Page 84 of Sadistic Retribution

I race out to the front door, looking frantically for my dad’s car keys. I spy them tossed on the side table, so I snatch themup, and hustle out the door, rocking Cynthia to try and comfort her.

I wrench open the rusty door on my dad’s old, beat-up sedan, strapping her into the car seat I got her from a garage sale. Then I jump into the driver’s seat, hesitating. I'm only thirteen. Driving can’t be that hard, though, right?

I start the car and attempt to adjust the seats and mirrors. Before I can put it in drive, though, there’s a knock on the window.

Our neighbor down the road is looking in at me. He's a nice guy. He's older, in his sixties maybe.

I roll the window down, and he frowns when he sees Cynthia in the backseat, and my parents nowhere in sight. “Is everything okay, son?”

“Um, well, my sister is sick or something. She's really hot. I'm taking her to the hospital.”

“Where are your parents?”

“Well, inside but they’re... passed out. I couldn’t wake them up.”

“How old are you, son?”

I look down, then back at him. “Thirteen...”

“Oh my,” he exclaims. “Why don’t you let me take a look at her? I have a lot of experience as a father and grandfather.”

I nod, opening the door and moving to get Cynthia out of her car seat. I pass her to him. He feels her head, and asks me, “Has she been coughing or sneezing? Runny nose? Diarrhea?”

“I don’t think so. She woke up crying like this.”

“Alright. It's perfectly normal for small children to develop fevers sometimes. I have some things at the house that will fix her right up.”

“I appreciate that, thanks.”

He walks quickly back to his house, and I wait right where I am, holding a still crying Cynthia.

He comes back, his arms loaded with supplies. He hands me the bag he put everything in. “I wrote down directions for the medicine I put in there. Make sure you give it to her every four hours until the fever is gone.”

“Okay.”

“There’s also food, water, and juice for the little one in there too. Just keep her fed, hydrated, and comfortable. If she gets worse, let me know, and I’ll take you both to the hospital.”

“I will, thank you so much!”

I turn to go back inside, grateful for his help. Raising my sister is hard, but I’ll never stop taking care of her. She needs me. I'm all she’s got. I love her more than anything.

Chapter 29

Phoenyxx

I stripdown to my bra and panties once locked inside my room. My body needs sleep. I've been ignoring it, letting the adrenaline-filled rage push me forward. Now, though, my body is loudly demanding it.

I slip under the covers, letting my limbs relax. After a few even breaths I close my eyes. Images flash behind them, but I still manage to fall asleep within a few minutes.

I strain to see who the new person is who came in is, seeing a lone figure in a hoodie. The people here are too busy “celebrating” with each other to notice the new person, as they writhe all over each other—naked. The hoodie-wearing person brandishes something shiny. I gasp when I realize it’s a gun.

It's pointed at the others. A low voice orders, “Move back! Don't make one move!” It’s the man. What's he doing here, and why pull a gun on these awful people?

The people don’t even seem to hear him. They put on loud music, and moans fill the air.

He turns to me, keeping his head down. It's so dark, I can’t make out much, anyway. “Let’s get you down,” he whispers, attempting to console me with his voice.

He reaches up, loosening my restraints. He lifts me easily in his arms, carrying me outside. He walks with me a couple of blocks. There's a car idling there, and he brings me in that direction.