knees. His shirt was stained red while Caitlin stood behind him, having already released the handle, and together they watched him cough up a few mouthfuls of blood before giving one last final breathe and departing. Caitlin stood there staring at her hands in shock at what she had just done, she had killed him.

Lyndsay gasped for fresh air and suddenly there was a loud shot followed by a hot spray and it took several seconds for her to realize just what had happened. Clyde stood behind Caitlin, the double barrels of his shotgun still smoking and pointing down at Lyndsay through the space that Caitlin's head used to occupy. It was gone, chunks of skull and flesh scattered along with blood and brain matter. As her body fell Clyde stepped around it and brought the barrels closer to her face. Her heart skipped a few beats as she stared up at him, blood dripping onto her face. This is it, this is how I die, she thought at she stared up the endless black tunnels and met his gaze.

"Rebellion is no longer tolerated, have i made myself clear?" Her lip trembles as she stutters and tries to answer. Her face burns as she realizes she'd pissed herself. She had watched several people die in his family but none of those seemed to phase her as this one did. When she didn't answer right away he pressed the barrel against her lips, burning them while giving her the taste of blood...Caitlin's blood. Caitlin had died saving her life.

"Skye..."

"I understand," she managed to mumble through her fear. Emily was coughing up water and within a few minutes Abigail arrived, having heard the shotgun. When she saw her son on the floor of the garage she looked to Clyde.

"I got revenge Abby, but I am afraid there was nothing I could do to save him." Lyndsay expected crying, but Abigail simply stared at the body that used to be her son.

"Shall I have the boys dig up the graves?" she asked softly.

"That won't be necessary. Skye and Emily will be taking care of of that" Abigail nodded, gave Clyde a weak smile and left.

"Get up!" He ordered. Lyndsay stood, head throbbing and Emily struggled to make it to her feet. He pointed the gun in their direction.

"Grab the shovels girls, it's going to be a very long night."

~ ~~~ ~ `

"God our Father, Your power brings us to birth, Your providence guides our lives, and by Your command we return to dust. Lord, those who die still live in Your presence, their lives change but do not end. I pray in hope for my family, and for all the dead known to You alone. In company with Christ, Who died and now lives, may they rejoice in Your kingdom, where all our tears are wiped away. Unite us together again in one family, to sing Your praise forever and ever. In Jesus's name we pray, Amen." Lyndsay bowed her head and repeated Amen. Abigail stood there quiet and still as she gazed upon the pile of dirt that now covered her son. It was hard to tell if she felt anything at all. Cain and Abel stood to each side, holding their mother's hand while saying their prayers. Lyndsay placed a hand on Samson's shoulder, but he only stared at the ground.

"Emily has made some food for you to take on the road. Are you sure you want to leave so soon?" Clyde asked. Abigail took a deep breath, sighed and nodded.