The Dark Places R. Whitfield (read aloud books TXT) 📖

“Worse,” Parker added, “Surin Elliott will.”

36

Surin’s body melted like hot candle wax. She felt relaxed, and her mind was clear and at ease. Slowly, she turned her head to look over at her captor.

“What did you give me?” she slurred, blinking lethargically to maintain focus.

“Oh, just a little something to help you calm down so we can talk.” He smiled, and she realised for the first time since he took her, that there was light. Her mind started whirring like a big computer, wanting her to take everything in, the room, his features, his clothing, but her body did not comply. A solitary pillar candle flickered on the table beside her, casting a lonely silhouette. It allowed her to catch a glimpse of his face, an image distorted by a million dancing shadows.

“Do you recognise me, Surin?” he asked, flashing a grin that appeared to stretch across his entire face like a psychotic clown.

“No,” she replied honestly.

“I wouldn’t expect you to,” he said, but she caught the fleeting tone of disappointment in his voice. “You haven’t changed a bit since high school,” he continued. “So pretty. Eamon was a lucky guy.”

Surin swallowed back bile as nausea again swept through her. “I’m going to be sick,” she stammered, pressing her mouth into her shoulder.

“No, you will not,” he warned. “I want to tell you about Eamon, then you and I are going to have some fun.”

A tear escaped from Surin’s eye and rolled down her cheek.

“I have waited a long time for this,” he said and bent down, kissing her gently.

“Those girls,” she choked out, turning her head away. “Why?” Even she hated how pathetic she sounded.

“Why?” he asked. “Because they were you, but they weren’t you.” He smiled, holding his hands out. “They weren’t even close,” he added and sighed. “Honestly, I thought that looking like you would be enough, but it wasn’t.” He stood up, and the bed creaked in response. “Don’t get me wrong, we had some fun, my girls and me, but then it got old, it got old really quickly.”

Surin’s stomach rolled at the notion that all those young girls had died, and died violently, because of her. All of a sudden, his face was up against her neck, his wet lips brushing her ear as he spoke.

“I was there, Surin, you know that now, don’t you?” he whispered.

She nodded in response, willing him to stop.

“I saw you. I watched you give yourself to him.”

Surin sobbed and closed her eyes.

“At first, you were so open to it, begging for it if you don’t mind me saying.” He chuckled. “Then, ultimate pleasure suddenly gave way to absolute fear.” He let out a whoosh as air passed through his lips. “It was a marvellous vision to behold, one I have not been able to replicate, unfortunately.” He stood up again and walked towards what looked like a wooden chair. “Actually,” he laughed, dragging the chair closer, “I got close recently. I didn’t expect it, and it didn’t end well for her.” He sat and crossed his legs. “Poor Lucy.”

Surin cringed at the thought of another life lost so senselessly. He leaned in and brushed a strand of loose, straggly hair from her face. “I want you to know that it won’t be like that with you.” She tried to stifle her sobs as he continued. “I am going to keep you, Surin, for as long as I can.” He started stroking her arm. “I am going to own you, do you understand what that means?” he asked genuinely. She didn’t move. “It means I am going to fuck you, body, mind and soul, over and over again, until you like it.”

Surin could no longer hold in the fear she felt and began to shake, hating herself for showing such weakness.

“Not just like it, Surin, you will beg me for it just like you did with him.”

Surin shook her head from side to side, suddenly angry. “I will never beg you for anything, you piece of shit, ever!” she spat out.

He smiled and grabbed her chin roughly. “By the time I’m finished with you, trust me, you will beg, they always do.” He released her abruptly and sat back down.

“Eamon,” he started, his tone changing once again, “was a total fucking mess when you didn’t show up graduation day.”

Surin didn’t want to hear any of this. She squinted, her eyes shut, trying to block out his voice.

“He was so worried about you, he thought you had been hurt, but your parents told him you had just decided to leave for college early. Well, he was gutted, to put it mildly.”

As he spoke, Surin noticed her mind was gradually starting to clear like fog off a windshield. She prayed he wouldn’t notice.

“He pleaded with them to tell him where you were, but they were pretty adamant.”

Surin’s parents had told her none of this. She began to feel a foreboding sense of guilt build in the base of her stomach.

“Then the drinking started. He hit it hard.” He chuckled. “It made what happened next so easy.” He rubbed his palms together dramatically. “I approached him in a bar, he didn’t know who I was, just some waste-of-space kid I guess, but when I mentioned your name” — he raised his hands in the air theatrically — “woohoo! He became my best buddy.”

“Why are you doing this?” Surin asked, not wanting to hear any more.

“How predictable,” he replied, rolling his eyes. “Just like the movies. ‘Why, please don’t hurt me,’” he mocked. “You’re becoming a bit of a disappointing cliché, Surin,” he said, his voice switching from calm to slightly crazed. He stood up and towered over her. She estimated that he was six-foot tall at least, very well built and strong. “Isn’t it clear