The Silence That Surrounds: Screams of the Damned

Narrator’s POV:

Sophia’s head hung down against her chest in defeat. Each breath was as painful as the last and her agony in her busted fingers was near unbearable.

She had been hanging in the cage for hours, her mouth dry from the gag that she was forced to wear and her feet tired from standing.

Just as she thought that she might start yelling for help, footsteps were heard walking her way. They were calm but urgent.

“Sophia?” Andros called out, frantically looking around until they stopped at the cage, eyes widening. “Shit, bloody fuck a duck -what the hell? Who did this to you?” He demanded while walking to the cage and throwing it open.

Sophia waited until her gag was discarded before licking her lips.

“Blade – he broke another finger; I need it set.” She rasped, angry tear streaks with current tears running down her face.

He opened his mouth to reply but two more sets of footsteps fell in time with one another, both walking in at the same time.

Blade and Elliott.

Blade’s smile looked like the cat that remorselessly fucked the canary before eating it and didn’t even try to hide that fact. Elliott’s was an expression of disappointment.

“Ms. Stone? I believe we had an understanding, didn’t we?” He questioned with authority, seeing Sophia frown in confusion. He waited for her to answer but when she stayed quiet he just simply shook his head with a sigh and continued. “Blade here told me you were uncooperative and argumentative. He said you were fighting him. Is this true?”

Sophia’s mouth dropped open with each word.

“No! He forced me to give him a blow job, I did. I did it to protect my friends.” Sophia cried, feeling trapped.

Elliott walked closer, making Andros get out of his way as he stepped into the cage.

For a moment they simple stared at one another, challengingly almost.

Without warning, he grabbed her hair and gave it a good yank, his ear by her lips.

“I didn’t ask if you pleasured my men, I asked you if you misbehaved. Now, we already established that you have so make it easier on yourself and be truthful. Say yes and then apologize for disobeying me or your punishment will be more severe.” Elliott snarled, his breath foul with whiskey.

“No! He forced me to -AAH!” Sophia exclaimed, her head jerking down violently.

“APOLOGIZE FOR DISOBEYING ME!” He yelled into her ear, making her flinch.

“I’m not going to apologize for your men who feel it’s appropriate to sexually assault me. If you’re going to kill me, asshat -get it done and over with. Death is just another part – FUCK!” Sophia screamed, Elliott’s quick movement were not seen coming. He had taken Sophia’s last two undamaged fingers and snapped them back briskly – like Blade, they were a clean break.

All five of her fingers were successfully broken, leaving Andros to then step in when she started to scream.

“Sir? Blade forced himself on her, there’s dried cum on her cheek.” Andros observed, pointing to the small pinch of white.

“I don’t care.” Elliott spoke calmly, taking her newly busted fingers and setting them back in place, making no attempt to be gentle.

Once that was done he brought his hand back and let it fling forward, his knuckles making contact with her cheek.

“You will stay how you are until you apologize or until I feel you’ve learned a lesson.” Elliott told her, his voice raising over her crying.

“I need to sit down, my feet won’t last much longer.” Sophia tried to say but it came out in a yell from the pain coursing through her body like an electric shock.

“Tough. You will get nothing. No more pain medicine, no more special treatment. I told you, sweetheart – I’m going to do what Styles couldn’t,” Elliott smiled, his hand coming to her chin and taking hold of it forcefully. “When I am done, you’re going to be the perfect little kitten.”

Sophia’s feet gave out on her then, her knees physically relaxing under the duress of pressure her body was already enduring.

Elliott growled and wrapped his hand around Sophia’s throat, making Andros grab his hand away seeing Sophia begin to pass out.

“Let her down before she breaks her arms! Fuck a duck head, let her down before YOU kill her!” Andros exclaimed, trying to set her body upright again, thankful Elliott backed away.

“You’ve been hanging around Louis too long, mate.” Blade chuckled, watching Sophia pass out completely.

“She stays like. Let her break her arms for all I care, she was warned what would happen if she disobeyed.” Elliott slurred, seeing Andros step in to hold her up with a helpless look on his face.

A small cry sounded at the foot of the steps and when the three men looked over, there stood Lily. Her eyes filled with hurt and her small hands covering her face.

Elliott stumbled towards her but she shook her head and backed up.

“NO! You promised you wouldn’t hurt mum again. YOU PROMISED!” She cried, looking to Blade and pointing at him accusingly. “He hurt her first! He forced mummy to kiss him and he hurt her.”

Elliott looked from her to Blade.

“He was just playing pumpkin. Come on, it’s almost time for supper. You’re hungry, aren’t you precious?” Elliott asked, trying to pacify the situation by downplaying it.

“NO! HE WAS HURTING MUMMY AND YOU HURT HER! MONSTER! YOU ARE A MONSTER, DADDY AND I HATE YOU!” She screamed shrilly before running up the stairs and to her room.

Elliott stood there for a few shocking seconds, turning to Andros with a fierce glare.

“Go fix it, now. I’ll handle Ms. Stone.” Elliott ordered but Andros remained where he was by Sophia, unmoving and tense.

Elliott waited but it was apparent to him that Andros didn’t want to leave the girl and having his orders disregarded made him angry.

“Alright, let’s try it this way – if you don’t go fix the problem upstairs, we are going to have one downstairs. I will take care of situating her – “Elliott started but Andros interrupted.

“She’s your daughter, Mr. Dawson. Your words would mean a lot more than mine and no offence but she’s right. You treated the Styles boy and his gang like animals. Making them piss themselves and then making me clean up the room as an aftermath. You are a monster and I don’t know what your wife ever saw in – “He couldn’t continue as Elliott’s backhand found his face, the slap hard and unmerciful.

“I spared you because of my wife but seeing as how you want to try my patience – your brother will be the one to suffer for it. And before you ask, yes, your brother is still alive, still in The Cage…still killing. They have a fight tomorrow and he will die. He will die unless you get up there and do as you’re told! TELL HER I AM NOT A MONSTER!” Elliott screamed, his hand gripping Andros’s throat. “Tell her or you’ll be down here next to Sophia. I will chain you down like an animal as you so put it and then you can watch Blade have a little fun with your fellow captive there, I’m sure he needs to release some stress. I’m done being nice. I own YOU. I tell you who, what, when, where and why. I tell you HOW. I GIVE the orders and you take them without defiance. Are we clear, Mr. Deprave? If not, you can spend the next few days down here with her. Hell, I’ll send you to the Cage to reunite with your brother if it comes down to that because I will not have a disobedient slave!” His voice boomed, echoing off the wall and throughout the quiet house.

Andros looked defeated, his muscles going limp under the man’s grip.

“I’ll go have a talk with Lily but I will only do that if you prove not to be the monster you claim you’re not.” Andros challenged but was pushed toward the stairs.

“I’m chaining her hands behind her back and she will remain gagged down here. The only time that gag comes off is when she is given something to drink and eat. I will grant her one small mercy so she can sit but I will not yield to anything else. She will learn that actions have consequences and that just because she is a woman, she can get away with things. She can’t and she won’t.”

Andros was defeated and simply nodded.

“Yes, sir. Understood, sir. Will there be anything else, sir?” Andros emphasized on the sir part in a subtle sarcastic manner.

“Just go get my daughter to stop hating me.” Elliott growled, reaching over and unchaining Sophia from the cage mesh and sitting her down on the floor, wrenching her hands behind her back and cuffing them tightly before he pulling the gag back between her lips.

Andros saw him tighten the cloth between her teeth, the harshness it was done astounded even himself. Though Elliott was cruel, he had always been a little gentler with the females. Allowing them a little leeway for emotions. Sophia wasn’t even granted that and Andros had little clue as to why.

With a shake of his head, he ran up the stairs to coddle an upset child, leaving the older girl to the men that held her life in their hands.

Elliott gazed upon Sophia in his drunken stupor, his finger wiping off the dried cum on her cheek.

“If you evver rape one of my daughters, Blade, it will be the last thing you will ever do. I know Razor was sexually active with my little Eli and I knew it was just a matter of time before he tried to do something with Lily. So I sent him out to kill that little political girl. I made Styles and his men come after Razor – to defuse the threat within our own hive. Brother or not, he was a predator.” Elliott admitted, seeing something dark cross into Blade’s eyes.

“Eli came onto him; Eli fell for him. He was harmless, he was loyal to you!” Blade exclaimed, his hands tightening into fists.

“He was,” Elliott agreed, his finger tracing Sophia’s lower lip, her mouth slightly agape from the gag. “But even loyal dogs turn on their owners. I did what needed to be done. However, Blade – I believe one needs to be rewarded with their own toy once in a while. You may do whatever you wish to do with Sophia. You just may not leave visible scars and it must not be done in front of Lily. Lily sees her as a mum. She feels safe when she’s around Sophia. So you may only do it when Lily is occupied with something else. Am I clear?” Elliott turned to face Blade, his face flushed in anger.

“Crystal, sir.” Blade gritted his teeth, looking at Sophia like a piece of meat before reaching over to tear the top from her body.

Elliott moved away to let Blade have his fun. Sophia was unconscious so he didn’t have to worry about her screaming – though he was almost sure the gag would do its job and keep her voice muffled to just the lower part of the basement.

With a final glance, Elliott staggered up the stairs to make supper, leaving Blade to ravish Sophia and let out his frustrations.

*

Andros opened Lily’s door cautiously – hearing her small cries from inside her closet. That’s where she went when she was upset.

“Lily? It’s Andros, can I come and hide with you? I’m scared too.” Andros called softly, stalking towards the closet and opening it.

In the small corner of the furthest wall had a fort of pillows and sheets set up in a small little hideaway tent. Amongst it sat a hoard of stuffed animals, her ‘bodyguards’ as she called them. They protected her when Andros wasn’t around.

“Lily, sweetheart? Can I come hide with you? Your daddy is scaring me a bit too.” He asked again, the small flashlight illuminated inside the sheet she was hiding behind, making it easy to see her silhouette.

She gave a silent shrug and that was his cue to enter, move the stuffed animals out of the way and gently maneuver his upper body inside the fort. Once he was in, he forced a smile.

“Hi princess, are you okay?” He asked, seeing her little body curled up inside herself.

“Daddy is a monster! I hate him! He hurt Sophie, he hurt Mr. Bear! He sent him away and he was my friend. I don’t have friends here, I have you. I mum but everyone else hates me.” She cried, bringing her tiny hands to her face and letting out a sob.

Andros face twisted into a look of hopelessness once more. He felt bad for the child, mostly because it was true. Andros was her caretaker and her friend. Eli and her father remained distant, the men did well to avoid her when given the chance. It was a very lonely life here in the Dawson house, especially since her mum was no longer alive.

“I know baby. I know it’s hard but it will get better, I promise you it will,” Andros vowed, his hand reaching in to preen a loose hair behind her ear. “Sometimes, princess – you have to smile. Even if you are sad. The same way you have to forgive family. Even if you think they don’t deserve it.”

Lily shook her head.

“He’s hurting Sophie – he’s hurting her. Only monsters hurt people, daddy is a monster and I won’t forgive him for it. I hate him.” Lily spoke honestly, making Andros sigh.

“Hun? If you don’t forgive him, he’s going to hurt Sophia more. If you forgive him, there’s a chance he won’t hurt her as bad. There’s even a chance if you ask really, really nicely that he’ll untie her and let you two pl – “Andros didn’t get a chance before the closet door was ripped open. Eli stood in front of it, her lips pursed and her eyes murderous.

“You ruin everything!” She screeched, coming forward and easily ripped the sheet away from the tent structure to get to the frightened girl but Andros was quick to react by standing up and giving her a violent push back, standing in front of Lily to stop Eli from attacking.

“Enough! She did not ruin anything, back off demon bitch!” Andros growled, having it up to the ears in Eli’s unpredictable antics.

Eli laughed, stepping forward again.

“Won’t my father be thrilled to know that you’re calling his precious sixteen-year-old daughter a demon bitch. Why, it’s almost as funny as when you called me a little slag for snogging Razor,” She quipped, her eyes going to Lily, snorting at her little sister. “As for you, toad. You bring all of us misery. Why, dad was just telling me how he wished you had never been born. Hoe he wished you had died with our mum. Face it, Lilith – he doesn’t love you. No one here loves you. So why don’t you get the fuck out? Save us the embarrassment of having to admit that you’re related to a Dawson.” She baited, seeing Lily’s hands clench into fists.

“I wish you would die!” She screamed, standing up to go forward but Andros grabbed her into a hug before she could.

“Get out, Eli. Get the fuck out!” Andros growled, closing his eyes and trying to calm down Lily.

“Lily? Don’t listen to her. Your father wanted me to come up and ask you to forgive him. You have to forgive him because he’ll hurt Sophie. I know you don’t want that so please, just agree to give your father a hug and tell him you love him, even if you’re mad at him it’s the grown up thing to do.” Andros reasoned, making Lily look at him with hurt eyes.

“You think he’s a monster too and you’re not his friend.” She threw back with reason of her own.

Andros glared at Eli that stood there with a satisfied smirk.

“He’s not your friend, Lilith. He’s been forced to take care of you. He doesn’t even love you. No one loves you, you’re all alone.” Eli laughed and turned to leave but Andros stopped her.

“I do love Lily, Eli. I love her more than anyone will ever love you and do you know why?” Andros croaked, standing up with Lily protectively against his chest.

Eli didn’t say anything but she was listening with a smirk.

“Because you’re a failure. I mean, do you actually think your father likes having to deal with mad gangs because you kidnapped their son and members? Your father, from what I know of overhearing a recent conversation had wished you were more like Lily.” Andros threw back, making Eli laugh again.

“I’m sure he does. Sweet little Lilith. Never does anything wrong, always such a good girl.” She marked, making Lily turn to her with hateful eyes.

“I am, you’re nothing but mean! I wish you weren’t my sister either. I wish I died too. I wouldn’t have to see you then!” She argued but Andros shushed her calmly, stepping forward.

“One last time, Eli – if you don’t leave then I’m going to slap you so hard in the face that I might break your fucking jaw. LEAVE. NOW!” Andros demanded forcefully, leaving Eli to snort and turn away.

“Weak. All of you are bloody fucking weak and it’s up to me to bring that to a breaking point. Everyone has one and I already know Sophia’s. She will have nothing left, not if I have anything to do with it.” Eli smiled cryptically before heeding Andros warning and leaving.

Andros tried so hard not to grit his teeth but he couldn’t help it.

“Fuck a – “He growled, walking out of the closet and setting Lily onto her little couch, sitting beside the small girl. “Lily? I can’t make you forgive your daddy but you like Sophia, right?”

Lily nodded quietly.

“Then you need to apologize and give him a hug. You don’t have to tell him you’re sorry or that you forgive him but you do have to tell him that you love him because he is your father. Okay? Maybe if you do that he’ll let Sophia out or he won’t make her stay in the basement so long.” Andros murmured, hugging her.

She returned the hug and jumped off from the couch, going to her bed and flopping on it.

“Tell daddy that I won’t eat until Sophia can. Tell him not until she can stay with me. She’s my mum and he’s a monster.” She decided, making Andros flinch.

“Wonderful. Alright, little miss but I don’t think things are going to bode your way too well, precious.” Andros sighed and left the room to go and talk with Elliott.

As he did that, no one had a clue what Eli was doing.

Eli was currently in her room, curtains drawn and light low – her phone to her ear.

“Mr. Kaiser? Jinx Kaiser? Hi, this is Eli Dawson, how are you?” She asked with a sultry cheer that was forced and overly friendly.

She laughed.

“Aren’t we all? Listen, Elliott Dawson, you know, the one who sold three young strapping lads to you to perform for The Cage? Yeah, well he wants one of the matches fixed. AKA, certain death for one of them. I’m thinking the shaggy one with the brown hair, Tomlinson? Is it?” She paused, smiling. “Yes, the one who has a fascination with sodomizing ducks, that would be the lucky lad. Fix him up with your most advanced fighter, one who never loses – if you catch my drift?”

Another pause before she laughed hysterically.

“Sawdust, sounds like a lovely chap. I’m sure Elliott will be pleased and so will your paying customers.” Eli gloated, nodding at the immediate reply. “Tomorrow afternoon? Wonderful – oh, give Styles someone easy – Elliott wants him to suffer for as long as possible there. As for Zayn, he’s really unimportant to the issue. Boring really –“She paused, her eyes furrowing. “What do you mean there’s no Zayn Malik? We delivered three…” She trailed off to listen to the explanation before holding her gut and laughing until tears ran down her cheeks. “Achmed? Achmed Malik – wow, okay, well…Achmed is really no concern either way as he is not much of a fighter. All we care about is to make sure the fight is fixed and Tomlinson goes out with a swift but painful death.” Eli said, wiping the tears from her face with a shit eating grin.

She laughed humorlessly.

“Wonderful. Thank you Mr. Kaiser. Keep us informed to how the fight went. We are very interested in knowing the outcome – oh, one more thing. Aiden Deprave, is he still breathing?”

Her smile grew.

“Is he? Awesome. Elliott Dawson has made a decision to public execute. When is the next time you can do that?” She questioned, moving her leg at an angle with her knee pointed to the ceiling.

“Two days? Excellent. Do it. We will be there to personally see it done so save us our normal box seat.” She requested before bidding Jinx Kaiser, the owner a goodbye and hung up with a laugh, laying back so she was staring up at her glow in the dark ceiling, the stars barely shining.

“Goodbye Tomlinson, goodbye Deprave. Burn in hell the both of you.” She glowered bitterly, pleased with herself.

Notes