Jimmy by William Malmborg Read Free Book Online Page B

Could he actually be envious of what he had forced her to do all night, and would force her to do again?  He was crazy.
         “That and the stocks, or pillory as they are really called; I’ve always wondered what it would be like to stand locked in the pillory all day, the way the girls in medieval and Puritan times were forced to do.  I don’t know when that desire started, but I love looking at videos on YouTube of girls at Renaissance Events being locked in the pillory.”
         Samantha didn’t reply.  She had no idea how to.
         Jimmy didn’t seem to care and continued.  “One of these nights I might lock myself up with you.  I’d tell my parents I was sleeping over somewhere and come here, put handcuffs on, tie them up like yours and just wait until morning before unlocking them.  What do you think of that?”
         Samantha struggled with a response.  She didn’t know what to say but knew he was expecting an answer.  “I guess it would be nice to have some company.”
         “Was it lonely last night?” Jimmy asked.
         “Yes.”  Tears began to well inside her eyes again.  She wasn’t sure why his comment about being lonely had gotten to her.  Perhaps it was everything coming together.  The tears did not fall.  She wouldn’t let them.  She didn’t want him to see her cry.
         “Here,” Jimmy said while handing her some crackers.  He waited with the water.
         It was the most delicious thing Samantha had ever eaten.  She had another handful before washing it all down with a sip of water.
         Jimmy then handed her the box of crackers and set the water next to her.  For a moment she thought he was going to leave and let her stay sitting there all day, but he was only getting up to stretch his legs and look at some of the things the Hood family had brought down.
         “I wonder when they made this place,” Jimmy said while examining the concrete walls.
         Samantha’s mouth was full of crackers.
         “I don’t remember ever hearing about it being built, and no one ever mentioned it, so maybe they didn’t really build it?  Maybe it was an old atomic shelter from the fifties that they converted into a Y2K shelter?”
         Samantha took a big swallow of water and then said, “My dad talks about it all the time.”  It was a lie but one she thought might work.
         Jimmy whirled around.  “What?”
         It had worked.
         “He remembers them asking him about concrete and cement and how much would be needed.  He owns that construction company you know and so they asked him all about it.”  She had tried to sound genuine but then her voice started to waver.  “He talked about it with us at dinner a lot.”
         Relief suddenly swept over his face.
    “You’re lying,” he said.
    “No.”
    “Yes.  I can tell, but just to make sure - ” he started to take off his belt “ - I’ll whip you until you admit it.”
    Her eyes went wide.  Why had she said that?  “No wait, please.”  She then thought of something else.  “If you hurt me I’m just going to say it’s a lie so you stop.”  She could still feel the belt hitting her the day before and did not want that again.
    “Tell me, right now.  Were you lying?”
    Fear coiled itself throughout her body.  If she said yes he was going to punish her, if she said no he was going to punish her until she admitted it.  It was a lose lose situation.
    “Were you lying?”
    “Yes,” she cried.  “I’m sorry.”
    He came over and grabbed her right wrist.  She tried to hold back but couldn’t.  He forced her to her feet.
    “Tell me, why’d you lie?”
    “I-I - ”
    He swung the belt low and connected with her leg.  Samantha cried out and tried to fall to her knees.  Never in her life had anyone treated her this way.
    “ANSWER ME!”
    Somehow she spoke through her sobs and said, “I wanted you to think people knew about this