Adopted by 5SOS

Chapter 13. Misery

Shiloh's POV
I've lost count at how many days I've been here, in the basement. I'm too weak from the beatings to eat, yet when I eat, I'm too weak to crawl to the toilet to puke it back up. I stared down at my stomach; it was slowly but surely getting a little bigger. I was gaining weight. My imaginary friend which I chose to name Lydia, visits and sits with me all day, at least until my father comes. Lydia tells me that while I sleep, she calls Luke to trick them, to drive them crazy. She claims it's fun.

Am I turning schizophrenic?

"I see you're on the verge of death." She pointed out, as I rolled my eyes. "Were you whipped today yet?" She asked, me shaking my head. "Did you eat today yet?" She asked again, me shaking my head. My father decided to change his mind, I'm now fed every two days and only at two times. "Your losing your mind, aren't you?" She questioned, slightly giggling.

"Clearly I am, if I'm talking to you." I replied as she glared over at me.

"I thought we agreed on not being mean to each other?" She buzzed as I shrugged again, and then winced. My back was nearly all whip marks, barely skin. "I've been outside. It's raining right now, but it's gonna stop later." She stated, as I huffed. "I'd give anything to go outside, just once." I replied as she smiled. "Do you know what day it is?" She questioned as I looked over at her. "It's hump day!" She yelled, me ignoring her attempt at the joke. "It's Wednesday. The middle of the week." She stated, me nodding again in silence.

"Aren't you happy, Shiloh? Living with your dad for a week and a day?" She said sweetly, batting her perfect eyelashes. I hated her, she was the beautiful version of me. The vision I saw every time I looked in the mirror, the happy me. The me that didn't care about weight, about looks, about what other people thought of me. And, I hated her for it. "No Lydia, I'm not happy." I responded, her eyes widening.

"Why not?" She asked back as I groaned. "Because I hate you." I said slowly, and she suddenly was straddling me. "Listen here, little girl. I'm the version that you want to be, I'm the version your jealous of. I'm the voice inside your head, telling you to be this way and that, to self harm, to make the boys hate you. I, my dear, smart girl, can make your life a living hell." She whispered, her face right by my ear.

The basement door opened as Lydia disappeared. "Shiloh, come up here." My father ordered from up the stairs. "I can't." I replied as he walked down. "Why not? I have a surprise for you, upstairs." He said, trying to get me up. "You've beaten me so many times, I physically can't move." I spoke as his hands balled into fists and he huffed. He walked over to me, and picked me up bridal style. He carried me up the stairs and placed me on the couch. "What surprise do you have for me?" I demanded, while watching him walk between the kitchen and living room.

He grinned and stayed silent as he picked me up again, leading me out the back door, onto the deck. We were in a fenced in yard, and I was set down on a lawn chair. "I wanted you to get some fresh air." He said suddenly, my mouth dropping in shock. "I've been in that basement for the past week, and I haven't been brought upstairs at all. So, why now?" I questioned as he sighed. He walked back in the house, and then came out, holding a cupcake with a candle.

"Happy birthday, kiddo." He commented, me looking up at him. I've been so out of it, I didn't realize it was my birthday; I'm finally fifteen. "I don't want it." I spoke, pushing it away. "I know I haven't been feeding you like I should.. And it's because we're running out of food here." He whispered, looking ashamed. "Why didn't you just steal food like you steal everything else?" I questioned as I slowly took the cupcake from his hands, and bit into it. He ignored my question, and instead watched me eat. It was my favorite; red velvet. "It's not half bad." I commented, finishing it. I still felt gross while eating it, but I wanted to make my dad feel good about himself after all that he's done.

"I'm proud of you, ya know." He told me as my jaw dropped. "W-what?" I choked out, handing him the wrapper. "You heard me. I'm proud of you for eating. I know it's hard." He complimented as I rolled my eyes. "Don't roll your eyes at me, missy." He spoke harshly as I rolled my eyes again. He roughly grabbed me by the hair and dragged me back into the house. "I'm sorry! I won't do it again!" I yelled as he continued dragging me, and stopped at the bathroom.

He turned on the water in the bath, to steaming hot and then me plunged into it. I splashed and thrashed around, trying to pull myself up. He kept pulling me up for air, and plunging me back under the water. He stopped after doing it five more times, me leaning over the side; sputtering out water. He threw me a towel and stood up by the door. "Come out when you're dried off. You're going back in the basement." He spit, slamming the bathroom door behind him. What I wanted, was a really good shower and fresh clothes. I've been in the same clothes for the past week, I've been showering, but not changing.

I felt more disgusted within myself than ever. He followed me to the basement door, and watched me walk down the steps. He slammed the door behind me, and I heard the lock click. "So, what was the surprise?" Lydia asked, laying next to the mattress. "A cupcake. It's my birthday, apparently." I told her as she nodded. "Happy birthday." She said, smiling. "I haven't had a happy birthday since I was five, this wasn't going to change anything." I spat, as Lydia glared at me. "I was only trying to be nice." She muttered as I rolled my eyes.

"Leave me be, Lydia. Leave me alone, in my misery." I whispered, laying on the mattress, facing away from her. "You positive you want me to leave? You sure you don't want me to stay?" She questioned, me ignoring her. "Just go away!" I screamed as she disappeared into thin air. I wanted to go home, to my real home with the boys.

I wanted this misery to just end.