The Lost Children
Chapter 1
"What the hell is this?" My dad asked, his speech slurred. He has had about five bottles of vodka in the last two hours.
"Food," I said. I don't talk much.
"We need a woman in this house to do this 'tuff for us 'cause you can't cook worth a shit."
Well, he is right. I am a boy and I was never taught how to cook.
He got up from the table and got his jacket, "I'm goin' out to look for us a girl." He picked up the handcuffs and drug me by the hair to the door he always handcuffs me to.
He handcuffed me to the door and threw his bottle at me, "I'll be back later."
A couple of hours later, I heard screaming from outside. Dad busted through the door with a girl over his shoulder. Dad was a pretty hefty guy and this girl was thrashing like a fish out of water. When he closed the door, he threw her down on the floor and she winced.
He kicked her and pulled her up by her hair, "Now, listen to me. You are going to cook, clean, and whatever else women do." He went over and unlocked my handcuffs and went back to the girl. He started dragging her by her hair to the basement door, "This is where you are going to stay. Now, have fun." He pushed her down the stairs and the last step was very sharp and her shin hit it with a hard smack. She screamed and looked at it. It was bleeding.
He looked at me, "Now, Blake, I don't want you to have anything to do with that girl. Understood?"
I nodded. The girl looked up at me. She was very pretty. She had straight, long, blonde-brown hair and blue eyes. I gave her a reassuring nod which meant 'we'll stick together'.
Chapter 2
That night after my dad was passed out drunk, I went to the basement where the girl stayed. She was lying down and when I opened the door she shot up in an instant. She looked at me like a kick-puppy would look at its owner. I had my mom's medical bag, which contained bandages, alcohol, Neosporin, peroxide, and some band-aids. My dad didn't throw any of my mom's stuff away, not even her clothes.
I went down the stairs where the girl was sitting and looked at her shin. It had a huge cut on it from where she hit the sharp metal of the step. I poured some peroxide on it and it started bubbling really bad. She winced and I put some Neosporin on it and bandaged it up.
She looked at me and smiled, "Thank you. Where did you learn to do that?"
I was still wrapping the bandage around her leg, "My mom. She was a doctor. She died a year ago."
"I'm sorry."
"It's fine. What is your name?"
"Keightlynn."
"Mine's Blake."
She looked at me with sad eyes, "I don't want to be here." Keightlynn looked down at her shin.
I patted her cheek, "It'll be alright. I've lived with this since my mom died."
She came closer and curled into me, "I'm so scared. What if he kills me?"
"I won't let him."
Keightlynn smiled and we heard a crash from upstairs, "Blake, where the hell are you?!"
I looked at Keightlynn, "Go in there. Hide."
She ran in there and hid. I ran up the stairs and ran into my dad.
"I told ya to leave that girl alone."
"I wasn't messing with her."
"Yes you were. You wouldn't be down here if you weren't." He pushed me down the stairs and went to find Keightlynn.
"Come here my little girl." He looked around for a little bit then stopped until Keightlynn made the stuff on the shelves fall down. He went exactly where she was sitting, "Found ya little precious." Keightlynn screamed like she was getting shot and he started to drag her up the stairs by her ankles. I ran after him and tried to free her but he was too strong.
Dad took Keightlynn to his bedroom and locked the door. I heard her screaming, "Get off of me!!!!" She kept screaming but I couldn't help. I knew what he was doing to her. He was raping her.
Chapter 3
After it was all over, Dad was passed out drunk and Keightlynn had two black eyes and she was crying on my shoulder.
"I'm so sorry. He locked the door and I couldn't get in," I said.
"I just couldn't believe it." Keightlynn started crying more. She got up and put some ice on her swelling eyes. She still looked pretty to me.
"We should run away," Keightlynn said.
"He'll find us and kill us for sure."
She nodded with understanding. At that time my dad woke up.
He started yelling at Keightlynn, "Put that ice down! You're goin' to take it like a man!" He took it away from her and backhanded her across the face. On top of black eyes, she now has a big fat handprint.
"Go take a shower. I don't want my maid smellin' like sweat. You can wear my wife's old clothes. Well, what are you standing there for? Go!" He shoved her so hard her head hit the sink and started bleeding. She got up and started walking toward the closet where my mom's clothes were. She picked out something and hurried to the shower.
"Maid, fill the tub up with water," Dad said when she was done.
"Her name is Keightlynn," I said.
"Keightlynn, go fill the tub up with water."
She did as she was told and my dad came into the bathroom. She looked at him, closed her eyes and cowered before him. He slammed her face into the side of the bathtub and then started to drown her. He let her up for air every once in a while and the water was all bloody. After he was done, he shoved her lifeless body into the water. I ran into the bathroom to find her unconscious.
"Keightlynn, wake up. Please wake up." She was breathing but she wouldn't wake up. I would regret this but I had to. I smacked her across the face and she woke up instantly. She leaned over into the bathtub and started throwing up water. Keightlynn fell into me from exhaustion. I carried her to my bedroom so she could sleep in a bed for once. I slept in the other bed that was in my room. It was just in case we had guests. Tomorrow, I'll bandage her up, but tonight she can sleep.
Chapter 4
"What the hell is this?!" My dad screamed, waking both of us up. "What did I tell you, Blake?! She sleeps in the basement!" He walked over and hit me in the eye. I'm pretty sure it'll be black later.
"And Keightlynn I told you. You sleep in the basement." He backhanded her across the face.
She was fighting tears, "I was unconscious so I had no clue."
He pushed her off the bed and her head hit the corner of the dresser, "Don't talk back to me you little brat! I will not be disrespected like that!" He stomped out of the room but came back in, "And, Keightlynn, I want you to wash the knives. They're probably covered in dust.
Keightlynn nodded and Dad walked out of the room. She put a hand up to her head then looked at it. There was blood. She got up to go clean the dusty knives.
She was drying them off when Dad walked over to her, "Let me see how you did." He examined the knife and threw it in the water, "Wash them again! They are still dirty."
"There isn't anything on them." She said quietly
Dad looked furious, "I said clean them again! Don't talk back!" He took her hand and sliced her hand open. She started screaming and crying but that only made it worse. He took her by the ankles and started dragging her to his room. And so the screaming began.
Chapter 5
After Dad got finished with Keightlynn, I went back there to see how she was. She had a sheet wrapped around her and she was facing the wall.
"Blake?" She asked.
"Yeah, it's me."
"I don't understand why he does this."
"Me either. But there are those things that you can't understand." I walked over and sat on the edge of the bed next to her. I rubbed her arm. "Get dressed. I'll go in the bathroom." I walked into the bathroom. I looked in the mirror and what I saw was a boy with overlong brown hair and green eyes like my mom's and the right eye swelling up and turning black and blue.
"Okay. I'm done."
I walked out and she was sitting on the edge of the bed, fully dressed. Her eyes were still swollen and her lip was starting to swell.
"We better get out of here before Dad finds us."
Keightlynn nodded and we walked back into the living room. The TV was on and Dad was watching the news.
"The search for missing 15-year-old Keightlynn Reynolds goes on. She went missing Tuesday afternoon and has been declared endangered missing. If you have any information please contact the Fordsville police." Then her parents went on the screen. "If you have our daughter, please bring her back. She means the world to us." Her mom was crying and so was Keightlynn.
She whispered "I love you, mom. I'll be back."
Chapter 6
I was in a deep sleep when I heard some screaming. I shot straight up in the bed and looked to see my dad dragging Keightlynn by her ankles to the bedroom again. Dad didn't know when to quit. Right when they got to the door, Dad let her ankles go. Keightlynn got up, only to be shoved into the wall.
He pulled her by her hair, "You will not try anything like that again. Is that understood?"
Keightlynn nodded, "I just want to go home."
Dad backhanded her, "I bet you do you little brat. But you're going to stay with us. If you try anything like that again, I'll kill you. Now, is that understood?"
She looked really scared, "Yes. I understand."
"Good." Dad shoved her in the floor and stomped off.
I went over 2 help her up, "What happened?"
"I tried running away. It failed miserably"
"He's like a psychic. He can tell whet you're planning. I don't know."
"I was out of the window maybe five minutes and he saw me."
"Your eye. It's going to be black again."
Keightlynn shrugged, "No biggie. The worst he can do is kill me."
I would hate it if Keightlynn died. To tell the truth, I kinda like her. She was pretty and nice. Maybe later I can get to know her a bit more.
Chapter 7
That night, I visited Keightlynn in the basement after Dad was, of course, passed out drunk. He does that every time he starts thinking of Mom.
When I opened the door, Keightlynn was asleep. I don't blame her. She took a beating today. She takes a beating everyday. She's been with us for about a month now.
"Keightlynn, wake up." I shook her shoulder.
Her eyes opened slowly then she yawned, "Hey Blake." She smiled sleepily.
"I was hoping to patch up your hand a little more." Her hand already had a bandage on it but it was blood-stained. She held out her hand for me and I started taking the bandages off. I took the gauze pad off and saw that her hand was oozing a yellowish color slimy liquid. She looked utterly repulsed by it and had to look away. I put some alcohol on it and I saw her wince. I put another gauze pad on it and bandaged it up.
"There. All done."
Keightlynn smiled, "Thank you."
I kissed her hand. That made her blush. I looked in her eyes and kissed her lips. When we pulled away, she laughed.
"I really like you, Keightlynn."
She smiled, "I like you, too."
Then, a loud crash. Dad is awake.
"Blake! Keightlynn! Get up here! NOW!!!!"
We both had a worried look on our faces but we did as we were told.
"Blake! What have I told about that girl! Don't mess with her!"
"But, Dad, I like her. I really like her."
As if Dad wasn't mad enough, this made him madder. Madder than I've ever seen him.
Keightlynn
Chapter 8
I couldn't believe what I was seeing. Blake's dad was strangling him. I had to do something before he died. I jumped on his back and started kicking and hitting. He let go of Blake for a bit to shake me off. When he did, I hit head first onto the tile floor. It was bleeding a bit but I didn't care. I looked around and found a long, metal pipe. I got ready like I was hitting a baseball and took one swing and he was knocked out cold, but not for long. 7 years of softball finally did some good.
Blake started coughing, "Is he….dead?"
"He's knocked out. But not for long. You've got to run. I'll catch up later." He stared at me like I was speaking French. "What are you waiting for? Christmas? Run!"
He kissed me goodbye and ran out the front door. I looked at the unconscious man and started dragging him to his bedroom. He was a pretty hefty man, but I could do this. After five minutes of dragging, I finally made it. I found the handcuffs and handcuffed him to the bedpost. I threw the key in the trash and went back to catch up with Blake.
Chapter 9
I saw a dark silhouette and ran over to Blake.
"I don't think he's getting out of there."
At that time, we heard a voice in the distance followed by barking, "KEIGHTLYNN!!! BLAKE!!! GET BACK HERE!!!!"
We heard the barking get closer but it was too late for me. The Doberman had gotten me by the back of my calf. I fell on the ground, trying not to scream in pain. I looked back to see my leg bleeding worse than I've ever seen it bleed before. Blake came over and kicked the dog. He tried helping me up, but I couldn't stand up.
"Blake, it hurts too much." I tried walking, only to fall on the ground again. Blake picked me up like a baby and started to carry me wherever we were going. We both saw a dark silhouette in the night. It was his dad. He started running with me till we came to a tree house. He put me on his back so he could climb up.
When we reached the top, Blake put a finger over his lips, telling me to be quiet. His dad passed right by the tree house and deeper into the woods. Blake breathed a sigh of relief. He took out a flashlight so he could look at my leg. I look at it and saw that it was much worse than I expected. The dog bite was so deep you could see almost to the bone.
Blake looked at it in horror, "You need to go to a hospital. I can't fix this." He tried bandaging it, and I cried the whole time. It hurt so badly.
"We need too get you to a hospital now. It's about 9 o'clock so maybe we can make it."
"How can we do that when I can't even walk? I know you can't carry me the whole way."
Blake nodded, "I'll carry you some of the time. The rest of the time, you'll have to limp or something."
I knew he didn't want to see me suffer like that, but he had no choice. He knew he couldn't carry me the whole way.
Chapter 10
Blake started out carrying me. He'd do that for a while then let me limp, and then picked me up again. It was pitch black outside, so it's pretty much impossible for anyone to see us without flashlights. We heard a noise from behind and turned around to find another one of those dogs. The German Sheppard growled at Blake, and then started howling. This is it, I thought. If Blake's dad catches us we are dead for sure. We heard some shuffling from the trees and I saw the other dog. They were both growling at us. We heard another shuffling from the bushes.
"I've gotcha now," someone said, but it wasn't Blake's dad. The scruffy looking man looked at us, "Hey, what are you youngsters doing on my property?"
He shone his flashlight on us and saw two beaten kids, and a girl with a messed up leg.
He looked at us in shock, "What happened to you two?"
I spoke then, "We've just escaped from a very cruel man. He's beat us for the past month." Then I realized he may not have recognized me because of all my black eyes. "Mister, have you been watching the news lately?"
He nodded, "Been wonderin' what happened to that 15 year old…..Keightlynn. Pretty girl."
I limped towards him, "I'm Keightlynn. You may not recognize me because of all the black eyes and bruises, but I am her. And I need to get to a hospital." I took his flashlight and shone it on my leg.
"What happened to ya?"
"A Doberman attacked me." I looked down at one of his dogs, which looked exactly like the one that attacked me.
Blake spoke then, "So what's your name?"
"David."
I whispered in Blake's ear, "That's the dog that attacked me. He's with your dad. He's trying to catch us."
Blake nodded with understanding and started picking me up so he could run. As soon as Blake took off running, David sent the dogs after us. Blake was a fast runner, but not fast enough to outrun a German Sheppard and a Doberman. He spotted a pocket knife on the ground in the moonlight. He picked it up and stabbed the dogs. The last thing we heard was their whining. I could see it in the distance. A road. Surely someone would stop.
Chapter 11
After a while of running, Blake put me down so he could rest. I would be tired, too, if I was him. We were so close to the road. Then something unexpected. Blake's dad appeared in the bushes. Blake was too busy catching his breath to notice.
"BLAKE, WATCH OUT!!!!!!!!" I screamed.
Blake looked over to wear I was staring with shock. His father was running toward us, looking ready to kill. Blake picked me up again and took off. Blake was faster than his hefty dad, so he outran him easy. The road was so close. Then I saw it. A barbed wire fence kept us from escaping. I had to make a choice.
"Blake, you go on. I'll be fine."
"What? No. He'll murder you. I won't let you."
I let go of him and fell to the ground with a hard thump. Blake turned around to come get me but it was too late. Blake's dad was almost to me. His dad didn't see me and next thing I felt was pain in my side from where he tripped over me.
I got on the huge man's back, "Leave Blake alone!!!!" I started pulling his hair and hitting him.
There was a huge piece of wood beside me so I grabbed it. I hit him over the head. He stopped moving. He's knocked out again I thought.
I got up and tried walking but my leg was making it near impossible. Then, I felt a hand pull me back to the ground.
"I've gotcha now my pretty girl."
"BLAKE!!!!!!! HELP ME!!!!!!!!!!" I kept screaming bloody murder. "Blake he's got me!!! HELP!!!"
I saw him turn around and when he got to me he started beating his dad in a blind rage. Kind of like how he hurt Blake. Blake got the two-by-four and beat his dad like there was no tomorrow.
After that his dad looked dead and Blake said, "Looks like the tables have turned."
Chapter 12
Blake had to carry me the rest of the way after his dad messed up my leg even more. We saw a car coming around the bend of the road. Blake flagged it down for it to stop, "Can you carry us to the hospital?"
The female voice that answered sounded familiar, "Of course. Get in"
Blake opened up the back seat door and put me in the back.
The woman spoke again, "So is that your sister? What's her name?"
"She was kidnapped by my abusive father about six months ago. Her name is Keightlynn."
I felt the car come to a screeching stop. I opened my eyes to see what was happening.
The woman turned on the lights and stared me right in the face, "Keightlynn? Is that really you?"
I looked at her and there was a ping a familiarity, "Mom? Mom, is that you?" I knew she was probably seeing her daughter beat up, bruised all over with black eyes and a messed up leg.
"Yes, baby, it's really me." She turned to Blake and I knew she saw the black eyes, too. "Your father did this to you both?"
Blake nodded, "But Keightlynn got the worst end. He even tried drowning her. But we need to get to the hospital. She's lost a lot of blood. That's why she's so pale and tired."
Mom nodded, "Its okay sweetie. We'll be there soon."
The last thing I remember is Mom cranking up the car.
Chapter 13
When I woke up, I was in the hospital attached to an IV and blood bags. The only person that was in the room was Blake and he was sleeping. Mom was out conversing with the doctor. I saw someone round the corner. Oh no, oh no no no no. This guy just doesn't give up. Blake's dad was coming toward my room with fire in his brown eyes.
"This guy won't quit till I'm dead," I whispered to myself.
He walked into my room and stood across the room, "It's a shame that a pretty girl like you has to suffer like this. But I'm afraid that you just have to die. But don't worry; I won't make you watch Blake's slow and painful death. You'll be first." He gave that evil smile he always gives me.
I was hyperventilating by the end of his short speech. He lunged at me and started pulling out every tube inside of me. He put his arms around my throat and started strangling me; but not before I let out an ear piercing scream that woke Blake up.
"Dad, let her go!" Blake went up behind him and tried getting him off of me but his dad is too strong. His dad threw him into the wall and he crumpled into a pile. My mom ran in the room and started screaming. They fought with all their strength, but it looked like Blake's dad was winning. I was going to die tonight. At that moment, I heard a gunshot from behind, and saw Blake's dad fell limp and into the floor, where his blood was starting to pool. A single gunshot to the back of the head stopped him from murdering me. I sat up to see who saved my life. I saw my hero in uniform with a police badge that said REYNOLDS on it.
"Daddy! You saved me!" I tried getting up but my leg made everything impossible.
The doctor, my cousin Cheryl, made me lay back down, "You need to let you leg heal. When you were attacked by those dogs, it because some major damage, and then walking on it made it worse."
I looked at the dead body on the floor, "I can't believe its over. Six months of wondering whether or not I'd die and now it's over. But…." I looked at Blake, who was back on his feet, "what about Blake. His mother's dead and now his father. Blake kept me alive this whole time. I can't abandon him."
Cheryl smiled, "Do you remember your cousin Daniel's friend Jake and how his father abused him and then he later died because his dad poisoned him? Well, I talked to Jake's mom Jennie and she said she'll be happy to take him and raise him. You two will go to the same school and Jennie was thinking about moving next door to you so you could see each other and help each other with homework and all that."
I smiled the biggest smile I've ever smiled, "Blake, we can still see each other."
Blake smiled, "I heard. And I'm so happy that Jennie will be letting me stay with her." He walked over to me, "And I'll be seeing you every single day." He leaned down and kissed me right in front of everyone. Maybe this will be a happy ending after all.
Blake
Three Years Later……
Chapter 14
I've turned 18, and I'm living a normal life. I have a girlfriend, I'm driving, and I have a loving family. If you are wondering, yes, my girlfriend is Keightlynn. We've been together for three years and a few months. I'm driving in my red convertible to pick her up from her drama practice. When I get there, she's already waiting for me.
I give her a smile when she gets into the car, "Hey, I have a surprise for you." I kiss her.
She laughs, "Was that it?"
I shake my head, "No, there's more, but you've got to put on that blindfold."
She gets a weird look, but puts the blindfold on. I drive to our little secret spot, which is a tulip meadow with a few rose bushes because those are her favorite flowers. I put the car in park and I throw her over my shoulder. She kicks and laughs.
"Okay you can take it off now."
Keightlynn takes off the blindfold and gasps in astonishment as she sees me down on one knee with a ring.
"Keightlynn Nicole Reynolds, I promise that I'll take care of you, protect you, and love you. I'm crazy about you and I love you. Will you marry me?"
She started crying but she nodded, "Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes. A million times yes. Forever and for always."
I slid the diamond ring on her finger and kissed her. This is the happiest moment of my life, but I know as long as I'm with Keightlynn, it'll be filled with more happy moments.