Ty

On the way home from dinner, the night seemed calm. Dinner was nice, and Penny and me had fun drawing while we waited for our supper to be served. Mom and Dad chatted among themselves, occasionally glancing at us from across the table. I tried to push aside the small unease that crept up my spine now and then.

Now we’re in the limousine, heading home. Penny and me are talking at one end, away from our parents. Their eyes are fixed on us, and I start to feel uncomfortable, like something is about to happen. I shift in my seat, pressing myself closer to Penny.

Suddenly, the car comes to an abrupt stop, and my heart stops with it. A sinking feeling settles in my stomach as my eyes dart to the back of the limo where my parents sit. Their faces are grave.

Before I can process it, the door swings open beside Penny. Without warning, a man in a suit and sunglasses lunges inside, grabbing her from her seat and yanking her out of the limo. I grab for her arm, but she slips out of my grip.

“No!” I shout at the top of my lungs.

“! Help me!” she screams, her high-pitched shriek stabbing through me—the kind of sound that will haunt me forever.

I lurch forward, ready to jump out after her, but my father grabs me, slamming me violently back into the seat. My breaths are frantic as I watch her being carried into the mansion, her screams fading until she’s out of sight.

My eyes flash to another man in a suit standing nearby. He stares at me, expressionless, but I meet his gaze with raw fury—a silent death threat. Then, the limo door slams shut.

My father shoves me over the seat, tearing at my shirt until it rips from my body. I hear the rattle of his belt being pulled from its loops, and my mind begins to spiral.

Everything around me blurs—the car, my dad shouting venom at me, the looming violence. All I can think about is my helplessness, the sound of Penny’s screams, and the horrors she’s about to face.