AN/: HELLO! I just wanna apologize in advance for this chapter. You'll know why. It was painful for me to write but I knew I would have to write it eventually. Make sure to read the trigger warnings below the song recommendation, please! I hope you enjoy... or don't. I don't blame you regardless.

April 16th, 1973

12:51am

Johnny's Shack

Song recommendation: "I Love You So" by The Walters

TW: Physical violence, verbal abuse, and attempted sexual assault.

Johnny, let me go

Maria

-.-

Johnny Slaughter - the man who I should've expected to see yet somehow still didn't. I was so damn close to freedom and he was literally pulling me away from it. I didn't mean to bite his hand, I thought it was someone else like Sissy or maybe Drayton. Johnny was holding his hand as he winced and groaned in pain. Soon, he began to growl from his anger building instead. My eyes widened at how quickly his anger was forming along with being stunned from running into him. Johnny avoided my gaze as he tried to stretch and then massage his fingers.

"Johnny?!" I called out.

"YEAH! WHO THE FUCK ELSE?!" He snapped back at me - causing me to flinch at his sudden yelling. Besides me obviously biting his fingers, he looked very stressed about something. The anger behind his eyes seemed to be coated with a sense of worry and dread too. Johnny took a deep breath from his nose before letting out a shaky breath. He shook his hand to try and relieve some of the pain in them but failed miserably. Part of me felt bad while the other part didn't. I was so close to escaping this hellhole and he stopped me.

I stood up to face him, "I thought you were Sissy or somebody else."

"Do I look like I sing weird fuckin' songs?!" He snapped at me again. Johnny glared at me before looking behind me at the fence and back at me. His brows furrowed together as he gestured over to it, "The fuck were you tryin' to do over there?!"

What did he think I was trying to do?! I just witnessed one of my friends get his neck snapped while the other had her throat slit! If he actually had any friends outside of me and his family, he would probably react the same way! Then again, I'm talking about Johnny. Chances are he wouldn't care if someone close to him died. The only exception is probably me.

"What do you think?!" I finally snapped back at him, "My friends are here and I already saw two of them die! I don't want to end up like them!"

Johnny scoffed before shaking his head, "Don't be ridiculous. You're not gonna end up like them."

"How do you know?!" I shouted at him - causing his head to snap towards me in shock, "How the fuck am I even supposed to know or trust that?! My little sister is here! Danny - my fuckin boyfriend - is here too! How long did you keep him hidden away from me?! My friend said he went after me shortly after you captured me! How long, Johnny?! HOW FUCKING LONG?!"

"SHUT YOUR FUCKIN' MOUTH!" Johnny screamed at me before lunging forward while raising his fist high in the air. My eyes widened as I felt my body tense up. Until coming here, no man has ever laid a finger on me. Not even my papa. Mama was in charge of any punishments and I was normally a good kid. Sure, Ana and I would have sibling fights a lot. Ana would sometimes sneak out to hangout with her cheerleading friends. But I never once snuck out while living with my parents. Did I break curfew at college a few times? Yeah, I will openly admit. But if I was around my parents or under their roof? I never acted up and hardly got any extreme punishments either. So the fact Johnny has hit me before and is threatening to do it again… it's scary. Johnny punched the rotting wooden wall of a shack nearby before glaring into my eyes. In one quick motion, he grabbed me by my wrist and started to pull me away from the fence more. I yelled out in pain as his nails dug into my injured hand and wrist; tears started to roll down my face as I was dragged further away from my freedom. What is he doing?! He was talking about wanting to leave with me! We could escape together and have the police come back for my friends!

"Johnny, let me go!" I cried out.

"No." He spat out coldly as he continued to pull me around the other side of the shack and in front of some door. Licence plates covered the entire exterior along with random knives. I pulled my hand back to try and escape his grip which only made him angrier. Johnny spun around on his heel before getting close to my face. He yelled out; "YOU WANNA GET ON FUCKIN' MY BAD SIDE, BITCH?!"

I quickly shook my head quickly in response - almost like a terrified child who was in major trouble. Johnny's angered expression turned into a soft smile - almost as if someone had flipped a switch inside of him. His brown-eyed gaze had turned lovingly as he stared into my petrified hazel pair. With his free thumb, Johnny gently wiped one of my tears away before putting the damp finger pad into his mouth. He licked it clean before winking at me, causing my stomach to turn in the most unpleasant way. Why is he acting this way?! He has never acted this erratic before. He was so nice when he took me out to the sunflower field. He was so determined when talking about escaping together too. Why is he all of a sudden very aggressive and cruel?! Johnny has been nice to me almost this entire time. Sure, a cocky bastard with a large yet fragile ego - but nothing this extreme and cruel. He opened the door of the flimsy wooden shack before tossing me onto a couch covered in blankets and pillows.

Inside of the shack was a little make-shift home. The couch acted as a bed, a mini kitchen, and even storage in the very back. However, it fucking smelled. I gagged and coughed for a second - covering my mouth and nose to block out the smell. It was a mix of body odor, cigarette smoke, alcohol, and something rotting. Tears welled in my eyes at the strong reaction I was having. Johnny, on the other hand, seemed unphased. Severely dirty plates with what looked like years worth of old food and even mold on them. Bugs crawled across them - making me want to freak out but scared of Johnny getting angry again. Glass beer bottles littered the entire shack everywhere I looked too. Not to mention the dirty piles of clothes scattered around everywhere. On the walls were random variants of knives and animal skins - or what I hoped to be animal skin. Oh god, those poor animal skulls strung up like personal trophies! I don't even want to imagine the cruel ways they died. This looked and smelled like a nightmare! How could anyone willingly live like this?!

"John-"

"Shut up." He cut me off, causing me to immediately grow silent. Now he's cold again. I shifted uncomfortably on the couch - realizing I was sitting on something hard. I reached underneath myself and pulled out a dirty plate with food crusted on top of it. I wrinkled my nose before quickly putting it on the floor beside me in disgust. Johnny's gloved hand quickly locked the wooden door behind us - making my blood run cold and me to freeze up completely. Why is he locking us in here?! Johnny walked over to the little kitchenette, next to a deep freezer he had, which is also where a lot of the rotting smells were coming from. On the counter beside the freezer was a radio where he turned the volume dial up. Johnny's hard glare turned into a soft gaze as he recognized the song, starting to gently hum along. It wasn't until he started to sing the second verse was when I recognized it.

"Shall I stay?

Would it be, would it be a sin?

If I can't help falling in love with you."

My stomach flipped and somehow sank further. Although Johnny's singing wasn't bad at all, I was transferred back to the date I had with Danny. The way he looked so handsome and in love with me, how I felt like the luckiest girl in the world, how he protected me against that predatory man, and comforted me with this song and having our first kiss together. This became Danny and my song for the longest time. Now, it feels as if Johnny is mocking and rubbing the entire situation in my face. I'm stuck with him while Danny is God knows where. Johnny opened his fridge, causing the bright light to illuminate the room briefly. Inside I only saw a few beer bottles, a half drank glass of what looked to be chocolate milk, and an opened can of food with a spoon shoved into it. God, is this where he lived?! What about that cute house at the top of the hill?! Maybe that's where Nancy or Sissy lived.

"You wanna beer?" Johnny extended the glass bottle out to me to where I shook my head. He shrugged before raising the bottle up to his lips and taking a swig - swallowing the liquid without flinching as if it's pure water to him. He paced the room a bit before looking over at me before asking, "What? What's on your mind, sunshine?"

Where would I even begin?! From his erratic mood swings, keeping the secret of my friends being here, and refusing to let me run free like he wanted us to. I blinked several times at him before avoiding his gaze for a split second. My thumbs picked away at each other nervously as I tried to gain the courage to speak. I didn't feel as bold as I have before. I felt as if I was dealing with a ticking time bomb and all the wires to designate it were very thin and not labeled - that I could accidentally set the wrong off and blow the entire place to ashes.

"Uhh… I-I… I j-just…" I stuttered out, my mouth dry as a desert. A part of me wanted to grab the beer from his gloved hand to just wet my tongue and throat along with taking the edge off. But I don't dare ask for even a tiny sip. I'm scared to say or do anything - not wanting the bomb to blow up in front of my face.

"Come on, spit it out." Johnny demanded before chuckling, "That'll be the only time I'll allow ya to spit somethin' out, y'know what I mean?"

Normally, I would blush and grow embarrassed by his flirty comments. But this time it doesn't phase me one bit. It just felt like a soft cover up to the fire burning inside of him. My eyes met his own where they showed his true colors. His flirty smirk didn't hide the sinister truth in his brown orbs. I swallowed hard, my throat hurting from being so dry and screaming earlier. It wasn't until I looked back down at my hands that I realized something. Connie's blood was on me. Her fresh blood still stained my hands, shirt, and jeans due to Sissy cutting her to slivers. I must've been in so much shock to not notice it until that exact moment. I wiped my hands on the denim fabric that covered my knees, only for the blood to smear over the fabric and rub further into my skin.

"How long have you kept Danny here?" I asked him. Johnny took another swig of his beer before tapping his index finger against the neck of the bottle. He thought for a while, pursing his lips together to search his memory. He then shrugged before looking over at me.

"A few days after you came here?" He smiled softly.

Are you fucking kidding me?! My eyes widened at the information. Danny could've been sleeping in the same basement as me and I wouldn't have known! I felt a fiery rage start to slowly ignite in me as I shook my head in disbelief. I scoffed before blinking several times - trying to compose myself - before meeting his gaze again. This time it was my turn to get angry at him - my own erratic mood swings wanting to finally be released after trying to keep my shit together for so long.

"What about Ana?!" I spat out.

"Not even a day or two." Johnny took another sip before shrugging once more, "Are you done yet?"

"No, I'm not fucking done!" I shook my head at him, "Why are you doing this?! I thought you loved me and wanted to escape! Why not set my friends free and we all escape together?! We could turn your mother in! Turn your entire family in and you'll be free from them! If your mother kidnapped you, like you said she did, then you can tell them that! Maybe they can find records, do some type of tests, reunite you with your real mother's family or something!"

Johnny shook his head, "Ain't no use in that, this here is my real family."

I chuckled, "Seriously? No, are you actually serious with me?! These people kidnapped you and turned you into a… monster! All of you are monsters, Johnny! Nobody sane does this! No sane person enjoys killing and… eating people! That's disgusting, sick, and cruel! What you're doing is disgusting."

"I know." Johnny stated in a factual way.

"Then why do you do this?!" I pressured, "I thought you hated it at times!"

"It's who I am, Maria." Johnny stated coldly before his hard glare met my eyes, "I can't change this - I've tried before. I was destined to be this way. I enjoy this sense of control - to see their life leave their eyes and I'm the reason behind it. We already talked about this before."

"Then why lie to me? About Danny, Ana, and my friends? About escaping together?!" I asked him, my own anger starting to take control of me as I started to tremble from rage instead of fear. I balled my fists around the fabric of my jeans, trying to calm myself down but failing. This entire situation was fucked up. I thought he wanted a brand new life. I thought he cared about me enough to let me relive my life. I thought he cared about himself to want the same and not be a slave to the people who claimed to love him.

Johnny shrugged before smiling, "Because you're all mine." A chill ran down my spine at his words, goosebumps forming as his sinister smile spread wider. Johnny continued; "You gave yourself to me, remember? You're all mine and nobody else's. Not Ana's, not your friend's, not your family's, and especially not Danny's. You agreed to be mine and give in to me. You don't need any of them - just me! You can continue to stay here and maybe Ana too! You guys can be a part of the family. Don't you think it would be nice?! Can't you imagine the life we can have together too?! Maybe mama can let us have her house and the spare bedroom can be for our kid! Think about it, Maria! We can be happier without all of them."

I felt the tears welling in my eyes again at his words. I shake my head violently as my bottom lip quivered. The anger was once again replaced with my original emotion; fear. Johnny was scaring me. The life he was describing felt a lot like what the rest of the family claimed to want. To be his submissive wife, forced to carry his child, and obey him like a dog. That's not love. That's not the life I want to be forced to live. If things were different, maybe in another life. Maybe in a life where he wasn't a cannibalistic serial killer. Maybe in a situation where it's Danny instead and we both agree instead of feeling forced to. Maybe in a life where I absolutely have to do this in order to survive - just like I originally thought. But my friends are here and we can help each other. I know at least one way to escape. I have a chance of living my own non-controlled life.

"Johnny, please let me go." I cried out as tears rolled more down my face.

"You can't leave." Johnny's voice was soft as he tried to wipe my wear away, "Come on, sunshine. Just think about-"

"STOP CALLING ME THAT, YOU FUCKING CREEP!" I screamed out before slapping his hand away. Johnny pulled his hand back while fliching, acting as if I had burned him. His eyes widened in shock as he scanned all over my terrified face. Johnny's eyes turned back into his glare as his jaw clenched shut, his nostrils starting to flare as the vein in his forehead pulsates. He was angry - no - extremely pissed by my refusal. The way I pushed him away, denied his idea, and wanted him to stop calling me sunshine. If I was truly a ray of sunshine, as he likes to pretend, then why won't he set me free? Set me free to enjoy and bask in the sun that I desperately miss. Run my fingertips past the field of sunflowers as I enjoy my freedom? He took the actual ray of sunshine - my happiness - away and replaced it with the thundercloud that has suffocated him his entire life.

The wolf fell in love with the sheep.

But the sheep didn't fall in love with the wolf.

"Oh?" Johnny chuckled before bending down in front of me, getting dangerously close. The eyes I would get lost in seemed like a trap now. His sexy smirk seemed more creepy and sinister - making me want to run away and hide. Johnny's finger looped around one of my wavy curls before speaking, "Am I really a fuckin' creep, Maria? Is that what you really thought when you called me a pretty boy? Or maybe me being nice and asking if you really wanted to give yourself to me? Oh, I got it! It was deep inside that pussy of yours and you moaning my name, right?"

"Fuck you!" I spat at him, my fearful eyes trying to glare back at him to show I wasn't weak as he knew I was in this moment. It failed because he chuckled before twirling the stand of hair around his finger some more.

"Mhm, that I wouldn't mind." Johnny whispered before letting the strand loose and trailing his hand down. His hand moved from my collarbone down to my breast. I avoided his gaze as his fingers played with the fabric of my shirt, his breathing becoming heavier as he enjoyed himself. Johnny licked his bottom lip as his mind started to wander along with his hand. He gently squeezed my breast, causing my stomach to turn more, before sliding his finger-tips down my ribs and stomach. I squeezed my eyes shut as his hands slipped underneath the hem of my jeans and underwear, inching closer at the area between my legs.

"Johnny, please stop. Just let me go, please. Let's just talk about this more, please!" I pleaded as the tears started to roll down my face again, realizing what he wanted. I wasn't turned on. I didn't want this. I was getting flashbacks to the man who tried to force himself onto me in that alley before Danny stopped him. But I didn't have Danny this time. I didn't have my knight in shining armor. I was all alone with Johnny, the man I thought could love me, but only loves himself and his sick ways more than anything else in the world.

Johnny's voice was low and husky as the lust in his voice grew. His eyes were glazed over with a sense of lust and pride, almost like he was proud of himself doing this. I felt sick - he was making me feel sick. The man who I thought I was getting to know was actually a stranger all along. The moments of laughing, knowing his favorite color, how he got his scars, what happened with Judith, and more felt all like a lie. It felt like an entirely different person that I now missed and longed for. However, it was a facade. A coverup of his true intentions; his intentions being a sick fantasy where he could control whoever or whatever he wanted due to the lack of control elsewhere. The fantasy of having an obedient bitch that would do whatever he wanted. The fantasy of taking someone's virginity along with everything else they know and love and thinking they'll still love you. The art and act of being so out of your goddamn mind that there is no hope left - and you know it too - but too selfish and self-centered to care anymore.

Johnny whispered in my ear as he began to gently rub my clit, "I always liked it when they cried and begged. Beg for me, sunshine."

They?!

They.

I wasn't the first. I don't know about this entire situation as a whole, but I overall wasn't the first to experience this situation. To maybe fall for him, use his charm to get what he wants, and then most likely discard us like trash. I tilted my head backwards as I felt his lips attach onto my neck. When I looked up, I saw something. One was from a newspaper article from the summer of last year; the Pflugerville incident that wasn't even thirty minutes away from here. One girl was strangled to death in her home by a man. Her two roommates apparently were going to be stabbed as they witnessed but fought the attacker back who fled the scene. I'm not surprised that it's most likely Johnny - him having the clipping as a sick and twisted trophy.

But to the left of the newspaper article was a missing persons poster. More specifically, it was mine. Danny or Ana must've made it and made copies. My traumatized and shattered heart skipped a beat at the thought alone of them caring so much to do such a thing. But then reality sank in. He has it strung up as a trophy. Hell, there was even a knife through the forehead. Was he planning to kill me this entire time? Will he once he's done using my body for his own sick pleasure?! Then it clicked even more. As if the missing puzzle pieces were found and put together, completing the bigger picture.

Johnny never loved me, he was obsessed with me.

I felt his fingers curling inside me in a desperate attempt to make me aroused for him. With his free hand, Johnny began to unclasp his belt - the sound of the metal clanking together made my adrenaline skyrocket. I reared my foot up before kicking him in the crotch. Johnny gasped loudly before falling onto his knees, moving away from me and both hands going to his crotch. Yeah, sure does fucking suck to be violated, huh?! I rushed over to the wooden door and did the clap at the top before trying to twist the door knob. Nothing. Fucking locked doors! I just want out of this shit hole! I'm so tired of locked fucking doors! I glanced back at Johnny, seeing a pair of keys sticking out of his back pocket. I rushed over and tried to grab them - the tips of my fingers gently brushing past the metal set of keys. Johnny quickly turned around and faced me - glaring up at me angrily. I snapped my hand away, acting like him from earlier - as if someone had burnt me. Johnny reached behind him and pulled his large knife out. I lightly gasped as he slowly stood up, wincing in pain but recovering, as he glared at me. His gloved hand gripped around the knife tighter as he aimed it at my throat. With a slight smirk, he shook his head.

"I guess you are tryin' to get on my bad side, huh?!" Johnny was out of breath as he spoke. He gestured over to the couch where I decided to accept my fate. In a sick way, maybe I deserve this. I cheated on Danny. I was stupid enough to ignore all the very obvious warning signs. Maybe this is God's sick way of punishing me for my sins. Maybe this is where I was meant to be in life all along. Maybe my entire life had led up to this exact moment and it was part of some bigger and sick plan that I'm unaware of.

Maybe this is where my story ends.

My trembling legs walked over to the couch to where I sat down again. Johnny rummaged around in a few cabinet drawers with his knife still aimed at me. I'm trying to hide my fear and remain calm. However, I was trembling like a leaf or terrified chihuahua. I was scared at first for Danny to touch me after that random man did in the alleyway. But Danny was quick to comfort and reassure me, smothering me with his love while also being patient, loving, and understanding. He was gentle and kind with me. However, Johnny didn't seem to care at all. Instead of realizing what he had just done to me, he seemed so careless and wrapped up in his own bruised ego from me rejecting him.

"Y'know, I was extremely fond of you, Maria." Johnny stated before pulling out a roll of duct tape. I scooted further back into the dirty couch, as if that could help me at all. Johnny ripped the duct tape open with his teeth with the knife still pointed right at my throat. He chuckled before tearing a strip off, "It's just a shame you weren't fond of me back."

Within a split second, the tape is wrapped around my wrists in a very tight bind. I cried out in pain due to my hand and wrist that still was recovering. I tried to push Johnny away but he was quicker and stronger than me. I let out a loud blood-curdling scream as he continued to wrap the tape around my wrists. I fell to the floor and began to kick him away, looking like a small child throwing a temper tantrum. Johnny reared back and punched me in the face - momentarily stunning me as he grabbed ahold of my legs. He wrapped the tape around my ankles, also binding them together, and then taping my legs and wrists to a shelf nearby. As he grabbed me by my throat, I began to breathe heavily as he grabbed a sock nearby and shoved it into my mouth before sticking a few strands of the tape across my mouth. He chuckled as I began to hyperventilate against him.

"Now this is a state I wouldn't mind fucking you in, sunshine." Johnny growled out, his eyes examining over my face and enjoying how my eyes widened in fear. What the fuck is wrong with him?! I squirmed against my restraints as a result, not wanting him to touch or come anywhere near me. Johnny pushed me away, disregarding me as if I was no longer his favorite toy, before speaking up again; "But, I can't do that now. You wasted too much fuckin' time… plus my damn balls hurt! Gotta wrap shit up with that Danny-boy of yours. Don't worry, I won't hurt him… much."

I began to scream against the sock in my mouth. My already dry throat is on fire due to the amount of screaming and crying I was doing. I shook my head as I let out a wailed cry. I didn't want Danny to die! I didn't want anybody else to die! I never wanted this to begin with! All of this shit is my fault and I shouldn't have come here at all! I should've waited for Danny or someone else to tag along with me. It was so stupid to venture out alone.

Johnny stopped in his tracks before spinning on his heel, "Oh! One last thing."

Johnny jogged over to me before raising his foot up and connecting it with my face. The side of my head collided against the shelving before I became limp, my vision turning black.