Page 30

brOOKLYN

I have been sitting, my hands tied down to the arms of this wooden chair for hours, passing out off and on from the mere exhaustion that is racking through my body. Eli’s ghost is the only thing I see as I drift in and out of sleep. Him holding me, kissing me, touching me.

Then, when my eyes flutter open to the reality of the hell I am currently in, I scream and scream into the gag in my mouth. My anger and pain consumed me until I lay there, limp from exhaustion once again. Looking down, I see the blood on my pants has turned brown. He cut my clit with his fucking knife. It’s so sore. Pain still stings if I move my thighs at all. I sit here, whimpering.

I Wish I had more time. Wishing I could have run away when I knew something wasn’t right. When I felt the fear hit me and ignored it. I am such a fucking idiot! I lift my head and see the darkness outside through the warehouse windows. A faint buzzing light from the street trickles in through the moldy glass.

What time, I have no fucking clue. Time does not exist anymore for me. All I have coming for me is death. The sweet release of it, where I can float away. Away from all this pain and finally find some peace. Finally, be able to join Eli in the peaceful dreams I have been having since I landed in this chaos.

Hearing the opening of a door, I snap my head up to see Jasper making his way towards me, a cruel smile glued to his wretched face.

“Well, look who is finally awake,” he says as he kneels in front of me, hands still wearing leather black gloves that now rest on his knees. “Now, are you going to be a good little slut if I ungag that pretty little mouth of yours?” He asks while I stare into his darkened eyes. I give him a slight nod.

“Good,” he says as he rises and unlatches the gag from my mouth. Saliva pours off of it and down my face. My jaw is so sore. It hurts when I try to relax.

“Please,” I say in a raspy voice. “Let me go.” Looking at me, he tilts his head to the side and makes a sad, scrunched-up face.

“Well now, that would make me so lonely if I let you go,” he says as he pretends to cry, dragging one finger down his eye, signaling a fake tear.

“Please, what do you want?” I cry out as he starts to laugh like an insane clown.

“What do I want?” He laughs again. “I want everything he loves.” He grabs my face and then pushes my lips to his, causing me to bite down hard and draw blood. He pulls away quickly, looking at me with rage in his eyes.

Touching his finger to his lip he hisses. “Oh, I see now. I get why he loves to fuck you. You are a feral little bitch. That pussy of yours was so tight, I think I will have to make you my own personal little whore I can use and abuse.” My mind whips back to him pressing himself into me, making bile flow up my throat.

He steps out of the way as I heave off the side of the chair. Before I know it, he is grabbing a gun from behind, that was tucked into his pants. “See, little slut?” He drags the gun over my cheek in little circles.

“I also like to play a little dirty. I invited your little boy toy here tonight, so he could witness the only thing he loves, die. Then, I will kill him.” I try to push my head back and away from the cold metal on my face. Whimpering, tears started to roll down my face.

“Just fucking do it then!” I yell as he watches me with amusement in his eyes. It seems like my words catch him off guard.

“Kill you? Oh no, no, no... I need you alive . I need your little slut mouth able to scream as you watch him beg for your fucking life. Maybe I will torture him a little before I let him watch me kill you. Maybe I will make him watch me and my brothers fuck you again.” My eyes glare back into his.

“I want you to beg and beg for me to stop,” he says while leaning towards me, both hands perched on the arms of the chair.

“Leave her alone, Jasper!” I hear his voice. The growl and venom with every word. Jasper spins around and sees Eli standing, holding a gun pointed at him.

“Eli!” he says while shoving his pistol into the side of my head. “I am so glad you could join our little party!” Looking up, I see Eli’s gaze. His face was in shock. He couldn’t see me while Jasper was blocking his view. His eyes are now wide with fear and rage.

“Let her go, you miserable piece of shit! Your fight is with me!” He yells back, arm still stretched out.

“Come now, Eli. Is that the way you speak to old friends?” He laughs as he pushes the gun farther into my temple.

“One move is all it takes, Eli. One slip of my finger and her brains will be all over this fucking floor!” My body is shaking, and I can hardly breathe. “Put your fucking gun down and then maybe we can have a little conversation about exactly what is going to happen.” Pure rage runs through me.

“Fucking don’t, Eli! Shoot the fucking bastard!” Jasper hisses and then grabs the back of my hair hard, lifting my head up. The pain shoots through my neck as he places the gun barrel deeper into the side of my head.

“Okay, okay...” Eli says as he puts both hands in the air and then slowly sets the gun on the floor. “Just let her go and you can do whatever you want to me.” The pain in his eyes as he stares at me is almost unbearable to witness.

“No, Eli!” I cry. “Please, go.” I plead harder now, sobs escaping my bruised and dehydrated lips.

“Slide your fucking gun over to me...now!” Jasper yells as Eli skates the gun across the floor. “Good boy. Now get on your fucking knees.” I sob as I watch him obey, his gaze never leaving mine. A kind of peace is in them, as if he knows what is coming.

“Kill me! Kill me!” I scream while sobbing as I thrust my body into the chair, trying to break the restraints. I feel it, a blow to the side of my head that leaves a wound starting to send warm liquid down my ear. My ears are ringing so loud it makes me dizzy. The world is starting to spin around me. Everything blurs.

“Brooklyn!” I hear my name in the distance. I start to come around as I see Jasper laughing, the gun has a tint of my blood on the handle.

“Please, let her go,” he begs, tears streaming down his beautiful face. “I will give you anything. I will give you my life.” His eyes plead with the devil that stands in front of him. Jasper pouts at him and gestures with his hand.

“Now, why would I only take one life, when I can have two?” He laughs loudly, sending shivers up my spine. Looking back at Eli, our eyes meet again. I can see it now. The acceptance of what has tied our fates together.

The regret he holds in that stare. The pain of goodbye. There is no happy ending. It ends right here, right now. The love story we would never truly know. Time has finally run out.

“Brooklyn...” he starts as my eyes fill over with tears, “Listen to me. I love you. You hear me?” My sobs have my whole body shaking.

“No, Eli.” I cry as he continues.

“You have made me believe that I am worth loving. That by you loving me, I was the luckiest man alive.” I can hear Jasper mumble the word pathetic under his breath while he signals with his gun to hurry up.

“You saved me, and you didn’t even know it, baby girl.” Tears stream as his breathing starts to tremble. “My happiest days were having you by my side and I want to thank you for that. Thank you for loving me.” I let out a gasping sob as I lower my chest to my thighs.

“Look at me, Brook,” he says as I glance slowly back up at him.

“I love you,” I say through my sobs, looking deeply into his eyes. His sorrowful glance says it back.

“Now, close your eyes.” I hear Jasper let out an agitated breath as I feel the gun leave my temple...as Jasper’s body turns towards Eli, the gun aimed directly at him. Tilting his head back and spreading his arms out wide, he closes his eyes and smiles.

BANG!

I heard his body hit the floor, knocking the breath out of me, my ears ringing so loud that it nearly numbs my mind.

“Eli!” I screamed, trying to look around and see where his body lay. That’s when I see him. His lifeless body on the floor. Arms stretched out to either side. Jasper lets out a loud laugh as he walks toward Eli’s body.

“It’s too bad, Eli. Such a waste. I was going to make you watch me ruin your pretty little toy. But you had to keep fucking talking and whining. Pathetic!” He bends down, putting a hand on Eli’s chest, but then quickly notices there is no blood.

“What the fuck?” Shock rings from his voice. Before he has time to stand up, Eli shoots up, launching a knife from inside his sleeve into Jasper’s neck.

Jasper’s gun drops as Eli holds his head and the knife in place. Eli screams with rage as he stares into Jasper’s eyes. Ripping the blade out, Jasper falls to his knees, his hands trying to grip at the gushing wounds that are pouring from his gaping neck. Eli stands up and then kicks him down with so much force, Jasper’s head slams into the concrete floor.

Eli looks down at him, twisting the blade around in his hand. “Always shoot for the head you mother fucker.” He takes the knife and stabs Jasper directly into his scrotum.

Jasper’s blood gurgles out of his mouth as his eyes go wide with pain, he tries to scream. He slams the knife repeatedly into his groin, until all that is left is a mangled mess. Then, Eli takes the knife and runs it from the top of Jasper's neck to his navel, letting the blade slice through his blood-soaked flesh, like a knife cutting through butter.

He stabs without mercy into Jasper's internal organs, red mist flying off his crimson stained blade. His once clean face, now covered in blood.

He continues, stabbing and stabbing, until Jasper’s body no longer moves, his insides falling out. Eli is gone. Gone within his rage-induced psychosis. I hear Dane and Jenny’s voice in the distance and then see them come running in from the side door within minutes. Dane runs to Eli and tries to pull him off, but Eli just continues to stab and stab.

“He’s dead! Eli, stop!” But nothing can break his craze. Jenny rushed over to me, took the knife she was holding and cut off my restraints. I hurl myself out of the chair, almost falling over and run towards Eli, quickly moving past Dane before he can stop me.

Meeting Eli’s darkened gaze, I threw myself into his lips, my body forcing him away from his mental prison. That’s when I hear the blade drop to the floor and his blood-soaked hands on my face, kissing me back deeply. Everything blurs out around us. Time starts to slow. As if in this moment we are the only two people left in this beautifully destroyed world.

We lay there kissing frantically for what seems like forever. He then pulls his lips from mine and starts to inspect my face, tears streaming from his now soft gray eyes again.

“Oh, Brook. What have they done to you?” He questions as he kisses every part of my swollen and cut face. He is gentle with his lips to try and not cause me any further pain. “I am so sorry, baby girl. I will never forgive myself for what they fucking did to you!” He wails as he pulls my aching body closer to him.

I place my hands on his face, bringing his eyes to meet mine. “This is not your fault, Eli. Don’t you ever put blame on yourself because of some fucking psycho.” I bring my lips to his salty tears, kissing them while I wipe them away.

“You are the only reason I could get through this. I thought about you and that took away some of the pain.” He lets out a loud groan as he takes me into his arms again, pain and exhaustion coating his low growl.

I see Jenny out of the corner of my eye, staring at me in shock, her face as white as a ghost. Tears are rolling down her gaunt skin. Once my eyes meet hers, I break even more. I throw my arms out towards her, like a child would to their sister, as she leaps into mine.

“Hey, babe,” she cries into my shoulder, wrapping her hands around the back of my head. I feel her start to brush my hair through her delicate fingers. I cry deeply in her embrace.

“Shhh, everything is alright now, you are safe.” She holds me tightly while I come undone and wrap my legs around her waist. Our bodies stay intertwined around one another in a perfect mold until I pass out from extreme exhaustion and fall asleep in her arms.