Thank you all for reading and for the kind reviews and messages. It's much appreciated.
Rated R...sorry.
* … * … * … * … * … *
Monster is gone for twelve days. Twelve days with no beatings, rapes, games, or torment. Twelve days without the sound of the creaking door at the top of the stairs. Twelve days without the fear that sound drives into the hearts of the three people living in the basement.
The twelve days of reprieve would be a wonderful thing except they're out of food. The thought of starving to death causes desperation and sometimes desperation leads people to make mistakes. Critical mistakes. Mistakes that cannot be apologized for or erased.
* … * … * … * … *
The morning after Monster's attack, Quinn is the first one awake. She's hanging off of the couch and her back hurts because of the awkward angle that she has been sleeping in. Will must have rolled over in his sleep because he's on his back now, his head turned away from her. His arms folded neatly over his chest. He's taking up most of the couch and she knows that she has no hope of getting comfortable and finding sleep again unless she lays on top of him. She is quite sure that he wouldn't appreciate it at the moment if she did that so she gets up and checks on Becky.
She's asleep in the exact same position she was in the night before. Her even breathing ruffles the hair that has fallen into her face. Quinn's fingers twitch to move it away but she doesn't want to disturb her sleep. She turns away. Goes about her cleaning routine – washes her hair and brushes her teeth. Cleans up as best she can with a wet towel and soap. Pulls on clean clothes and then sits down by the couch. She wants one of them to wake up. Doesn't want to be alone even if they're angry with her. Even if they hate her.
A long while passes. Will's heavy breathing is the only thing disturbing the silence of the basement. He usually doesn't make noise in his sleep and Quinn is slightly worried about that but considering everything else, she doesn't let herself worry too much. Eventually the lack of noise gets to be too much and she crawls across the floor to turn on the TV. Flips to a rerun of Home Improvement and then crawls back to sit against the couch again.
She measures the passage of time in sitcoms. Two episodes of Home Improvement, two episodes of Friends, and half an episode of Everybody Loves Raymond – that's how long it takes Becky to stir behind her.
She's up immediately. Makes her way to the bed where Becky is struggling to untangle herself from the blankets and sit up. "Honey, let me help you."
And she does. She pulls away the blankets. Brushes her hair away from her face. Helps her stand.
"My back really hurts." She says it quietly, groggily. Hardly any emotion in her voice. "And I have to pee."
"Do you want me to help..."
Becky cuts her off, "No. I can do it. Don't peek! My brother is always peeking."
She hobbles off to the toilet and Quinn breathes a sigh of relief. Becky doesn't seem angry. It doesn't seem as though she blames Quinn for the beating. She seems her normal, feisty self.
She's back a few minutes later, "Will you put medicine on it for me? Was there a lot of blood? It really hurt – especially the last time. I feel bad for Will now because he's been hit so many times. Oh. Do you think he's okay? I wonder..."
Quinn cuts her off this time, "He's back. He's asleep on the couch. You can wake him up in a little while." She moves to get the box full of medical supplies, "Let's get you cleaned up first."
Becky moves her arms stiffly but manages to hold up her shirt high enough for Quinn to clean the cuts and wrap them with bandages. They should heal nicely. Should leave only faint scars. Quinn knows that the memories of the beating won't fade the same way.
"Can we have a lazy day today? When I stay home from school my mom lets me lay on the couch and watch TV all day. Will won't like it but he probably needs a lazy day too. "
She thinks back to last night - to his cloudy eyes, to the words that didn't make sense, to the sticky blood on his pants and she nods. Manages a small smile as she looks down at the girl. They could all use a lazy day. "Why don't you wake him up? He'll be so happy to see you. He asked about you last night."
Becky brightens and returns the smile. Walks slowly across the room and kneels near the top of the couch to wake up Will. Quinn hears her call his name a few times and then she's standing again. Her voice sounds slightly panicked. "Quinn? His nose is bleeding and he's not waking up."
Quinn hasn't moved so fast in a long, long while. She's at the couch and bending over Will a heartbeat later. She rolls his head towards her gently. His face is peaceful enough but there is a sticky blood tinted fluid underneath his nose, down his chin. She shakes his shoulders. "Will? Will!"
She didn't check on him. She knew he had hit his head again – knew he wasn't well the night before and she didn't check on him. He was laying here like this and she did nothing.
She failed him again.
She straightens. Her hands go up to her own hair and she grips it in frustration. How could she be so careless?!
Becky takes her place. She is relatively calm and Quinn envies her even though she is nine and the idea of that is some how absurd. She wishes she could be that in control.
Becky sits next to Will and shakes his shoulders lightly for a moment. When he doesn't respond, she moves her hand to his face and lifts up his eyelid while shaking his shoulder with her other hand. "Will?"
He jerks awake. Grabs her wrist tightly with his right hand. It only takes a second for him to realize who is next to him and he loosens his hold but doesn't let go completely. "Becky?"
"Hey, are you okay? You need to blow your nose. I had a super nose bleed once. I fell out of a tree and banged it on the handle of my scooter and there was blood every where. I didn't break it though but I had to blow my nose a bunch afterward to get all the gross stuff out of it." She smiles down at him. She's glad he's awake. She was scared for him. She likes Will. He's fun and he talks to her like she's an adult and not a little kid. She doesn't want anything bad to happen to him anymore.
His hand goes up to his face and he wipes at the drying fluid underneath his nose. He looks forlornly at his palm and then wipes it on his chest. He drops Becky's wrist and tries to smile at her. It comes out as a twisted grimace instead.
Quinn is next to him a second later, "We couldn't wake you up."
"My head hurts." His eyes go from Becky up to her, "I'm going to lay down on the bed for..."
"No you're not." Quinn snaps and his eyebrows shoot up. She feels badly for not allowing him to sleep after everything else that she's done to him but she knows he can't sleep right now. Shouldn't sleep right now. She needs to be the voice of reason, "You obviously have a head injury. If your nose is bleeding, it's a really bad one. You have to stay awake for a while. Use the bathroom and get cleaned up. I'll get some food ready and we'll watch something on TV." She remembers the blood on his pants and lowers her voice to just above a whisper, "Do you need help cleaning up?"
He stares at her for a long moment before looking to Becky. Becky smiles sadly at him and then stands. She and Quinn help him to his feet but it's the only aid that he accepts. He gingerly walks towards the sink and they both look away to give him privacy. Quinn isn't going to hurt his pride anymore than it probably already is.
She gets their food ready and Becky kneels in front of the TV and flips through the channels. They don't start eating until Will is done cleaning up and using the bathroom. He reappears a long time later – face shaved and dressed in clean clothes. There is no more blood on his face but his eyes are very glassy.
"How are your burns? Do you need me to..."
"No." He cuts her off. Kneels on the floor slowly and leans back against the couch. Quinn knows why he isn't sitting on the couch with them but she doesn't bring it up. She isn't going to bring it up. She hands him his soup, crackers, and bread and he accepts them.
They eat without speaking. Toy Story is on and Becky is enraptured by it. Quinn watches half-heartily. Will glances at the screen every now and then but his attention is mostly focused on a spot on the wall to his left. Quinn watches his eyes twitch as if he's watching something that is moving instead of empty space. Finally she can't take it anymore. A commercial comes on and she swallows back the rest of her soup before speaking, "What are you looking at?"
Becky looks at her first. Will startles and turns his eyes to face her as well. They both stare at her questioningly.
"Is there a bug on the wall?"
"A bug? Gross. Squish it." Becky wrinkles her nose as she shoves her last cracker in her mouth.
Will's eyes move from Quinn to the wall and back again. "You don't see them?"
"See who? What?" She moves to place her container on the ground and looks harder at the wall. She isn't sure what she's supposed to see but there is nothing there.
His eyes go back to the wall and then he stands abruptly but stiffly. "Nothing. I'm going to lay down."
"You didn't eat!" Becky shrieks, struggling to rise from her stomach down position on the couch. He puts his hand on her head gently to stop her movement and she stills. She settles back down and he mutters a sorry in response.
"No. Sit down. You can't..."
"I'm not a child, Quinn." He cuts her off. Snaps loudly and limps slowly towards the beds. She's up quickly – grabs his wrist to stop him. He tries to jerk his hand away but can't. Mutters frustratedly, "Don't."
She holds on strong. "What's the matter? You can't sleep. You have a head injury and it will make it worse." She pulls slightly on his arm and he takes a step towards her.
"This is my favorite movie but you can pick the show if you don't like Toy Story." Becky squeaks from the couch and that does it. She's selfless and innocent and he doesn't want her to see him and Quinn fighting. He moves back to kneel at her feet. Tries to ignore Terri and Emma and Sue as they stand near the wall and yell their hateful words at him.
Maybe they aren't really there. Maybe he's just smacked his head one too many times and now he's going insane.
He's not sure which is worse – them being real or him being crazy.
Quinn sits back down too. They finish Toy Story without incident. Will keeps his eyes on the screen for the rest of the movie – only looking away to watch Becky laugh at Mr. Potato Head. He likes watching her laugh. Sue's voice slowly fades away and he resists the urge to turn his head. Eventually Terri's voice disappears too. Emma calls him a slut a few more times and then she is gone too. His head is still splitting but it gets easier to focus now that the only sounds are from the cartoon on TV and Becky's occasional cheerful giggling.
The movie ends. The Lion King comes on directly afterward. Becky asks Will to sit and build towers with her out of the growing pile of empty soup containers. He doesn't want to. His head hurts. His back hurts. Monster brutalized him and the pain and shame of that is nearly crippling but he agrees. He agrees because he blames himself for her injuries and she asks him to play with her with such hope in her voice that he can't say no.
Quinn joins them.
With a little imagination, their towering pile of empty Cambell's cups is soon transformed into a castle fit for a princess. Becky happily takes on the role. They don't play dress up as they once would have – Becky and Will are too sore and Quinn is not in the mood, but they take turns making up a story about a princess and a prince who fall in love despite the influence of an evil queen and her dastardly henchmen. Becky's laugh becomes contagious as the story becomes more and more ridiculous. Quinn notices Will's eyes losing their glassy appearance – returning to normal. He loosens up and Quinn does too.
Maybe neither of them blame her for what happened the night before. She still blames herself but it's easier knowing that maybe they don't hate her for letting Monster beat Becky and rape Will.
It's Becky who ends the story a few hours later. She's getting tired despite the fact that she's only been awake for a little more than eight hours. Her body needs sleep to heal itself. They settle down with more soup and crackers. Becky sits on the floor because she feels badly that Will is down there by himself even though she doesn't understand why he is exactly.
Quinn joins them.
They watch Wheel of Fortune and Jeopardy and most of The Biggest Loser before Becky starts to nod off and Quinn tells her that it's time for bed. She doesn't argue. She pads off to brush her teeth and use the bathroom before sitting down on her bed. Quinn cleans her back again and replaces the bandages before Becky lays down.
Will kneels so that they are eye level, faces only a few inches apart. His voice is very quiet. "Thanks for the fun time tonight, kiddo."
"Nope. Thank you. I like it when we get to play and have fun. When we get out of here, will you come over? My birthday isn't too far off and we're going to have a really cool party. I think my mom and dad would really like you. Not my brother though. He doesn't like anyone. Well, maybe he would like you, Quinn. He really likes girls." She yawns. Pats his cheek gently and then keeps her hand there.
He smiles at her even though he doesn't think their ever getting out, "I'll come over if you'll come and watch the Glee Club perform. You can be my special guest."
She nods.
Quinn watches them quietly. They really do have a special relationship. Will is really good with kids. He would have been really good with her kid if circumstances had been different. He leans forward and kisses her temple. Whispers a soft 'good-night' into her hair and then stands. She reaches out and squeezes his hand as he turns to walk away and Quinn catches the upward pull of his lips as he turns away from them and moves to lay on the couch.
She takes his spot, kneeling next to Becky. They hold hands and say their prayer. Quinn wishes her a good-night and then joins Will on the couch. It's only a few moments later that they hear her breath even out in sleep.
Will is laying on his back with his head propped up on his arm. She lifts his legs a bit and slides underneath them, laying his socked feet on her lap and resting her arms across his lower shins. When she chances a glance at his face, his attention moves from Law and Order to her. "How is your head?"
"It hurts." He answers simply and his eyes move back to the TV.
"How long has it hurt that badly?" She massages the hard muscles in his lower legs as she speaks.
His eyes once again travel from the TV to her face and then settle on her hands, "That tickles."
"Does it feel good?" She smiles slightly and he nods. She's not going to let him deflect, "How long has it hurt like that? Do you want some pain pills?"
"I don't think it would help. It hasn't stopped hurting at all really since he...uh...since he hit me with the belt that first time. It's just different levels of hurt I guess. It's worse now. I think my head hit the floor again last night." He fidgets with a loose thread on the couch. She wants to reach out and still his hand but she doesn't.
"That was weeks ago. Why didn't you say anything?"
"Complain about a headache with everything else going on? Quinn..."
She cuts him off, annoyed. "I think you have a serious head injury, Will. You've hit it so many times..."
He cuts her off this time, "Maybe. I have a pretty thick skull though. It just needs ice...or something."
She nods because she doesn't know what else to do. Even if she's right and he has a concussion or something worse, there is nothing she can do about it here, "You do have a pretty thick skull, Mr. Schuester."
She meant it as a joke but by the way his eyes widen, she can tell something is not right. Images of Monster on top of his body flash through his mind. Images of Quinn laying on the ground after being beat with the gun flash through his mind. Images of Becky crying in pain flash through his mind. Mr. Schuester wouldn't have allowed any of those things. Dirty, pathetic Will had. He shakes his head, "Please don't call me that. I...please."
She nods and his eyes move away from her. She doesn't understand but if he doesn't like it, she won't do it again. She changes the subject, "Do you want to see if there is a movie on?"
"If I have to watch any more TV today, I may hurtle the thing at the wall." He mutters it but then turns his head to smirk at her and she's struck by the same realization she had weeks before. He's been beat, raped, yelled at, put through traumas and heartache and he's still just Will. She feels like a completely different person at times but he's still just Will.
Nice, caring, funny Will.
She's careful. Careful because she knows he was hurt so badly the night before, knows he is tired and in pain. She doesn't want him to have a bad reaction to her. She slides out from beneath his legs and straddles his thighs. Leans down and covers his body with her own. Lays her head against his shoulder. He's stiff for a moment before he relaxes. "I just want to listen to your heartbeat for a little while."
He shifts slightly and then his arm is around her. His hand is very warm on her back. She's cold again and it feels wonderful. She would put his jacket back on but it's too far away right now and she doesn't want to get up. She kisses his chest just above his heart and then snuggles her face there. They're both still for a long time. The 11 o'clock news thankfully doesn't have any stories about their case. The Tonight Show is on before Quinn moves her head to look up at his face.
He's asleep. He's still because he fell asleep. She feels cheated some how. Shakes him awake and feels like a giant bitch for doing so. He can't sleep yet. She's watched enough hospital shows to know that he shouldn't be sleeping. "Come on. Up. We can play a game if you want."
"Quinn." He drags out her name in a whine and she thinks it's cute even though he probably doesn't mean it that way. "I really just want to sleep."
She knows that she is fighting a losing battle. She needs to use his chivalry against him. "I'm lonely and scared. Will you stay up with me for a little while?"
He groans but agrees, "Fine. I'm not watching any more TV though. And I don't want to play a game."
"That doesn't leave many options." She huffs.
"Sure. Sleep is an option."
"We could talk." She angles her head so see can look him in the eye.
"We could. What would you like to talk about?"
She needs to think of something that will get him talking for a while. "Glee Club. What songs are we singing next year?"
The look in his eye lets her know that he knows what she's doing but it starts an hour long discussion of the merits of Motown and disco anyway. He's alert and focused and his voice rumbles in her ear soothingly as he speaks about Sam Cooke and Otis Redding and who could do them proper justice. The conversation ends when Quinn suggests that Mike, Puck, and Finn could pull off a lovely Supremes number – complete with sequined gowns. Will laughs and it's infectious. She giggles and watches his face brighten in a smile and she can't help herself, her lips find his, silencing his chuckles.
He stiffens and she's afraid he'll pull away. She knows why. Maybe it's too soon after Monster's torture but she needs him to know that he's not alone. That someone wants him and needs him and loves him and doesn't just want to use and hurt him – because even before Monster it seems that's all his life was filled with. People who hurt him. People who used him.
Maybe he understands because he relaxes after a few seconds. Holds her more tightly. Lets her tongue slip into his warm mouth to battle with his own for a long while until her hand starts to slide down to his waist and he pulls away just far enough to breathe against her lips, "Don't."
"I'm not. I...I just want to show you that I love you." She pecks his lips. His cheeks. His eyelids.
"Don't." But he moves his head to the side when she starts to suck at the soft skin beneath his ear.
"I want to show you love. Not hurt or hate or ulterior motives. I love you because you're you not because of who I want you to be or what you can give me.." She moves back to look down at his face.
He looks back at her blankly. Blinks a couple of times and then scrunches his eyebrows together. "What?"
"Your mom. Your wife. Everyone...they..." She stops and starts again. She wants to comfort him like he has done for her. Even if he doesn't know he needs it, she wants to say it. "I don't want anything from you. I don't need anything from you except you. I will never tell you that you're stupid." She kisses his forehead. "I will never tell you that you're worthless." Another kiss. "I will never call you a slut or make you feel dirty."
"Don't, Quinn." His voice cracks and she looks down at his wet eyes. Brushes the tears away with her thumbs and then kisses his mouth again.
"I just want you to know. In case we don't get out, in case we never get out or we die tomorrow or he ever touches you again or touches me or you ever feel sad or alone – I want you to know that I love you so much." She kisses him again and when she pulls back, his mouth follows hers and he sobs, just once, against her lips.
She feels her own tears slide down her face to mingle with his.
It's a long time later that she pulls away from him. Checks the time by the program on the TV – infomercials. It's sometime after two in the morning. She looks back down at him sweetly. His lips are swollen. His cheeks are flushed. His curls are a mess.
She probably looks the same way. She doesn't care.
"I think it should be okay for you to sleep for a little while now."
He blinks and then nods but doesn't move. "Thank you for what you said, Quinn."
"I meant it. I mean it." She smiles but he doesn't return it. He's looking at her like she's something special and beautiful and it makes her heart sore with hope. He doesn't hate her. He doesn't blame her. Maybe he could learn to love her.
His voice lowers slightly as if he doesn't want anyone else to hear him, "They haven't been back for hours. I think maybe they'll tell someone we're down here and we can get rescued. I think they probably like you and Becky even if they hate me."
And just like that – her hope is shattered.
"Who? Who are you talking about?"
"Emma and Terri and Sue and..." He trails off. Looks ashamed. Her heart hammers in her chest.
"Will, they weren't here. It's in your head."
He nods but doesn't look all that convinced.
"Does your head hurt worse than it did?"
"I'm...I'm just tired. I...we're the only ones here. And Becky. I know that. " He moves to stand then and she follows him. "I'm going to use the bathroom. We'll go to bed. I'm just tired."
She gives him time to wash up and use the bathroom and then she does so too.
They need to get out of here. She knows that he's not okay, that something is seriously wrong. They can't put it off anymore.
She lays down next to him and snuggles into his side. He kisses her forehead and mutters a good-night. She does too.
The next day they'll start working on their escape plan.
* … * … * … * … * … * … * … *
Becky inventories their supplies the next morning. They have thirty two cups of soup, a loaf of bread, and a half a box of crackers left. This translates into roughly seven days worth of food if they stretch it. Quinn suspects that Monster will be back before then to replenish their supply and do something awful to one of them.
It's a waiting game.
They sit down and discuss their escape plan. Will is doing a lot better focusing after he's slept – he wakes up alert and doesn't seem confused. Quinn doesn't want Becky involved in their discussion but Will insists that she should be in case things go wrong and they need to quickly change their plans. Quinn agrees mostly because he looks so sure of himself and it's a welcomed change to the glazed over confusion that he's been exhibiting the past few days.
When Monster appears next, Will will hit him across the eyes with Becky's belt and Quinn will either pick up the gun when he drops it or she'll kick him in the groin to further incapacitate him while Will hits or chokes him with the belt. Becky will duck behind the couch out of the way of the gun and the belt.
Will is still sore, still can't walk properly because of Monster's abuse, but he starts slowly exercising to build up his strength.
They create a new routine.
They wake up around nine. Becky gets their breakfast ready while Quinn washes up. They eat while watching cartoons and then Becky washes up while Quinn straightens up and Will does push ups and crunches. Despite the abuse he has taken over the past month and a half, it isn't difficult to get back into an exercise routine. Quinn and Becky are encouraging and Terri, Emma, Sue, and his parents have not been back to spew their hate at him.
They play with Becky – bowling and blocks with empty soup cups, dress up with the musty clothes from the closet, hand games, and story time. Will starts teaching her Spanish again. Quinn teaches her some basic French and algebra. They sing together while Quinn gets their dinner ready. More TV and then bedtime for Becky. Will washes up and then he and Quinn snuggle on the couch and watch whatever movie or TV show that she has chosen for the evening. It's never long before one of them initiates a kiss that leads to another that leads to another that leads to them both panting for breath a few hours later.
It never goes further despite Quinn's attempts. As soon as her hand reaches his waist, he pulls away. He doesn't want her to break her promise to herself about waiting until marriage. He doesn't want to touch her that way – she's young and he's dirty. Monster may have given him something. He doesn't want to take that chance.
Maybe if they ever get out. Maybe when she's older and he's clean again and is sure he doesn't have some terrible disease or infection. Maybe if he ever buys a ring and she says yes and they walk down an aisle...
Maybe probably won't happen but there is a small amount of hope that maybe it could.
Two days pass and then three and then four and then five. Quinn knows they're going to run out of food before Monster comes back. She thinks he's doing it on purpose to torment them in a new way. Will notices the dwindling soup containers too but doesn't mention it. He doesn't want to worry Becky.
Days six and seven pass and then they finish the last of the crackers. Day eight and the soup is gone too. Their routine continues despite their worry.
Day nine and Will's hunger gag reflex kicks in. He vomits twice and is left with a pounding headache that keeps him on the couch for the rest of the day with a clouded mind although he thankfully doesn't see anything or anyone who isn't actually there. Becky lays with him, his arm slung over her in a fatherly embrace, and they watch TV for the entire day. Quinn naps because it's better than feeling hunger and she's too worried to sit still while awake.
Day ten and all three of them are bloated from guzzling water to fill their stomachs and curb the hunger pains. Will keeps up his exercise routine. He has been jogging in circles around part of the room because he's stir crazy and it doesn't hurt anymore to move his legs. Becky naps. Quinn naps. Will wakes them both up mid-afternoon and makes them play dress up with him. He wants to keep their spirits up. Monster wants to keep them – doesn't want them dead. He told him so.
It wouldn't be the first time that Monster lied.
Day eleven and they're all feeling hungry and desperate. Quinn doesn't want to starve to death. Doesn't want Will and Becky to starve to death. It will take weeks...months. One of them will succumb and then another and then the third person will be left with the corpses of the other two. She's so unlucky that she knows she will be the last one left alive. She'll have to live out her last days with their rotting corpses.
If they're going to die, she would rather it be quick. She would rather Monster walk down the stairs and put a bullet in each of their heads.
Day twelve and everything changes.
They are in the middle of a rather rousing game of soup cup bowling when the door creaks at the top of the stairs. Becky is laughing and she and Will both miss the sound but Quinn is closer and she hears it.
"Will, belt!" She hisses loud enough for him to hear but not loud enough for Monster to hear.
He blinks at her before her meaning registers. He grabs the belt, which he has been keeping in reach at all times, and positions himself at the bottom of the stairs where he knows Monster won't see him until it's too late. Becky rushes behind the couch. Quinn moves into position to strike.
The door pushes open more widely but Will never hears the click of it closing again. They have a chance. Even if they can't get the key, they have a chance to run. To escape. This could work...
Will brings the belt back over his shoulder and waits. Monster's feet seem to move in slow motion. Every click of his shoes reverberates loudly in the concrete room. And then he's down the stairs and Will baseball swings the belt, hitting him across the face with it.
He misses his mark.
Monster screams. Howls in pain and stumbles back gripping his face with the hand not holding the gun. There is blood dripping between his fingers. Quinn rushes forward and then stops. The gun is pointing too closely to her for her to attack without getting shot. Will feels sick. He brings the belt back again and hesitates a moment before snapping it forward again.
Mistake.
Too many mistakes.
Monster manages to grab a hold of the belt. He hisses in pain as it rips open the skin of his palm but he manages to hold on. His face is dripping blood – a deep welt stretches from his ear to his mouth. He holds the belt with one hand and points the gun at Will's chest with the other.
Fuck. Fuck. Fuck.
It's a mantra in his head. He's going to die. They're going to die. And all he can think is Fuck.
His head clears. They can get away. He can do this.
He grips the belt with both hands and yanks hard, dragging Monster forward. "Run! Quinn, Becky, run!"
And they do but not quickly enough. Becky is around the couch and half way up the stairs and Quinn is right behind her when the gun goes off and stops them in their tracks. The loud pop echoes off the walls and causes their ears to ring loudly. Blood pump hotly. Hearts pound wildly.
For a moment, Quinn thinks he shot Will but he's still standing there with his hands on the belt. Monster pointing the gun directly at his chest.
It was a warning shot.
"How the fuck am I supposed to go to work like this!? You ruined everything!" He shouts in Will's face but Will is looking at her. Urging her to go up the stairs. He's sacrificing himself. Monster can't shoot all three of them.
She sees the gun pointing at his heart and can't move. Another mistake.
Becky is ducked down with her arms over her head, waiting for Quinn to make a move. Looking to her as an adult.
Quinn feels like a scared, lost child.
Monster yanks the belt hard and Will stumbles forward to his knees and just like that their hope of escape is gone. He feels the gun against the back of his head. Wants to look up and see Quinn and Becky before the bullet tears through his brain but Monster is pressing so hard, he can't move his head.
He closes his eyes and waits.
And waits.
And nothing happens.
The gun moves and he hears the click of Monster's shoes as he moves a few inches.
His eyes open and he looks up into Monster's angry eyes. Tries to ignore the gun now pointing at his face. He's clearly thinking about something.
Something horrible. Something terrible. Something worse than death.
Quinn is sobbing on the stairs. He can't hear Becky. Maybe she got away? "Will, I'm so sorry. This is my fault. I shouldn't have made you do this. You didn't want to do this. Will, I'm so, so sorry."
He can hardly understand her words over her ugly sobs. He doesn't blame her. They needed to try. He wants to tell her but then the gun is slammed hard across his cheek and the words die in his throat and his body hits the ground.
"Mom is going to play a game!" Monster points the game at Quinn and Becky and motions for them to come down the stairs. He pushes Quinn to the ground to his left and Becky to the ground next to Will. Will manages to get back to his knees quickly although he's pretty sure Monster may have broken a bone in his face. It hurts terribly. He reaches out and grabs Becky's hand, tugging her to his side and slightly behind him. She didn't get away. Remorse floods him. She tucks her face into his arm and squeezes his hand tightly. Cries softly.
"I love you, Becky." He says it even as Monster points the gun angrily at his face. He's going to die anyway. He turns his eyes away from the weapon, towards Quinn. He waits a beat for her to look him in the eye. "Quinn, I lo..."
A kick to his gut silences him and he bends forward, coughing. He manages to keep a hold of Becky's hand.
"I love you, Will. Quinn." Becky repeats him softly when his coughing has ended. Her resolve is back. The strong-willed child he loves so much has surfaced. Her tears are gone. She squeezes his hand.
"I love you both. So much." Quinn has tears and snot on her face. She wants to wipe it away. She doesn't want to die looking like that. It's stupid. It's vain. She knows it.
"Well, isn't that fucking special! Aren't you all fucking special!" Monster screams, "Why can't any of you love me!? Why am I left out again!?"
Will stares at him coldly. He already knows this is going to end right now. It doesn't matter anymore. "You are a monster and a devil and you don't deserve love. Your mother doesn't love you because she knows what you are. She knows..."
"Shut the fuck up!" He hits Will across the face again and blood splatters across the floor. He bit his tongue with the force of the hit and blood spews out of his mouth like a grotesque sprinkler. He doesn't fall this time. Becky clutches his hand more tightly.
"Mom, pick one!" Monster screams at Quinn.
"Wh...what?" Quinn doesn't know what he means. Pick one? For what?
"One of them is going to die right now. Pick one!"
Her eyes go wide and her heart feels as though it's going to hammer out of her chest. She can't.
She can't!
"Quinn, just do it." She catches Will's eyes and he's resigned. He wants her to choose him.
She can't!
"You aren't supposed to speak!" He smacks Will upside the head with his free hand. The blood from the belt wound is still covering his palm and some of it gets into Will's hair. Quinn can't take her eyes off of the red streak. "Don't forget the rules! If you speak, someone will get hurt! Mom! Choose now or they both die!"
Becky tucks herself more tightly against Will's side, trying to make herself as small as possible. Her hand is hot in his.
"Will. I'm so, so, so sorry. I love you. I love you so much." Quinn sobs loudly, no longer caring about the snot and tears covering her face. His mouth quirks up into a small smile and his free hand goes over his heart. He loves her too. He can't say it. Monster will hurt Becky if he speaks but he loves her.
He loves her.
Monster smacks him over the head with the gun unexpectedly and he's falling forward, his hand slipping from Becky's. She's crying now but she keeps her mouth shut. She's not allowed to speak either. She knows the rules. Quinn wants to go to her but she can't. Monster wouldn't allow it. She keeps her eyes on Will. He shakes his head slightly to right his vision and then his eyes find hers and the smile returns to his face even though his eyes are glassy and unfocused again. He's trying to reassure her.
She's allowed to speak. That's not against the rules, "I love you. I love you so much. You're so good. So brave. You're such a good man. I love you. Becky is okay and I'm okay because of you. I'll miss you so, so much. Please..." Her voice cracks when a single tear rolls down his face. Please what? She isn't sure.
Monster is fiddling in his pocket and he finally pulls out a pocket knife, sliding it open and getting on his knees next to Will. Quinn can see the gun handle hanging out of his waistband. He cuts Will's shirt open roughly, exposing his scarred back.
"I wanted to keep you! Why did you have to do this!? You ruined everything! Now people are going to ask about my face and I'm going to have to come up with a story and..." His hands are shaking with rage. He starts over. "I wanted to keep you but now you're just number 12. Trash. You're the twelfth
piece of shit that I've had to do this to! You're garbage! Worthless garbage!"
Will's eyes are still on Quinn's. Becky is sitting near his feet and she reaches out and grabs a hold of his ankle, squeezing to let him know that Monster's words aren't true. That she's still there for him.
He isn't expecting it when Monster drags the knife across his shoulder blade and he screams out. It hurts so badly that he can't help it. He has to close his eyes for a moment against the pain but he wants to see Quinn. Wants to know that he's not alone. Becky's hand is heavy on his ankle. He can hear them both crying. Monster continues to drag the knife across his shoulder, cutting his skin, twisting it. It feels like he's drawing a picture. He can feel the blood dripping down his side. His mind starts to feel light and his vision starts to blur but then he can hear Quinn's voice through the haze and he's brought back.
"You're okay. You're okay. I love you. I love you. I love you." She's chanting it. Her eyes are still on his and he focuses on that. They look impossibly green and bright with the tears that are pooling in them.
"Number 12. You're marked now. No more Dad. You're just trash." He stands and admires his handiwork. The carved number 12 stands out against the pale skin. He looks...proud of himself. Quinn wants to vomit.
"He's not trash!" Becky screams it. Loud and angry.
"Becky, it's okay." Will coughs, his voice cracking. He makes it back to his knees.
"Don't talk to her, trash! You aren't allowed to speak." Monster kicks him hard in the chest and he cries out. He raises his hand and strikes Becky across the cheek.
"He isn't trash! You're already going to kill him! Stop talking to him like that!" She holds her cheek but her eyes are defiant. She's not going to back down. Monster smacks her again and her head snaps to the side. She lets out a little gasp of pain but then she's staring angrily at him again.
"Becky, stop!" Quinn cries. Will is still staring at her but the smile is gone from his face. She can't take it. She can't lose him. She can't hold back the sob that rips from her gut. Her resolve is crumbling.
"You all need to learn your place." He stoops down so he can whisper in Will's ear, "Now that you're gone, I'm going to need a new play thing. Which one should I take upstairs first? The bitch of a mother or the little future slut Kathy?"
Quinn hears it. Wants to scream.
Will's eyes flutter closed and then open again a beat later. If he's going to die, he's at least going to inflict damage before he goes. Maybe someone will question why Monster is covered in cuts and bruises. Maybe the cops will investigate. Maybe they will find Quinn and Becky before he can touch them like he touched him. Before he can kill them.
He grits his teeth and then snaps his head back, head-butting Monster in the teeth. Monster screams out, blooding dripping from his mouth, and then lunges forward, the knife in his outstretched hand.
Everything that happens next happens in less than a minute.
Less than a minute to change everything.
"Stop! Don't kill him! You can't kill him! " Quinn screams it. Can't help it.
Monster's hand is hovering in the air, the knife glinting in the fluorescent lights. His other hand is pressed into the back of Will's neck, holding him down.
Will is screaming. Spit and blood shooting from his mouth in anger. One of them is going to die and it needs to be him. He can't let Monster hurt Quinn or Becky. "Do it, you son-of-a-bitch! You worthless piece of shit! You no good waste of a person! Do it!"
"Don't! You can't! I take it back! I don't choose him!"
Pressed down into the ground, he feels rather than sees Monster lunge away. There is a gurgling noise and then everything goes eerily silent. Will's eyes find Quinn's for a moment. Her mouth is open in shock, her green eyes are huge.
But he doesn't feel any pain. He can still think, hear, see. He isn't dead.
Why isn't he dead?
The pressure is off his neck. Monster let him go. He turns his head around and then everything else fades away. Monster, Quinn, the furniture, the smell, the concrete, the blood.
He can't breathe.
Becky is laying in a growing pool of blood. Her eyes are opened. Her throat is cut.
She's gone. Just like that and she's gone.
And he feels it. Feels the scream rip through his body. Feels his heartbeat pounding in his ears.
"Good choice." Monster. But his voice is quiet and very far away.
Crying. Quinn. But she sounds like she's in water. Or maybe he's in water. He crawls the few feet to Becky. Pulls her body next to his own and hugs her against his chest. Tries to will her back to life in vain.
It was supposed to be him.
It's too much. He feels everything shutting down. It's a shocking feeling but quick – like flicking a light switch. He can't hold his head up any longer and it falls, smacking roughly into the hard ground. He knows it should hurt, but it doesn't. All the pain slips away at once. All the noise is gone. Quinn and Monster and the basement – all gone.
Becky's dead eyes stare at him. It's all he can see.
Quinn watches his head hit the ground. She wants to see his eyes. Wants to tell him she's sorry. This is her fault. He wanted to protect them and she told Monster not to kill him. One of them had to die. She chose Becky. How could she do that? How can she live with herself?
There is a pool of blood growing around Becky and Will's bodies. Monster steps in it and stoops next to Will again, "She's number 12 now. You can keep that mark as a tattoo to remember her. Asshole."
Will doesn't respond at all. Lays there on the ground curled around Becky, chest rising and falling but that is all. Quinn stares through her tears. Watches as Monster sticks his hand in Becky's blood and rubs it across Will's face. He still doesn't move. He puts his hand back in the blood and crawls towards her. She tries to flinch away but he grabs her hair roughly and yanks. Rubs his sticky, greasy hand across her face.
There is blood in her eyes. Becky's blood.
She heaves forward and vomits on him. She doesn't mean to but she can't help it. He laughs long and hard. The blood is hot and dries quickly on her skin, staining it. Monster slaps her hard across the face, spits blood at her, and then stands, kicking her hard in the ribs as he walks by. She wheezes and clutches at her middle at the pain.
He grumbles as he walks back up the stairs, "I have to put in for time off now. We're going to be seeing a lot of each other before I stick the knife through your worthless hearts."
And then he is gone. And Becky is gone. And Will might as well be gone. And she is left alone to think about how she just murdered a nine year old girl.