Hey guys! Long time no update, eh? I've gotten lots of reviews/alerts/subscriptions and I'm thankful for that. Please enjoy the eighth chapter of "The Woman In Chains"...
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The Woman In Chains
CLARE
Ever since the night I came home, three weeks ago, Owen has been running my body into the ground.
My legs feel robotic, frozen with just skin and bone. I could feel the blood in my veins slowing down from the dehydration. What also didn't help was the spark of hope that replayed in my mind-as a distant memory-from the night I came home...
"They treated you differently, didn't they? They gave you food, made you feel loved?" Owen asked out of the blue, nearly scaring the daylights out of me since I thought he had fallen asleep.
He had forced me to lie on the wooden floor, which had some splinters digging into my skin-but I had luckily gotten used to this kind of treatment.
"Not as good as you treat me, Master Owen," I whispered lifelessly, staring down at the cold floor.
"Do you love him? Whoever you found? Do you love him?" a chuckle echoed the room, but it was neither mine...nor Owens.
I shot up nervously, trying to latch my weak fingers onto a bed sheet to cover myself. Owen tugged back at the blanket and sheets, preventing me from using the cloth to hide my bareness from the intruder.
"Who are you?" I heard Owen ask cluelessly, as I brought my knees up to my chest, trying to hide-and silently prayed to God to help me disappear.
"Who let you in here? Hey, what are you doing? You can't take her from me-she's my fiance!" he shouted, venom in his tone.
I felt two firm hands on my shoulders and a jacket slip over my shaking body.
"I-It's me, it's Adam. Come on Clare, Eli is waiting in the car outside. Jake will take care of Owen."
My eyes averted to the floor, and if a stare could kill, this house would be up in flames. The pain and humiliation settling in when Adam lifted me from the floor, was indescribable. I knew he wasn't looking, but I knew Owen was...and that was what killed me inside.
I gripped the jacket tighter, as if it would help me hide my lower half. My heart was pounding in my ears, tears forming in my eyes, "DO YOU THINK YOU CAN JUST TAKE MY FIANCE AWAY FROM ME? SHE'S MINE, I OWN HER!"
"She's not property," I heard Jake hiss, "She's my sister. You've already took her away long enough and damaged enough-let her go."
My eyelids fluttered close, hearing an alarm sound throughout the house.
He pressed the button.
"Y-You have to get out of here," I pushed Adam away, "h-he alerted the police...you have to go-now!"
Adam was wide eyed, still trying to push me out of the door but I placed my feet on the firm floor, "Jake...Adam...please leave. Go, while you still can. GO!"
When they both didn't budge, tears streamed down my face as I faded back into the dark room, "If you ever loved me at all...you'll leave."
And they did.
"How was your morning run tubby?" Owen asked, slapping me on the thighs, "Ah, still got that extra meat I see."
"No, just skin..."
"Are you back talking me Clare?" he hissed, looking up from his computer. I shook my head, my eyes averted to the ground, "No, I was just saying that you slapped my skin..."
"Go take a shower. My game starts in two hours and we have to go early. Try to look decent for once in your life," Owen ordered, as I straightened out my back, while walking patiently up the steps to his bathroom.
The shampoo I have to use made my scalp burn, the soap I had to rub against my skin gave me a rash, and I was allergic to the strawberry shaving cream I had to use; but I still applied all three, because it was part of the deal I made with the devil...
ELI
"What can we do? He's friends with the goddamn cops, and he has connections everywhere! W-We can't get Clare back, and she's probably withering away into nothing!" Jake screamed out, pacing the floor of our room in the apartment.
"Jake...sweetheart, you have to-," he flinched when I tried to touch his arm, "You don't understand! You didn't see her! He had her sleeping on the wooden floor, naked-with the fucking air vent blowing down above her! She's going to get sick, and with his daily beatings...Eli, I'm afraid she won't make-."
He sobbed into my shoulder, as I locked my arms around his torso, holding him tightly. I've never felt him shake so violently in my arms before, so I laid him down on our bed, and let him rest his head on my chest.
"Sh, Jake it's alright," I whispered, kissing the tears from his face, "She'll be okay...she will."
"Do you promise?"
I couldn't promise that...so I never answered.
ADAM
"Hit me with one more," I muttered, waving over the bar tender.
"Damn bud, you look like you might tip over," the bags beneath my eyes wasn't helping my intimidating vibe I gave off to the public. But in my defense, I was depressed, worried, and torn apart for a good reason.
Clare Edwards.
"Just get me another one," I hiccuped through every other word, the beer already hitting me-even though I was only on my twentieth glass of the night. Ever since I found Clare three weeks ago, bare to her bones , that moment replays in my mind like a horrible remix on the radio.
"This is the last one, then we're closing up," I scoffed, "You don't close until the sun comes up."
"We're not selling beer to you anymore...sorry dude, you've hit the limit."
I have hit the limit; every limit possible.
Every time my eyelids would flutter close, I would see Clare, lying on that floor...broken, bruised and shaking. She was so lifeless, so scary, so hopeless.
My heart pounded in my ears from the alcohol consumption and the bad flashbacks that go through my mind every second of the day. They haunt me, taunt me and tease me-because I can't get her back, I can't save her.
She has to save herself.
CLARE
"Miss Clare, how have you been doing? Has Mr. Milligan been treating you well?" Mr. Johnson, the butler I had shared a night of spaghetti and wine with a-what seemed like-long time ago asked.
I forced a smile, nodding my head.
"You've lost a lot of weight, I see," he eyed my body, and I nervously slipped on Owen's football jacket to cover the bones sticking out of my back effortlessly.
"Hiding can only last so long, Miss Clare. Enjoy the game," I watched Mr. Johnson exit the air conditioned room, and the click of the lock sounded. He was ordered by Owen to lock me in so I do not 'escape'-even though Owen told him he wanted to keep me 'safe'.
The glass of champagne in my hand burned, as I stared out into the field. Owen had just scored a touchdown, and won the game. He was celebrating with his team as they lifted him in the air.
What bothered me the most was that no one knew he treated his fiance; how he physically abuses her so roughly that she goes to 'sleep' with the taste of blood lingering in her mouth, or how he verbally screws her sanity-trying his best to destroy what she has left.
His smile hides so many lies, and I've had enough of trying to impress, or attempting to hide.
I never wanted this life.
My heart raced as I smashed the champagne bottle against the window, watching the glass shatter into pieces. I smiled, getting down on both of my knees, and laughing at the amount of money Owen will have to pay for the damage.
I quickly fidgeting my fingers around, in hopes that I would find a large chunk of sharp glass. My bleeding, shaking hands managed to slip off the engagement ring that has been weighing down my finger for far too long. I grabbed a post-it that was lying on the table, and jotted down a note from my darling fiance.
I rested the ring on the floor, and picked up the sharpest piece of glass, only to begin to inscribe the word 'free' in my arm. The relief was unbelievable, and the feelings I had received made me fall into a state of bliss.
Unfortunately, before I could finish the last 'e' in my arm, I had struck a main artery, the dark abyss quickly taking over...
Please, take me God.
ADAM
When I stumbled into Eli and I's apartment, the alcohol had long ago taken over my weak body. I felt the vomit creeping up my throat, but pushed it down, seeing Eli sitting perched up on the couch, his eyes wide, staring down at the phone in his shaking hands.
"Dude?" I asked, my slurred voice echoing the room.
"W-Where have you been?" he wiped his tears away, as I whispered shakily, "The bar downtown...w-what um-what's going on? Where's Jake? Isn't he sleeping over?"
"Adam...there's something I have to tell you, and I want you to sit down for it," I glared at him, trying to test the look in his eyes-but he didn't budge. His expression was as cold and still as a stone.
I wobbled over to the couch, and sat beside Eli.
When he didn't speak, I asked, trying to break the tension, "W-What? Do you have a guy crush on me or something?"
"This is serious Adam," he muttered, "L-Listen...I didn't want to be the one to tell you this, because I know you care about her so much...
"Just spit it out Eli!"
The excessive pounding in my head, along with the repetitive flashbacks of that night three weeks ago to this day, wasn't helping with the unnecessary suspense on Eli's part.
"It's Clare man...she's-she's in the hospital."
END OF CHAPTER 8
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Cliffhanger Girl
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