Lost

Chapter 69: Hard Choices

Surprise! 😊 Yeah, so a new Lostie had her birthday the other day (Many happy returns!🎉🎂🎉) and asked me for an early update. I conditioned it with her enthusiasm in the comment box and she came through by posting around 200 comments on the previous chapter😍. So AnImperfectMuslimah, this one's for you!🥰

Comment your reactions. Xx

It took him a while to take in the gruesome picture in front of him. Claire was lying on table, barely dressed, there was camera perched on a tripod recording the events in the room and pantless pig in wide brimmed hat that covered his face was positioning himself, about to assault her.

"Get out! What the fu--"

"You stinking barrel of diarrhea!"

His moronic expression was the last thing William saw before the pig crumpled forward on the table, his eyes rolling up into his sockets. William slammed his bare butt out of his way with a chair. He turned to the unconscious girl on the table, but quickly gave her his back, wincing. She wasn't decent. William hastened to remove his jacket. He was mildly aware of wishing the bulk of cowardice had more in him than just a punch's worth. That way, at least William would have had the satisfaction of beating the crap out of him.

Dismissing the urge, he blindly attempted to cover Claire's bare body with his jacket while having his back turned to her. He knew that would not be enough so he tried to search the room for something larger. A curtain hanging over a window opposite to him caught his attention.

An audience had gathered near the shed, having heard the commotion. William heard a number of startled gasps as he desperately tugged at the curtain to pull it off.

"Wait!" a girl called from the doorway. "Take this."

She shrugged out of her trench coat and offered it to William

"Can you do it, please," he requested.

He hurried over to stand in the doorway, trying to block Claire from the sight of the other party-goers. His back was still firmly turned to her. The girl eyed him weirdly but complied. She helped Claire into the trench coat that covered her down to her knees.

"Thanks," William muttered as the girl handed him his jacket back.

He shrugged back into his jacket before snatching the Camera off of its tripod. Pocketing the memory card, he smashed the camera under his foot. The crowd outside watched him with bated breath.

Still deeply disturbed, he could feel himself shaking; with rage or revulsion, he could not tell. William ignored the gathering crowd outside as he turned up the collars of his jacket. He collected an unconscious Claire in his arms, making sure her hair obscured her face. Taking a deep breath, he brought her out, bowing his head low to avoid getting recognized in case someone managed to snap a picture.

Her brother was a celebrity. One picture in the wrong hands was all it took to ruin her life for eternity.

***

Salma was sitting with her brothers watching Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find them. Hers and Will's parents had left to attend a wedding in the neighboring town, leaving the four kids at home on a Friday night. Salma was busy admiring Frank when James pushed her feet away so he could stretch his legs on the couch. She made an annoyed face.

"Seriously, James!" Salma groaned. "You either sit next to someone else or stop pushing me off the couch."

While Asim threw her a dark look asking her to shut up, James grinned and tried to plant his feet onto her lap.