Days Like These

The flyers were everywhere asking if anyone had seen Kellin. Vic’s dad was able to get the Kellin’s phone records but he wasn’t able to share the information anymore because they may have found a lead. It’s been three weeks since Kellin disappeared and Vic is a mess.

The night of the party was the last night he left his room. When he woke up and saw Alex naked next to him, the guilt was unbearable. He had slept with someone that wasn’t Kellin.

He didn’t eat and his stomach rejected whatever he did eat. He was losing weight rapidly and he skin was becoming an unhealthy pale color. The only time anyone saw him was school but even then, he would skip classes and lunch periods. It was the last week anyways so he could care less about the grades anyways. Everyone was worried because no one had a clue how to help.

The nights that had been hell for everyone under the roof. Vic’s parents would wake up to screams coming from Vic’s room. When they’d go check, he’d be bent in fetal position on the floor, clutching his chest. It felt like his heart was tearing itself apart.

Every single day felt like a struggle. It was hard to take a breath when Vic felt so trapped. Who ever said that people couldn’t die from a heartache lied. Vic felt like he was dying every day and some nights he wished he could. The only thing that kept Vic from drinking the bleach was the hope that one day Kellin would be found.

As for Katherine, well things were getting bad. She kept beating herself up for this. She has a good idea about who did this and she should’ve done more to get that person locked up when she had the chance. If she‘d done her job right, none of this would’ve been happening.

*

“Here sir.” Kellin said quietly as he hand him the soup.

“Thank you Kellin.” He replied, looking at the boy up and down.

Kellin was forced to walk around the small, old house naked as part of the deal. He felt so exposed and dirty. When he’d clean, he’d feel his eyes on him but Kellin would try to ignore it. It was getting harder though, pretending that everything was ok. At nights when he’d creep into Kellin’s room and touch him, whether it was by penetrating or simply touching, Kellin would cry but hold in his screams.

“Sir,” Kellin began. “I’m hit my eighth month mark and I need to go to the hospital to make sure the baby is ok.”

“It’s our baby Kellin.” Kellin simply nodded. “I have a friend who studied to be a doctor. I’ll give him a ring and see if he can stop by. Now go finish cleaning.” Kellin retreated to the kitchen to clean up the mess. “Bring me a beer!” he shouted. While Kellin walked towards him, the news was playing on the television.

“Good evening, I’m Kimmy Flinders and this is the eight o’clock news. New information on the missing boy, Kellin Quinn, may have led to a suspect and all thanks to a secret informant. It seems that the abductor, in a haste to cover his tracks, may have forgotten to cover his electronic footprints. Here we go live with the chief of police Gilberto Mendez.”

“Today, due to an informant in the case of the missing seventeen year old Kellin Quinn, we have found multiple messages from the same number to Mister Quinn. We are not able to talk about what these messages contain but they alone are enough to place out suspect behind bars. We are giving out a hundred thousand dollar reward to anyone who can lead us to our suspect.” On the screen was a picture of the man. It was an exact replica. “We will now take questions.”

“Excuse me sir, why so much money?” a news reporter asked.

“Mister Quinn is about to be eight months pregnant and we need both him and the fetus alive. Like any case, this has to be thoughtfully planned out so the wellbeing of those human lives is important.”

“Would you look at that?” he said with a laugh. “They think you’re important! How dumb are they, eh boy?” he got up, popping his back as he stretched. “I have to make some calls, when you finish cleaning, I want you to seat down and rest. My baby doesn’t need all the stress you cause It.” he walked off down the hall and left Kellin to his do his orders. Once Kellin was done cleaning, he had walked out of the room. “Put some clothes on we’re leaving.”

“I-I can’t leave yet. My bab-.” His head turned with impact from the slap.

“Shut up! I’ve had up to here with you and it’s only been three weeks! Jesus Christ I don’t know why I still wants you around!” he yelled. “Now go put on some clothes because we have to go!”

Kellin got up and walked to his room to change.

*

“Vic, please! I’m sorry!” Alex cried. “It’s not like I wanted to but he threatened to kill me!”

“And why didn’t you come to the police Alex? Do you know how much pain you’ve caused me because of this?” Vic yelled. “I should’ve known you had something to do with this. You never like Kellin.”

“Because he took you from me! You’re mine and if I can’t have you no one else can!”

“You need help.” Vic said quietly. “I could never love a guy who wants to hurt others.”

“Vic, you don’t mean that.”

“Yes I do. I hope you rot in jail.”

“Vic! Vic! You can’t leave me here! Victor!” Alex yelled as Vic walked out of the room.

When Vic was in the lobby, he mom held her arms out and Vic walked in, letting his tears fall. “Mom, I can’t take it anymore.” Vic cried. “I just want Kellin back.”

“I know baby.” She said, rubbing his back comfortingly. “Just be patient mijo. You’ll see everything will get better.”

“Nothing will get better if I don’t have Kellin and my child here.”

*

Kellin looked around the truck. The sun was setting and the light leaked through the windows on the back doors. He was looking for anything that could help him escape. A gleam caught his eye and he saw a pocketknife on the floor. With his foot, he dragged it closer to his body and managed to pick up before slipping it in his back pocket.

After what felt like hours, the van finally came to a halt. Kellin heard a few voices on the other side of the van before the door opened. He saw him and the way the sun was setting, it made him appear like an angel. Oh the irony.

“Come here Kellin.” He said seriously. Kellin walked off and stepped down. “I know he’s not suitable right now but once we get that baby out of him, he’ll be ready.” Kellin instantly paled.

“No, some guys have a kink for pregnant people. They like to fuck’em like that. Maybe we can more money off him like that.” Someone said. “So what happened? You let some guy fuck you and then be knocked up huh. Did he leave you alone?” the guy asked as he walked up to Kellin. “You know, because of you, boss got sent to jail for life. Demetrius fucking snitched and now, we can’t seem to find him. Like he disappeared off the map. So, we decided, why not take you instead. You’re just as young and beautiful as he was so it should be good.”

“Get back inside.” He ordered. Kellin got back in without any help, almost falling in the process. The door was closed and Kellin sat down, listening to their conversation. “How much?”

“I’m thinkin’ maybe, at least, one mill. We can get him and the baby for that price. Some guys would be proud to be able to say they groomed a kid. Harold, how’d you find him anyways?”

“I’ve had some Brit brat keeping eyes on him. Swear that kid was a good piece of ass too. Maybe I’ll give him a ring and try to get him down here too.” Kellin assumed he showed him a picture of the ‘Brit brat’ because heard him say how sexy he looked. “But he’s gonna have to die, sadly. He snitched.”

“So how’s life with’em then? Being all pregnant and shit must’a been horrid.”

“Don’t know the half of it.” he replied. “He’s so fucking moody. He’s lucky he’s pregnant or else he’d be dead.”

“What are you gonna do with the baby?”

“Grooming.” Kellin paled. He didn’t want his stepfather to be anywhere near peanut. He knew what grooming meant, what happened. He needed to get out of here and quick. “Ok, well, I’m gonna start heading home. Might go get that kid and bring’em here. Maybe fuck’em before he dies.”

The other guy let out a little laugh before saying, “Call me when you get to that.”

A few minutes later, the car began moving and Kellin sighed, leaning against the side of the van. He rubbed his stomach tiredly. Being eight months and going through
this isn’t good. He just hoped peanut was still healthy by the time this all ended.

“You’ll be safe baby.” Kellin whispered after he felt a soft kick to his abdomen muscle. “Daddy’ll keep you safe.”