Dancing With The Devil

Chapter 15

     I look up at my dad in shock. I close my eyes, hoping for it to be just a dream. When I open my eyes, he'll be gone. Of course I'm always wrong because when I open my eyes, he's still there smiling down at me. He bends down in front of me, stroking my cheek where Mason hit me with the gun.
      He looks at Mason disapprovingly. "You didn't have to be so rough with him Mason," he says. Mason scowls and crosses his arms across his chest. "I got the job done didn't I? Besides him and those other 2 put up a bit of a fight." He points to his scratched up and bruised face. My dad sighs. "Yes I suppose you did do s good job. I have my Jace here with me now." He smiles. His fingers touch my hair and he stares at it, seemingly in awe. "Your hair's grown," he says and smiles widely. "Then again, I'm not surprised. Everything about you has grown so much."
      He leans down and kisses my forehead. I hold back a shiver of disgust and instead, stare at the floor. Mason clears his throat and my dad looks up at him glaring. I look at Mason. He doesn't back down from my dad's glare. He looks at him calmly. "So when do I get my money?"
     My dad goes back to stroking my hair as he answers him casually. "You'll get it soon. You know the deal. I can't exactly go out to a public bank right now." Mason looks at my dad pointedly. I can see their type of relationship. Neither of them trusts the other but they can both work together when need be.
     Mason walks away and my dad looks at him. "Go get the milk and bring it up," he says. Mason nod and leaves closing the door behind him. Once the door clicks, I realize that I'm alone with my dad now. Even when Mason was here, I wasn't afraid because I'm sure that my dad wouldn't do anything in front of him. But now that we're alone, he's free to do whatever he wants.
     I look at my dad fearfully and he frowns. "Don't look at me like that baby. I won't do anything to you right now. I know that Mason can be a little rough." He scowls. "I told that fool not to be so rough with you, but he's as stubborn as a bull. That's didn't matter now though. You're with me now and I'll take care of you."
     Me and my dad sit on the floor, my body trembling as he plays with my hair. Soon Mason comes back with a glass of milk in his hand. He hands it to my dad and walks back out of the room muttering something under his breath.
     My dad bring the glass up to my face, urging me to drink it's contents. I shake my head and back away from him. I have no idea what's in that milk and there's no way in Hell that I'm drinking that shit willingly. My dad frowns and grabs my arm with his other hand. "Jace, just take a sip," he says. I shake my head, trying to fight his grip.
     My dad sighs and sits the glass down on the floor. "Don't make me do something that I'll regret. Do as I say," he growls. "No!" I yell at him and his frowns deepens.
      He grips my arms so tight that I know there'll be bruises there and I wince. My dad sits on top of me, putting his knees onto my arms. I try to push him off of me but he's too heavy and strong. He grips my face and grabs my jaw. He pulls down harshly, forcing me to open my mouth. With his free hand, he grabs the glass from off the floor and brings it back to my lips. This time though, my mouth firmly stays open rather than closed. He pours the drink down my throat. I almost choke when he puts too much in there and he lets go of my jaw.
     I'm about to spit the drink out and back at him, when he puts one hand over my mouth and the other firmly closes my nostrils.
     "Swallow it," is all that he says. I can't breathe and my lungs burn from the lack of air. I have no idea what's in this stuff but I'm forced to either drink it or die of suffocation. I quickly swallow the drink and my dad lets go of me. I gasp and take deep breaths when oxygen returns to me.
      Suddenly I begin to feel dizzy and look at my dad. "W-What was in that drink?" My words are slurred and my vision is blurry. My dad strokes my cheek. My body goes weak and I start to fall. Before I can hit the floor, my dad catches me in his arms, pulling me into his chest.
     "In that drink was 2 doses of Doxepine. It's a prescription drug that help you fall and stay asleep. It's normally for people with insomnia, but don't worry. I made sure that it won't cause you any health problems."
      I stare up at the blurry face of my dad. This fucker seriously just drugged me. God knows what he'll do to me while I'm sleeping. My eyes begin to get heavy and I see my dad lean down towards me.
      "I love you Jace," he whispers. And then everything goes black.

         +++++++++++++++++++++++++

     My vision is distorted when I open my eyes. I lay there for a few moments trying to get the world to stop spinning. As I lay there, I think back to Mike and Caleb. My eyes water at the thought of Caleb. My last words to him were 'fuck you', and know he's dead. Because of me. I can't take it back. I'll never be able to see him again. I can't say I'm sorry. I can't tell him how much I really don't hate him. And Mike. I don't even know how Mike is doing. For all I know, Mason could've killed him when he knocked me out. I don't want to think like that, but the thought just comes to me. I really like Mike and now, he's probably dead too. Everyone that I've come into contact with has died. There's no one to save me this time.
     Once my vision is back to normal and my head doesn't spin, I stand up. I look at the chain on my ankle and it's fairly long. I can make it about halfway to the door, before the chain prevents me from going any further. But that's just when I'm standing up. I lay down on the floor to see how much further I am from the door. I'm about 4 feet away.
     I look around the room. Other than the giant ass bed, there's a nightstand next to it, a closet on the far side of the room, and a large dresser stands in front of the bed. There are no windows.
      I begin to hear talking and listen intently. It's quiet when I hold my head towards the door, so I lay my head flat on the ground, my ear pressed against the hardwood floor. I can hear a little clearly now and recognize the voices talking as my dad and Mason. Their conversation is a bit muffled but I can make out the words.
      "What did you do about those 2 pesky ass cops," I hear my dad's voice ask.
       "They're taken care of," Mason responds. There's a bit of amusement in his voice and I shiver. This guy's insane.
        "Good. I don't need any witnesses. What about that boy that Jace was seen with? What's his name, Mark?
       "Mike," Mason corrects him.
        "Right. What about him?"
        "He's alive but when I knocked him out." I perk up. Mike's alive?! Hope floods through me and I smile.
         Back downstairs, they're quiet for awhile. Suddenly, my dad speaks up again. "What about Caleb?" I listen intently for Mason's response. Why would my dad ask that?
        "The blanks knocked him out, but they didn't kill him," he says. Blanks? I've heard that term before but I don't know what it means. Before I can dwell on the thought, Mason speaks back up. "Why? Did you want me to kill him?"
         "I just want Jace. If he interferes with our plans again, you know what to do." They go quiet again so I assume that the conversation is over.
       I sit up and leans against the bed. My thought wander back to the conversation. Mason said that blanks only knocked Caleb out. So that means that he's still alive. My heart flutters and I can finally breathe normally as the thought settles in my mind. Mike and Caleb are alive.