A huge thank you to everyone reading, reviewing and adding alerts and things. I truly appreciate it all.
This chapter hasn't been beta'd as I was in a rush to get it posted, this is due to the fact that I am seriously busy over the next few days so this is literally the only opportunity I have. I truly apologize for any errors
Disclaimer: Not mine
Chapter 6
Beth had tears running down her face. She was in a world of agony, so much so she had thrown up twice, and her body threatened the same again. Throwing up hurt as it meant her body lurched, which resulted in her foot pulling against the nail. This caused pain that made her feel even more sick. It really was a vicious circle.
She was trying to pull her arms free, hoping the rope around her wrists would come lose but it wasn't budging. She was getting more and more annoyed, and more and more desperate to get free. Perry had been gone a long time, it had gone from dark, to light, and was slowly starting to get dark again. She knew he could be back soon, and if he did she would lose her chance to escape.
She kept clenching her fists, making the deep wound on the palm of her hand bleed. She was trying to use her blood like a lubricant to slip her wrists free of the rope, but all her efforts were getting her were deep and painful rope burns.
She was feeling exhausted. She was starving, and gasping for a drink. Her whole mouth was so dry that her lips had cracked and bled into her mouth, leaving a sickening metallic taste behind. Her tongue kept getting stuck to the top of her mouth. Her throat was so dry it hurt.
She allowed her eyes to close for a moment as her emotions began to get the better of her. All she could think of was Perry coming back, and raping her again. She imagined he would be bringing some college friend with him. Part of her did wonder if he would bring Tracy back with him. She could only hope not. She hoped someone had found Tracy. She didn't want Tracy involved in this mess anymore than she already had been.
She pulled against the ropes one more time, but it really was no good. Finally she had to give in, and realise that she wasn't going to get free of the ropes. Her best bet was to hope help might be close by. With as much force as she could gather she screamed for help at the top of her lungs, but it was useless. Her mouth was too dry, her throat too raw. The sound was just a strangled mess. She tried again, but there really was no point, her throat was too dry, and there really was no one around to hear her anyway. With what little energy she had left she began to sob. What else could she do?
~0~0~0~0~
Jack and Ben were in Janice's room. She had only been awake for a short while, meaning that by the time the two men had returned from the Whitley mansion she had fallen back asleep, but just hours later she had woke up, feeling much more alert this time. However, both men could see she still wasn't her usual self. She was weak, her talking a little slurred, and although she tried to hide it from them they could see the pain she was in plastered on her face. She was refusing the strength of pain relief that she really needed so that she could stay awake, and try to help Jack and Ben who had told her about Beth being abducted by Perry.
Janice had spent hours telling them everything she knew about Perry. It had been a long process. Her memory was a little fuzzy, her speaking slurred, and at times she had been unable to stay awake. Jack and Ben had worried that Janice putting herself under so much pressure was dangerous, but a determined Janice continued to do all she could to help Beth.
"Janice, why don't you get some sleep, we can talk more later?" Ben suggested when Janice had been awake for a while again, clearly forcing herself to stay awake with all her ability to do so. Ben really was worried for his friend, as equally as Jack.
"No," Janice said, her voice quiet, weak. "I told Beth I would help her, and I wasn't there when she needed me!" Her guilt was evident in her voice.
"You weren't there because Perry drove his car into you," Jack reminded her.
Janice knew he was right, but she still felt beyond guilty. "Have you spoke to Perry's friends at Alcott University?" she asked.
"We've got officers there now. They've been there from the start speaking to students and staff."
Janice shook her head a little, "Perry is so obsessed with her. We don't have time on our side here. Beth certainly doesn't."
Jack was about to answer when his phone rang. Caller ID told him it was Department Chief Diane Kindrick, and so he didn't hesitate in answering. Janice, and Ben, could only watch, and listen, as the call took place. They saw a look of despair wash over Jack's face. "Thanks for letting me know. Bye,." Jack said before he hung up.
"Who was that?" Ben asked.
"Chief Kindrick. She's just been informed that Ray was released from psychiatric care early this morning."
"Released? How is that possible?" Ben asked.
"Some technicality, and my guess is it came from Perry." Jack replied.
~0~0~0~0~
Perry could barely concentrate on the road as he cruised along at 58mph. He had so many questions he wanted to ask Ray about Beth. He had tried acting cool and collected around Ray so far, not wanting to freak him out with the hundreds of questions he had about Beth. He had had to protest though when Ray had joined him in a convenience store despite Perry telling him to stay in the car. Ray reminded Perry that he wasn't a wanted man, he was free to go where he wanted., and that the store was empty.
Perry had picked up some food supplies, he had also grabbed a packet of peanut butter mnm's, Beth's favourite. He had been a little shocked by the few things Ray had insisted on purchasing; four large bottles of whiskey, numerous packet of cigarettes, two rolls of silver duct tape, dozens of cans of red bull, and a few packets of pro-plus.
He hadn't mentioned anything about the items, but he knew Ray had seen the look of confusion on his face. "This is so we can have some real fun." Ray had told him, putting a smile on his face. The same smile that was still on his face. He turned to look at Ray, for a moment he was sure the other man was sleeping. He had his head propped back against the head rest, he had reclined his seat back, and his chest rose and fell steadily.
"Stop watching me nap kid, and pay attention to the road. I can feel you watching me!" Ray snapped suddenly, startling Perry a little.
"Sorry. I was checking to see if you were awake." Perry replied, like a guilty kid caught with his hand in the cookie jar.
"Well I am now," Ray growled as he set his chair upright again. "What's up? You're not lost are you?" Ray snapped as he looked out of the window, and saw nothing but trees.
"Oh, no, of course not. I would know my way around here blindfolded" Perry laughed awkwardly, "Actually, I had some questions to ask you."
"What questions?!" Ray snapped.
"Questions about Beth...I'm sorry, I mean Michelle. Tell me about her. Please!"
"What do you want to know?" Ray asked. He actually quite liked being able to talk about her out loud, and not just be alone silently thinking about her in his head.
"I want to know everything about her. What was Michelle like, I mean before she became Beth?"
Ray thought for a moment, a smile on his face as he remembered the day he had first set eyes on her. "She was perfect. First time I saw her was when I transferred to Seattle high when my family moved there from Chicago. She was 16 then. She was beautiful, the most beautiful thing I've ever seen. She was also the most popular girl in the school, head cheerleader, top grade student. Everyone adored her, and she was sweet and genuine to everyone. I became captain of the swim team, Michelle was head of the girls swim team, just so I could be around when she practiced. We were in all the same classes, and I would sit to the side of her in every one of them, just so I could watch her from the corner of my eye. I joined the soccer team just to see her cheer at games, and in the hopes that she would notice me more. She did eventually, when I became captain of the soccer team too."
"I can't imagine Beth liking those qualities in a guy, but I can see that she was different when she was Michelle," Perry replied.
"She was fun. We stared dating. I loved walking round the school holding her hand, letting everyone know that she was mine. Of course her family hated me from the start. Her older sister tried everything possible to split us up. She kept telling Shellie that I was no good for her, that I was bad news."
"Shellie?" Perry asked, confused.
"Michelle, that's what I called her sometimes. No one else could. Only I call her that." His words were meant as a warning to Perry that he could not use the nickname for her either.
"So is that why you killed her family, to get them out of the way?" Perry asked
"No. Michelle, and I, had a fight, we broke up..."
"Why?" Perry asked.
"It was on prom night. Shellie promised me the world, then tired to change her mind."
Perry looked at him, "What do you mean?" he asked.
"She would never go the whole way with me," the thought angering him as much now as it had back then, "We would fool around a little, but she kept telling me she wasn't ready for sex. I kept asking, so eventually she promised me we would do it on prom night. After prom, a huge group of us went back to my parents house to celebrate. I decided it was time for me and Michelle to call it a night, but she refused. I had put up with the word no from her for long enough, so I just did it anyway," Ray confessed.
Perry liked that the two men had this bond over Beth now. That was the way he saw it. She had refused them both, but they had took her anyway. "What happened after that?" he asked.
"She was pissed off. She split up with me. Refused to see me. I couldn't believe she would treat me that way! She never told her family why though. She said I raped her but she never reported me to the police. Which is why I knew she loved me really. I had to win her back. I thought if I set her house on fire, that I could save them all, be her hero. The fire got too quickly out of control. Next thing I know I'm stuck in that psycho ward, and Michelle vanishes without a trace," Ray said, an angry tone to his voice.
"She hurt you," Perry pointed out.
"The bitch broke my heart, but it doesn't mean I stopped loving her, not even for a second," Ray said, suddenly he felt impatient. Talking about Michelle made him want her, soon. "How much longer!" he growled at Perry.
"We're almost there," Perry told him as he turned onto the hidden dirt track that would lead them to the cabin.
They were silent for a minute before a thought occurred to Ray. He turned to look at Perry and asked, "You've had Michelle out here all alone with you?"
"Yeah," Perry replied, wondering where this question was going.
"I can't imagine that you haven't put your time with her to waste. How many times have you had her?" Ray asked.
Perry was a little hesitant to answer, he stuttered for a moment before he replied, "Just once."
"Once?! You have stronger will power than I do my friend."
Perry smiled, he liked Ray referring to them as friends. "That's about to change." Perry said.
Ray just looked at him and faked a smile. "Sure," he said flatly. Truth was, there wasn't a chance he was going to share Michelle with Perry. He would kill the little rat first before he would let him have her again.
~0~0~0~0~
Beth had given in to her eyes determination to close. Her body screamed for sleep, and she was in so much pain that she figured sleep could be her answer out of pain. She wasn't sure if she was dreaming at first or if the car engine she heard getting closer was real.
She had to panic when the engine got so loud she knew the car it belonged to was just outside the cabin. She dreaded to think what Perry's plans for her would be now. With a new found sense of desperation she began tugging against the rope on her wrists as hard as she could, forgetting about the pain in her arm injured from her fall in the woods. She pulled until a strangled cry of pain burst from her throat. She could feel that her shoulders would pop and dislocate before she would free herself.
She heard the front door slam shut downstairs. Her body was shaking, she couldn't stop it. She listened to the sound of footsteps moving across the wooden floors downstairs. She could tell that there was more than one person moving around downstairs. Clearly Perry had meant it when he had said he wouldn't be coming back alone. She was able to rub her tears off on what remained of her lace sleeves. Leaving cleaner streaks of flesh on her cheeks. The rest of her face was a mixture of dried blood and dirt. All she could do was wait for Perry to walk in, bringing whoever his friend was with him.
She took a deep breath when she heard him walk into the pushed herself up a little so she could see him as he remained in the doorway. She hated the way he was smirking at her. She had no doubt she looked like hell, she had no doubt the agony she was in was written all over her face.
"How are you feeling?" he asked her, the smirk never leaving his face.
"A little nauseous now that you're back!" she told him sarcastically.
"You're in a bad mood," Perry pointed out, as he walked over to her. He stopped by her foot, studying the nail that stood a few centimetres out of the top of her foot. His fingers resting by, but not quite touching it.
"Only when you're around," she spat at him.
Perry smirked at her before he pinched the top of the nail and bent it upwards slightly. Beth screamed as burning pain scorched through her whole body.
"Slipped." Perry told her.
"What the hell do you want, Perry!?" she growled at him.
"To give you your surprise!" he said in a sing-song voice.
"Unless its a gun to shoot you with I don't want anything from you!" she spat at him.
"Not even me?" Ray asked as he stepped into the door.
Beth had been looking up at the ceiling when Ray had spoke. A shaky breath escaped her lungs, and she had to close her eyes in an attempt to hold back tears. She didn't want to open them again. She was praying that this was all a dream. That she would wake up at home in her own bed, safe and uninjured, with Ray still locked away, and Perry nowhere near her.
Her eyes shot open, and she ripped her head to the side when she felt Ray touch her cheek. His touch still felt the same, his hands huge, rough and cold. His touch made her skin want to craw off her body.
"You have no idea what you've done!" she yelled at Perry who stood watching Ray study Beth with a look of longing in his eyes.
"Actually I think I do." Perry replied as he turned to look Beth in the eyes.
"Look at me!" Ray told Beth, hating that she was staring right back at Perry. "MICHELLE!" he yelled at her when she didn't do as he said, making her jump as his voice boomed down her ear.
She took a deep breath then turned to look at him with all the hatred she felt for him evident on her face. "That is not my name anymore!" she growled at him.
"That's always going to be your name. My girl, Michelle. God, you have no idea how much I've missed you!" Ray said.
Beth couldn't hold her tears back, and they rolled rebelliously down her cheek. It disgusted her to have Ray reach out and wipe them from her face, and a disgusted groan escaped through her lips.
"I'm going to leave you two alone for a while." Perry said.
"Perry, please don't do this!" Beth begged, shocking herself that she would ask him to help her.
"Have fun!" he called back as he walked out of the room leaving Ray and Beth alone.
"Perry!" she screamed after him. Her heart was pounding hard against her chest. Perry frightened her, there was no doubt about that, but Ray terrified her completely. He was violent, unpredictable. She knew what he was capable of, and she didn't doubt that he was going to show her all of these things.
"Don't look so terrified." Ray said to her as he moved down to her ankles, and began to untie them. "I'm not going to hurt you Shellie, don't you remember how much I love you?"
"What your love is capable of is what makes me terrified of you." Beth confessed, her voice shaky with emotion and fear, she didn't even attempt to hide her anger from him.
"I'm so sorry for what happened. It wasn't...my plan, it just went so wrong. I didn't mean for your family to die. I want to show you how sorry I am. Let me make it up to you, please?"
It angered Beth that he thought anything he could do would make up for him killing her whole family. "You can make it up to me by getting me away from here. Get me to a hospital, please Ray." she was hoping she might be able to act with him, play him. She knew he would want free of Perry from the picture so he could have her all to himself.
"I can't do that. We have so many years to catch up on. I am going to get you cleaned up though. I'll run you a bath, and then we can try and clean up some of these cuts. First things first though," Ray said before he grabbed the nail in Beth's foot, "We need to get this out," Beth couldn't help but scream as he tore the nail from her foot.
TBC
Thanks so much for reading. Please review and let me know what you think. Things are only going to get worse for Beth - don't say I didn't warn you!
