Chapter Eleven: Day Five

Savannah woke up gasping for breath, a pressure on her stomach. She opened her eyes drearily to see his face swimming unsteadily above her. A cup in his hand. She felt her head lifted and water poured down her throat. She coughed and felt the cool water drip down her shirt sticking to her blood-crusted shirt.

The water felt cool against her raw throat. She drank it greedily and waited for more. He gave her four more glasses and then left. Her stomach growled angrily, but her throat screamed in joy. The pain in her throat disappeared replaced by a soothing flow. She closed her eyes, and listened for any sound of him, but he had left.

She was alone in the room that she hated more then anything or anyone in the world, except for the man who kept her here. Savannah tried to open her eyes but her lids were too heavy, as they always were at this time, not that she knew what time it was. Her body clock had become confused.

Savannah allowed herself to drift off into her fitful dreams, or rather nightmares, filled with jeering smiles and bloody faces, and Layla screaming.

Kevin took Lucy's hand in his as they followed the procession out of the church towards the cemetery beside it. Silent tears were running down Lucy's face. Her blonde hair lay limply on her shoulders as though the spirit had left her. Kevin thought she looked so elegant in her black knee length satin dress, and matching shoes.

The twins walked slightly ahead in black suits, their blonde hair combed back with gel, holding Kiley's hand. Kiley was in between the twins. She was wearing a knee length dress, as well. It was black with a white under dress; the skirt part puffed out a bit while the top half was soft and velvety with a bow just above the waist, and black tights and Mary Jane's.

Kevin watched as his children walked solemnly ahead following the cloud of people dressed in black. The church was small but beautiful with a large graveyard beside it. Layla was to be buried beneath a tree. Kevin followed his children to s pot just beside the tree, opposite Layla's parent.

Mrs. Chambers was a tall thin woman with high cheekbones and a pointed face and long blonde hair that she always kept in a bun. Her gray eyes were red and puffy, swimming with the tears. Her husband stood beside her. A medium height chubby man, with short wavy brown hair that always seemed windswept, and chubby cheeks that made him look like a teenage boy. He had deep brown eyes just like Layla's.

Kiley smiled at Mrs. Chambers and waved. Kevin saw Mrs. Chamber smile sweetly back and look up at Kevin. Kevin nodded at her. He didn't no what to say to her. He was at a loss for words. Kevin looked up and realized that the priest was speaking.

"…a brave young girl. Let us not forget this young girl. A child taken from us all too soon. Layla was a beautiful, smart, talented, and most of all brave. I know that she is safe now, no one can hurt her now…" Kevin wiped at his eyes and pulled Lucy closer to him. He couldn't bear to think about the fact that this could be Savannah's in a few days time. He felt Lucy's head rest on his chest. Her tears soaking in to his shirt.

"…a tragedy. One that should not have happened. But we must remember her in life not in death. Her wonderful parents and friends. To one friend that was with her to the end, and who her family prays gets home safely…" Kevin looked up suddenly, he knew he was talking about Savannah. "…Let us all pray for Savannah Kinkerk, Layla's best friend from beginning to end. Let not another tragedy strike this community. Let us join in prayer for Savannah and Layla…"

Kevin felt his throat constrict so that he could not speak, he could barely breathe.

"Our father who art in heaven…" Tears clouded Kevin's eyes.

"Thy Kingdom come, thy will be done…" Kevin felt a hand link with his and looked down to see Kiley smiling sadly up at him, her lips reciting the prayer.

"Give us this day our daily bread…" Kevin looked at Lucy who was reciting the prayer through shaking lips.

"And lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil…" Kevin said softly, joining in. The priest finished and sprinkled water on the coffin and surrounding people. Kevin made the sign of the cross, and heard an earsplitting scream. They'd begun to lower Layla's coffin. Mrs. Chambers had collapsed into a fit of sobs. Kevin wiped at his eyes and crossed over to join Mr. Chambers and Mrs. Chambers. People had begun to disperse. He nodded for Lucy to wait at the car with the kids. He stood beside Mr. Chambers, placing a hand on his shoulder. The two helped Mrs. Chambers to her feet and walked her into the church. Kevin allowed her to sob on his shoulder. Whispering what he hoped were reassuring words.

When he left, his heart heavier then before, he saw his family waiting patiently at the car. He got in silently and drove them home. The traffic was minimal, but it didn't matter the silence seemed to prolong the ride.

"You coming in?" Lucy asked as the boys took Kiley into the house. Kevin nodded.

"In a minute," Lucy shut the door without another word and walked away leaving Kevin alone in the car.

Lucy didn't feel up to it anymore. She was tired of always trying to be strong for him, when she needed him to be strong for her. She walked inside and headed upstairs. She was just about to go into her room when she heard crying. It was Kiley. Lucy opened Kiley's door and peaked into the periwinkle room. Kiley was sitting on her bed, the black of her dress stood out in the bright colors of her room. Tears were running down her pudgy face, her blonde hair hiding her face.

"What's wrong honey?" she asked softly as she sat down beside Kiley.

"Layla's gone…." Kiley wailed. Lucy sighed.

"Yes, but honey, she's with god…" Lucy said stroking Kiley's hair. Kiley looked up at her mother through watery eyes.

"But…but what about Savannah?" She sobbed. Lucy pulled Kiley into a hug. "I miss…her! I…don't want…her to…die!" She wailed into her mother's chest. Lucy held back her tears and continued to hug Kiley.

"God is watching over Savannah. He won't take her from us…" Lucy whispered.

"He took Layla…" She cried throwing her head onto her pillow. Lucy patted her back not knowing what else to say. She stood up and left the room listening to her daughter sob. She went in to her room and lay down on her bed like Kiley; hugging her pillowing.

She felt a hand on her shoulder; and hoped it was Kevin. When she looked up she saw her mother sitting beside her.

"Mom, I'm so scared. I want her back! I want her back!" Lucy sobbed. She threw her arms around her mother's neck. "It's not fair!" She screamed.

"I know it's not fair." Annie said trying to soothe her daughter. "You can't give up hope. You need to have faith more then ever—"

"You don't understand!" Lucy screeched pulling away. She felt like a teenager again. She could feel how irrational she was being, and was filled with the urge to take it out on her mother.

"You're right Luce, I don't. But it is every mother's worst nightmare…You can't stop believing that she will be okay!" Annie pleaded, her eyes searching Lucy's desperately for some way to reach her.

"Why? How? How can I believe that when Layla is dead! Why her not Savannah? Why did this happen?" Lucy collapsed on the floor. "I want her back…" She sobbed allowing her mother to hold her.

"We all do…" Annie whispered.

Savannah watched as he walked away and was swallowed up in the darkness. She lay there crying her stomach searing in pain. The fresh wounds burning in outrage from their recent torment. She could still feel his fingers pressed to her cuts like a white-hot wire.

Cool tears grazed her burning face. She cold feel her temperature rising, unless he had turned up the heat. The room was getting hazy, like a desert.

She let herself drift off, welcoming the relief of sleep…

Authors Note: Hey everybody. I have a question. I'm not getting too many reviews, I did get a bunch of reviews from ms Erin which I am thankful for. but I wanted to know if people arent' reviewing because this story is too rough? Which like I totally understand and I should probably put out a disclaimer.

What I'm trying to touch on is more then just the graphic issues such as the rape and torture of these girls. I'm trying to get at an issue that's real and it isn't sugarcoated and it isn't easy. But this sort of thing happens in real life and we hear about it in the news and it's real maybe not every case is this extreme but it happens. If you want less intense read another story but this is a realty for some people. This story is about, yes the torture Layla and Savannah are put through, but there will more to it there already is. Its about how violenece affects everyone their families, their friends, the community, and even people who read this story I hope it will have an impact. That is what I am trying to touch on and I wanted to get that out there.

I want to thank everyone for reading and I will update again soon.