Too Many Secrets

Chapter 18

Why does math have to be so hard? I think to myself slamming my textbook shut. I think mom might be downstairs. She was always better at geometry than I am. I walk out of my tiny room and the plush carpet beneath my feet is now replaced by a hardwood floor. I look in the kitchen and no one is home. Right as I was about to go back to my room I saw the basement door slightly open. Not a good sign. There is a small window at the top of the door and my curiosity gets the better of me. I stand on my tippy toes to see what is going on in the basement. Nick and a bunch of other men are down there drinking and laughing loudly. I wonder why I didn't hear it before. I turn around to leave the small kitchen and as I'm about to I stub my toe on the bottom of the refrigerator. Dang, it.

"Ow," I hiss softly under my breath.

"What was that sound," I heard a voice from the basement.

Oh crap. That's not good. I sprint back to my room, hoping they will just forget about the sound after seeing no one in the kitchen.

"Is there someone else in the house, Nick?" another loud, manly voice says.

"It must be her daughter. I forgot about her," Nick answers.

"Bring her down. We can have some fun with her," the voice says.

I bring my knees to my chest and cover my mouth so I don't breathe so loudly. My whole body begins to shake. The familiar wetness in my eyes tries to return but I squeeze my eyes shut. I try making myself as small as possible hoping that by some miracle Nick won't see me.

The door bursts open and it slams against the wall. That must have left an indent for sure. I snuggle closer to the floor. Maybe he'll lose his train of thought and forget what he is looking for. It's happened before, surprisingly, because the only liquid this man puts in his body is alcohol.

"I know you're in here," he yells through his teeth. I can just imagine little spit particles leaving his disgusting mouth.

I hear the door close. He's gone. I did it. Just as I am about to let my hand fall from my mouth a hand comes out of nowhere and grips a chunk of my hair with an iron tight grip. A wave of nausea runs through my body from the pain.

"I got her," he yells to the crowd of men waiting outside my door. Weird. I didn't hear them trample up the stairs.

"Let go of me," I spit out at him.

"Wow, she's got a big mouth. Maybe we should teach her a lesson," a big man, who looks double the size of Nick, says. He is super tall and has gigantic muscles. He is completely bald and wearing a flannel shirt with no sleeves.

"Down you go," Nick says, pushing me down the stairs. I stumble over his feet and end up falling down the entire staircase. I can already feel the bruising.

"Get up and stand on the coffee table," Nick instructs me.

I know better than to say no so I oblige. Picking myself off the floor took enough effort as it is but him kicking me made it that much harder.

"I said get up," he yells louder.

I finally am on my feet and I make my way over to the coffee table. I look back and stare directly into his dark brown eyes. I see his facial expressions change from angry to angrier. I pick up my right leg and hoist myself onto the abnormally tall table.

"Take off your shirt," a different man says.

They all make their way over to sit on the couch. All their eyes piercing right into my body.