[CHAPTER 10] — Sean

Sean chewed his bottom lip as he sped away from the Dorms, his already unpredictable mood now a volcano of hatred waiting to explode. He still couldn’t believe that Danika was still alive, let alone that she was in the back of their truck, unconscious. She had been his favorite plaything ever since he’d been adopted by James and Danika’s family when he was six; she never told on him, no matter what he’d done to her. Sean’s own family didn’t want him, claiming he had the devil in him- he was the king of mischief from an early age, and the gentle parenting that his new family had tried had done nothing but imbue him with a confidence to try getting away with anything. His behavior, combined with the fact that his mother had slept with a white man, had been more than his maternal grandmother could handle and she’d refused to acknowledge his existence.

His mother had been strict, and had hated that he was mixed race; she would send him to his grandmother’s house where she would pretend like he wasn’t there. She would feed him and keep him clean and away from harm, but she would never look at him or speak a word directly to him. His mother was the opposite- rarely fed him or tended to wounds, and berated him constantly for anything and everything he said or did. She would put him outside after the sun rose and lock the door, not allowing him back inside until dark. He would have to beg neighbors to let him use the bathroom or use a bush behind the house, and drink from the garden hose when he was thirsty. This was something that had always been a memory in Sean’s mind; he couldn’t remember an age when he wasn’t left alone outside all day long.

He’d spent a week in the mental health care facility near his adoptive family’s house when he was thirteen; there they had diagnosed him with schizoaffective disorder with the Dark Tetrad. He had moments of lucidity, where he seemed unburdened by mental health struggles; he would attend family dinner and socialize with guys from school or his adoptive brothers. He also had many moments of any number or combination of struggles; mania, severe depression, psychosis, antisocial behaviors, delusions, among other things that have crept in over the years. He could take medication and he could actually be less symptomatic, a person who didn’t rape and torture the mother of his children for fun, a person who didn’t manipulate every situation to suit his purposes, a person who didn’t live with hallucinations and delusions; but he refused because admitting he needed those meds was equivalent to admitting he was less of a man in Sean’s mind. So, he refused to admit that he did anything terrible, he refused to acknowledge all the awful things he did to his ex-girlfriend, or their children. He just pretended like none of it ever happened, and when he couldn’t he would blame it on the mother of his children.

The day he crashed his car into a tree because she wouldn’t get back with him, he'd waited until he had their children in the car with him and then acted like he was trying to avoid a cat. When his Ex had shown up in the emergency room, he told her that it was her fault he crashed his car into the tree because she wouldn’t get back with him. The crash had broken the little girl’s lower spine, and the little boy’s arm, leg, and collarbone; there was a question as to whether the child would ever walk again or not. He'd made sure his Ex was unable to see her own children, had her barred from the hospital while they were there, and when they had been discharged, he had moved houses and refused to tell the mother where they were, keeping both children away from their mother simply because she refused to be with him. His only entertainment these years he’d thought Danika had been dead was to tell their mother that she could see them if she did a certain task, or sent him money, and then refusing to let her see them even when she had done what he’d asked; he did the same with allowing her to speak to them on the phone. Every time the poor woman had broken down begging him to let her speak to her children, or see her children, he would respond with the same thing, See, if you would stop being so stupid and be with me, you could have everything you wanted. You’re so selfish; you really need to do the world and your children a favor and kill yourself. That fun had ended a few years ago when she finally threw herself from a cliff.

Sean never questioned himself when he said or did anything; as far as he was concerned, the rest of the world was populated by people that were beneath him; especially the perfect white family that took him in when nobody else would. He hated them most of all; they tried to make him take the medications that made him feel like he was outside his body looking down on everything, but feeling every sensation his body felt- including the worms he felt in his brain wiggling around whenever he took meds. They challenged him, and tried to manipulate him into being just like them; to go to Church, to do charitable things, to walk into the world with love and kindness. What a joke. Sean thought to himself, there was no love and kindness for me, except the fake love and kindness they showed me for their own image. Life with them was a joke, but I make the rules now. There’s nobody to stop me from finding my son now that I’ve got Danika… she’s kept him from me long enough, and I know he’s alive if she’s alive.

Sean pulled the truck off the dirt road they were on into the line of trees where, two hundred feet into the tree line, was a gate to a little known semi-private road. Sean got out to unlock and open the gate, drove the truck through, then closed and locked the gate behind them. As long as that gate stayed locked, nobody bothered to try to access the road; this was imperative because this was the most direct road to the mine shaft that they had taken over. Elbrus was a huge mountain, and this side of it had been abandoned years ago. James had taken it over for the cult when the mining company had fully abandoned it and he turned it into an underground city.

There was another thirty minutes on this private road before they reached the mine’s entrance. When they pulled up, two more of Sean’s adoptive brothers came out from the mine entrance with their rifles. Sean flipped them the bird, to which they both flashed him their privates, then he started driving the truck forward and began their descent into the mine entrance. The whole ride James had sat mute in the seat beside him, and nothing changed now. He didn’t even roll his eyes and sigh like he normally did when Sean and the others had their exchange. As Sean parked the truck, James got out and started calling for one of his men.

“Murphy! Murphy! Where the hell is Murphy?!” James shouted.

“I’m here, boss!” a man Sean had never seen but seemed vaguely familiar said as he ran up to James.

“Take this prisoner to the unit next to the others. Make sure she doesn’t escape, and don’t give her any luxuries.”

“You got it, boss.” Murphy said, lifting Laura from the back of the truck. He went to carry her to the room when he looked down at her face and stopped dead in his tracks. Sean noticed as he stared at Danika’s face for a long moment before Sean elbowed James and pointed in his direction.

“Is there a problem, Murphy?” James asked sternly. Murphy startled at his words and began shaking his head vigorously.

“No, sir. No problem at all.” Murphy replied, forcing his body to move once again and bring her to her room.

Sean watched until Murphy was out of sight before turning to James and saying, “Well, that was weird. Who is that, anyways? He looks familiar.”

“That’s Murphy. He’s a nobody with two brain cells, don’t mind him.” James replied.

Knowing what would happen if he dawdled any longer, Sean got to working on unloading a nearby supply truck. As he stacked the crates for the next group of workers to bring to their respective areas and unpack, he tried to place Murphy’s face. It took him several hours of working before the faintest of memories came to his mind’s eye; A young man named Josh and his younger brother Cal, always getting in the way and undermining his and his brothers’ fun.

#

“Stop doing that! She’s a little girl you jerk!” a young Cal had been shouting at Sean and his brother Jason as they raped their sister Danika. Hearing this, Jason and Sean had looked at one another and smiled, letting go of Danika and turning their attentions to Cal. Sean had been the one assaulting her, and he tucked himself back into his dirty pants as he and Jason made their way over to him. They reached for him simultaneously, standing shoulder-to-shoulder they grabbed him; cocking their fists back to start pummeling him. Just as they were about to take their first swing, Josh had come up behind them and hit them both with a tree branch lying nearby. Jason and Sean had fallen forward, losing their grip on Cal, their heads both forming a large lump that wept blood. After a moment, Sean began standing to his feet, a look of pure hatred so evident that if looks could kill, Josh and Cal would be dead in the space of a heartbeat. As he helped Jason up, Sean hissed at the boys,

Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

“You’re going to pay for that you rotten little- “

“ENOUGH!” Came the booming voice of Cal and Josh’s father. “Just what do you boys think you’re doing?” He addressed his sons first, then turned to the slightly older Sean and Jason and said, “You young men again? What did you get caught doing this time?”

“We didn’t do shit.” Sean spat at him. “Your little assholes attacked us from behind.” He pointed at the lumps on their heads, which weren’t dripping blood but clearly still had fresh blood surfacing.

“Dad, he was raping this little girl! I did hit them, but only because they were attacking Cal who was trying to stop them.”

Carl looked over to where the girl lay on the ground, terrified and trying to cover herself as best she could. Josh and Cal saw this and immediately took off their shirts to give to her. She couldn’t have been more than twelve years old, but she had already begun budding breasts and pubic hair. The girl gave them a small haunted smile as she grabbed their shirts from them; they couldn’t see it, though, because they were looking up at the sky to avoid looking at her body.

“What’s your name, young lady?” Carl asked the girl. She had stood up, and was standing unsteadily in Cal’s shirt with Josh’s wrapped around her waist. She was staring at her toes, barely moving with her hands clasped in front of her. A barely audible whimper came from her as the moments dragged on without an answer from her.

“Dad, she’s terrified. This isn’t the first time they’ve done this to her, we’ve stopped them two other times.” Cal told his father, who’s face crumpled from authoritative to one mixed with sadness and fatherly protection. By this point, others of the council had joined the group, having heard the earlier commotion of the boys shouting and fighting.

“Crowley, you and Hudson take those two and lock them up. They are not to be let out of anyone’s sight.” Carl took a few steps closer to the girl and knelt down on the ground in front of her. He didn’t say anything to her for a long moment, Danika- he would later learn is the girl’s name for himself- had flinched when he kneeled in front of her even though he was a good five feet away. He took that long moment to very carefully formulate what he would say to this poor child.

“Child, I know you’re scared, but I will never hurt you. Can we take you somewhere safe?” Carl said to her quietly, gesturing to the group of people who had gathered around the scene.

Danika looked around at the people in the crowd and shook her head no. Sean and Jason had been tied up and were being held by two very large men nearby, and were glaring at her like they were staring into her soul. The crowd had too many of her siblings that were like James and Sean and Jason, she wouldn’t be safe if she went with them, it would only anger her siblings and the punishment would be far worse that this gross act she’d had to endure. They were usually pretty gentle if she didn’t fight, so she had learned to stay still and quiet. She couldn’t risk that these people she didn’t know would not do the same or worse to her if she went with them. Josh had come and knelt down beside his father, and was looking at her with a kind smile.

“Hey there. Do you remember me and my brother from the other times?” He asked her. She nodded her head to indicate she did remember them. “This is my dad. His name is Carl, and my name is Josh and that’s Cal, remember?” Again, she nodded her head. “I know you’re not safe, and I know you’re scared. Please, can we help get you away from the people that hurt you?”

Again, Danika stared at her toes. She knew she could trust Josh and Cal, but there were too many ways her other siblings could get to her and punish her. She took a few small steps toward Josh and gave him a hug, whispering in his ear, “They’re watching.” Then stood back up and walked a few steps away. She turned back to them and said,

“I’ll be okay. I have my family. Have a good day!” She ran off into the woods as she said this, waving her small arm above her head in a goodbye.

Josh was confused for a while after that, not knowing what to make of her whispered message. Was she nervous because of the crowd? He looked over at where Sean and Jason were being led away and ran up to them.

“How many siblings do you guys have?” Josh hurriedly asked Sean.

“Fuck you.” Was the only reply he gave.

Josh looked around at the crowd that was slowly beginning to disperse. He noticed another man and two women who looked at them as though they harbored nothing but ill will towards everyone involved. As Sean and Jason were taken away, they turned and dispersed with the rest of the crowd. Josh knew that there was nothing he could do, but he remembered their faces. He looked over at his brother Cal and noticed him writing in his journal; something Cal had started doing since landing on the new planet and watching all the horrible things going on. When he was finished, they followed their dad back to their camp not too far away from the main camp.

Sean and Jason were tied to a tree with ropes while their captors decided what was to be done with them. Sean watched them through narrowed eyes, the hatred he held for each of them threatened to explode in his chest. Hours went by with them tied to that tree, and nobody offered food, drink or a bathroom break. It had felt like a lifetime to Sean before anyone approached them, and when they did he started immediately demanding to use the bathroom. The man that had come over had looked back and, seeing no one, decided that he would have to let him use the bathroom. Sean and Jason were tied around the tree with separate ropes, so he untied Sean’s rope and let Sean get up.

Sean immediately pulled himself out of his pants- which had never been done up from assaulting his sister- and began urinating on the guard, raising and lowering his stream to cover as much of the man’s body as he could reach. The guard sputtered and tried to attack Sean, but he sidestepped him and delivered a blow to the back of the guard’s head before turning and running away, leaving Jason tied to the tree yelling for him. Sean laughed as he ran away, blatantly ignoring his brother’s yells for him not to leave him. There was no way he was going back for an adoptive brother who only cared because of the fun Sean could bring the wormy little asshole.

Sean escaped back to where his siblings were all camped. Well, most of them anyway; some of them had already began separating themselves from the group involved with James, fully unwilling to be associated with the Cult and everything they were doing. The siblings that remained all began questioning Sean as to where Jason was and how he had gotten away. Unwilling to have Jason back under his skin, or to have him tell their siblings that Sean had just left him there, he was vague about his escape.

“It was crazy! They beat us, tortured us, and kept us tied up! I barely escaped with my life! They kept me and Jay separated so I couldn’t rescue him,” Sean had begun fake sobbing while he told his ‘story’ and just like he thought they would, they ate up every word. Sean’s siblings were very close-knit; they were raised to be very family-oriented, and to support and participate in their siblings’ lives. That had become increasingly more difficult to do for some of the siblings when their parents had died and their oldest brother Ashley had become responsible for caring for the many siblings.

Ashley was an alcoholic, and could barely comprehend anything about the world around him, but society had already been breaking down at the time of their parents’ murder. They had been the owners of a corporation that was considered primarily responsible for how quickly the Earth had broken down. Ashley had been of working age on Earth, and when he started working there, he found out what his family’s company was doing to the planet; he could not cope, and he started drinking heavily. By the time they’d reached the Arks, the next eldest siblings were taking charge- James and Kevin- because he had ended up with liver failure.

Sean’s siblings patted him on the back and congratulated him on getting away. Sean was all smiles, knowing that they had believed ever word, and his brother Jason’s fate was left up to the very people their family fought against- government types. Sean couldn’t stand Jason following him around all the time, he hated sharing his fun with anyone; but what he hated most about Jason was that he was not adopted, so Sean had always felt like Jason saw himself above him like the rest of them. It was for this reason that Sean took so much pleasure in all the things he did to people, in lying and manipulating them.

His siblings dispersed from around him and began talking amongst themselves about whether to go after Jason right away, or allow them a day or two to plan and execute a rescue. James had won out in the end, and he had wanted to wait until after the First Child was born; which would be any day now. He didn’t think that they would really torture Jason, and he had never been Sean’s biggest fan. James was the only sibling that could see through Sean’s innocent façade. James had been the only one of them to comment on how well he seemed after being tortured; there were no significant abrasions or injuries other than the one on his head.

Sean didn’t care when Jason was rescued, or even if. Once everyone was done giving him their attention he wandered off, going in search of Danika once again; they had unfinished business, after all.