Chapter Twenty

Warning: implied abuse

< Nina >

“C-could you get him, please?”

“Daddy says not to interrupt them when they are in the basement.”

“P-please, Rupert,” I start begging, as my whole body trembles. “I-it’s important!”

“But daddy will get mad at me, too. And Gene deserves it because he didn’t—”

“School work!” I suddenly exclaimed as this idea just came spur of the moment. “I need your brother because of school work! We have a school project coming up for tomorrow! Your dad won’t mind if I borrow him, right?”

There is a slight hesitation from the other line and I know that I am actually pressuring a seven-year-old kid to do my bidding. But Gene’s safety matters first.

Finally, he says, “Okay, I’ll tell daddy.”

“Thank you!” And I smile in relief.

Then I hear a soft thud of the phone being dropped on something concrete. Sounds of footsteps become distant while Rupert’s voice calls out for his father until it disappears.

All I need to do is wait.

But…

How come Gene is back in the basement? The