6. Corinthians
Corinthians
The sound of running water made me open my eyes and jump out of bed.
Looking around, I tried to see anything or anyone that wasn’t supposed to be in here.
Once I realized no one was there, I slowly sat on my bed and tried to catch my breath.
Psalms was in her bed, tucked under her covers with her ladybug toy in her arms. I wiped my hands over my face, not surprised to feel the sweat even though our room was cool because of the fan in the window.
My pajamas were wet from the sweat. I took them off, grabbed a new pair from the dresser, and opened the door.
Instead of being able to walk into the hallway, I was stopped by a metal door.
I knocked and waited for one of my parents to show up.
“What is it, Corinthians?” My daddy said, coming out of his room. He pushed the bottom half of his shirt into his pants and glared at me. I remember a time when I was happy to see him. Now every time I do, I hate him a little bit more.
“I need some water,” I told him. “I’m hot.”
“It’s past your bedtime,” he replied, crossing his arms and shaking his head. “You need to be asleep. You have a match tomorrow.”
“I’m thirsty,” I said again.
He stepped closer to the door and glared at me.
I could see my reflection in his glasses.
My eye was still swollen, but it wasn’t black anymore.
“I said it’s past your bedtime.” He hit the gate, making it rattle, but I didn’t move.
He didn’t scare me, not anymore, because I knew that monsters were real.
“Get your ass back in that bed and go to sleep.” He hit the gate again and turned to walk away.
I watched him go downstairs, and just when I was about to go back to my bed, my mama came out of her room.
She was dressed in a long, pretty dress.
Her hair was pulled back into a ponytail, and her makeup was done.
Mama didn’t always dress up, but when she did, I always thought she looked like a princess.
“Corinthians, what are you doing awake?” she asked, looking around. She was probably looking for Daddy. He didn’t let her talk to us if he wasn’t around. Robert told him that Mama was useless and had done her job, which was having Bug and me.
“I’m thirsty,” I told her, even though I knew she wouldn’t get me any water.
“Did you tell your father?” she asked. I nodded.
“He said no?” I nodded again. She sighed, looked towards the direction he had gone, then nodded.
“Okay, give me a second. Stay right there.” She went back to her room, then came back a few minutes later with a small cup.
Quickly, she crossed the hallway and leaned against the gated door.
“Open your mouth and put your head back. I don’t have the key, so I’m going to have to pour it in your mouth as best as I can. ”
I did what I was told, and she poured the water through the space in the gate.
Most of the water ran down the rails and onto the floor, but I was able to get a little.
Once she was done, I stepped back and wiped my mouth with the back of my hand.
The sound of Daddy coming back up the steps made her step back. I didn’t move.
“What the hell are you doing?” he asked her, coming to a stop at the top of the steps. “Did you give her water?”
“She was thirsty,” Mama said, stepping back some more. The space she put between us was big. “I only gave her a little.”
“She didn’t need water,” Daddy said, shaking his head. “Robert said she has to learn to follow instructions. She can't do as she pleases.”
“She was thirsty,” Mama said again.
“I told you to teach her her place, too,” Robert said, coming up the stairs.
I didn’t know he was here, and from the look on Mama's face, she didn’t either.
“Until you teach her her place, my pet, will never fall in line.” He moved around Daddy and stood in the hallway.
Mama’s head dropped, and Robert tsked. “Well, maybe she does know her place, but it’s just you that she doesn’t listen to. ”
“She listens,” Daddy said, watching Mama closely. “But to make sure she remembers, she and I will have a talk tonight.”
“And as for my pet?” Robert said, looking at me. “I will be collecting her tonight.”
“Angel’s-my parents have requested to see her tomorrow,” Daddy said, and my heart slammed against my chest. I hadn’t seen my grandparents but a handful of times since the day Robert showed up near their house. I missed them, but I didn’t want them to be in danger because of me.
“That sounds like a you problem,” Robert chuckled. “She will be coming with me tonight.”
“For how long?” Daddy asked.
“For however long it takes her to learn her lesson,” Robert answered.
He didn’t even look at Daddy for a response; instead, he walked to the door, took a key from his pocket, and unlocked it.
“Come, Pet.” He put his hand out, but I didn’t like touching him, so I didn’t move.
Robert sighed, then dropped his hand. “I was hoping you wouldn’t listen.
” He moved quickly, grabbed the front of my night shirt, lifted me from my feet, and slammed me into the wall.
“When I tell you to do something, you will do it. Do you understand?” He moved me from the wall only to slam me against it again.
The back of my head hit the wall, and I started seeing spots.
“I am your master; you will listen to me!”
“There are guests downstairs,” Daddy told Robert. “Be gentle with her.”
“Why?” Robert questioned, glaring at Daddy. “They know what I am doing and will agree. Breaking my pet is not a secret; you will learn it. You are just being introduced to this lifestyle. I was bred and born into it. It is my kingdom.”
“My brother-in-law will be here soon,” Daddy said. “If you want him to agree to having his daughter involved, you will need to show him the positive.” Daddy glanced at me, then back at Robert.
“Is she a killer?” Robert asked. His excitement and interest in the thought of killing made my stomach hurt.
“She has the potential to be,” Daddy answered with a nod. “She is a DeCorte.”
Robert slowly put me down, then grabbed the back of my neck so that I couldn’t move.
“I’m still taking my pet with me. I will meet your brother at another time,” he announced.
“As a matter of fact, bring him to my office tomorrow. We can talk then.” Robert directed me towards the step.
“I will have my pet back to you by the morning.”
“Okay,” Daddy said. I looked over my shoulder to see him locking the metal door. When he was done, he stood next to Mama.
We walked down the stairs, past the people in the living room, talking.
I’d seen some of them at the warehouse. I stumbled over my feet when I noticed Luther Kilmore.
He was a pastor at the church not too far from Granddaddy’s.
His grandsons played with my cousins. When he noticed me, he smiled, and bumps rose on my arms. Next to him were Calvin Franklin and his brother Bryan.
We walked out the back door and got into Robert’s waiting car.
“Pet,” Robert said as we walked into the warehouse.
For the entire car ride, he sat looking out the window, never saying a word to me as his driver drove us.
“You have a habit of not listening.” He opened the door to the cage room, and I knew I would be spending the night.
“And for that reason alone, I have to do this.” He stopped at Kenbral’s cage and snapped his fingers.
Kenbral, who was sleeping in the corner, immediately jumped up.
“Let’s go.” He unlocked his cage door, and Kenbral slowly walked out.
He then went to the corner of the room and kicked a kennel that was there.
“I know you’re not asleep. Monsters don’t rest.” He pushed the lock open with his foot, then stepped back.
“Let’s go.” Robert turned, grabbed the back of my neck, and steered me towards another door.
I looked over my shoulder in time to see Uri crawl out from the kennel and follow behind us.
He wore a dog collar around his neck, and he was cuffed.
When he noticed me, he hesitated, then cut his eyes at Robert. “Let’s go, Uri!”
Robert opened another door, let my neck go, pushed me into the room, and walked away.
Uri and Kenbral came inside, and the sound of water made me look around.
Robert stood next to two tall tanks filled with water.
The security guards came into the room, grabbed Uri and Kenbral, and dragged them to the tanks.
Kenbral fought, while Uri walked, his head high, shoulders square.
He didn’t look scared; he looked angry. Kenbral started to panic, and Robert laughed.
“Your fight is useless, Kenbral,” Robert told him.
The guards lifted him, walked up the steps behind the tanks, and dropped him into it.
Kenbral started swimming to keep himself from going under.
Robert turned to Uri, then nodded to the guards.
They took his collar off but left his cuffs on and did the same thing they had done to Kenbral.
Being cuffed would make it hard to swim.
Uri started swimming, his eyes locked on me.
His hazel eyes felt so cold yet looked sad.
“Pet.” Robert snapped to get my attention.
The guards who had put Kenbral in the tank were at my side, lifting me.
They walked me to the only table in the room and strapped me down.
I learned to stop fighting very quickly.