Living in the Shadows

“My dad’s a cop.” Katrina said while we worked on folding laundry.

“I thought he was an inventor.” I said, confused.

“Well he is, but in order to keep things going, in case his invention fell through, he needed a job.” She explained, folding one of Vengeance’s shirts. “He’s going to try something, I know he is. He’s going to get us both killed.”

She wasn’t joking, and she knew her father better than anyone. “What about your mother?”

“She and dad got divorced a long time ago. He wasn’t bringing in the dough he’d promised her when they got married. She’s just a money grubbing whore.” Katrina sounded so disgusted by her mother.

“Oh I see.”

I didn’t want to push any farther, she seemed like she was getting upset. In fact, she was upset. She accidentally made one of the holes in Vengeance’s shirt even bigger. I took it from her quickly.

“I’ll take the rap for this, you just keep folding the laundry.” At least I didn’t mind being raped by Vengeance.

I knew it was inevitable, she was going to be raped no matter what I did, but I could at least prevent it happening at certain times. She’d been there for a week and she’d practically been nothing but a sex doll for all of them. I heard footsteps heading down to the basement where the laundry was done. Vengeance was looking from me to her and then back again.

“Is that my shirt?” He asked, scowling at it.

“Um.” I paused. “Yeah.”

“Oh. I guess I need to get some more clothes.” He looked at Katrina. “Come with me.”

He sounded furious and out of breath. She walked over to him and he grabbed her roughly, dragging her up the stairs.

“What is that?” He shouted. I heard a thud and Katrina’s whimper.

I ran up the stairs to see what was going on. There was someone just sitting there in a car with a gun sticking out of the driver’s side window.

“That’s my dad.” She whimpered.

Vengeance pulled the door open and threw her into the snow. Her father jumped out of the car and helped her up. It must’ve been odd to see her like that, all naked and cold. He put her in the passenger seat and then proceeded to get into his car.

She was screaming for her father not to go. She didn’t want him leaving for some reason. Had she felt something for one of them I didn’t know about? My question was soon answered. A loud bang and a burst of flame flew into the sky, burning some trees around it. The flames died out quickly due to the snow surrounding them.

“W-wha.” I couldn’t form a complete word.

I thought back to the laundry room, and Katrina. She had on a house arrest anklet just like I had. This reinforced how serious these guys were. I just witnessed them kill a father and his daughter, and a friend of mine.

“Go up to my room and you can put on some of my clothes. We’re all going to have to work on this cleanup.” Vengeance said to me.

“But I don’t...”

“Do it!” Vengeance shouted pointing at the stairs.

I jumped back when he yelled. I didn’t know why he was being so testy. Quickly, I ran upstairs. I couldn’t physically cry. I tried to, and felt like this would be as appropriate a time as any to start crying, but I just couldn’t. I pulled on a pair of Vengeance’s pajama pants and a long sleeve shirt. Both items were too big on me of course, but I was appreciative of being able to put some clothes on.

“Alright you guys, get your asses outside.” He pushed the guys out the door and shut it. “Belle.” He held his hand out to me.

For some reason I took it. Maybe it was the shock. I didn’t know. He pulled me into his chest and held me there for what felt like forever.

“Just go up to bed.” He let go of me. I stood there silently for a minute. “Go.”

I walked back up the stairs and into bed. It didn’t take long for the sky to become dark. Someone crawled into bed with me. They must’ve been done. I rolled over. Gates was staring at me. I gasped and tried to get out of the bed.

He covered my mouth. “Shh. Vengeance doesn’t know I’m up here.”

I had been through so much. All I wanted was some peace. Why wouldn’t they just leave me alone for once?

I couldn’t for the life of me get his hand off my face. As much as I struggled he remained straddled over me with his hand pinned to my lips.

“Alright goodnight man!” Vengeance yelled from the other side of the door.

Strangely I perked up. My mixed feelings were going to confuse even me, but right now, Vengeance was my only hope.

“Fuck.” Gates said.

The door opened slowly, Vengeance stepped in. “Gates what the hell are you doing?”

“You know what I was doing Zack. Get off my back.” Gates kept his hand over my mouth.

“Look, there’s a few things wrong with this. First, it’s my night with her. Second, you’re doing this in my bed, and third, the girl’s had a rough night. Just let her go.”

Gates grumbled angrily. The bulge in his pants was throbbing. I guess someone was stuck using their hand tonight. He angrily left the room and slammed the door behind himself. Vengeance lay down beside me in the bed.

“I would say thank you, but it’s only for helping me not get raped.”

I remained facing the window, away from him. His arm snaked around my waist. I gently shrugged it off. He didn’t get frustrated, or angry in any way.

“I don’t know why you’re so mad at me.” He said plainly.

“You don’t know why I’m so mad at you?” I yelled incredulously. I jumped up and stood before him. The tears came now. “You let her die! You knew she was wearing an ankle bracelet Zachary!”

He seemed shocked that I was yelling and that I’d said his name for the first time in front of him.

“I was only following rules babe. I almost killed you.” He said calmly.

“Why didn’t you? I would have welcomed death after all this.” I began sobbing beyond my control.

“Well, we decided we didn’t really want to kill you. You’ve become part of the family so to speak.” He looked down at the sheets. “It would be weird without you here.”

I was shocked by this. Family? How dare he call me part of the family. They took me from Matt, and my home, killed my friend and raped me. And here they wanted to call me family.

“I’m not part of a fucking family Zachary! You and those guys are constantly trying to rape me. I’m nothing but a fuck doll. How else would you all get laid? That’s probably why you don’t get rid of me!”

“Not true Belle. If that were the case then we would have killed you before and just hired hookers. We really think it would be weird without you.” He tried to explain to me again.

“Then why did you throw me out into the cold naked?” I couldn’t stop yelling I was so mad.

“That was one of the other guys ideas. Do you want to know how things really work? We all vote on how things happen with you girls. The guys all wanted you to, I said we shouldn’t because then you might freeze. So they said it wouldn’t matter because then they could warm you up.”

Vengeance was being completely honest and serious. I guess I couldn’t argue with that.

“Then why do you have control over them raping me?” I asked.

“Because it’s part of the group rules. We each get you, alternating nights. Tonight wasn’t his night.” He explained. “Now come back to bed.”

I still wasn’t happy, but I was tired. The only problem was, every time I tried to close my eyes, I saw the explosion of the car happen over and over again in my head.