Screaming in the Silence by Lydia Kelly Read Free Book Online Page A

couch was a grueling reminder of my captivity. I chose to stay when I glanced at the paper on the table. It had been so long since I had seen a newspaper; I jumped at the chance to read it.
    I sat down and picked it up; the first thing I looked for was the date. October 10 th . I had been here five weeks. I closed my eyes and tried to imagine a different time, tried to imagine what I would be doing at this very moment had we never been hit by Ray and his car. But my imagination let me down for I could not even envision myself outside of this house. I shook my head and moved past the thought. Counting the hours and the days would only make my imprisonment seem longer. My eyes scanned the page and the picture at the bottom caught my attention. A woman with light hair and large eyes stared up at me. She wore baggy jeans and a Rolling Stones t-shirt. It was Julie.
    But before I could read the article, Kaden snatched the paper from my hand and crumpled into a ball. He glared at me.
    "Give that back."
    "Nice try." Kaden laughed in my face but I knew better. Behind the smile, his eyes were scared.
    "Time really is running out, isn't it?"
    "You don't know what you saw," he replied and walked away from me, no longer laughing.
    "They found her, didn't they?" But he wouldn't turn around. "Let's see, they must have found her body and assumed she had drowned, but upon further investigation, realized she had been thrown in the water post mortem. I guess it's only a matter of time before someone sees that paper and is able to identify the last person with whom she was seen alive. That would be me, in case you hadn't figured it out."
    He balled his fists and his muscles flexed.
    "Shut the fuck up, Raleigh! You don't know anything!"
    "Fine. But I'm guessing my twenty five thousand dollars is looking pretty nice right about now. Or were you hoping my father could speak to the President and work out something a little more substantial?"
    He took three or four large steps toward me, pointing his finger in my face and clenching his jaw. "You haven't said a word in over three weeks and now you think you can come downstairs and frighten me with your pathetic assumptions? You need to remember that you have no say in any of this and I can kill you or let Ray have his way with you, whenever I please."
    "So do it," I spat back at him. "Kill me. Or better yet, let Ray do it. Show him how wrong you really were in taking me that night. Show him that you can't go through with whatever lame plan you two have hatched. It really doesn't matter to me because I will be happy knowing that no matter if I live or if I die, you will get caught."
    "Shut your fucking mouth!"
    "Or what? You'll threaten me some more?" I scoffed and looked away. If I had known just how badly I had set him off, I would never have dreamed of pushing him that far. But it was too late. Kaden's fingers were around my jaw, jerking my face toward his.
    "I will teach you to keep that mouth shut, Raleigh. I won't let you forget who has the upper hand in this relationship."
    He grabbed my arm and heaved his shoulder into my side, hoisting me up and throwing me over his back. I wiggled and flailed my arms and legs but his grasp was too strong. He carried me up the stairs, easily subduing me.
    My screams and demands to be released were pointless. I used my fists to beat Kaden's back but it was no use. We reached the landing of the stairs and, instead of carrying me down the hallway to the bathroom, he turned and went in the direction of a closed door. I had often wondered where the three men slept, noting the different hallways and doors that could lead to possible bedrooms or closets. But, even if I had let my curiosity get the better of me, one of them was usually watching and would never have allowed me to open the wrong door.
    Kaden carried me into a room, my hands gripped the doorframe. I held on with all my strength but he was too powerful and I screamed in terror at the force he used to pull