"So how have things been since…."

In the years of knowing my parents, who were heavily religious, I'd never heard of therapy. Most of the time, it was prayers and God. Church on Sundays with participation in the youth choir practice on Saturdays in preparation for Sunday. Frequent bible verses being quoted in casual conversations. And it always tickled me. Instead of dealing with problems directly, they preferred it handled by an entity and His book that I hardly had an easy time accepting. An offense considered punishable in my household.

So it was not a shock when my mom insisted I see a counselor or therapist by the time I was 14. Shortly after my assault (and making the decision to abstain from sexual contact), I became colder, a bit more of a pain in the ass to deal with, more than usual. In a time where a child normally sought out guidance from a parent, I chose to hold it all in.

And now….here I am in the presence of a woman with a gentile appeal about her. The outlines in her face telling me more of a story than what I guess her age to be. How stressful this job must be, listening to people's problems and essentially unable to help them once they walk out of her office. How everybody's issues must impart a severe case of insomnia, judging by the bags under her eyes. Or maybe tensions arise from another source. I began to wonder if she had children, my jades scouring the walls and a nearby table for pictures and other mementos.

"Chloe."

They returned to meet wide browns as she awaited for acknowledgment.

"Yes?"

A sigh that would've gone unnoticed by those with slightly bad hearing passed through her thin lips, visibly irritated by my lack of attention. "I'm afraid these sessions aren't exactly helping you. Not that there's anything wrong with daydreaming every now and again, but you seem to do it often throughout our sessions." A sense of small guilt washed over me, for I could tell she was trying. There certainly was an effort being made and now that I had considered the situation, I realized she had never mentioned anything regarding religion outside of my intake questionnaire. I quickly shifted from my typical teen nonchalant attitude into one of small gratitude. "I'm sorry. I…am extremely uncomfortable opening up. It's not something that is common in my household. We tend to act like nothing is happening." I sensed a curious acceptance as her eyes perked. Another silence passed between us, with me hoping she would respond to the confession and she awaiting the snowball to plunge further. Should I continue or would I ponder mutely into her life more?

"Fuck it."

"My family prefers to leave it to God."

"Are you okay with that method?"

"What a stupid fucking question. Obviously not or I wouldn't be here. Science and religion are almost like oil and water."

"No. I think it's really dumb to not address things especially when everyone in the household does it."

Therapist begins to jot something down on a medium notepad perched on her knee. I take it as a green light to continue speaking.

"Letting things eat away at you with no outlet. Now multiply that times four. Four miserable people around each other, miserable because the others are miserable. Blowing up in person, praying in private. And God doesn't appear to give one good goddamn." I take a sharp inhale. "Excuse me." She nods, still pouring into that pad. On the inside, I cross my chest three times and ask for forgiveness. "Two of them being children, who have no idea how to process things and must look up to two miserable adults. It doesn't make for a freaking family sitcom. Not a good one anyways."

"Have you tried discussing these concerns with your parents?" On pure instinct, I scoff. Almost break out into a completely insane laugh attack. But I maintain with a jeer and this time, I say it. "I wouldn't be talking to you if that were the case."

A scream. One loud enough to break through the haze that had gathered as I mindlessly watched Eddie slowly set up his torture toys. It had appeared he was bored of a twosome and was in preparation for a gathering of three. He pushed two sewing tables together, stocking them with his "tools." My jades darted back and forth, watching my handsomely deranged captor and the locker grates hoping to spot proof of life beyond. It was to no avail and I imagined the poor man fighting to awake from the concoction sprayed in his face. Now that I had thought about it, the guy was out long enough for us to get one good fuck in. Tingles jolted in every sensitive spot, my mind rehashing the events. Not only was he good, but it was violent enough to awaken a lusty appetite. Surely there were marks left behind. My inner killer grinned. Blaine had become small game; I wanted Eddie's blood. I desired it washing over me in the midst of sweet lovemaking, the sound of him gagging with my hands grasped tightly over his throat. The thought was enough to trigger a purring moan to escape and I felt sudden ice cold blues on me. I ignored the attention, allowing imagination to completely take over. Wanting nothing more than to begin fondling my breasts as I had done any other night in my cell. This time the pleasure, coupled with pain, would be immense. But my dear demented darling tied me up as soon as we had finished our earlier deed.

"Eddie. Be a dear and untie me now. We weren't finished." I heard a dull growl and though he was barely visible, it was apparent he was offended. This powerful man who believed he was in charge and had everything in control. My lip still throbbed in pain from the punch he landed earlier attempting to tie me to a wooden stockade. Splinters were apparent the moment I tried to get more comfortable on such an unbearable surface. I decided to stay perfectly still. There was nothing that could be done until I was free.

Silence.

I became annoyed, which only intensified my cravings. Casually, I closed my eyes and sensed a presence nearby. In the faint darkness, I could make out Eddie standing exactly over my head. "Oh." His mangled face, once clear and smooth, was now riddled with blisters and sores on one side of his face. However, I could still see the beauty. I wanted to force that gorgeous face between my legs - not only a great position, but a solid tactic to secure a spot on top of my prey. Had things gone my way, I wouldn't be in this position. Back to figuring a way out.

More screams. This time, Eddie sounded intrigued. "ANOTHER! More darlings to woo." A devilish grin spread across his lips. Those very lips I had just finished fantasizing about were now thinking of other "wives" to pursue. I contemplated feigning heartbreak but I wasn't that great of an actress. At least not in the moment. I was hungry, exhausted, and a bit displeased with the choice of bedding to which I had been designated. My back began to ache from the misadventures of the evening thus far. In that moment, I vacated back to my prior interactions. Aside from Eddie, there was the Big Fucker, Crazy Chainsaw Guy, other patients. My night had become so blurred with random pain and ecstasy, I temporarily began to go insane and restless from being tied up.

"I need to eat." The confidence in the statement was pretty bold, considering the situation. Eddie obviously had no issue in beating the shit out of me to get his way. I would have to approach it more subtly. Manners... I inhaled deeply, then exhaled. "May I please get something to eat? It has been quite a while." He smiled at the correction. "Better." In the ten seconds that passed before he finally replied to my question, he had made his way back to his set up. "I anticipated you might be so I've begun preparing, my love." An eyebrow raised instinctively. He couldn't have meant….

No. My head shook. I may have been partially insane but in no way was I a cannibal. Chainsaw Guy's scream flashed in my memory, causing a shock throughout my body. I was tense for a moment, only relaxing as I realized Eddie had thrown someone onto the table. Was it the man from the locker? My brain tried to recall hearing the grating sound of a locker door but I could only remember the chainsaw. Fuck me. I cursed under my breath, angry that I had allowed a past trauma to distract me from a current predicament. My imagination and ability to relive moments were always troublesome but this time, they would get me killed. I made a mental note to light a fire under my ass later once I was safe. For now, I had to pay close attention. To take advantage of the perfect moment.

Eddie disappeared in the darkness but shortly after, a lamp above the table flickered on. I took a moment to survey the latest fodder. If it was the guy from the locker, he was now awake. And visibly terrified. His chest moved up and down from hollow breaths. Sweat was visible under his arms with matching droplets scattered across his head. Unlike me whose arms and legs were fully bound, only his arms were tied down. However, I could tell he had the same idea in mind. His eyes raced around the room, looking for a way to break free and immediately he found me. There was a momentary confusion, and I figured it was from being a woman still alive in this madman's grasp. "Tits has its perks," I half-heartedly joked before Eddie's neck damn near snapped in reaction. He took a few steps, striking me square in the jaw. I wanted to feel pain but what I felt was disorientation. The room blurred and to avoid puking bile from motion sickness, I tightly closed my eyes. With nausea being an indication of hunger, that punch certainly didn't help. They popped back open to the gentleman, his confusion swapped for fear. He looked even more afraid than before. "You fucking dare to flirt with another man in front of me!" This was getting out of hand, his anger was beginning to take different forms. It was escalating and I was pushing my luck. The next comment might do me in.

Shut the fuck up. For once in your life. Just….

I had to cool things down. "It wasn't like that." My sarcasm had taken a backseat to survival. I had to do things differently if I wanted to make through this ordeal. At least until I had the upper hand. But before I continued. I made a solemn promise that I would make him pay for every hit inflicted, every scar. The sight of his name forever etched on my belly with the painful memory to match. Eddie would be a dead man by my hand.

Eddie centered his focus back to the detained man. "Are you willing to die for me, for her?" I wanted to stop him but given the last 10 minutes, I knew speaking up would likely go against me. The man looked at me. I shied away without hesitation. Then the panic began, beginning with heaving breaths and manifesting into hysterical pleas. It would be the first time I'd watch the Groom at work. A chance to study his habits, how he abused anyone in his possession. I wanted to feel for this patient, who was probably going about his business trying to find a way out like myself. But if I put too much humanity into it, I would end up putting my life over his. It then dawned on me that the guy didn't try to speak up for me. He had a voice; he just chose not to use it. I snapped back to reality and watched with intrigue. Eddie grabbed my blade, turning his head momentarily to raise his eyebrows suggestively as if I'd gifted him a new toy. "You know…I was looking for a bride. I had given up, using these fuckers for fun." He tied a thick rope around the man's mouth. "Bite down." The man obeyed and he continued. "Unlike you, my darling, they're quick to respond." He made his way towards me. I tensed in preparation as he reached for my face. A thumb traced over my mouth, swiping blood from the latest abuse.

"They don't give much lip."

"Pun intended."

Eddie took delight to this response, lifting the crimsoned digit up and seductively licking my vital fluids clean off. I didn't show it. I deeply inhaled to restrain my face from displaying the joy I felt. The sudden blood rush down below.

Fuck, that was hot.

"Alas, I'm finding out that this..," His hand motioned back and forth between us. "…saves so much time and effort. I don't have to fashion a woman anymore."

I stayed quiet.

"These guys are strictly for fun now. They have the benefit of dying as quickly as possible. But you get to experience all of me….at my best." He growled. The man clenched his eyes, awaiting to slowly accept a deathly fate and it was slowly becoming apparent that Eddie had history with the other patients. Something about their fear smelled familiar, as if they knew the type of monster with whom they were dealing. Being in the female ward, we hardly heard anything about the opposite sex. Probably in an attempt to keep sexual advances at bay. And now I was curious. I played along again.

"What are you going to do to him?"

Instead of replying, Eddie sauntered to the foot of his prisoner and raising his blade. "Enjoy the show, darling."

Author's note:

So here is what I was able to do with the short amount of time I've had. But I've read your reviews, more smut. It's coming. Hang tight, darlings. they're just getting started. And Clo is gearing up for some religious findings of her own. You know the priest is still hot on her trail. Leave any ideas/criticisms. Constructive, of course. And I will try to update this in a couple of weeks so as not to leave you guys on ice.

xx

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