by GM Scherbert
“Momma Irene, I don’t know what to say,” the pain I start to feel at this questioning has me looking around the kitchen. Trying to find a spot to focus on like one of the doctors taught me, I get lost in my thoughts. I see similarities between this house and a house I was in before, the house of number six.
Number six was not a horrible guy, but I didn’t want to be there. His house was a small two bedroom that I was in for at the most six months. He had locks on the doors and security systems that I didn’t understand and couldn’t find my way out of. At least, he didn’t keep me shackled like number five had. I thanked God the day number five tired of me and let number six pick me up. I wasn’t sad to see number five go that’s for fucking sure, but number six wasn’t better, just a different kind of prison.
Number six worked a long weekend shift and would leave me everything he thought I could need when he would leave for work. I frequently wondered what he did for work, because he would always leave me alone on those days. The other days- the weekdays that he didn’t work were a different story though.
The first time that he fucked me, I thought that maybe he was crazy because the whole time he repeatedly told me how much he loved me and couldn’t wait for us to spend the rest of our lives together, calling me by another woman’s name. After he finished I tried talking to him about it and he ignored me, completely leaving the house and me to my thoughts.
Shaking my head from the thoughts of number six, my eyes focus in on a small picture hanging on the back wall of the kitchen at Irene’s. The picture is Momma Irene and her late husband, as I focus more on the picture I can see the love that they had shared, that I have now seen when she looks towards Preach.
I slowly start to come back and the panic melts away from the memories before I hear Momma Irene’s voice again.
“Rebecca, you did beautifully there. I am sorry that you felt like you were being overwhelmed by my questioning, but I am so proud that you were able to find your focus and get it back together.” Moving slowly towards me, she pulls me into a tight hug before going on. “I will give you a day or two to get your thoughts together on the subject, but I will be asking again, sweetie, and next time I will not let you off the hook so easily.”
With that she moves from the room and as I hear the door shut, I am left with this coffee mug between my hands and my thoughts of the man that has consumed me since the day I met him. Thinking how much he truly lives up to the name that he goes by.
Shadow
~Chapter 10
~Shadow
Sitting outside of Irene’s house got me a talking to from Preach about six months ago. I was there almost every day that I was in town, from the time I left work until the time I went to work. Only leaving my spot across the street when she had an appointment, which seems to be about every day.
When Preach spoke with me, he not only mentioned the talk that Irene and Rebecca had and what some of the doctors had been saying, but he let me know that Rebecca was going to be moving out and that I would need to find a new place to keep warm on the long days that I would be watching her. When I asked some questions, Preach let me know where Rebecca would be moving and that Irene had already requested some protection from Prez. Laughing at the thought of Prez being told by anyone, except Pearl what he needed to do, I wonder if I will have to call in a few favors to keep an eye on her. Knowing that I need to speak with Prez, I head out after calling him to let him know I was on my way.
Pulling up to the house that Blaze, Tank, Pearl, and the children share, I see the kids playing outside with their parents not far away. Moving away from my bike I head towards this little family and am greeted by Iris and Rose first, throwing their arms around me before I can make it more than ten feet from my bike. Grabbing them up in a hug slows me only briefly before I walk the remaining way. Stopping only when I am standing surrounded by their parents.
“Shadow, I didn’t think you would make it here that quick,” nodding towards the back door he goes on. “Let’s take this inside, whatever you need to talk to us about must be important and we probably don’t need these little girls hearing.” With that, I put the girls down hugging them again as I go.
Turning I nod towards Pearl and Rebel, before she comes and throws her arms around me, hugging me tight. Hearing a growl from both my Prez and VP I laugh at how their lives have changed over the last few years.
Tank is the first to let me know that my arms are dangerously close to being ripped from their sockets. “Shadow, get your arms off our woman.”
Moving slowly I do just that, but not before Pearl leans in planting a kiss on my cheek speaking softly as she pulls away. “I know why you’re here and what you’ve been up to old man. Be careful with that girl, she is fragile to say the least.” And with that she turns and heads off after their children, leaving her husband’s with looks of murder on their faces- directed at me. UGH!
Moving my feet, I head towards the house hoping that my Prez and VP let that shit with their wife drop, but I have no such luck.
“Shadow, what the fuck was that shit,” comes from Blaze when I am only a few steps away. Turning around I am greeted with a slug to the shoulder from him, before I am able to answer.
I sound like a three-year-old as I answer, “She started it.” Rubbing a hand over my beard, I tug sharply before moving my hand down to my shoulder going on, “Fuck! Why don’t you go talk about that shit with her? You can’t blame me for her actions. Your Pet, your Little One is getting much too big for her britches and seems to have no issues doing whatever it is that she pleases.”
Now it’s Tanks turn and the slug is not to the shoulder, but to the face and his words hit close. “Don’t ever speak to a sub, especially our sub, our fucking wife like that again.” Stepping back a step he goes on, “We know that you have been wearing yourself thin and cleaning the slate for Rebecca, but you should know better who you can and can’t take your frustrations out on. Maybe you need to step back and take a look at what’s been going on.”
Looking from him to Blaze and back, I nod my head in answer. Rubbing my jaw, I know that the words I just spoke wouldn’t fly with any man let alone my Prez and VP. “Sorry brothers, I know better than that I just can’t seem to think straight most the time. That’s one of the reasons I have come to speak to you. I need some guidance and another favor.”
Blaze answers gruffly, “let’s head inside then and get this shit sorted. We have a lesson to teach to our wife it seems as well.” The grin that reaches across his face lets me know that they don’t plan to be to very gentle with her either. I wonder if they know that their little Pearl has them so wrapped around her finger, that little display was nothing more than her moving them right where she wanted them.
Taking only about an hour, I am leaving their house to put my plans into motion. Waving to the kids that are still playing outside, I see Blaze and Tank heading towards their little Pet who is perched on a table nearby. She is going to be in for one hell of a session if they follow through with the punishment they spoke of.
The next day, I am able to quickly find my focus set on number five, Richard Lawton knowing that my Peach is to have someone watching her round the clock. Which has helped to keep my mind off of her, knowing that she is safe, out on her own as she is.
Number five has taken longer to get a handle on, mainly because he lives somewhat off the grid. Only coming outta his house to cash the government check he gets and grab supplies twice a month. It took me almost six months to figure out the pattern with his comings and goings for fucks sake. After I figured that shit out though, I took time off from The Dungeon to make sure I catch him each time he leaves so I can plan my attack.
Number five might be one of the worst pieces of shit that my Peach had to deal with though, just for some of those reasons. She had no outside contact while with him and I fear that some of her worst scars came from him, on her wrists and ankles, shackle marks.
This last time I am in Kentucky to scope the
situation out before I plan to take him and put him to ground. I wait for him to leave for his trip into town and sneak into his house to look it over and come up with a plan for next week. I find my hand being forced to move quicker than planned with what I find in his home.
Another girl, this one much younger than my Peach, I find her barely clinging to life and shackled to a pipe in number five’s basement, with nothing more than a dirty bucket of water next to her in the dark. I lose my mind and all semblance of reason at the sight, knowing that my Peach struggled through something similar. I grab up this slip of a girl and head out of the house, knowing I have about forty minutes before he returns.
Dropping this girl off at the nearest hospital, I turn back and head right back to his house without thought. Lying in wait in his home, I make sure to reset his alarms so he is not alerted to my presence. The paranoid SOB won’t know what fucking hit him when he gets here. This one is going to be sloppy, but after finding that girl, I can’t wait any longer and will need to be in the wind as soon as the deed is over, because with that girl in as bad of shape as she was- the cops will be here directly.
Hearing the front door lock disengage, I stay low before hearing them reset again. Only then, do I get up making my presence known, truly seeing this piece of shit who has taken so much from not only my Peach but I am guessing many others. His face drops and he must know what’s coming because the smell of urine hits my nose in an instant. There are no words exchanged and I waste no time grabbing him up and moving quickly to the mock station I have made up- in his fucking basement.
Being thankful that the chains and shackles are already here seems like some sick shit, but having to take him like this has left little for me to work with. I have brought a knife down with me from his kitchen getting into a rhythm taking my pound of flesh from him, quite literally. Falling into the flow of my work, I find peace in his screams, much like he enjoyed in the women he had, I’m sure and that only drives me on.
After what I can only assume is a few hours lost in my work, he is close to death. His skin looks like that of a teenager’s pimply face, with pits and holes, stripes, slices and chunks missing from every inch of it. If he would live much longer- he would regret what he has done to what is mine.
I take with me all evidence of my presence in this fucking hole, making sure that my finger prints are wiped off everything I touched. Making sure everything that I brought is removed with me. Checking one last time, I make sure that his death is close before leaving, heading to the only person I have ever wanted.
Knowing that the next name on the list brings me another step closer to being able to clear my Peach’s list.
~Chapter 11
~Peach
I feel like eyes are on me constantly, every day I have been home. It’s been over a year and I just can’t shake the feeling. When I am in my apartment, at work, and even at all the appointments that I still have on pretty much a daily basis.
I know that Irene has been concerned about me, but would she do that? Have someone watch me without me knowing? Not sure it has anything to do with her I decide to go directly to the source and speak with her about it.
Heading over to her house, I notice a man on a bike behind me as I go. Not thinking much of it I make it to her house in about twenty minutes. Noticing Preach’s bike parked outside I head up to the front door, getting lost in my thoughts watching the woman next door.
I feel a hand on my arm that comes outta nowhere and scream out before realizing what is happening. My mind takes me back to number five and the way he used to be with me, the way he used to use and abuse me.
Number five was a real piece of work even the day he picked me up from number four. I’m not sure how they knew each other but number four must’ve been in a hurry to get rid of me because I didn’t see anything exchanged between them. Number five had shackles on my wrists and ankles before I was out the door of number four’s house. Shackles that stayed in place for the long months I was with him, causing deep scars in my flesh.
Putting me into the back of his van number five drove to his house without stopping. I didn’t even get to see the house as he was bringing me in, entering through a back door and heading directly into the basement. As my eyes adjusted to the dim light, I noticed the chains along the way, against the wall. Chains that I was quickly attached to.
The tears that started to fall were of no consequence to number five who laughed as they fell. “Tears won’t do much for you here, bitch. I am going to leave you to your thoughts for a few days and then maybe you will better appreciate what it is that I will give you.” And with those words he left me alone with nothing except a bucket of water for the next few days.
Passing out from exhaustion after a long while, I am woken up with his dick thrusting into me, causing a pull on my wrists and ankles forcing out a scream from my mouth. I am rewarded with a punch to the gut before he grips tightly at my wrists and continues to use me as he likes.
Felling the tug again at my wrists snaps me outta the memory I seem to be lost in. While turning sharply my hand comes up outta fear and I end up slapping the man across the face that grabbed me from behind.
Without thought at the realization of what I have done, I drop down and am sobbing in an instant. It takes a long while to come back from and when I finally do, I think that I hear a voice that it has been almost a year since I heard. The voice is gone almost as quickly as it comes to my ear though, and I think again about Shadow, my number eight.
~Chapter 12
~Shadow
I almost lost my shit when I reached for my Peach, and she reacted the way she did. I’m not talking about the way she slapped my face, which barely registered with me. I’m talking about the way she cried out and dropped to the ground in hysterics. Knowing her past was the cause only drives me on to my next scumbag on the list, number four, Carlos Santana. Not before I talk with Irene and find out how everything has been going lately.
Grabbing up my Peach I only have to wait a few seconds before the door is opening and a surprised Irene moves to the side letting me in. After putting Rebecca down into the spare bedroom to calm down, I move back into the kitchen to speak with Irene.
Having the whiskey ready when I walk through the door, I know that whatever Irene is about to tell me won’t be pretty. Gulping down the whiskey I hand the glass back before it is quickly refilled and swigged down by the woman across from me. This process goes on another time or two before a word is spoken between us.
“Shadow, I know what’s been going on between the two of you, well at least some of what this dynamic is at least.” Motioning to the room where Rebecca is laying she drops her voice low before going on. “She told me all about what happened between the two of you on your trip home.” Stepping toward me, Irene pokes my chest a few times causing my eyes to move from her finger and drift up meeting her own. “That was a dumb fucking move taking her the way you did, Emmanuel. Why would you possibly think that having someone as fragile as she was, at the time, fucking her in a bathroom might be a good idea? That it would give her any confidence to heal herself in the way that she needs?” Drawing her hand away, Irene reaches for her other hand and rubs them together absent mindedly before finishing with, “That she wouldn’t form some kind of weird attachment to you?”
Swallowing down another whiskey, Irene is now pouring another that I reach for. Shaking her head, I hear a soft grunt, seeing a smile on her lips as she downs the whiskey before pouring another and slowly handing it to me.
“She is still not healed and no matter what it happens to be that you keep doing, she should be left out of it.” Swallowing down the whiskey I am rewarded by another refill as I hold the glass out to Irene. “Don’t think that I don’t know that you have been heading out an awful lot since you brought my girl back to me. Or that some of the men on that list of hers have ended up, how should I say this- put to ground as of late. I’m sure that one has nothing to do with the other, right Emmanuel?”<
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Stunned by the knowledge that Irene imparted on me, I find myself trying to put my thoughts together before I can answer. “Shadow, I know that you are doing what you see fit for her therapeutic healing and the things that have been done to her, but you need to stay away until she is healed, dealing with whatever it is between you.”
Nodding my head in answer, I throw back the whiskey and I can’t help but wonder if Preach is the one to thank for giving Irene the low down on what was going on. I can’t even finish that thought before Irene is answering my unasked question.
“Don’t waste your time on that thought, Shadow. Rebecca has seen those prospects that Blaze and Tank put on her those months ago when she moved out. She might be worried not knowing who they are, but I’m not dumb when it comes to protection or the men that have ordered it. Not only have I had the same at times over the years, but the same can be said for Sara next door.”
Placing the glass down, I turn my back on Irene moving only a step towards the door before turning back. “The prospects will be on her until I have finished that fucking list off. She deserves a better life, not the tainted hand that she has been dealt for the last twelve years. I might have fucked up with every step we have taken together, but that is one thing that I know for sure.” Walking away I hear movements in the bedroom and turn to see Irene make her way into the room towards, my Peach.
Knowing Rebecca is still going through the trauma that these men have caused, leads me quickly to number four and to Cleveland, OH. This one will be quick and I realize that as soon as I see the man for the first time. It seems that number four is not really all that smart and lives his life very much like each day could be his last, which will give me an easy in.
The two days I am watching him have let me know that I will be able to have this job wrapped up in under a month. Number four works at a job that is rather risky so it should be easy to find a way to put him to ground without having too many questions asked. Using Tank, I find the schedule that his construction job will be working for the next few weeks. I head home forming a plan as I go.
