20 Something Big (1/2)

I had one ear on her and one on the hall. We had to be careful. If we got caught, I didn't even want to think about what Virgo would do to her.

I wasn't really worried about myself. I had been with him long enough to build up a thick skin to his punishments. The scars I bore were my armor. He couldn't hurt me anymore than he already had. Death was the only other thing he had, and I knew he would never give me that because it was something I had begged him for.

'You'll always suffer, that's why you were brought to me.' His words were burned into my head, a constant reminder of how he truly saw me.

”Do you think your family is looking for you?”

My heart clenched at her question, turning the muscle to stone. Taking in a labored breath, my eyes closed tightly. The memory of that day flooded my mind, making my body numb.

The answer was simple. No, no one was out there looking for me.

But every once in awhile, I wondered if my siblings questioned where I was. And then I would remember how young they were when we were separated. Odds are, they didn't even realize I existed anymore.

There memories of me had probably faded, becoming more of a dream than a reality that was once viable. My sister was three and my brother was barely a year old, there minds were cleansed of their older sister by now, filled with new memories of whatever life they were living in.

They're fine and happy. You have to believe that.

”No one is looking for me, no one has ever been looking for me. I'm not one of the lucky ones with a chance out of this hell.”

”Oh,” Aubrey said softly. ”I'm sorry.”

”Don't be, it's not your fault.” The floor creaked outside my door, causing my back to stiffen. ”Shh,” I huffed out quickly.

”Why? What do you hear?”

Boom!

The noise caused my muscles to jerk in surprise.

”Who the fuck are you talking to?” A man's voice came out forcefully.

But he wasn't standing in my room, he was in Aubrey's.

Shit. . .

Snapping up onto my knees, I threw my ear to the wall, pushing it as hard as I could against it. Splaying an open palm on the sheet rock, I wanted desperately to climb through the wall and save her.

It was my idea to talk, not hers. I was the one who had reached out, I was the one who had decided to break a rule.

This is all my fault.

”N—no one, just myself.”

His feet pounded over the floor, and I heard Aubrey let out a cry that made my stomach jump into my throat.

Her screams could probably be heard through the entire building. It sounded like she was being dragged away and her heels were scraping against the floor, doing their best to keep her inside.