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"At anytime you can ask me to stop Stuart will be punished then"

I bite ain I feel his fingers oninto ue I suggest you keep that in" I shake ain, "I will tie it on"

I don’t spit it out Ito be bad I knoill I’ve been punished before

I hear the wind rushing past the paddle before I feel the first strike I scream and bite down on the wooden piece in betweenafter the paddle is gone

I hear the wind again and screa pain rocks me

Tears shoot fro but the rest ofthe botto to cripple ain

Chapter Ten

My feet tingle

I don’t have any choice but to lie on my back on the hard concrete and keep thee, but it’s bittersweet so,noise that at first drove htful to have company I am less alone with the water

The door opens and the tray scrapes along the floor I don’t look As long as I don’t hear the slapping of the shoes against the floor I’ll be okay

What does it ht, I sat at a fire, I’ve eaten and drank and had a bath I laugh and realize it’s alives it back in an echo It feels like there is another person there I stop laughing when I realize there is There alas She has never left h fades but the roo been filled with it

"E deal The dark has whispered my name before

"Em Did they hurt you?"

I frown and look around the room I feel vulnerable on my back now I sit up and wince when my feet touch the floor

"E from the corner across from me It’s so dark I can barely find direction

"It’s me dude Stu" His voice is less of a whisper I roll onto my knees and crawl across the roo behind me

"Where are you?" I put a hand out and feel for him

His hand swipes across my knee in the darkness It feels funny I crawl back toward hih a hole in the wall near the floor Like aI don’t need the sanitizer I need the war him for dear life

"Where’s your phone Em?" He whispers

I shakelot Are you okay? Are you badly hurt?"

He squeezes harder, "They said they want your phone They need to reach him"

I shake my head, "That doesn’t make any sense The ht uy holding us hostage is your boss I sent it and then heard it deliver at the sasense I’m also not sure Stuart is really there I’ve had this before Daydrea I don’t know then Maybe he is the dude Maybe faux hawk is Uncle Daddy Weirdo Eli seeined he was cooler than a douche in sunglasses, in the dark" His voice is weak, but he forces a chuckle

"I’hs, "Em What did you do that could possibly have made this happen?"

My stoain Emalyn’s name pops up in my mind I don’t knohat it ain, "I fight for a living This ain’t no thing Trust ot this I can take pain like it’s nobody’s business" His twang is thick I close rip to his war to each other for a long tiht the open door makes in the h the srab his feet They pull hard I grip to him but his hand slips from mine in a jerk

"I’ll take it I’ll take the punishment Don’t hurt him" I cry out Stuart’s face is beaten and swollen He shakes his head, "Take me" His voice breaks

I slap the concrete, "Take " Stuart looks at ot this" He winks I shake my head, "I did this"

He frowns and looks back at the nore her" They drop his feet and walk out He jumps up and rushes at the door His screams fill the cell but I can barely hear hi heart, is blocking out the sounds, or dulling them at least I start to sob silently when the door to h and grabs for my hand "EM! DON’T DO THIS!" His pleas are desperate

It’s the first time I’ve cried in fear since I was a small child The tears blind me They rip from my eyes so hard and fast that they ht