Often, a serial killer has no felony record - Pat Brown

Corey watched Emilie. He was protecting her from the outside world, wasn't he? That kid in the basement almost messed it up. He'd make him pay for that tonight. Maybe later, but right now he had to go. Clear his mind. Maybe sit by the river.

Emilie watched her brother leave, and stopped washing the counter. It was really the only thing she could do to stop the boredom. They had no books in their house that she hadn't read, and she didn't feel like watching TV. Anyway, Corey didn't let her near magazines or anything like that.

Anything to do with the outside world.

She sighed, folding the cloth she'd been using and flinging it on the table. She had told Reid she'd help him.

Sighing again, she opened the door to the basement. She skipped down the steps, noticing Reid was asleep. Maybe he was tired? She'd heard him hitting his head against the head board last night.

Biting her lip, she went closer to him.

"R-Reid?" she said quietly. He mumbled, his eyebrows furrowing. She glanced at his hands. One was free, lying limply by his side and the other was tied up.

She tipped his shoulder. He mumbled again. She chuckled.

"Reid," she repeated, tapping his shoulder.

His untied arm flung up, hitting Emilie on the cheek. His eyes flew open, taking in everything. Emilie fell off the bed, and at that exact moment Corey walked in. He was going to the lake, when he decided to make sure Reid couldn't leave first.

Good thing he came back.

Emilie was too timid and shy to tell him anything bad, but he didn't blame her. He blamed himself mostly. Storming down the stairs, he saw the fear in both Emilie and Reid's eyes.

His own eyes held fire in them, and he grabbed Emilie's blonde hair, dragging her upstairs.

"Corey! Calm down, it was my fault I had a nightmare, let Emilie go!" Reid yelled, pulling at the chains again. Emilie whimpered, but didn't beg. Corey just got annoyed when you begged. It was better to put up with it.

He shoved her into her room, telling her he'd be back later to fix her. She didn't know he meant by that. She slumped against the end of her bed, rubbing her head and crying. It was throbbing but she knew Reid was in for a lot more.

Corey might seem like he cared when Reid had accidentally hurt Emilie, and a part of him did. But the darker side of him would repeat over and over in his head that Emilie was a bad kid, a whore, a stupid kid. Even though he knew in his heart she wasn't.

He flung the basement door open, his giant army boots making deep thudding noises as he stepped on each step. Clenching and unclenching his fists, he gritted his teeth.

Every time Corey got mad, it seemed like he couldn't get any madder. But he always found a way. He was smart like that.

Reid watched, panic rising in his stomach. He didn't mean to hit Emilie, though he was sure he didn't even hurt her that badly. But he knew someone like Corey wouldn't see it that way. Reid was beginning to believe he had paranoid personality disorder.

Emilie wouldn't be mad at Reid, she'd be mad at herself. Both of them knew that. But Reid didn't blame her. Corey was pacing back and forth in front of the bed. Reid decided it was best not to speak to him yet, since Corey seemed to be better of festering in his own mind.

He had been watching Corey, trying to see what was wrong in his mind. It could have been schizophrenia, or he was just paranoid. Corey wouldn't tell Emilie anything. Emilie mentioned it to Reid before, that she wasn't allowed to read certain books or magazines because Corey believed the Government wanted to brainwash them.

Reid wasn't prepared when the first punch landed on him. He spit out some blood, and Corey rubbed his knuckles. He was just getting started.

Emilie sat in her room, hating herself for not being able to help Reid. She would get him out of here. She promised herself, and she would do it soon. Maybe even tomorrow. Or tonight. Corey would leave to go to the river maybe.

When Corey was young he went there all the time. Emilie didn't know why. He took Emilie from the orphanage the moment he was eighteen. It worked well, he was…normal for a while.

Emilie listened reluctantly to the bangs, yells and smashes coming from the basement. Then Corey, his voice harsh.

"You won't get out of here Reid."