Chapter 23
Maria was in the kitchen, ground hamburger in her hands, squishing between her fingers. She was mad. VERY mad. Sex with Rocky was everything she had remembered it to be, although, it was nice now that he is older. Too bad it's TOO old. The woman really had no use for him. Not now. She had missed her chance with him, her true chance that time the little shit had lied to her out in the woods. No matter. He would be dead in four days anyway. It was just a matter of time before the poison she had scented the flower with kicked in, and took its toile.
And once that happens... She thought, turning the gas on, then grabbing a match from beside the stove. I will have him... quiet. Still. Loyal. Just as I've always wanted him. No more resistance, no more arrogant beauty to flaunt in my face... My TRUE fuck toy. A smile tugged at the corners of her lips. Maria was always pleased when she thought of Rocky's death. He had to die. He was dirty. He betrayed her by sleeping with someone else during that time they had met to now. It wasn't right for the man of your dreams to cheat on you. It wasn't right at all. Sure, she had sex with everyone she had taken to experiment on, but who cares. They were nothing to her. Merely guinea pigs for the real test that was proving to be more trouble than it was worth.
Why couldn't that beautiful blond just understand how much she loves him? That's it! He doesn't know how much I love him because my face has changed. I didn't want to startle him back then, but the little fuck didn't even remember me- blocked it out as though it never happened. She nearly spat in the food. Fucker! Fucker! Fucker! That... BITCH Eeeeemilyyyy. She shuddered just thinking of that awful girl with her stupid name. Her head began to shake. I should show him... I should show him my face. He'll know me now-...
She looked up. There was a thump upstairs that vibrated the floor a bit below her feet. Rocky was moving. Maria could tell because her room is directly over the kitchen. Well, well... the boys got more stamina than I give him credit for. Most of the people I've slept with like that were out for days, it's only been 40 minutes and already he's moving. Her smile grew wider, her eyes sharpened to a frightening seriousness. I love youuuu... I'm gonna use you over and over and over again until you say that you love me too. If you don't...
The demented girl held a large knife, the metal gleamed under the kitchen light, shining a beam across her face. Her eyes looked different in the reflection of the knife. The ice would actually send shivers through you. Bits of black hair framed her face. She yanked them away and she smiled at her true reflection. I hate mirrors... your eyes are like mirrors... but you don't see me because you chose to forget... that's why your fooled. That's why you see my illusion... because you've forgotten me. But not for long. I can show you my true self... Then... Then I can see your true fear.
Upstairs, moments earlier.
Rocky lay on the bed, arms over his head, body sideways. He was in pain. BAD pain. SERIOUS pain. He was bleeding, he could tell, from his butt and neck. Maria had injected him with viagra before the started. Rocky felt so ashamed he just closed his eyes and kept his legs shut as tight as he could. It didn't stop the bleeding, but having his legs scrunched up against his chest that high made his stomach stop hurting. The ninja couldn't afford to vomit again. It would put too much strain on him. Maria had cuffed him to the bed and hadn't unlocked him before she left. The cuffs, though, weren't attached to the bed. The were merely hung around the poles of the head board.
Rocky didn't want to take the chance to unhook himself, not while the girl was in the room. He wanted to pretend that he was unconscious. It worked. He hadn't passed out and since he was still in her care, he wouldn't. It surprised even him that he could move. He really felt like the end was near. He just wished that he could see his family one last time. See Paula at the institute. See Tabatha. Maybe Emily, maybe. But most of all, he wanted to see Robbie. He had something's to tell him. But now, he knew that it was pointless.
Rolling onto his back, he sat up with a struggle. Scooting back by digging his legs into the mattress, Rocky managed to sit up straight and pop the cuffs from the head board. Placing his feet down on the floor, he stood and stumbled. Shit! He prayed that Maria hadn't heard that and would decide to come upstairs. He wanted to get to the bathroom and quick. "Ah!" He cried out. He was using his voice so that Maria wouldn't hear his pain. She seemed to get off on that. Crawling, Rocky made it to the bathroom.
He used the toilet not surprised to see a little blood come out with it. He used a great deal of toilet paper to wipe the blood from his rear, but it didn't stop flowing. Maria must have torn something when she shoved that sex toy into him, dry as a bone, and proceeded to pond it into him. At one point it did get easier, he guessed the blood did that. With a laugh and tears in his eyes he knew he had to face the music. It was true. He was going to die. Didn't Maria care? Could she not see what was happening to him? Was she that sick that it actually delighted her that he would die?
"I... I want m- my clothes." Staggered foot steps took him back into the room. His eyes scanned for his clothes but couldn't find them. That was okay. They were soiled anyway, and there was a hole in the back of the pants. Luckily, he knew Maria kept his clothes upstairs. But where?
"Maybe the dresser." He figured. He had to keep talking out loud, because if he thought about it than Maria would come upstairs to see what he was doing. Walking to the vanity, he avoided the large picture pressed against it with the missing eyes and looked down at the top. There was even a picture of him plastered there. How many did this girl take? Sliding the drawer open, he grabbed a pair of blue pajamas then began to slide them on. "I wish this would stop." He mumbled seeing the red that stained his pale white fingers. Rocky's eyes scrunched when he tried to straighten up, his stomach was really in knots.
He had to lay back down, or at least get some support from somewhere. Leaning onto the dresser, he sighed of what little relief he was given. That was when he saw it. A picture of himself, plastered to the top of the dresser. He looked so young in that picture. Very young. Almost... ten... eight? He was outside. His hand was up in the air, it looked as though he were holding hands with someone, but they were cut off. But Rocky was sure he saw another set of fingers in his hand. But the thing that made his blood run cold was the ninja turtle in his hand!
"Aah!" His hand came up to his head. His eyes closed. "No. Nooo... Not now.." He pounded his head with his hands balling them up into fist. "It can't be her... It can't be her." But the flashes were coming to him, rapidly. It was like he were on a roller coaster with nothing to hold on to. Each loop made him fall then crash back down into his seat. There was no way... there was no way that the woman in dressing room was Maria. How could she...? "Wait a minute." He said slowly as his thoughts gathered to a few years back when he first met her.
"She called me Rocky, before I even told her my ninja name." He noted. "I later found out that she was a psychic, she knew things about me. She kept saying that, 'I would be hers'..." He shook his head to keep the memories from jumbling away from him. "But there's something else. Something I'm forgetting... Maria... Maria can't be the woman from the store. Because... Because she-..." A flash came to him.
He could see it... The woman spoke to him but-... But her lips weren't moving!
"No. No. No. No." He repeats. His hand came up to his head as he felt another headache coming on. He would NOT let his alter make him forget things. He needed to figure this out! Another flash came to him. Older, but recent in his mind as though it happened yesterday.
Rocky stood up to leave away from the house but the door opened and Maria walked out, freezing his path, glaring at him. "Rocky? What are you doing here?" She asks. He just looked at her. "Well, are you gonna stand there or does the cat have your tongue?"
Rocky remained silent looking at her, his vision then shifted past her to the woman who was looking out the door at them. He opened his mouth to say something and the door slammed shut behind the strange girls back. "Ignore her, it's just my stupid mother." She plastered a huge smile on her face after giving the door a bone chilling glance. "You wanna go to the SunBelt with me?"
Rocky blinked mindlessly and looked back at the door. "Forget about her, she's dumb... not like you and me. Lets go get some food okay?"
"Um...Maria," his voice finally returned and he looked anywhere else but at her as he spoke. "Who was that woman back there? What were you guys talking about?"
She narrowed her eyes at him and then put on a false smile. "That's my mom, Rocky... We were just talking about my messing up a report in school," she scanned his face with her eyes but he wasn't buying it. He knows what he heard from the woman's mouth.
"But she isn't your mother. She just said not to long ago-..."
"You were eaves dropping?" She asked cutting him off.
Rocky looked at his sneakers, guiltily. "Sort of, she was talking kind of loudly to you." He responded wishing he hadn't. 'Why does she make me feel this way? What is it about this girl? And what did she do to Brandon? Brandon! The reason I'm here I completely forgot.' He yelled at himself for forgetting.
'Brandon got what he deserved. He was a bad person who took your position for MVP at school.'
'Who is saying that?' Rocky wondered listening to the voice. 'Is it my conscience, or is it some other voice in the back of my head?' His vision accidentally looked up meeting Maria's eyes.
"And if you don't watch out, you'll get what you don't deserve." She suddenly reared up in Rocky's face making him lean back to evade her lunge, but the door opened behind them and she froze.
Rocky's heart pounded in his ears as they stared. "Maria, phone call." She looked at Rocky and smiled politely, he didn't mean to but he frowned at her putting his head down to shade his eyes. "Who is it Ma?" The woman raised her eye brows and handed the girl the phone.
'She must be her mother.' Rocky thought silently. 'She just called her 'Ma' and she said nothing back to disagree... maybe I've got things all wrong.'
"That woman... Why won't her face come in clearly?" Rocky wondered out loud as he saw the flash back continuing.
The girl turned to face her but paused before going inside. Grabbing Rocky's face between her hands and kissed him deeply. A tingle ran through his spine and into his stomach at her touch alone, he jerked himself away and she looked at him dearly with an evil smirk. 'Now, you're mine.'
Rocky's eyes went wide for second as he watched her go inside the house. Did he just hear Maria's thoughts?
"I'm heading out to the store, do you want anything?" The girl didn't answer but the woman responded as though she had. "Alright, I'll be back in an hour. Bye."
She closed the door and Rocky stood where he was, feeling dazed until Maria's mom tapped him on the shoulder calling his attention. 'She looks nothing like her.' Rocky thought as the woman looked down at him with a smile.
"Her face... She is!" He blinked hard, as the face wouldn't leave his mind. "I'm not just putting it there. It really is the woman from the store. Maria's mother-.." He shook his head. "Aunt, her diary said that the woman, Marissa, is her aunt."
"Would you like a ride home, son?" She asked him and he nodded a response letting her steer him to the car. "Okay, come on."
"Can I ask you something?" Rocky heard his voice saying.
"I guess, sure, what is it?" Maria's mom responded.
"It's about Maria I-..."
"If you're going to tell me you're her boyfriend I already know. She told me she was seeing someone from school and I think you're a fine young man but, I wouldn't let Maria get the upper hand on you too much she can be-..."
"I'm a fine young man." The words rang through his head.
Rocky waved his hands and cut her off not meaning to be rude. "I'm not her boyfriend, I'm not even sure we're friends anymore-... or if we were in the first place."
She looked at him sideways. "What does that mean?"
"Mrs. Atkinson, I don't mean to be rude but, Maria is kinda strange... I think-... I think she's stalking me." She nearly swerved when she heard those words and she parked the car on the side of the road so sharply it nearly threw them both through the windshield.
Rocky remembered. Marissa nearly had a fit when she heard him say that about her niece. "She probably flipped out because when I talked about her crazy niece, she remembered what she did to me..." His eyes watered. "Does that whole family want me dead?" He stopped talking to watch the rest of his memories.
"What do you mean stalking you?" She asked.
Rocky clammed up a minute searching for the words.
"Tell me, please."
"Well," his voice was hesitant and strained. "She's been following me around since I first met her, popping up everywhere... I think she's even been to my house once or twice, she hangs out across the street." The woman's eyes sank to the floor as Rocky went on. "She tried to-... I don't know, but there was something in my drink when I came to your home one time with her and... I'm sorry to speak so rudely of your daughter Mrs. Atkinson but-..."
She stopped him from talking by raising a hand. "Where did you get the idea that she was my daughter? I don't have any children."
Rocky's eyebrows furrowed for a second. "But that's what she said to me, unless she's adopted, then I'm sorry for the assumption."
"And Maria isn't adopted." Now Rocky was confused because who was she if she wasn't Maria's mother? "Allow me to introduce myself. I'm Marissa Balsam, her aunt." It was as though Rocky had been shot in the back of the head and he dropped. A blur of the woman's arms was the last thing he'd seen.
"I woke up at home but couldn't remember a thing..." Rocky sat down on the small chair to regain his senses. "I just... can't believe that... all this time... The woman who has kidnapped me, is the niece of the woman that screwed up my life in the first place..." He wondered if she knew, this Marissa. Did she know that her niece is just as sick and crazy as she is. Does she know that she has him. Is she going to come here and finish him off? There were too many questions that needed answers but he knew he wouldn't get them. This was insane! It was nuts! It was making his head hurt so much that he didn't care anymore if he blacked out and never woke up again.
Laying his head down on the dresser top, he sighed. The tears resting in his eyes finally fell down his face wetting it lightly in its trail. That wasn't the only thing on him that was leaking. Growling, he sat up, opening the small dresser again. Yanking out, yet, another pair of pajamas something dropped to the floor and hit his foot.
"Oh my God... My phone!" Picking it up, he checked the battery. It was low, but it had enough power to get him what he wanted. Contact.
The police showed up at the heliport. It was a good few miles out of town but they had cop cars already waiting for them. Jessica and Sam were told that they would be taken to the station in Canada to wait for them. Jessica refused, but Sam lead her into the cop car. She cried out, but knew that it was pointless and quieted down. Commissioner Wayne told the officers in Canada over the car radio that they would need back up if Marissa is, in fact, as dangerous as her nephew says she is.
Mrs. Douglas watched the man from the window of the car as it drove away. She still didn't trust the man to actually protect her son. They would arrest this Marissa, and him next if the little girl were no where in sight. She just knew it. "Sam," she looked at her husband, tears in her eyes. They wouldn't fall mostly because it was so cold out. "I'm worried. What if we're too late?"
"Jessie, I'm sure that whatever happens," he looked down at his phone that was ringing in his pocket. Fishing it out as he continued talking to his wife he checked the number thinking it would be his son's at home. "Rocky will be safe. He's a smart kid with a good-..."
"What?" The sorrowful woman asks when her husband just cut himself off, looking at his phone as though it were made of glass. "Sam? What is it?"
"Rocky." He flipped his phone open. "Hello?"
"Rocky?" His wife said, nearly snatching it.
"Hello? Son? Samuel? Is that you?1" He practically shouted.
Yanking the phone from the mans hands, Jessica held it to her ear. "Baby! It's Mom, are you okay?"
There was no reply at first. The phone cut in and out. But someone was there, a very faint voice. "Mo-.."
"Baby?" She wiped the tears from her eyes with the back of her free hand. "It's me. Where are you?" She was so relieved she wasn't even sure if she'd hear the reply if he said it. Her whole body began to shake. Her son is alive, and well enough to call. Does that mean he got away from this woman?
"Mom..." Rocky's voice was clearer now. "Mom it's me... I don-... I'm lost. But it's cold-..." His voice cut in and out again.
"I know baby, I know. We're on our way!" Mrs. Douglas shouted so he could hear her.
There was a dial tone. He was gone.
Jessica broke out into full tears now. She wasn't even sure he had heard her. But he is alive. And that was all that mattered. Sam held his wife, rubbing her arms. He was happy enough to cry his self. But he was stronger than tears he supposed.
"We're gonna get him back. He's gonna be just fine." He assured her.
"I guess my batteries are too low." Rocky spoke. He didn't hear his parents, but he thought that even if he called his Dad and his mother found out it were him, she would take the phone. "It's time to get smart, and get out." But he had to consider the two other people in the house. Noelie and Alfonse, the head case in the basement. He was sure the others were dead, and that their bodies probably were still locked away in the rooms. But how was he going to get out?
The smell of hamburger wafted into his nose. He couldn't believe his body would betray him by having his stomach growl. As if he would eat her poisoned food. "First, I have to tell Noelie about the plan. Al' will just have to wait."
Standing, much to his bodies dismay, Rocky walked over to the bedroom door. Cracking it open, he peeked through the slit seeing that he was, for the most part, alone. Good. Sneaking out of the room, though he knew no sound would really alert the woman, he crept to his 'daughters' bedroom. When he turned the knob of the door, it was stuck. Why would Maria lock the girls door. There was no way Noel' would be brave enough to lock it herself, Maria would surely punish the girl for not loving her enough to leave easy access to her. A quick knock and Rocky remembered that the girl was deaf. Fuck.
"I can't risk using my gift to open the door, she'll pick up on it in a heart beat." He looked over his shoulder. There was no sound of movement downstairs. He supposed that was good. But he wasn't sure. Just then the door tugged open, giving the boy a start.
The young girl stood there with question in her eyes, looking up at the teen. Rocky shoved his hands out at her, gesturing for her to go back into the room. "Noel', how did you know that I was out there?" He looked around the darkness of the bedroom. Why were all the lights off. He supposed it were dark out. The only light in the room came from the dim lights in the hallway. Rocky closed the door then locked it. Next, the lights came on.
"I saw your feet at the bottom of the door." She signed. "Since you didn't come in, I knew it wasn't Maria so I opened the door."
"Good girl." He winced saying that to her. "Good job, I mean." Looking over his shoulder for any sign of movement, he then knelt down, grabbing the girls shoulders. "Listen, we've got to get out of here and I have a plan."
"We can't go, she'll kill us."
"She won't. Maria's not even gonna know that we're gone if I can just sneak you past her and out the front door."
"I won't go, I'm scared." The girls eyes water.
"I know you're scared. But you know what sweetie, you gotta be big and brave for me." Rocky hugged her quickly, then backs away so she can see his mouth as it moved. "Really, you can get out without her even knowing it, I'll be right behind you once I get Al' from the basement."
"He's mean." The girl closed her eyes. "Sometimes, he comes in my room at night and he-..."
Rocky didn't wanna hear anymore, his own recent rapes came rushing back to him, bubbling up in his stomach though he would die before he vomited in front of the kid. Swallowing hard, he shook off the images of the girl strangling him as she pounding up and down on him, gagging him though she wanted him to scream through his mind. "I know, I know it sucks but we have to put that past us, he's a victim too. Longer than either of us."
"I'm too scared." Moving away from him, she climbed back on her bed and lay down.
Rocky frowned. He had to get them all out or no one at all. Walking over to the bed, he rubbed the girls arm. She flinched away, so he withdrew his touch. she probably had familiar soar spots as well. "Hey, what's the matter with you? Huh?"
"What?"
"Don't you want to see your mom and dad again? Don't you wanna hold them and feel their love?"
The girl was stone faced a moment, but then she nodded.
"Alright then, let's formulate a plan so that... we can get out of here." His eyes sharpened as he felt his alter trying to slip past the barrier he had put up. "See this.. It's my phone. I found it a little while ago. It doesn't work because the batteries are low. But if you call your parents- do you know your number?" He asked her after a second thought.
"Yes." She took the phone with shaking hands.
"Call them... it may not reach but if you feel them near you, you might be a little braver." He got up from the bed. "You've got me too. I won't let anything happen to you Noelie." Rocky turned her head to the sound of a pot clanking. He had a brief thought of her doing that on purpose, she may already be upstairs. He had to get back to the bedroom. "Listen, keep the phone, but don't let Maria see it. I have to get back in the bedroom."
"Rocky wait." She shot up to a sitting position.
"Yeah?" He was glad he was slow to turn, he would have missed her signing.
"Be careful, she's scary when she has black hair." Her eyes read waves of fear from the dark haired woman he could only assume was Marissa.
Nodding, he offered her a smile and thumbs up. "I will." Leaving her, he heard the door lock after a moment. Rocky returned to the bedroom and slipped the empty part of the cuff that was still stuck around his wrist onto the bed post where it had originally been. He wouldn't want her to know he had been traveling. "Shit, my clothes." He just remembered.
It was too late though, the bedroom door popped open and there stood Maria. Her face was not happy at all.
"You moved." She muttered.
"I... I had to go the bathroom." It wasn't entirely a lie.
"You got dressed." She walks slowly over to the bed.
"I can take them off." There was fear in his eyes. But they had never been so confident and so sharp. It was at that moment, when Maria smiled that something felt odd.
"What's the matter Rocky... You don't look well." she sat down on the bed. "Your skin is such a pale, almost a green color..." Touching his cheek, Maria felt Rocky shrink away from her touch.
"I thought you might be unhappy about that... Because you didn't see me."
See her? What is she talking about now? Wondered the blond as he watched her every move.
"Because you didn't see me... is why, my lover, you must die." She took out a knife. "You forgot about me... then you tried to move on twice! Well you'll be happy to know that I no longer love you. You're not what I want."
"Maria, I don't understand."
"AND STOP CALLING ME MARIAAAAAAA!" Her head seemed as though it were ready to explode. "I hate you! "I HaTE YOu!" She raised the knife up over her head ready to bring it down.
Rocky turned his head, eyes closing, as he waited for the pain. But it didn't come. Opening them, he saw her staring at him. Her blue eyes huge and insane. she had lost touch again, he could tell. Now he was extremely afraid.
"Look at me!" She barked.
He was looking at her. What more did she want?
"Love meeee!"
Rocky was about to say her name again when it came to him. What Noelie had said. she meant that Maria... didn't look like this when she first saw her. 'Scary when her hair is black'? That's what she said. Does that mean?
"Ma-... Marissa?" Rocky asked.
"MOTHER FUCKER!" She raised the knife up again, "YOU'RE DIRTY! YOU HAVE TO DIE!" only this time it was the sound of beeping that stopped her. Where was it coming from?
Rocky heard Noelie coughing from her room. Looking up he saw black smoke drifting in. "Fire."