by T R Tells
“Now, you can’t be this stupid, boy. Why would I promise you that? By now you must know that people will lie to you and they will keep lying to you.”
Thea turned to Eddie, whose face contorted in rage, but he did not lash out at Flint as he had done previously. She watched as he stood there, clenching his hands into a tight fist.
“E-Eddie?” Thea whispered, she reached out to touch him, but he moved out of her grasp and looked away from him. No, Eddie, what did he-
“Get undressed,” Flint demanded.
The words at first didn’t register in Thea’s mind, she turned around and tilted her head to one side as she looked at Flint. “Excuse me?”
Flint sighed annoyed to have to repeat himself and so exerted his voice louder for Thea to hear. “Now you can’t hear? I said, get undressed, and I won’t repeat it.”
“What? No!” Thea and Eddie said in unison. Eddie looked mortified but immediately stepped in front of Thea, protecting her.
“That wasn’t what you said,” Eddie said to him, backing up with Thea behind him. “Look, I’ll do whatever it is you want but keep—”
Flint’s chuckling interrupted Eddie and he slowly shook his head before lifting his head to glare at them. The darkness in his eyes was the evilness she had seen in her vision.
You need to find a way to kill him before he kills you, the angry voice said. Remember to focus your fear, Thea, that’s how you beat him.
Be very careful, the motherly voice whispered. We cannot let your vision come true.
“Do you think I’m asking? I’m not going to waste my time going back and forth with you to adjust your attitude.” Flint grabbed the collar of Eddie’s shirt, lifting him an inch in the air.
“Eddie!” Thea shouted. Flint pushed her with his other hand and she plummeted to the floor.
Eddie gagged at the tightness that Flint had on his shirt and tried his best to untangle the man’s firm grip from around his throat to no avail, it was far too tight to release.
“Lesson number one: if you want to ascend leadership, you need to assert your dominance. If I don’t assert it right now, how the hell will anyone listen? And it seems like you and Thea here are the Alphas and little Maggie—”
“Don’t . . . Don’t you touch her,” Eddie gasped.
“- is the beta of the group. I need to cut that shit out. Not that you can, because after all . . .” Flint said, he placed Eddie back down on his feet and released him. Eddie grabbed onto his throat and gasped, Thea immediately came to his aid, “…you’re just children.”
Thea rested her hands on Eddie’s back and rubbed it, hoping to resuscitate his lungs. She turned to look at Flint and immediately frowned in anger, her nostrils flared, her blood boiled.
Yes, good, Thea, use your rage. The angry voice encouraged.
“Now . . . Get undressed. And since you two want to protect each other so much, you can fuck each other.”
“I’m not doing that,” Thea immediately spat, she could see Flint look up at the ceiling and smiled, before looking back down at Thea.
“You don’t have a choice, so you either get undressed, or I’m going to force you myself. You hear that, Eddie boy? Don’t go easy on her either if you know what’s good for her.”
Thea parted her lips, appalled, and turned to look at Eddie who was just as worried. She shook her head and instinctively wrapped her arms around herself.
“Eddie . . . I-I don’t—”
“Don’t you think I know that, Thea? I don’t want to do this either, let alone . . . take that from you, but we have to. You know what he’ll do to us, to you, to Maggie,” his voice was laced with anguish, and Thea could tell he was fighting back more tears.
Thea looked away from Eddie and squeezed her eyes shut. “I know but . . .” Her throat burned and her eyes stung. She felt her heart pound given everything that had transpired, what was occurring. The thoughts flitted through her head. She knew that Flint meant what he said about hurting them. He had even threatened to harm Maggie, and she swore that she wouldn’t let anyone touch her. But she couldn’t do it, Eddie or not. It was something she couldn’t bring herself to do for anyone.
He did this to Eddie too — what he means to do with me. Eddie was willing to keep doing this, to protect me, the rest of the girls, to Maggie but I -
“. . . I can’t.”
You don’t have a choice. The disembodied voice whispered to her. The new voice terrified her.
“Oh, for the love of—”
Thea snapped open her eyes to see that Flint stalked over to her, but before she could do anything, Flint grabbed Thea and spun her around so her back faced him. Flint tugged at the edges of her clothing and shredded them apart, exposing her back.
“Stop!” Eddie shouted at the top of his lungs.
Thea jerked forward and fell directly on top of the bed. She turned around and saw Flint glaring at her before turning to look at a dumbfounded Eddie.
“You’ve already wasted enough of my time, get this done before I do it myself, and you don’t want that.” With those words, Flint turned around and headed over to a corner of a room, leaning on the wall. Thea’s eyes, however, were trained on Eddie who gritted his teeth together and balled his hands into fists.
“Eddie?” Thea’s brittle voice croaked out his name. She could feel the warm tears in her eyes as she stared at him. He slowly turned to look at her, his tear-stained eyes red and blurry. He removed his shirt, pulling it over his head to expose pink, naked flesh. Thea’s eyes grew wide as fear took over.
“Eddie . . .”
“I’ll make this quick, Thea . . . I-I’m sorry.”
Thea’s lip quivered, the tears poured out of her eyes and ran down her cheeks.
Chapter Twenty-Four
The ache between Thea’s legs was the first thing she felt. She flinched but didn’t move from the wet and soiled sheets underneath her. She couldn’t bear to think or speak, the only thing that played in the back of her mind was the feeling of hard thrusts, Eddie’s voice, and the cackling of the demon man she despised with every fiber of her being.
“Thea!”
Maggie’s cry for Thea rang clear in her head, but she did not — could not — respond to her. With Thea’s back turned, she did not see Maggie approach her. Her arms wrapped around her naked shoulders; a dirty sheet wrapped around her body. She was trembling, rocking slightly back and forth.
“What did . . . What did he do to you?” Maggie slowly stretched out her words, like she didn’t want to ask because she feared the answer. She grabbed the edges of the blanket and lifted them. Maggie gasped to see a crimson puddle pooling under Thea. Maggie clasped her hands over her mouth and shook her head, freeing the tears that had been threatening to spill.
“Thea . . .” Maggie mumbled; she didn’t know what to say. She removed her hands from her mouth but was still shook by the horrific sight. “W-Where was Eddie?” Maggie reached out to touch Thea’s shoulder, but she only recoiled at the touch, making Maggie jerk her hand away.
“That can’t be . . . He wouldn’t do that, would he?” Maggie asked, she didn’t want to believe it, but Thea’s reaction to Eddie’s name made thoughts appear in her mind. “Why would he do that! Thea, please answer me!”
Thea squeezed her eyes shut. She knew that Maggie was freaking out and if someone heard her, they would most likely do to her what they did to Thea. Thea didn’t want that. No matter how broken she was, she couldn’t put someone she loved in jeopardy.
“Maggie, please,” Thea croaked out, she could barely recognize her voice as she spoke. “Eddie . . . Eddie was forced to do this. He made us do this for his sick twisted pleasure.” Thea twisted her lips in disgust and tried to push the memory of the man out of her head.
“F-Flint?” Maggie questioned. She didn’t say anything for quite some time. Thea had thought she’d left until she felt soft fingers touch her skin; she flinched but did not pull away this time. “Come on, we can’t just leave you like
this. You’re going to get sick.”
Thea didn’t say anything as Maggie pulled the covers off of her. She shuddered as a cool breeze brushed along her legs but, otherwise, she didn’t move. Maggie scrunched up her nose at the metallic smell of blood, but she did her best to ignore the scent and leaned forward to grab Thea around the waist.
She gritted her teeth from Thea’s weight, as it weighed down her petite frame, but she didn’t let go until she managed to get Thea on her feet.
“C-Can you stand, Thea? I don’t think I can carry all your weight,” Maggie asked her, looking into Thea’s dazed expression. “B-But, I will if I have to.” Instinctively, Maggie wrapped one of Thea’s arms around her neck, she secured Thea with one arm around her waist, and with the other around Thea’s torso.
What Maggie didn’t expect was to feel Thea’s hand on top of hers. She looked up at Thea’s expressionless face but saw tears streaks running down her cheeks.
“Thank you . . . Maggie.”
Maggie attempted to give Thea a reassuring smile, gripping her tightly around her waist. “That’s what sisters are for.”
***
Thea didn’t say anything as she sat naked on the wooden stool. She could feel Maggie digging into her skin with the cloth and stared into her friend’s — her sister’s eyes. Maggie, you must think I’m a failure. I’m sorry that I couldn’t be there for you. The thoughts clouded Thea’s mind, and she found it hard to take a breath, her throat beginning to tighten. Then, she felt something gently rubbing her back.
“You don’t have to beat yourself up, Thea . . . I know you’re scared, and I am too. We all are, but—” Maggie abruptly stopped mid-sentence. Her pause was long, and her hands fisted at her sides before she continued. “We need you. I can’t do this alone. You may think that I’m strong, but I’m not, not without Eddie, and especially not without you.”
Thea squeezed her eyes tightly, knowing that she was right. She had to get stronger — people needed her, and many of which were scared out of their mind. Eddie, no matter how much he was losing his control, still tried to protect everyone, and Thea would do the same, whatever she could do.
Thea reached her hand to grab Maggie’s hand and squeezed tightly. The gesture caught Maggie off guard as she looked down, seeing Thea’s fingers wrapped around her hand. “Thank you, again Maggie . . . I’ll try to be strong for both of us, for all of us.”
***
“Wake-y, Wake-y...”
The voice was loud, and Thea squirmed at the sound, but it was the persistent and rancid stench filling Thea’s nose that made her open her eyes. Staring at her with a crazed look, the gap-toothed man smiled.
“Karmen,” Thea hissed out the ugly man’s name, “your Master let you out of his sight?”
Karmen’s ugly grin only widened, and he leaned against the wall, watching Thea.
“Seems like you still have a bit of sass, I knew that boy couldn’t knock the sense in you,” he hissed, he stretched a hand out in preparation to go under Thea’s clothes. “I, on the other hand, can teach you a lesson or two.”
Thea’s eyes followed his dirty fingers as they grabbed the hem of her pants. She immediately tensed and froze with fear. Every fiber of her being wanted to kick, scream, and slam her dagger, that was underneath her pillow, into the disgusting man’s throat, but she found herself powerless. Again.
Damn it, Thea, fight him. Turn the fear into rage. It’s nothing but a tool. The angry voice insisted.
You know if you fight it’ll only be worse. That new voice piped up, chilling Thea.
But she has to try something, doesn’t she? The angry voice argued.
She has to live. She has to be here to protect Maggie. You are stronger than you think, Thea, the motherly voice argued. You can survive anything even that rotten man.
The bickering of the voices helped Thea. As she was snapped out of her terror-induced daze, another man’s voice stopped Karmen from going any further. He turned away from Thea and glared at the pirate who was standing in the doorway.
“Stop messing with the brat, captain’s orders told you to wake everyone.”
Thea looked away from the pirate to Karmen, whose vein bulged on the side of his head and his Adam’s apple throbbed.
“Yeah, yeah, getting to that,” he replied to the man. “Just give me a moment.”
The pirate stared at Karmen for several seconds before leaving the room. Thea was left alone and Karmen leaned forward, so close that she almost felt his lips touching her ear. She felt his hot breath as it ran down her neck and made her spine shiver. It took every ounce of control she had to not gag at the stench of rotten cabbage that oozed from his mouth with every breath.
“One day I won’t be interrupted, then we’ll see who has the power.” His words made Thea squeeze her eyes tightly and gulp. The sudden touch of his gangling hands running down her cheeks made her tense again before he pulled away. “Now get up, get the others ready.”
***
When Thea had everyone up and ready, the children huddled together at an open hallway of the house. Pirates surrounded them, they were at every corner of the house, from the basement to the attic. There was no escaping, at least not alive.
Maggie, who stood next Thea, gripped tightly onto Thea’s hand as Flint walked in the center of the room and grinned at his new prospects.
“Good-mornin' to you all,” he cheerily said, his arms were extended wide as he smiled and looked down the line of children. “I hope you all had at least a good night's rest because that will be the last that you will have.”
There were murmurs from the children, some Thea could make out, and others were complete gibberish, confused by what Flint was saying. Thea knew very well to be prepared for anything, especially when it came from a cutthroat like Flint.
“I’ll tell you why it will be the last your day of blissful running around like little mice, barely surviving to feed your guts,” Flint mocked, his men joined in by laughing. “Well, since you will all be a part of my crew, you are no longer the Forty Little Thieves, a ridiculous name if I dare say so myself, eh, boys?”
The replies filled with hums and heads bobbing. Thea felt her nose twitch at the men’s blatant disrespect.
“Now, as I was saying, the boys have only gotten a taste of what I plan for you. The girls, on the other hand, have gotten a bit off easy, except for you, Thea. How are you feeling? Are you still sore there?” Flint’s lifeless eyes pierced into Thea as he mocked her. Her grip on Maggie’s hand tightened.
Thea’s eyes grew wide and her heart hammered in her chest. She backed up a little at the leering eyes from the pirates, from the questioning eyes of the children stared at her like a sideshow attraction. She felt her throat tighten and her eyes grew warm from the tears that threatened to emerge. Stay strong, survive, Thea, repeated to herself in her head.
“Ah, that’s neither here nor there,” Flint continued. “Can anyone tell me what the secret is to being a thief?”
There was silence. No one spoke, nor raised their hand. Flint sighed dramatically and shook his head. “This will surely prove to be annoying. Let me tell you all this when I ask any of you a question, I expect an answer. Now, you, the girl with the dead eye.”
Thea turned, as did the rest of the children, to look at Freya who stood at the far-right side of Thea, hidden among three boys. They immediately moved out of the way to expose Freya to the wolves.
“Freya—” Thea started to say, ready to jump in and protect her, but she felt a tug on her arm and turned to see that Maggie gave her a scolding look. Thea bit her lip, knowing that Maggie was right, that interfering would only cause problems: For her and Freya.
“M-Me?” Freya squeaked, she shivered as she stared at the terrifying man. She wrapped her arms around herself and looked around to see if he would retract what he said.
“Yes, you,” Flint spat, “Are there any other girls with only one good eye here? No? Well, then step forward if you would like before
I get more annoyed than I already am,” he waved his arm dramatically, gesturing for her to come to him.
Thea squeezed her hands into fists so tight she felt her nails dig into her palms, but she kept herself from going over to Freya and protecting her from Flint’s harsh words or the men’s jeering and laughter. The small and frail girl squeezed her arms tightly, fear visible on her face, but did as she was told.
Flint strode over toward Freya, with his hands in his pocket, and bent down to the girl’s height. Freya did not look at his face, she was too terrified to face the man upending her life. Sticky, warm tears rolled down her cheeks and under her chin to where they fell on the dusty floor.
“It’s rude to not look at your elders,” Flint said, prompting Freya to do what he wanted. She slowly looked up at him with slightly red eyes and tear-stained cheeks. “How cute, you’re crying. Tell me, what is your name?”
Freya licked her lips and gulped as she stared into the black pools of his eyes. Thea could only imagine what Freya felt as she stared into the abyss. She saw a large stain appear on the back of Freya’s nightgown, and liquid began to trickle down the length of her leg. “Ha, look the girl pissed herself!” Flint cruelly announced a sadistic grin on his face. He pointed at the puddle that had formed under Freya.
“I-It’s Freya, s-sir,” Freya stuttered, she swayed side to side, her bare feet squishing in her piss.
The men continued to laugh and Maggie’s gripped Thea’s hand, to hold her back from doing anything she may regret.
“And Freya, how did you lose your eye?” Flint questioned her. It seemed as if he ignored the potent smell of piss and the men’s cackling in the air; but then again, many of his men smelled worse than piss.
“I-I . . . I was running a-and, the soldiers,” Freya stuttered, every so often she would sniffle, and her voice became brittle. “They beat me, and one of them tried to . . . to do things to me like they did my mother. I-I wouldn’t cooperate, so they took out my eye and . . . and made me watch them-them rape my mother.”