by Bradon Nave
Perhaps a room, but it looked more like the inside of large cement block. As my wits slowly sharpened I focused less on where I was and more on how I got there—and then I remembered the bastard, Avery.
The natural light shining in was coming through a small door of some sort—and then it hit me. I was in an underground storm cellar—an industrial underground storm cellar. Retracing my memory I hadn’t remembered seeing such a thing on Avery’s property.
“Help!” My cracking voice startled something just outside the metal door—a rustling about the gravel or whatever it was standing on.
“Hello! Can you hear me? Please! Help me!”
As the door came open, I found my assumption to be correct. Avery looked down upon me from ground level. Tossing down a thick-looking blanket he turned and descended the small ladder.
“Avery…I don’t know what you’re doing. Please…you’re scaring me.”
“No…no, you don’t gotta be scared. No pain or nothing like that. Can’t no one hear you out here so don’t go screaming and stuff like that, Kacey.”
Pulling a small metal stool cautiously to me, he assisted me as I sat down. The blanket he brought was heavy and warm, but my arms were stuck tight to the wall behind me—pinned at my wrists somehow.
“Avery…this hurts. Please…you’re hurting me. I don’t know where I’m at or what you’re going to do but you’re hurting me.”
“Kacey, sweetie…hush. I’ve had time to think but I need more time to think. A man needs time.”
“I don’t understand, Avery.”
“I don’t want to hurt you, Kacey. I don’t hate ya. I just can’t have you taking my boy away. He needs his sleep. He needs to clear his head of you. I can’t have him thinking anything else but that you done abandoned him.”
“Oh god…” The thoughts of Jessie believing I’d left him with this lunatic were more wrenching than any pain I had surging at the time.
“That’s right, pretty girl. God. God answered my prayers and he has given this man the opportunity he never thought he’d have. Brock would be just around Jessie’s age. Ain’t that just special?”
“Avery…listen to me, okay. Jessie has a good dad. Joe is a good dad—”
“Joe let that boy’s head twist in so many directions it landed him in Alabama wanted for kidnapping and murder…thinking he’s got the cancer in his belly. That ain’t the work of a good father.”
The searing pain in my wrists was no longer tolerable. Avery’s expression assured me he was irritated—I was little more than an inconvenience.
“You’ll take good care of Jessie. Won’t you Avery?”
“Yes, Kacey. The best.”
“Okay.” My head lowered as I allowed the pain to leave my body through my eyes—tears poured from my face.
“Kacey, I won’t hurt him I promise—”
“Avery, my wrists hurt…the pain is too much. I can’t do this.”
Quickly Avery was above me, gently prodding my wrists and hands. “Shit.”
“What, Avery?”
“Kacey I need to reposition you…but to do that I gotta put you out again.”
“What?”
“I gotta thick chain I’ll attach to the wall and hook that to your hands.”
“I won’t fight you I promise. Please Avery, I can’t take it!”
Reaching in his coat pocket he quickly retrieved the same cloth from the barn and a small container of something from his other pocket. “Fear not, sweet child. You can maybe talk to your daddy again.”
“What?”
“I heard your sweet dream. It was something special. Kept me from putting a hammer in your melon.”
The liquid was doused on the material. I offered no resistance—in fact I presented my face and welcomed the sweet relief that only sedation can provide. As his hand covered my mouth, it all went dark—yet again.
CHAPTER NINETEEN
There were no dreams. My father’s precious face wasn’t there to meet me. I was met only with a throbbing pain. It felt as though his hand had just left my face and I was waking up.
Cold and damp, my cheek smashed onto the concrete floor. Opening my eyes I attempted to focus—there was nothing to focus on. The light was nearly gone, both inside and out.
Avery had made good on his word. My hands were in front of me, but to my surprise they were not bound to a chain—my wrists were wrapped in what appeared to be torn material. They stung as lifted myself from the floor—propping myself onto my elbow.
Gently, I pulled the makeshift bandaging over one side of my right wrist. Much to my horror I looked upon deep wounds worn from my previous bindings. The material stuck to the scabbing wound as I attempted to examine in the dark shelter. I then looked to the door as I clumsily attempted to find my footing.
I briskly stepped to the door, but stopped to touch myself to feel if I’d been violated while unconscious—I had not. I knew for certain that Avery would not have been so foolish as to leave the door unlocked on purpose, but maybe he left it open thinking I would just fade—just disappear into the vast world around me. This idea might be okay with me if he were not housing Jessie. My sweet Jessie. I had to help him; I had to get back to him. Pushing against the door with all of my might, I found it didn’t budge—it must have been locked from the outside.
The urge to scream for help was overtaken by the urge to scream in agony. My wrist wounds were pulsating painfully.
Stepping back from the door the loud cries of coyotes called out all around me. They sounded as though they were right above me. This had me wondering where exactly I was in proximity to the house.
Dusk was all but gone—I could feel it. If I were to escape this madness I would need to do it now; I was certain he would be back in the morning to either finish me off or use me for something else. Either way, he had Jessie. I was of no use to Jessie in this underground one-room dungeon.
Looking around the room for something—anything to assist in my escape efforts, my gaze rested upon a box of what looked like oatmeal cream pies sitting next to a gallon of water. I rushed to both.
Tearing open the packages, I devoured the pies at a ravenous pace—if this were to be my only energy source before my escape or even my fight to the death then so be it. Opening the water I halted before I brought the opening to my mouth. The thought of some menacing sedative hindering my plan was enough to set my mild thirst aside for now.
Looking about the darkened room for anything that might assist me, I found nothing. There was merely a chair, the empty box, a five gallon bucket and the half gallon.
Grabbing the chair, I pulled it and situated it under the door. Standing atop the chair, I pressed my back to the door and pushed against it with all my might—nothing.
“No!”
Like the sickening feeling I used to get as a small girl when I’d crawl to the bottom of a sleeping bag—the feeling of claustrophobic confinement swept over me. There was no escaping this I was stuck in this tiny cement prison alone and there was absolutely no escaping it.
Pacing the walls with my hands to the cold cement, I felt as though the world were closing in on me, yet no one was there to witness my struggle—as if I had been buried alive with Little Debbie’s and a water jug. This was cruelty at its worst.
There was no way I could last a night like this—the idea that the world was going on outside, there was so much to be done, but I was tucked away in this tiny piece of hell. It was all but driving me over the edge.
Eyeing the corner of the small room, I decided to attempt to calm my nerves with rest—or an attempt at it. Resting my butt to the cold floor and my back to the wall, I closed my eyes and attempted to make some sense of what was happening. There was no sense to be made of it. Within seconds I was drifting off—without the use of the white cloth.
***
“Kacey…Kacey girl, wake up.”
Springing to my feet, I looked about the light filled storm shelter to and up toward the open door to s
ee Avery.
“Kacey, you got any goodies in that there bucket what I need to empty?”
“Goodies?” My voice was scratchy and compromised from the long night in the frigid air.
“Any piss or shit?”
“What? Avery! No!”
“Just being neighborly.”
“Wait…Avery, please.”
“Yes, Darlin’?
“Let…let me come home. I wanna come home.”
“Home?”
“I wanna come home…with you and Jessie. I wanna come back to…to the family.”
His face went cold in the silent air around him; his gaze remained heavy on my face. “The family? What would be your purpose? What role would you have in the family?”
“I’ll do whatever you want. I have nothing else, Avery. Where can I go? I’m wanted for murder.”
“Kacey…I just don’t think—”
“Avery you can’t keep me down here forever. I’m not the best person but I’m certainly not the worst. I wouldn’t mess up your plans I promise…I have nothing, Avery.”
His breath was visible in the chill of the early morning as it disappeared in the air around him. I was cold—to the point I feared for my well-being if he left me here another night yet again.
“This is something that requires a great deal of time on my knees, Kacey.” Avery lowered himself into the small room from up above. I immediately sat back on the chair in an effort to assure the man I would offer no resistance or retaliation.
“On your knees?”
“I gotta pray about this, Kacey. The big man done provided…he’ll give me the answers I need. I meant what I said; my boy don’t need a lady friend like you…not in the shape you’re in now. You need to get your life right, little lady.”
“You could help me! I need help, Avery. I need a real family.”
His hand raised to his chin as his eyes diverted. The ignorant sonofabitch was clearly deep in thought—I was willing to say anything to get back to Jessie. I was willing to do anything. I had no clue where we were. I had to get back to Jessie before I formulated a plan to murder Avery and escape.
“Now you listen here, young harlot. If I let you back it will only be on a conditional basis and you will have rules to follow. There won’t be no second chance and if you do me dirty I’ll take you out back of the barn and dispose of you proper right between the eyeballs. And that’s only if I take you back. This is something a man has got to think about. I got to pray about this deep and hard, Kacey. This isn’t part of my plan and you got some provin’ to do!”
Lowering my head I felt as though my entire life was being rapidly drained from by veins. My core ached with despair. There was nothing I could say or do that could make this situation any better—any different. “Okay.”
“Come here.” Avery’s raised arms sent mixed emotions running through my exhausted mind as he coaxed me in for an embrace. Standing and accepting the man’s hug, I found myself wishing I could kill him. I found myself wishing he would keep hugging me because his embrace felt comforting and large like my father’s. I found myself wishing he would just make use of his obvious psychosis and snap my neck—be done with it.
“I’m scared, Avery. I’m cold and I don’t feel well.”
“I brought you some more blankets and a plate of hot breakfast. You’re going to be fine.”
“And Jessie? Is Jessie fine?”
“I woke my boy up long enough to use the facilities and get some grub in his belly. I put some of that good chocolate milk back in him…that boy loves his chocolate milk. He’s sleeping like a good boy now.”
“Avery…” My emotions overwhelmed me as I broke down into his chest—crying uncontrollably at the thought of Jessie’s health declining due to Avery’s insane actions.
“Sweet girl…I’ll have you an answer soon enough. I just need me some time with the big fella upstairs. Don’t cry none.”
Turning from him I wiped my face and attempted to change the subject. “Why…why is this storm shelter here? Is this someone’s house?” My cracking voice was nearly incapable of producing the question as my back remained turned to Avery.
“Oh…well it used to be a homestead. It…it was the home of me and my wife’s.”
“Used to be?”
“The home burned down, Kacey. It went up in flames. This here shelter is all that remains, little miss.”
“Oh. I’m sorry to hear that, Avery.”
“I’m not. Hearing that bitch scream was music to my ears.”
Turning to him I was met with a cold and menacing face. “Avery…Avery you said she divorced you.”
“First thing is first, Kacey. If I’m gonna even think about having a three person family, you gotta learn to accept and keep family secrets. You ain’t the only one what knows how to send someone to their maker.”
I stared at him in horror—unsure of how to respond.
“Well, Kacey.”
“I’m listening, Avery. I’m here…and I’m listening.” Positioning myself atop the cold metal stool, I attempted to appear as though I were giving the man my undivided attention—my insides were churning with disgust for this heinous creature before me.
“Atta girl. I had done put in a whole day’s work…a good day’s work. I come home to that nasty bitch sorting shoes in the closet. She wanted this grand closet when we built this place. Sorting shoes…I hope she suffered. My boy…my baby boy wasn’t in the house. He wasn’t nowhere to be found. When I did find him…it was too late. He’d been in the fishing hole damn near all day she said. If that bitch…if that nasty bitch woulda been doin’ right by him and been a good momma…cottonmouth bit he was. Right to the throat. Had she just been there…”
My hand over my mouth I listened in horror. “I’m so sorry, Avery.”
“Don’t be. Brock is waiting for me just past them pearly gates. Next to them fishing holes that don’t have cottonmouths or mommas that are too preoccupied with high heels.”
“You killed her?”
“I sure as hell did! Just four days after they put my bitty boy in the ground I burnt that bitch, her shoes, and that whole damn house to the ground.” His face displayed a look of intent, as if talking about it was resurrecting his anger—his desire to kill his wife.
“How…how did you keep from getting caught?”
Avery’s maniacal laughter filled the small room. “I didn’t! Small town fire marshal ruled it accidental within just a couple of days. I sure as hell wasn’t expecting that. I guess playin’ ball in high school with that fool had its advantages. His boy and Brock was best friends in school.”
Suppressing my urge to sink my fist into his smirking face, I raised my arms once more to offer him yet another hug. “Avery…I’m so sorry. I can’t imagine your pain.”
He welcomed my embrace once more as I was overcome with the sudden urge to vomit. “I got my boy, Kacey. I got my new boy.”
“Yes…yes you certainly do, Avery. I promise I won’t do anything to compromise that. I won’t do anything to bring you such pain again. You don’t deserve that.”
Avery quickly pushed me away from his chest. “Kacey! If I smell a lie on you…or if you deceive me!”
“I mean it, Avery! I know the pain of loss. I won’t hurt you. You think about it…you pray about it. But know that I am hurting. I’m cold and I’m scared. I need a family too.”
His cracked lips kissed my forehead. “I’ll be back this evening with my answer. You rest up, sweet girl.”
CHAPTER TWENTY
Cold and howling came the night—I’d been all but depleted internally when Avery didn’t return. I couldn’t sleep, not knowing for certain Jessie’s state of health had me writhing inside. There was nothing comforting left of the world I’d placed myself in. No plot I’d ever read or watched on screen could have twisted so in comparison to my present circumstance. Looking about the cemented walls it would occasionally hit me once more—this is actually happening and it’s happening to
you.
The thought of spending yet another night imprisoned by anxiety and my surroundings was oppressively unbearable. I was incredibly thankful to hear the engine sounds cut through the rustling winds outside.
Hammering in my chest and ears, my heart raced as the realization fell over me; this was it. Either Avery would take me back—or he would more than likely dispose of me.
Sitting in the corner, I watched the door open and Avery peer down with a lantern. He then jumped down into the shelter.
“Kacey…how are ya?”
“Not good, Avery…I’m nervous.”
“Oh? Well, I can see that. The final choice is up to you, Kacey.”
“What?”
“Here.” Handing me a bottle of water with a broken seal, Avery failed to make eye contact.
“I don’t understand…I have a nearly a gallon of…” My voice cracked.
“Simple. You can either drink the water and sleep or stay here and starve.”
“And where will I wake up at, Avery?”
“I never said you would…that’s my choice to make…I ain’t done thinking yet.”
“Oh my god…”
“I won’t be back after I leave, Kacey. Once I close that door I won’t be back.”
Inhaling deeply I looked around at my surroundings—knowing that this was more than likely it. There was no use begging a man who burned his own wife to death. There was a certain comfort lingering in the depths of my psyche, just below the fear. Knowing that the ordeal known as life would soon be done and I would hopefully be in the company of my father had a calming effect. Opening the bottle, I began chugging the water. I didn’t stop unit it was gone.
“I’ll climb out of here before I pass out so you don’t have to try and carry me out.”
“Okay…I’d appreciate that.”
Standing up, I felt nothing—no nausea or vertigo, nothing dragging. I walked past him and to the ladder. As my head surfaced I looked out into the vast darkness—so crisp and ongoing. I wondered where he would bury me at. I waited patiently, arms crossed for him to surface as well.