AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Without another word, the lights flicked on, flooding the room with bright LED light. I spun to see that a man was strapped into the chair in the center of the room. My jaw slowly fell open as I saw who it was. My knees wanted to buckle, and I leaned against the wall, slowly sliding to the floor. My father sat in the chair, a rope gag tied around his mouth, hands and feet zip tied to the arms and legs of the chairs.
He had no hood over his face like Branson had. When he looked over and saw me, his eyes went wide with recognition and surprise. After a slight pause, he screamed at me. Even through the gag I could make out his pleas for help and to untie him. Tears were already trickling down my cheeks.
Unable to stand looking into his eyes, I stood and turned, grabbing the door knob and twisting and yanking as hard as I could. My knuckles turned white, and veins stood out in my neck as I worked to get the door open. I was so focused on getting out of the room that I never noticed the first couple buzzes on my device. My breath came fast, animalistic panting, the sound of a fox caught in a trap. I couldn’t be here. I had to get away.
The cuff shocked me then, a sharp and painful burst of electricity pulsing into my arm, making my fingers go slack. I’d been in the middle of pulling on the door, my suddenly slack fingers slid off the knob and sent my body tumbling to the floor. I could still hear my father grunting and shouting for me through his gag. Scrambling back to my feet, I ran to the door again, pounding on it and yelling to be let out.
Everything that had gone wrong with my life had started with my mother and father. They’d sold me into prostitution at six years old. Hadn’t cared to let man after man use my body, slap me, pull my hair, and rape me. They’d done the same to my little sister until she died. He was a monster, but he was my dad. I was still terrified of him. Scared to even look into his eyes. I remembered the day I’d come to him crying after being raped, the tiny parts between my legs so sore that I could barely walk. He’d slapped me and told me to shut up, and ‘your little cunt is the only thing paying for the roof over our heads.’ I’d been seven years old.
“Let me out,” I yelled. “Get me out of here.”
My cuff shocked me again. This was the strongest one I’d ever felt. My whole body went rigid and I fell to the floor like water poured from a pitcher, sagging almost bonelessly as I recovered. I was openly sobbing now. On my hands and knees, the grating pressing painfully into me, I looked up.
Drake appeared at the window built into the door leading into the viewing room. He was pounding on the glass, bellowing at me, but I couldn’t hear what he was saying. Like the big two way viewing mirror beside it, the small glass window in the door was fully soundproofed.
I sat and howled at him. Panic clamped me in its teeth and shook me like a rat. My fingertips went numb, my breath wheezed in and out and my heart hammered, pulsing in my throat and head. I didn’t know the words I screamed at him. Were they even words at all?
Drake was doing his best to calm me, but only looked like a worried mime as he gestured and waved to me behind the glass. Finally, the door to the viewing room unlatched. Holy shit. Before I could even attempt to run for it, Drake sprinted into the playroom and took me in his arms as the door slammed shut behind him.
“Drake? Get me out. Please get me out. I can’t be here. It’s my father. I can’t be here. Please, please, please. He’s my father.” The words tumbled out as I pawed at his shirt and tried to stand.
“Dahlia? Dahlia, stop. Calm down,” Drake said, hands gentle on my arms as he rocked me.
Taking a deep breath, I looked into his green eyes. “We have to get out of here. I can’t do this.”
Staring back at me, he slowly shook his head. “We can’t get out. You have to.”
The stark truth was there in his eyes. He was right. If I didn’t do this, Sam would lock us in here until we died, or he’d electrocute me with the cuff. There was no escape. None. Sam wanted me to kill my father.
Shivering, I spared a quick glance over to him. He glared at me, his face red, veins bulging in his temples. He no longer grunted and begged for help. That anger woke fear and then an answering sliver of rage speared my heart.
For just a moment, I leaned against Drake. If I didn’t do this, he’d be hurt too. Him coming in had broken me out of the panic attack, but now he was trapped with me.
Fine. Whatever it took. I wouldn’t fail him, I’d do this. The plea tumbled out of me. “Okay. Can… can you help me? Please? I can’t do it by myself.”
A gentle hand stroked my back as he said, “I will. Whatever you need.”
Standing, I walked over to the table. A hammer, a spoon, something that looked like a hack saw, and a pile of rubber tubing. Bile rose in my throat. What was all this for?
“Dahlia, have you finished your little tantrum?” Sam asked.
I ground my teeth together and clenched my hands into fists. “Yes.”
“Good. Before you is Tyler Belrose, your father. He, along with your mother, sold your body into sexual slavery. They abused you and allowed dozens of men to rip away your childhood. Through the missteps of the justice system, they were allowed to do the same to your baby sister, which resulted in her death. It’s time that he’s punished.”
“Are you gonna be okay?” Drake asked.
“Yeah. It is what it is,” I replied through set teeth. A shiver forced its way through my body when my father grunted sharply.
“First,” Sam said, “You will take his hands. The hands of a father should be used to protect, and as he never protected you or your sister, those will be removed. The saw is there for you, along with tourniquets to bind the wounds.”
My eyes fell on the saw, and my stomach flopped. It was all I could do not to throw up.
“After the hands, the feet will go, as he used them to walk away from his responsibilities. Then you will use the spoon to remove the eyes that only saw you as a way to make money. A father’s eyes should always be filled with compassion. His eyes have none, so he has no need of them. Once done, you will use the hammer as you wish until he has been fully punished.”
My jaw was hanging open by the time Sam was done explaining. I turned and looked over my shoulder at my father. His anger faded as he heard the words being said over the speakers. He swung his head to face me. When he locked his eyes on mine, he must have seen something. Something I hadn’t even been aware was there. He didn’t try to ask me to let him go. Instead, he slowly shook his head, fear blossoming on his face. He knew what was coming. My own heart thudded in my chest. I’d do it. It would be difficult, but I would. Closing my mouth, I set my lips in a grim line.
Drake was beside me now, taking my hand. His warm fingers steadied me. With his free hand, he picked up the saw. The sharp sound of metal sliding across metal was the only sound as he lifted it from the stainless steel table. Pressing the tool into my hands, he then reached out and grabbed a handful of the tubing.
