Page 6 of Vengeance of Childhood Proportions (Till Death Do Us Part #7)

Five of the fifteen now graced my bunker with their presence. It had taken time, effort, and sheer luck to get them here. They were the five who had moved out of state. I was kind enough to bring them home.

Christopher was the furthest, so he was the first to be imprisoned. Through a series of cameras, I was able to watch the fear and recognition adorn his face as each new person was added to the cells. After the third one on my list was added, I knew he’d put it together. He knew why he was here.

He just didn’t understand how or who.

I let them stay there for days without contact.

Inside each cell was a single bedroll, wool blanket, and pillow.

They were left in their underwear and, in Amber’s case, her bra.

There was no privacy in the cells, so they had to use the stainless steel toilets in front of their former friends.

I found it odd how none of them had stayed in contact with each other over the years.

Other than on social media, none of them had remained friends.

Was that a product of their guilt perhaps?

Unlike at the club, I did not care if they saw my face down here. I wore no disguises, no mask. I wanted them to see. Wanted them to understand. Down in the bunker, there were no more secrets.

All would soon be revealed.

I descended the stairs. Amber was in the first cell on my left.

She had her wool blanket wrapped around her like a toga.

Her dyed blonde hair was disheveled and greasy.

Her eyebrows drew down when she saw me, but there was no recognition on her face.

Was she so self-absorbed she didn’t even recognize me from her wedding, if not from high school?

I moved on. All the prison cells were on the left of the large bunker.

Jason’s father had been a doomsday prepper and had purchased the underground bunker and surrounding land just before he’d died of a heart attack.

Poor bastard never even started working on it, but he had been paranoid enough to purchase the land in his stepfather’s name so there was no direct connection to himself and therefore no connection to Jason.

It was perfect for what I needed.

Up next was John. He was passed out cold, having spent the night before trying to kick his way through the clear cell walls.

The polycarbonate held true, even when he tried to run headlong into it and smash through like a cartoon.

I’d laughed myself silly as I watched from the comfort of my apartment in town.

Now that my prisoners were down here, Jason and I had moved out.

We would be spending enough time in the bunker exacting my revenge that we did not need to sleep here too.

Plus, I didn’t think I could sleep with my prisoners only feet away from me. I’d have to completely incapacitate them and I refused to do that.

Sam and Andy were next. They were sitting against the concrete wall in similar positions, legs drawn up to their chests.

They had been communicating almost nonstop since I’d brought Andy in.

They’d been best friends once. Now, it had been over a decade since they last spoke.

The inch wide holes throughout the wall between them allowed them to communicate without having to shout or lip read.

What did I care if they spoke and caught up on old times?

Then there was Christopher. He’d been here the longest, but I had had no plans on starting with him. Really, I didn’t care who went first. I planned to let them unknowingly choose that fate. Whoever spoke to me first would have the honor.

I wasn’t surprised in the slightest when that was Christopher. He’d always been a pompous ass. I’m sure his current and third wife would agree with me.

“Who the fuck are you?” He came running up against the wall that separated us and slammed his fists against the thick plastic. It didn’t even shake. “Why are we here? Do you know who the fuck I am? Do you know who you’re messing with?”

I knew exactly who I was messing with. He, on the other hand, did not. Not now, anyway. He had no idea what he had created that day in the auditorium. None of them did.

I turned to face his cell fully. He outweighed me by muscle and fat. I remember I used to think he was cute while we were in high school. That was before I learned of the depravity that tainted his soul.

“Empty threats will get you nowhere, Christopher Evan Harrow.” Did he think he’d be able to talk me into opening up his cell? Oops. Sorry. My mistake. You’re free to go.

Yeah, not going to happen.

I stood still, letting him get a good, long look at me.

His eyes narrowed as confusion replaced anger at my presence.

I saw the fight playing out in his mind just then.

Had he been able to move on with his life because he believed I was dead?

Had he forgotten about me? That he was one of six, potentially seven, who had taken something that was meant to be precious and mine ?

It had taken years, but I’d eventually tracked down the videos taken that afternoon.

After Jason and I watched them, I knew not all of the boys had physically raped me.

Though I considered all, regardless of gender, who had been present to be active participants in my assault, some of the boys, like John, had stood back and laughed, recording or taking pictures on their phone.

Andy, Sam, and Christopher had been active participants.

“It can’t be…” Christopher shook his head. “No, no, you’re dead! I know you’re dead.”

I did not confirm nor deny his accusation. What was life without a little whimsy? Let him think a ghost had returned from the dead to torment him.

Others moved to the front of their cells to get a better look at me. They had been speculating for days who had taken them prisoner. John had even offered up the suggestion of alien abduction—which would have been hilarious if I’d thought about that myself. Maybe when it was Roman’s time, I would.

Amber shrieked like a banshee, making me regret not soundproofing the cells.

Jason walked down the stairs then, a ball gag in his hand. All he had to do was hold it up in front of Amber and she snapped her mouth closed. Knowing Jason, he’d fuse it to her skin so she couldn’t remove it.

Christopher gasped when he saw Jason. “Wait, I know you! You were the janitor at our school.” He snapped his fingers as if trying to remember Jason’s name. “Wait…” He did a slow pan towards me. His eyes went comically wide. “You… You were the one who…who found her.”

They were all starting to piece it together.

Good.

I turned to Christopher expectantly and clasped my hands together. A wide smile crept over my face. “Let’s get started.”