Chapter Thirteen: Two Years Without Sunlight Can Turn Into Forever Without Her

I ran through the forest as fast as I could.

It was dark.

I occasionally tripped, then hurriedly pushed myself back up.

I didn't know where I was going.

All of a sudden, I heard a branch snap. I came to a stop, looking around. I heard a few more.

After a moment, I felt a hand on my shoulder. I fell to my knees and hung my head, putting my hands in the air as best as I could since one of my arms was broken. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry. Please, don't kill me. I'm sorry." I was sobbing. "Please." I was shoved forward.

Eddie yanked my arm, flipping me onto my back.

I gulped, my hands still up. I was too terrified to speak.

The man's eyes were full of anger and hatred. "You tried to escape from me!"

I'd never heard him so mad. My voice was a whisper. "I'm sorry."

"Oh, you're gonna be!"

I opened my mouth to say something, but I was too scared to. I knew I was in so much trouble. I could only imagine what he'd do to me now.

He'd probably beat me and whip me and shock me until I can't take it anymore. Or maybe he'd lock me in the lonely, dark closet and let me stave to death.

After he made up my punishment, he smirked. "I know what I'm gonna do to you! I'm gonna f*** you! And then I'm gonna make you f*** your dead father!"

Tears streamed down my cheeks. "Please. Don't."

He stepped closer, wearing a challenging expression. "You got a better idea?!"

My eyes became wide with fear. "No, master."

"Didn't think so." He slapped my cheek with the back of his hand, then laid on top of me, unzipping and unbuttoning my pants. He did the same to his, then unhooked our boxers. He pushed into me.

I stared at the starless sky, shaking, my eyes wide.

Eddie zipped his pants, then buttoned my boxers and pants. "You ready to f*** your father?"

I couldn't answer.

In one quick motion, he was on top of me, his mouth next to my ear, his breath on my neck.

I turned my head away, blinking as he screamed into my ear.

"Answer me, b****! Are you ready to f*** your father?!"

I gulped, trembling, tears streaming down my cheeks, my eyes closed. "Yes, master."

"Good." He stood, grabbed my hair, then pulled me to my feet. He shoved me.

I fell onto the ground, only to be yanked back up.

"Go."

"Yes, master." I started walking toward the warehouse that he kept me in.

He shoved me and shocked me along the way.

I was pushed up against a tree, my arms pinned to it above my head. I tried to ignore the pain in my broken arm. My eyes were closed, trembling, picturing all the horrible things that awaited me at the warehouse. I tried hard to keep the tears from falling, but failed. I was scared to death.

Eddie was kissing me, shoving his tongue into my mouth.

All of a sudden, he fell against me with a grunt, his heavy weight smothering me. Then he hit the ground.

I forced my eyes open, but saw nothing out of the ordinary. I figured that this was my only chance. I turned and started running as fast as I could, but tripped over the sticks and trigs that covered the ground, which seemed to grab at my ankles. I started to push myself up when I felt a hand on my shoulder. I rested on my knees. "Please, don't kill me. I'm sorry."

"Jackson, it's okay. It's just me."

I looked up.. "Melissa?!"

She dropped the large tree branch that was in her hand--which she'd used to hit Eddie with--then got on her knees and pulled me into a hug.

"Ahhh!"

She quickly let go, observing my side. "I'm sorry." She looked around for a moment. "Where's your father?"

I was crying even harder. "He's dead. Eddie killed him."

"I'm so sorry, Jackson. C'mon. We gotta go." She helped me to my feet, then pointed ahead of us. "Your father parked the truck this way."

I followed her as she led the way into the night.

"There's the truck. C'mon." Melissa got into the driver's seat, reaching to crank the car, only to find the keys missing. "No. This can't be happening."

"Oh, it's happening."

Her head shot toward me.

I stood outside the passenger's side window, Eddie behind me, holding a knife to my throat.

"How have you been, Melissa?"

"Leave him alone."

"I will…as soon as I kill It." He yanked my hair, sticking the knife into my neck.

I tilted my head as far away from the silver metal as I could. "Melissa, run."

"No."

"Go, Mel."

"I'm not leaving you."

"He's gonna kill me, Mel!" I tried to calm down. "I'm not gonna let him kill you, too." A single tear fell from my eye. "Please."

Hesitantly, she got out of the truck.

"Don't move!" Eddie yelled.

She stopped.

"Come here."

She did.

"I want you to watch." He smiled. "Any last words, b****?"

"It's gonna be okay, Mel. You'll be okay."

She was sobbing.

"Mel…I love you." This was the first time I'd ever said that to her.

She looked at me. "I love you, too."

"Aww. Isn't that sweet?" Eddie said. "Say 'goodbye,' b****."

Tears fell from my eyes. "Bye, Mel."

The knife moved quickly across my neck as I heard a gunshot.

I fell to the ground, unable to move.

I could see my father holding a gun, weakly falling to the ground, and Eddie laying next to me, blood pouring from his head.

My vision grew dim.

Melissa rushed to me, putting pressure on my neck, trying to stop the blood flow.

I tried to speak, but couldn't.

Everything went black.