Stranded Ch. 12

"Soon, my love." He adjusted himself before pecking her head once more and walking out the door. She straightened her nightgown and began pulling more things out from the cupboard. An electric razor, a glass bottle, a syringe, a needle and thread. She pulled my hand away and tested to make sure the gel had numbled the area before starting. She flicked the electric razor on, the loud buzzing drowning all other thoughts out.

"I thought you said butterfly stitches would work."

"Wound's a little deeper than I thought. I have to shave the area around it and put a few stitches in."

"He's going to be upset," I announced in exasperation, eyes filling with tears. He had promised he would take care of anyone who broke the rules, but I already knew what taking care of them meant and I didn't need that on my conscious. I didn't want anyone else to go missing, at least not because of me.

"It's best to leave the men to their quarrels."

"Not when they keep dragging me into it! You don't understand, we can't tell him!. I-I-I'll say I tripped, or rolled out of bed and hit the nightstand!"

"Lying will always get you into more trouble," Emily sighed as she threaded the needle sat down beside me. Then she instructed me to lie flat, resting my head on her lap, the towel beneath me. I could feel the pressure, similar to when Arioch stitched my collar bone; only this time, I could hear the thread as it slid through my flesh. It was over as quickly as it started and after wrapping a bandage around my head she declared herself finished. I sat up too quickly, getting suddenly lightheaded. Emily reached out a hand to steady me. But I managed to steady myself and look into her eyes, I was surprised to find they weren't lifeless and dead as Skye's had been. There was wisdom there, beneath the sadness. She seemed to see my unasked question in my eyes.

"I was born into this life, the transition was rather easy for me; I won't pretend to understand what you're going through. But I can promise you, if you give it a chance, really open yourself up to it; you could be happy here among the Chosen." I pulled my hand away sharply, folding them in my lap to keep her from seeing them shake.

"If you had just let me die in that stupid basement, then none of this would even be happening." I replied through gritted teeth. She opened her mouth but then quickly closed it before nodding.

Whatever speech she wanted to give me, I didn't want to hear any of it and she knew it.

"Follow me." She opened the door and without waiting to see if I was behind her, stepped into the hallway. I kept my hand on the wall as I followed. We stopped at the door I saw Bethany run out of and she knocked three times. I could hear bed springs creaking from within and Emily turned a bit pink in embarrassment. She took a few steps back and we leaned against the other wall, softing moaning reaching the hall.

"Does that not bother you?" Emily glanced at the door and shook her head.

"It is Sister Bethany's night, I get him on Thursdays. That man has a lot of love to give, souls to save, who am I to deny him his God given duty?" Before I could open my mouth there was a loud roar from behind the bedroom door, signaling his big finish. Minutes later Bethany opened the door, her hair a mess, cheeks flushed and a goofy grin on her face. She noticed us and immediately straightened her nightgown before scurrying off down the hall.

The heavy scent of sex and nicotine hung in the air and I knew who Ephraim got his smoking habit from. Dale was sitting up in his bed, back against the metal frame, the sheet pulled up enough to modestly hide himself. The only thing covering his chest was a small rug of hair, salt and pepper like his temples. He was smoking a cigarette and had just flipped the TV in his bedroom on. He tossed a pillow into the corner of his room on the other side of his dresser.

"You can use the red one," he nodded to the folded blankets at the end of his bed and Emily grabbed it, wrapping it around my shoulders. I huddled in the corner, sitting on the pillow and leaning against the wall. Emily opened one of the drawers beneath the TV and tossed a nightgown at me.

"Give me that dirty one." I looked down at the nightgown in my arms and again at the one on my body then glanced at Dale.

"I got more pussy than I know what to do with, I got better things to stare at a naked little girl." he spat, taking a sip from the beer on his nightstand, the frost melting, leaving a ring around the bottom, but he paid it no attention. I kept my back to him, and tore the bloody one off, slipping the clean one on grateful she had cleaned me of the blood.

"Take these; dear, do you have some water she may use for her medication?" He handed her a glass and I took the pills.

"That ought to help with the pain." She returned the glass and leaned down to kiss Dale once more. I could still see the perspiration from his previous lovemaking still shining on his skin, but none of that bothered Emily. Eventually he pulled away and she nearly swooned, breathless as she stumbled from the bedroom.

I made myself a comfortable little bed, but kept my back to the wall. I was exhausted, but I was too frightened to close my eyes.

"I'm not gonna rape you, girl; you can rest."

"And what about the rest of your brood?" he glanced at his bedroom door as he lit up a second cigarette.

"If any of 'em boys are brave enough to come into my room, I'll whip the flesh straight from their hide. We just have to hope they fear me more than they want to stick their dick in you. Go on and get some rest, I won't be sleeping anytime soon. Got breakfast in 5 hours." He muted the TV and the only sound I could hear after that was him puffing his cigarette and taking a swig of beer. The floor wasn't the most comfortable, but it was only seconds after laying my head down that I fell fast asleep.