If Only I Knew How to Hate You

Bailey

I scream, seeing Alex suddenly crashing down, and whirl to see the dark figure that had just been hiding in the shadows. A lump forms in my throat as my stomach tightens and a shiver runs down my spine, my palms ready to sweat. All of this, in fear.

“You sure took your time hiding, my dear.” He finally speaks. That dreadful voice I’ve heard in my nightmares. Stupid voice that should’ve been turned off before. The voice I haven’t technically heard for so many years. Had I really expected, someone as evil as himself, to just live it all down in prison?

Unconsciously I step back, running into the now closed front door. I mentally curse. If it had stayed open, maybe I could have escaped, done something at least… The tears pile behind my eyes in complete frustration. My brain seems to quit on me, though I suppose it doesn’t matter. I already know how hopeless the situation is. There’s no chance of escaping him. He always thought of everything. And escaping, entering Alex’s house already… of course he’s thought this all out. He’s probably spent the past years planning out every detail.

It makes me sick the stomach to even guess whatever it might be.

My uncle smirks wickedly at me, holding the shovel he has in his hands. My throat turns dry as I glance down, seeing the blood from Alex’s forehead drop onto the wood floor. That can’t be good. “Did you…” I can’t even manage the rest of it. It’s too horrible to even consider.

“Unfortunately, no,” he rolls his eyes.

Refusing to look at the man, I bend to roll Alex over. He groans, slowly beginning to wake. Biting my lip, I brush his hair out of the cut, knowing that could grow painful. “Stop touching him!” Drake suddenly shrieks, yanking my arm and pulling me closer.

I fight to get free. “He needs help, please,” I plead, trying to avoid touching, looking, speaking to this monster.

“He’ll be fine,” he snarls and kicks Alex as though to prove it. I give a sharp intake of breath, wincing as I hear Alex groan. “See? He’s alive. Well, not for long.” The blood drains from my face. He can see that, and grins. “I know. It’s such a delightful experience, watching me work my... magic.”

“No,” I manage in a whisper. “Oh, heavens, no.” My eyes fall back to Alex as he starts rubbing his head painfully, starting to come back. “No, don’t, please,” I turn to my uncle who’s still gripping my arm tightly. “Please, I’ll do anything. But- please, please, don’t hurt him.”

“Oh really?”

I curse, stomping my foot. “It’s bad enough I’ve gone through all this with you before, please! I’m begging you, I swear,” I speak, my voice beginning to shake, grabbing his grimy hand. “Just- I don’t care. Take me. Hurt me, kill me. Just- just please, please, leave him alone.”

“Oh, get up, you sniveling brat,” he snarls. “And just why should I care about him? It’s not like I can leave witnesses. It better be a good reason why.”

“Because- cause I- I lo-” I bite my tongue immediately, unable to say it. Unable to finish the sentence. The tears are already loose, though, trickling down and sprinkling onto the ground. I can’t really make him out now.

Uncle bursts out in laughter. “Oh, really, my dear? You? Him? Love? Honestly? I didn’t know you had it in you! Or are you just faking it? Playing with your heart?” He smirks. “You’ve always been the slippery one. And very, incredibly pathetic. Giving anything away is just asking for it to be broken, don’t you know?”

“Please,” it’s barely a whisper though. “Don’t do this.”

“Bailey, what…?” Alex blinks groggily. “Bailey!” He struggles to stand, but it hurts his head too much and he has to lean against the wall. Then he promptly starts out cussing my only living relative. But his words are slurred and I think he’s losing consciousness. I take a cautious step towards him, but my uncle holds out a threatening hand, refusing me.

“Lovely,” he replies, rolling his eyes. “Now, I believe it’s time to be going, dear. Time to go home.” With that, he starts yanking me out of the house. Home? No, not again…

I try to grab anything possible. The door frame, potted plants to throw at him- but he drops the shovel and grabs both my wrists, choosing to drag me out. Literally, too, when I refuse to use my legs. My shoes scrape across the pavement as I try screaming for help, for anyone to come. Then, I find that familiar car that makes me almost have a panic attack because of those awful memories I have of it. The fear paralyzes me in an instant. Unwillingly, I’m shoved into the trunk and it’s closed before I know what’s going on.

“Let me out!” I shriek, instantly terrified of the small space I’m cooped up in. “Please, don’t do this! Let me out! I swear I’ll kill you! I can’t breathe!” Minutes later, the car starts moving and my heart drops, hopeless.

Time. Such a relative word. When you’re trapped in a trunk, in the dark, for who knows how long, it doesn’t really matter. And the time’s I’m allowed out? Its dark and a quick rush into a bathroom, some food shoved in my mouth, and I’m back in the trunk.

I don’t know how I survive, but I manage to. Barely, though. Maybe I haven’t lost all hope, then? In the far back, my thoughts are full of Alex. Is he okay? Is he calling the police? Are they looking for me? He doesn’t even know the story completely…

Then, finally, the car stops and when the lid is opened, I have to squint. It’s bright out. Kevin shoves me out and I fall down, scraping my elbow. We’re… in the desert? I look around. A dying town, run down and shabby. Where are we? But quickly I’m shoved around and led into the hotel with a warning to keep silent. Does it matter? He’s already gagged me, and my wrists are tied together including the fingers so I can’t grab anything. I’m not too surprised, it used to happen all the time. I shudder, realizing how real this actually is.