Page 42 of Like An Animal

THE GHOST

Five Years Ago…

“ B ron, where the hell are you going?” Xavi sticks his head out the door, quickly followed by Jer, and I can’t help laughing about how not only Jeremy but all of his friends tend to track my movements. It gets irritating in public settings, but not now. It’s adorable.

“I’m just walking to the store. I’ll be back in a few.”

“You can’t leave while we’re practicing. You’re our lucky charm,” Xavi complains while pouting.

I cackle. “That only counts when you’re performing, not practicing. You can practice without me just fine.”

Xavi groans. “Fine. Bring me back a Pepsi!”

“Get your own Pepsi!” I flip him off and he blows me a kiss before dragging Jeremy back in the house.

“Come back quick!” Jer calls through the door and I slowly shake my head.

Normally, he wouldn’t let me walk to the store by myself, but he has grown a lot lately on letting me do things.

Sometimes it's just as simple as going to the library without him and he picks me up when I’m done.

Other times, he lets me stand in the crowd at a show with no bodyguards.

In those cases, it’s always that I have to stand at the front, but progress doesn’t equal perfection.

I know he’s just worried about me and that makes it okay.

I walk down the street and turn the corner, heading in the direction of the store. I can see the sign for the Circle K up the street, but that stops being my focus when I hear the distinct sound of tires screeching. My body snaps around at the sound, but it’s too late.

A man in all black and a mask over his face shoves me to the ground, the back of my head slamming into the concrete. I don’t even have a moment to fully understand what is happening before everything goes black.

I’m yanked from unconsciousness by ice cold water soaking through my clothes to my warm skin.

I scream from the shock as my eyes are thrown open.

My teeth chatter from the sudden chill as I take in my surroundings, all warmth below the top layer of my flesh dissipates when I realize exactly where I am.

No, no, no.

It can’t be, but it is.

I’m in the compound Jeremy’s protection has kept me from for the past four years. Jeremy has kept my father away from me, which means he hasn’t been able to bring me to the worst place on Earth.

The stone floors, aged wood table in front of me, and the theatrical stage to my left is enough to tell me exactly where I am. This is the place where my worst nightmares came to life.

“Welcome back to the land of the living, Mary Elizabeth.”

My blood runs cold as I look to my right and find the man I hate more than my sperm donor–Father Isaac.

His real name is Isaac Horner. He’s a top federal judge in Harris County.

He is also the most sadistic and bloodthirsty of all of The Fathers of Jephthah.

He likes to make the children bleed and cry for mercy then he makes the torment ten times worse.

He is the most evil bastard I’ve ever met and that says a lot considering where I come from.

“Father Isaac,” I greet him as expected. My previous training comes out now because of where I have found myself. “Always a pleasure.”

“The pleasure is all mine, Mary Elizabeth.”

They always give the kids a new name at initiation, one that they feel is fitting for the place they expect the child to take once they reach adulthood.

I’m an adult now so what could he possibly want from me?

“May I ask the reason behind such an improper…invitation?” As children, we are taught to speak "properly" as they call it. And, by properly, I mean like we’re back in the 1800’s.

“I believe you know. You have been neglecting your duties and Father David has been allowing you to do so.”

My heart races in my chest. “Apologies. I’ve been busy.”

His hand suddenly slams down on the table before his face snaps down to my ear. He screams, “For four fucking years!”

My insides recoil and I try my best to fight the automatic response.

“I’m sorry,” I apologize though I’m not sorry at all.

“Don’t worry, child.” He gently runs his hand over my head. “It’s not your fault. This is a lacking of Father David’s parenting style. You have no control over that, do you?”

I don’t want his hand on a single strand of my hair. I don’t want to even be on the same planet as him. If I could put that big of a separation between us, I would.

“No, Father Isaac.” Tears linger in my eyes, wondering what kind of torment he will put me through. My arms are bound to the chair as well as my legs. I can’t move anything other than my head.

“There, there. Don’t worry about a thing.

You’ll be just fine.” He pats my head one last time before pulling away.

“See, we have a problem we need you to fix to prove your loyalty to us. You see, child, Father David has been taking more than his share in the last four years. He has not brought you to our regular meetings, but still takes what he wishes. That can’t be tolerated.

The Fathers and Mothers have come to a decision concerning Father David.

Him and his wife need to be disposed of. ”

I would gladly kill David and Kathy any day considering what both of them have taken from me and Jeremy, but what I don’t understand is why The Fathers want Kathy dead, too?

“Kathy?” I don’t know who else he could be referring to. “Why?”

“Because it has been decided. If she is still alive, no one would believe your step relative is responsible.”

The dots start to click and horror fills me.

“What? I’m not going to frame Jeremy for murder. Are you crazy?!”

Before I have fully said the last word, a stiff hand strikes my face, throwing my head back.

Jeremy Borza is one subject I don’t play around with. I love him. I would never betray him. Plus, we’re going to be moving across the country in a few weeks, far away from any of this. I’ll be outside of The Fathers reach.

“You will do as you are told!” he screams, but my backbone kicks in.

I love Jeremy. He’s everything to me. There is no me without him.

I won’t destroy him like that.

“I will not!”

Another hard slap comes, but I barely feel it from the determination coursing through my body.

I would never screw Jeremy over like that.

“Bring her in!” Isaac yells and the door behind him bursts open. One of the men wearing a cloak with his face covered in a white mask walks in while dragging a blonde woman in only wearing her underwear. The cloaked figure throws her to the ground and she screams.

“What do you want from me?!”

My eyes widen when I realize who it is.

“Missy?”

She lifts her head and I get a good look at her face, her makeup smeared all over the place.

“Bronwyn?”

We haven’t been friends for two years now, but I still care about her. Clearly, they kidnapped her to use her to convince me to do their dirty work.

However, if the choice comes down to Missy or Jeremy, the choice remains the same. I will always choose Jeremy.

Missy was a shitty friend, but she doesn’t deserve whatever they have planned for her.

“Run, Missy!” I yell before Isaac slaps me again.

She tries to get up, but with her hands bound behind her back, she’s not quick enough. The cloaked man grabs her and drags her to her feet. Her breasts and stomach are covered in scrapes and bruises as if they tortured her before bringing her in here.

These people are fucking evil.

The masked man shoves her against the table, holding her down by her bound hands.

“Bron, are you okay?” she asks as tears come to my eyes.

“I’m okay. I’m so sorry you got dragged into this.” Missy’s eyes narrow with confusion.

Turns out, The Fathers have been watching me longer than I thought. They have been watching me long enough that they know Missy was my best friend. Key word, was.

“So, what will it be? Will you save Miss Missy here or are you going to continue to defy me?” Isaac rasps in my ear as I beg Missy for forgiveness with my eyes.

There is no other option. I know that I will be haunted by this for the rest of my life. I will be haunted by whatever they are going to do to her because though I know they are the ones making the decisions, a part of me will always know this is my fault.

“I won’t.” The words come out as a whisper before I slam my eyes shut.

“Do it, Father Matthew,” Isaac says before grabbing my chin, shaking my face. “Open your eyes and watch or I will remove your eyelids myself. Watch what you have done.”

Tears fill my eyes as I force them open and Isaac holds my head in place.

I am forced to watch as Missy screams, trying to break away from the hold that Father Matthew has on her.

He uses a knife to cut away her underwear, slicing into her leg.

Blood flows down her body as he forces her legs open and he proceeds to violently rape her.

Tears flow down my face as Missy begs me to make it stop, but I can’t. Even if I conceded now, they wouldn’t stop. They would use her to show me what happens when I defy them.

Father Matthew uses the knife to stab her in the side as he continues his assault.

He stabs her again and again. I am forced to watch the life slowly leave her eyes until she stops moving, stops breathing.

Even when she’s dead, Father Matthew doesn’t stop assaulting her body.

He keeps abusing her and there’s nothing I can do to make him stop.

I’m so sorry, Missy. You didn’t deserve to die like this.

It’s not the first time I’ve seen them kill someone. I’ve lost count of the number of children I’ve watched die in this place, but it's never been an intentional death. It was always a death caused by trauma.

The body of a child can only take so much before it gives out. It almost happened to me a few times.

I swear, one day I’m going to destroy this cult from the inside out.

“Where is your defiance now, Mary Elizabeth?” Isaac taunts me, but my heart feels like it's dying from what I just witnessed.

“Fuck you.”

Someone else should’ve bombed this place a long time ago.

“Hmm. That’s too bad. I guess we have to move onto our next plan of action.”

Does that mean they’re going to let me go? It’s doubtful, but that’s what it sounds like.

Isaac looks to Father Matthew, who is busy fixing his pants. “Are they in position?”

Matthew reaches into his cloak and pulls out his phone before saying, “Yes, Father Isaac. They have the Borza boy in their sights.”

“No!” I scream, fighting the ropes burning against my wrist. “You leave Jeremy out of this!”

“Oh, what do you know? Mary Elizabeth does have a weak spot. How about we watch him die together?”

Isaac pulls out his phone and puts it in my face, showing off a view of Jeremy, Xavi, and Massimo standing in Xavi’s garage. Massimo hands Jeremy a beer bottle as tears fill my eyes.

Then, a red dot appears on Jeremy’s temple.

No, no, no.

“Here it comes,” Isaac whispers in my ear and I fucking break.

“I’ll do it!” A sob falls from my lips. “I’ll do it but only if he’s alive.”

“Call them off,” Isaac instructs Matthew and I listen to him call someone, ordering them not to hurt Jeremy. Then, the red dot disappears from Jeremy’s temple.

I sob so fucking hard I swear my throat must be bleeding. I can’t cope with the thought that they almost killed Jeremy because of me…and he has no idea of how much danger his involvement with me has put him in.