Unexpected Twist
The following week passes the same, and every night I push my mind to a place that makes me feel happy and safe, blocking out the feel of his hands on me. It works, he believes I want him to touch me, but in my mind I see Jasper.
Every day he has given me more freedom, but he has a look that I can’t work out. Every time we’re sat together he is looking at me like he’s waiting for something. Two months, and that look seems to stay, and I don’t know what he wants from me.
I don’t want to assume and do something and him lock me back up. again. Yet everytime I see him, see that look, I panic. I want to ask him. about it, but fear has me crippled. We’re sat eating, and for a change I‘ m not chained down, today is the first day he hasn’t tied me down. once. I know though, one wrong move, and I’m back to the bedroom with that damn collar on.
“Harl.” His word causes me to look up at him, and he looks at me disapprovingly.
I feel panic rise in me. “I’m sorry, whatever I did I’m sorry.” I can’t go back in that room for months.
“I thought you were just pretending not to know, but you really don’t fucking know do you?” He shouts and I stand, stepping away from the table. I don’t know what to say as I don’t know what I’ve done wrong
this time.
I’ve done everything, stayed away from the door, not looked in places I
shouldn’t.
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“I’m sorry, if you tell me I can fix it and not do it again.” He stands and walks to me, standing ahead of me.
“It’s too late for that.” His hand swings and hits me and I fall to the floor, what did I do? I look around myself feeling confused.
“Please, Joel, I’m sorry!” He hasn’t hit since I first got back here.
“You’re fucking pregnant!”
I freeze at his words, my head shaking. No, I can’t be. I can’t be. I sit staring at him feeling the tears in my eyes. I go to speak and he stops.
me.
“It was bad enough knowing he touched you, but you were really that disgusting you used no protection? What were the rules for when someone else touched you?” Shit. I stay on the floor, he’s right. I’ve been here two months, I was at my dads for nearly a month.
“I’m going to be sick.” Moving I run to the bathroom and throw up. Now what? I feel panic building in me as I cry, now what do I do? This is it, my way of escaping, surely he has to let me go to the doctors or something?
Maybe that is how I can escape? I smile to myself, it’s Jaspers baby, part of me warms up knowing that everything we went through isn’t gone. I hear him behind me, and compose myself. If I act happy he will lock me up, so as much as I don’t want to, I have to act like I’m unhappy.
Moving I sit back and he stands staring at me, the tears stream down. my cheek.
“I’m sorry for hitting you little mouse, I promised this time would be different. I’m angry you forgot the rules, you know getting pregnant
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makes things so much harder. For years you were with me and others without getting pregnant, now I have that thing to sort, go to bed.” He turns and walks out, staying on the toilet floor, I stroke my stomach.
I need to fight to escape, before the baby is due. Standing I walk through to the bedroom and get in bed, lying down I stay quiet and consider things. If he refuses to let me go to a doctor then what? He will want me working soon, so I need to keep convincing him I love him and want to be here.
Waking up I walk through and he is on the phone. I sit and be quiet, listening to his conversation.
“How much?” He looks at me as he talks. Clearly he is listening to their reply.
“Do they know the full details? They understand no one can know where they got it?” I listen trying to work out what he is talking about.
“I don’t know, and I can’t find out. That is the issue. Anywhere from two to three months. I can’t get anyone to check, so make them aware we don’t have a due date.”
Wait, I look at him shocked, he’s on about the baby.
“Right, let me know.” Hanging up he walks to me. “It’s solved.”
“What do you mean it’s solved?”
“I mean someone is buying it. You have the thing and it’s sold. I’m going to find someone I can trust to be here when you have the baby ast you’re not going to the hospital.” Shit, I nod, not wanting to talk in case I freak out and call him names. He looks tired, and I know why.
“Find me a job you’re comfortable with me doing. You can’t keep
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Unexpected Twist
working so much.” I try to make it sound like I care but really I don’t. “Even if it’s working from here, I should be helping with money.” He looks at me and considers something.
“I already have something set up. When I agree though Harl, you work out back. Most people there I know. It’s Jake’s place, so they know you shouldn’t leave or speak to anyone.”
I stare at him and panic, my head shaking.
“He knows you’re not to be touched. He swears you won’t be. You will be working at the back of the shop, sometimes on the floor, but mostly at the back. Agree?” He stands waiting and I nod.
As much as I don’t want Jake near me, I have to. Maybe if I behave. with Jake he will let me work somewhere else? Maybe Jake will be that much of a perv he will mess up and I can escape?
“I’m fine with it, I just didn’t want him touching me when you don’t want anyone to.”
“Give it a month, I need to be sure Harl.
“Thank you.” Nodding I cuddle against him and steady my breathing. I need to do this, I need to get out quicker than before for the baby, so no matter what he requests I will do it, without hesitation going forward.
I couldn’t save Jasper, but I can save his child, I will, for him.
The next week goes by quietly, and I can see Joel is frustrated. I have understood his calls, he is hoping to sell the baby and make money that way. The issue is, no one is willing to agree without knowing when I am due.
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Unexpected Twist
It means he either has to let me see a doctor or accept that we will have the baby for a short while after she’s born. Which he hates the idea of Today I start work, and while part of me wants to try escape today I won’t.
Neither Joel or Jake are fools, they will be watching and expecting it. So I will work, and behave for a few weeks. Then I know for sure Joel won’t be sat outside waiting to see if I try and run. I want to ask him about the baby, and if he will let me go to the doctor, but I can see he’s on edge over it.
A few times this week I have had my hand resting on my stomach, without even realising and he has shouted at me for it. Reminding me the baby isn’t mine, and never was. I know I need to be more careful, if he sees me doing it too much or looking happy he will lock me up again.
He stands by the door looking at me, walking to him, he places his hand on my back. “If anyone speaks, what do you do?” He looks at me.
“Smile, say hello, tell them I’m in a rush.” No one in the apartments will, so I don’t understand why he is so worried over it. He opens the door and leads me out to the car, keeping his hand on my lower back. I sit quietly as he drives and before long he stops outside the store.
“Right, no speaking to workers or customers. You work, and stay inside. You don’t try to go out at all.” I nod in agreement and he gets out and walks me in. I watch as Jake turns and smiles, my body shaking, maybe this isn’t a good idea?
“Where do you want her?” Joel looks at him, and Jake points through the back. Walking through Joel explains the rules to me again before. leaving and warning me he will be watching. I nod and do the work, every now and then I glance around but even I can tell the workers are
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Unexpected Twist
women like me.
Their eyes stay down, and they don’t speak. So I can’t use the workers as a way to escape as they won’t even look at me if I was to speak. I carry on working, and look at my surroundings. The door is chained, so the only escape is the front of the store. Maybe there is a window in the toilets? I consider that way but I know Jake, the toilets won’t have a window and if they do it will be boarded up.
“Well, it’s a pleasant surprise to see you.” I freeze hearing Jake, his hand strokes along my back and I fight back swearing at him. If I kick off on day one Joel won’t ever let me out. Sucking in a breath I stand up straight.
“Nice to see you again Jake.” My words sound cold and he laughs.
“It sure will be little mouse.” He leans closer his mouth against my ear. “Soon, not today, but very, very soon.” I don’t move as I feel he stand and walk away, and I fight back tears. He can’t touch me, but I have a feeling if I tell Joel he plans to Joel won’t let me work.
I spend the day working, and Jake watches me, constantly. I know he’s planning his move in his head, but I can’t do anything about it. I continue to work and see Joel walk through and wave to me, standing he talks to Jake and as I reach them, he pulls me out.
Sitting in the car he stays quiet, and I wonder if I have done something wrong again? He looks pissed off.
“Is everything okay Joel?”
“Yes! Just fucking idiots coming to the apartment.” I turn and look at him confused.
“Who?”
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“No one that matters to you, forget about it little mouse. If they don’t stop, we will move.” Wait no, I stare at him, we can’t move. It means. back the start again, me chained up like a fucking dog until he knows I won’t make noise and alert the neighbours.
“I don’t want to move Joel, we shouldn’t need to leave our place.” I sit looking at him, turning he smiles.
“Little mouse I doubt we will, they will get the message soon enough and realise it’s a waste of time coming.” He leans over and kisses my check, and I relax. A new place isn’t good, I know the area where we live, I know the places to hide.
Getting home, I cook, and he watches my every move. I’m not stupid. enough to kill him. He makes me stand in the corner while he hides the key every day, so until I know where he hides it he’s safe. After cooking we sit and eat, and I hear the knocking. I watch him stand and send me through to the bedroom.
“One noise, and you will be tied back down. It’s Jake and his friend, move.” He stands and watches as I walk through to the bedroom. Shutting the door I stand and listen, but everything is muffled. I want to open the door, but if it’s Jake and Joel isn’t lying it will piss him off and that’s the last thing I want if Jake is here. I hear the door close and lock and him moving, stepping back I sit on the bed and wait, watching as the door opens.
He looks pissed off, more than before. “You’re working early
tomorrow, so get some sleep.” He looks at me, and I stand walking through to the room we share, getting changed I climb into bed and wait for him, but he doesn’t come.
I feel myself relaxing as I fall asleep.