Page 93 of Fighting My Demons

"Brian?" I whisper.

His eyes flutter open, and I lift his head only for it to fall forward, his chin hitting his chest. My heart lurches in my chest as I frantically look around the room for something to cut the tight ropes when I notice the gas line for the old heating unit. Moving toward it, I touch it, running my fingers over the old pipe along the wall to the outlet where the old heater once was.

"Her bones," Brian coughs, making my head whip to the side to look at the closet.

I rush over to him and lift his head.

"The key," he gasps.

"You're alive," I sob, but he is barely conscious, slipping in and out when I hear banging on the door. I jump only to realize it isn't the door. The sound comes from behind me, and I look over my shoulder to see Blaine.

Tears trek down my cheeks as I try to push the window open, but I can't move it, not even an inch. After years of being closed, it is sealed shut. I cannot hear a thing he is saying. His lips are moving, but no sound come out, until suddenly there is. Like a veil has been lifted.

"Destroy it!" Blaine screams, and I look around the room, wondering what he is talking about.

"Destroy the key, and we can get in," Blaine says before trying to smash the window, only he is blasted back and lands on his back.

I press against the glass to see his arms are charred black, his fingertips and knuckles burned and peeling, when I hear rancorous laughter reach my ears, making me spin around to hear a knock on the door. My eyes flit to my brother, who is slowly coming back to consciousness when his words register in my panicked state. My eyes fall on my sister's bones.

"Open the door, doll-face," Tank calls from the other side, the headboard still jammed under the handle while I frantically look around the room but find nothing to aid in my escape when my brother's fingers tap his pocket.

I glance at the door before moving toward him, and his head falls to the side, and I can feel him staring at me as I rummage through his pocket. I pull out a silver zippo lighter and glance over my shoulder at the gas pipes.

"I'm sorry, Arabella," Brian murmurs, and I look down at him.

"It's alright. I will get you out," I tell him, tugging on the ropes, but he coughs and gasps for air.

"Get out. Forget about me," he murmurs, blood pooling in his lap as he drools. His eyes are barely slit enough to see out of.

"Get out," he mumbles, falling unconscious again.

"Knock, knock!" Tank says, and I grit my teeth. This fucker is enjoying tormenting me.

"Who’s there?" I spit back bitterly.

Moving toward the wall, my fingers are pinching the pipe enough to get my fingers to slide underneath it. I start yanking on the pipe, trying to rip it from the wall, the brackets only just holding on when Blaine is banging on the window. I look over at him.

"What are you doing?" he mouths, pointing to the door.

I shake my head, yanking on the pipe again before the old pipe snaps in my hands. I fall on my ass, a piece of the black pipe in my hand. Blaine bangs on the window again when the bed rattles against the floor as Tank laughs from the other side.

"You know who it is, doll, open the door," he says, and Blaine shakes his head, trying to get me to go to him, but I move toward the door and grip the bed, my fingers becoming jammed as Tank pushes on the door at the same time. I cry out from the sudden pressure.

"Doll-face?"

I pull a face at the name he keeps using.

"You jammed my fingers," I call out to him.

"Well, if you open the door, I can kiss them better," he offers, and I roll my eyes.

"Don't open the door!" Blaine screams, and I glance over at him before pushing the lighter into the waistband of my panties.

"You promise you won't hurt me? I didn't mean to run. You just scared me, is all," I tell this dimwitted demon, playing into this sick fetish of his.

I notice a slight change in the air as I glance at the window, a ripple-like mirage, and I follow it to the floor where the gas line is. I am not sure if the natural gas has been cut off, but I am relieved to find it still on.

"No, of course not. But I need you to open this door if you want to tell my brother you want to be with me."