"Knock knock." The familiar voice rang through the bathing cavern. I smiled as I shoved my feet into my old, worn tennis shoes.
"Good morning Ian," I said. "I just finished. Did you sleep well?"
"Ian's still asleep," the voice said, now sneering. I froze in place as the realization set in. This was Kyle's voice. Not Ian. "Everyone's asleep," he continued. "But we'd better make this fast, just in case." There wasn't a doubt in my mind what he meant. Kyle was going to kill me. In the pitch darkness I couldn't see him and he was moving too quiet for my ears to pick up.
Find something to hit him with, Melanie said from inside my head. I shook my head. I would never be able to do that. My kind doesn't resort to violence. I couldn't...
Well right now you're my kind, and this is kind of a dire situation. It's kill or be killed. Plus it would be nice bashing that asshole's head in with a rock. I had to hold back a gasp as the images filled my mind; Kyle laying on the ground, his head bashed in with a rock, blood oozing from the gash. Melanie laughed inside my head. She was enjoying the thoughts. Shaking my head, I urged myself to focus. Listen for anything that might give the brute away. But there was nothing. No quiet sound of footfall. No menacing chuckle ripping through the air. It was almost like he wasn't even in the cavern anymore.
Until a loud splash sounded behind me in the pool. I gasped loudly, giving away my location. MOVE, Melanie screeched. I complied, running as quietly as I could to the right. Unfortunately, my quietest wasn't very quiet. Loud thuds sounded all around me, crashing to the cave floor and walls. Rocks, I realized. Kyle was throwing rocks at me.
Let me out, Melanie cried. Let me fight him! I nodded, focusing all my attention on trying to let unlock her from the cell that was my mind. But I couldn't find the key. I couldn't figure out how to let her take over the body for me.
Then a rock hit me on the head. I cried out in pain and fell to the ground. I could hear the water rushing near me and Kyle laughing evilly. "Bullseye!" He cried and I heard him slap something. His knee, I thought. Inside my head I could hear Melanie screaming. Get up!, She cried, but I couldn't do it. My body wouldn't move no matter how hard I tried to get it to.
I heard Kyle approaching me, his footsteps heavy against the rocks below. Suddenly, there was a weight on top of me and I almost cried out in pain from the pressure. Kyle shifted, situating himself on my stomach. "Hey there, Wanda. How are you?," He asked, still chuckling.
No words or screams would come out of my mouth. It was like they were locked away in my throat. I wanted to push him off or hit him, but my body still wouldn't head to my command. Melanie was screaming obscenities in my head at Kyle, though he couldn't hear her. That didn't deter her efforts though.
Finally, I was able to gasp out, "Kyle," but that was all. No more would come out. I could almost hear him smile. He ran a calloused hand down the side of my face. It was almost... gentle. Until he smacked me, letting the sound of flesh-hitting-flesh linger in the air. My cheek stung, and I felt salty tears run down my cheek. "Kill me," I managed to croak.
"Well, I was going to, you see, Wanda. But now, listening to your crying, it makes me want... more." His hand caressed my cheek again, this time moving one finger up to wipe away a tear drop. "More of you," He concluded.
That bastard!, Melanie screeched, anger boiling up inside of us. Punch him in the balls!
I can't, Melanie. Our body won't listen to me. Plus he's sitting right on top of us, his feet are on my hands. She didn't respond and the tears fell in a steadier stream now, as though we had both given up, knowing that we couldn't stop whatever he was about to do. A sob racked through me, shaking my body.
"Oh Wanda, cry harder. I like it." The words were cruel and he spoke in a sneer. I felt him shift atop me again, and the a zipper being opened.
NO! NO, NO, NO! I wasn't sure which of us the thought was coming from- perhaps both- but Melanie and I were trying to shrink back into the farthest reaches of our mind. Maybe then we could escape the horror of what Kyle was going to do.
Just then, he moved again, off of me slightly, to undress me. I quivered and began to struggle, the feeling finally coming back into my body.
"That's more like it," he said. "How about you say my name again?" He laughed again, as a sudden breeze blew across my lower section, being freed from the confinement of my jeans. When his fingers reached into the sides of my underwear, preparing to take them off too, I found my voice again.
It was like a bubble flowing up my throat. I opened my mouth, thinking I might vomit. Instead, though, a scream erupted from it, loud and high. It was such a guttural scream. I had never heard my voice sound like that. Reaching down inside of me, I was able to find the bubble again, bringing it up with the word "Help!" The echoes rang through the cave, shocking Kyle. He jerked back, both hands then reaching up to cover my mouth and quiet me, his previous mission forgotten.
Scream louder, Melanie told me, as though I didn't have two large hands over my mouth. Get the bastard caught. Hopefully they'll kill him. I bit down hard on Kyle's hand, one finger being in my way. My teeth ripped into his skin, shredding through it like a cheese grader.
"Bitch!," he screamed, jerking back his wounded hand. I couldn't see him, but I heard a zipper again, this time probably going upward. Suddenly, a loud crack sounded just beside my head, pieces of hard rock showering over my skin, some landing in my mouth and eyes. Without the weight of the large buffoon on my abdomen, I was able to sit up. I swung my hands around, continuing to screech.
Keep going, Melanie encouraged. Suddenly, a gunshot rang threw the corridor, followed by a bright light. Jeb was clutching his shotgun tight, aiming it up at the ceiling. Ian was beside him, directing a flashlight our way. As the light flooded over the two of us, Jeb and Ian gasped. Ian's face twisted in anger. He dropped the flashlight to the ground and rushed over to us, fists clenched. The stream of light was still directed our way, giving me a perfect view of the approaching, murderous Ian. At first I thought he was going to hit me, but he barreled right past me, over to Kyle, who was still cradling the hand I had bitten. "You bastard!," Ian yelled, throwing his fist up to Kyle's face. There was a cracking sound, and I was sure some bone had been broken. Kyle fell to the ground with a thud.
"Killing her- I could expect that from you. But this?" He waved his hand over to where I sat, watching in horror. "When did you stood so low?" That part was growled, but I heard it nevertheless.
"You deserve to die. I think I should just kill you right now. Throw you into the river. Won't that be a relief to everybody?"
Jeb, who had been approaching the two slowly, rested his hand on Ian's shoulder. "Settle down a bit, son. You're scaring her even worse." Ian let go of Kyle's shirt and turned around to look at me. But he didn't look at my face. At first I was confused. Then a dry breeze rushed through the cavern and I remembered that I wasn't wearing any pants. The blood rushed to my cheeks and I looked around for them, but they were no where to be seen, so I curled myself into a ball, holding my legs to my chest.
The anger was still evident on Ian's face, but it softened and he approached me, sat next down beside me, and put his arms around my quivering body. "It's okay, Wanda," he said. "I won't let him hurt you ever again." I didn't reply, but instead leaned into him, letting him embrace me.
Despite Jeb pointing his gun at him, Kyle's sneering voice rang through the air. "You're going to hug it? Pathetic." Jeb cocked his gun and growled at him, silencing him.
I felt Ian go ridged. Suddenly a sneering laugh erupted from him, one so similar to his bother's that I flinched. "Really Kyle? I don't think you have any room to talk at all! I should have killed you a long time ago. I wish Jodie could see what you've become. You tried to rape her. That's a hundred times worse than even murdering her. You deserve to rot in hell, you disgusting jack ass."
I saw Kyle clench his fist then wince at the pain it caused him. I must have bit him pretty hard. Guilt flooded through me instantly. Don't be an idiot, Melanie chided me. He doesn't deserve your sympathy. I knew she was right, but the guilt still tugged at my conscience. We weren't supposed to harm other people. Everything could be solved without violence.
Not when you're about to get raped, Melanie said. I ignored her. I could have tried to talk him out of it or something. It didn't have to resort to violence. From inside my mind, Melanie sighed, as though she had given up on the situation.
"Shut your mouth before I shut it for you," Kyle yelled to Ian. Just then Jeb hit him in the face with the barrel of the gun. "Shut your trap, kid. It'd be a shame to have to kill you right now, even though I really want to. You knew the rules. Actually, maybe I will kill you right now." Slowly, Jeb lifted the gun, aiming it at a shaking Kyle. Seeing him look so helpless struck something inside of me. I pushed away from Ian and rose to my feet, ignoring the fact that I had no pants on.
"Wait!," I yelled, stepping forward. "He didn't do anything! It was my fault!" Lie. It was a complete lie. But I couldn't bare to see him shot. Despite how much I hated him, I couldn't stand anymore violence. Nobody needed to die. He tried to kill you!, Melanie shouted. I ignored her.
Jeb lowered the gun and turned to me. Kyle sat there shocked, mouth gaping. From behind me, I heard Ian get up and walk to me. He placed a hand on my shoulder. "Oh really?," he asked, voice dripping with sarcasm. "Then what happened?"
I was silent for a second, trying to gather my story. "I- uh- fell trying to get my pants on after I got out of the bath and Kyle came in. He tried to help me up, but I didn't see him. It scared me, so I started screaming... and bit his hand."
I could tell that neither of the two men believed my story. Jeb huffed. "Is that right," he said, but the tone implied he knew I was lying. I nodded anyways. Ian turned me around.
"You don't have to lie for him," he said quietly, staring into my eyes.
"I'm not lying," I said, facing the floor. Yes you are, Melanie said.
Ian shook his head and hugged me. "Don't be stupid Wanda. He would have hurt you. He tried to hurt you. You don't need to protect him. Protect yourself. He should be killed, or thrown out of here at the very least.
I was shocked, and pressed my head into the nook between his shoulder and chin. "How can you say that," I asked, tears freshly falling again. "He's your brother."
His hand came up to stroke my hair. "He was warned, Wanda. And that was just about murder. Rape is a whole other thing. That is something that should never happen. Not even if you hate somebody. I won't ever forgive him for trying to hurt you in any way. Especially not this way."
"Ian...," I whispered, hugging him tighter. "I love you."
"I love you too," he whispered back.
Kyle made a gagging noise and Jeb hit him with the gun again. "Why can't you just learn to shut your big, fat trap? Come with me, unless you want me to shoot you right now." I saw Kyle's face contort into an expression I had never seen on him... fear. He stood up and walked behind Jeb, out of the bathing room, not even glancing at me as he left.
I don't know how long we stood there hugging, but finally the was a cough at the doorway. Jared stood watching us. "Jeb told me what happened, he said slowly. We should probably find you some pants." I looked down at my legs and blushed, realizing I was still in my underwear.
Hey! So... what do you guys think? I'm not sure if it's going to be a one-shot or if I'm going to continue. Whatever. Review~!