I picked up the soap and water bucket off of the floor and stepped back as he opened the refrigerator and pulled out a beer. "You did a beautiful job Penny. It's clean, huh? You could eat off the floor." He opened the beer and tossed the cap onto the counter top.

I was thankful that he was pleased by the job I'd done but I was still wondering about Lilly. "Why?"

He looked at me confused with a little anger that I was questioning him. "Why what?"

"Why is she here? Did I do something?"

He looked over at Lilly and walked away. I watched him, as he walked over to the counter, opened the drawer, and pulled out a small box. "Lilly...follow me. Come here." He walked into the living room and I realized that he was holding an electric dog colar like the one around my ankle. "This is really special, okay." He pulled the colar out of the box. "You are very important to me. And this is going to help keep you safe." He leaned down and put the colar around her ankle and adjusted it so that it was secure. I realized what he was doing. "There. Now what do you say?" he asked looking into her eyes expectantly. She just stood there with a scared and confused look on her face not sure what to say. He rolled his head and looked at her as he said a little impatiently, "What do you say when someone gives you a present?" he asked her trying to clarify what he meant.

She hesitated before responding, "Thank you?"

"You're welcome. Here's how it works. You get too close to a door or window, and you're going to feel a little buzz. That's a warning." he looked up at me and asked, "And what happens if we don't pay attention to the buzz? What happens if we go outside the house?"

"You cross the underground wire and the bracelet electric shocks you and you die." I answered.

Lilly looked back over towards Gerald scared as he started talking again, "But you know what? It's better to die than to get caught by the police, 'cause you know what happens if you get caught by the police?" She shook her head quickly and he answered in a menacing tone, "They'll hurt you so bad you'll wish you were dead. This is where we have to stay until it's safe to go out again. We have no choice. It's what your parents wanted. It's why they asked me to bring you here." I looked up as he said this and he took a drink.

Lilly hesitated before responding, "They didn't."

He gulped his drink down and looked at her. "Yes, they did. Your dad and I had a long talk before we left last night."

Tears were in her eyes as she tried not to cry. "My daddy wasn't there last night. He was in Buffalo with my grandma."

He looked at her for a moment before he responded, "We talked on the phone." He took her by the shoulder and pulled her closer to him. "Come here. First rule of the house: no talk-back." Lilly just continued to look into his eyes terrified as she took deep breaths trying not to cry. "You're probably hungry, huh? That's good, you know why? 'Cause Penny's gonna make us lunch." He looked over at me. "Penny?"

I nodded and turned to get the food from the refrigerator


I was preparing lunch as I listened to him talking to Lilly, "We have to have rules here, rules keep us safe, it's all really, really simple." I looked back at her as she turned to look at me. I couldn't handle the look on her face, so I turned away and kept making the food. I could still feel her scared eyes on me. "Hey. Why don't I show you the rest of the house? Come on, I'll take you upstairs."

What? No! I turned around quickly, "Gerald?!"

He turned around chuckling with a smile on his face but the way he spoke showed he was not exactly happy. "Yes Penny?"

I didn't know what to say but I felt I had to say something. I'd never felt jealous before and I didn't like it. Not only that though, I wasn't just upset about him wanting her right now. I knew this was all so new to her and she was so very scared. She didn't want this. She wasn't ready for this. "Um, let me show her around."

"You're making lunch." The look he gave me scared me so much but I couldn't just let him do this to her now.

"I can make it later." I continued to push.

"What?" I knew he definitely wasn't pleased now.

"She's tired. She..she only just got here."

He turned around all the way and started walking towards me quickly. "I hear your voice one more time..." he threatened as I stepped back afraid.

"Please just let me take care of her." I saw movement out of the corner of my eye and panicked when I saw that it was Lilly running for the door. "Lilly, no!" I cried out as she ran to the door and jumped back letting out a cry swinging her head back and forth, her braids going with it as the ankle bracelet started buzzing.

"Hey! Lilly." he was definitely pissed now. "Lilly, come here." I looked over at her scared. She took a step forward and I turned around to look at him as I heard her footsteps pick up and she ran and threw her arms around me crying.

"She's just scared, Gerald."

"Penny, get in the closet." he didn't want to hear any more of this.

"No...Gerald, no" I said panicking.

"In the closet." he glared at me as he repeated the words in a terrifying tone.

"Please, please, she didn't mean it. Gerald, no!"

"Enough. I've had enough."

"No." I cried as he grabbed me by the ear and dragged me towards the closet.

"That's enough, okay? That's it. I've had enough of you. Okay?" Lilly followed us as he pulled me over, opened the closet door, and shoved me inside shutting the door behind me and locking it.

I took a step back as I took deep breaths and sat down on the floor. I started repeating to myself what always made me feel better whenever he got angry like this. "The mind is its own place, and in itself can make a heaven of hell, a hell of heaven. The mind is its own place, and in itself can make a heaven of hell, a hell of heaven."

I repeated this for about two minutes until the door suddenly swung open and he stood there with a shotgun in his hands. "No!" I cried out backing up against the wall.

"It's time. They're here. You know what to do." He held out the gun as I stood up processing this. I looked up at him, down at the gun, then back up at him as I realized what he'd said. I reached out and took it from him. "I know what to do." I agreed.