He asked me what was wrong.
"You all can go and hide. I'm going to keep moving," I said.
I could tell by the look on Bobby's face that he was stunned by what I had said, so I explained about my misgivings with Frank. He didn't defend Frank, but he didn't outright agree with me either. I had the feeling that Bobby sensed something more to Frank than he was letting on.
"Why don't you just rest for a little while, if you still want to leave the group after, say, an hour then I won't give you a hard time. Deal?"
Resting my aching legs and feet was just too appealing and I nodded in agreement. Bobby smiled at me, and placed his hand on my back as I walked into the room. Bobby shut the door behind me and I heard him turn a lock and deadbolt. My earlier assumption on what the hallways resembled was correct. We had found what looked like a small one room apartment. The floors in the main area were very well used and worn down. The living room, where I stood, was only about three steps away from the kitchen where a tall dusty lamp was illuminating. To my right, there were two doors. One door was open and I could see a large bed inside and I assumed the second room was a bathroom. In that corner was another floor lamp that to my amazement, worked as well as the other in the kitchen. To my left, I spotted a couch and I quickly walked over and sat down. It was an old couch that smelled musty and the fabric was rough under my hands. "Beggars can't be choosers," I muttered to myself as I swung my legs up and around. I stared at the ceiling as I listened to Bobby and Cathy argue about their sleeping arrangements. It was a given that Darla got the bed, but with who else?
After a few minutes of their banter, I couldn't take the noise any longer and decided to play the mediator role. I didn't have the effort to get up, let alone move my head. Still looking at the ceiling, I said loud enough to be heard over their voices, "Cathy, you sleep with Darla as she needs her mother's company and give Bobby the pillow from the bed. Simple. Now stop the ruckus and go lay down." They stopped talking and I heard their footsteps departing without a word. Maybe I had said it too sternly, but I didn't care about the tone of my voice. I wanted piece and quiet. I wanted the burning ache in my legs to subside. What I wanted most was to go home. I could feel tears starting to build. I closed my eyes and the first tear fell and tickled my cheek on its way down. I rolled over, facing the doors and demanded myself to stop crying. With how hard I stared at the bathroom door, I was amazed that there weren't holes in it.
I watched Bobby kiss his wife and I could hear her whisper to him that she loved him. He whispered it back to her and kissed her forehead before leaving the bedroom with the pillow. He laid it down in the right place so the lower half of his body was inside the room that held his family, and the rest of him was in the living room with Frank and me.
Where was Frank? I looked around the room but only found his feet sticking out from the other side of the couch on the floor. My heart rate skyrocketed and my eyes widened as I thought about him being that close to me. My body stiffened, afraid to even move. After a while of self torture watching his feet and waiting for him move and terrorize me, maybe even kill me, I looked back again to the closed door. I glanced back at Frank's feet and, I slowly sat up. I could see his face and it appeared his eyes were shut. I swung my legs over and cautiously stood up, still staring at Frank, waiting for him to say something, or to hear the chuckle.
I chanced to look away from Frank to look at my feet, trying to decide where to step as I didn't want to make much noise. The only sound I could hear as I took the few steps across the living room was my heartbeat in my ears. I prayed that it wasn't as loud to everyone else, or it may give me away to the monster in the room. As I wrapped my hand around the brass doorknob, I looked back at Frank. Even though the light was still dim with the two lamps, I could see his eyes were still closed and his mouth slightly open. I slowly turned the knob, I could feel the springs turn and stretch as I did and I hoped again that it wasn't making much noise. Before I pushed open the door, I looked back one last time to Frank. I gasped as I saw his eyes were open, watching me and his mouth in a hard pressed line. A scream squeezed out of me as I saw him lurch himself off the floor towards me. I tried to slam the door shut but Frank pushed his weight against it. He was considerably larger than me, but I wasn't going to give in anytime soon. As I pushed against him, screaming and grunting as I did so, my right foot slid behind me and hit something hard. I turned my body around, pressing both feet against the object. With the leverage, I was able to get the door latch in place. I spun back around, feeling the doorknob and turned the lock. I slumped down, putting my back against the door. I pushed my hands into my face as I realized just how selfish I was. I went into the bathroom to save my own hide, I didn't bother in trying to wake the others.
As though to answer an unsaid prayer, I heard a knock from the wall to my left and I jumped nearly out of my skin. "Are you safe?" Bobby asked.
I nodded then realizing he can't see my head I replied, "For now, are you guys ok?"
"Yeah, when I heard you scream, I quickly got in here and blocked the door. I'm so sorry, Abby," he said with great sincerity in his voice. "I should have listened to you."
"Too late for apologies," Frank snorted from outside the door. "How did you figure me out, Abby?"
"Ha! Like I'd tell you. I'm not going to give you the satisfaction and let you cover your tracks better next time."
"You're a smart girl, Abby," Frank said. "You were smart enough to figure out how to beat my children. Because you're right, without your fear they're nothing more than the dirt on the bottom of your boots. But tell me girl, do you think that is enough to defeat me, too?"
I wanted to gag, thinking of this monster on the other side of the door as any sort of father to have children. But what most struck me by his words was wondering if I wasn't scared of him, would that be enough to win?
All I could feel was fear of this man-beast. How could I not be afraid of something that was every fear I ever had rolled into one?
"I can hear your heart beating, Abby." Frank taunted. "You aren't afraid of me, are you?"
I swallowed hard. "No," I said.
"Your heart is telling a different story. With every word I say, it seems your pulse speeds up even more. Your heart is drowning in your fear. Tell me Abby, how good is your heart?"
It wasn't my heart I was so much worried about as it was my mental state that I was concerned with. I was trapped in a corner with absolutely nowhere to hide. This was the sort of time I would see the minions come to take care of his problem. Rather, I had the wolf himself knocking at the door. Just on the other side of the door was the monster I had been running from. There were only a few inches of cheap wood between me and it.
"Leave her alone!" I heard Cathy yell.
"Shush in there," Frank growled, "I'll deal with you lot in just a little while. Be patient. Your turn will come."
I felt something run along the small of my back then felt fingers pressing onto my own. I lurched away from the door, feeling the wall around me for a light switch while Frank laughed. He calmed himself quickly and slightly moaned before saying, "Abby dear, oh how I've been waiting to feel your skin on mine."
"You're a sick freak, Frank, or whatever your name is." I was now frantic to find a light.
"Oh, but my name is Frank. Or, at least the name you'd be able to understand and repeat is Frank. My true name is awfully complicated to say; unless, of course, you are keen to speaking Latin."
"Can't say I am," I said, finally finding the switch not far from the door.
With the light, I found myself in a tiny bathroom with stained yellow walls and emerald green tiles. I had used the tub as leverage earlier, it was dingy but I was pleased to see no mold. Although I didn't have much room to be picky as to where I was hiding, if there was something growing in the bath. I wished I had the luxury of being picky. Then I wouldn't be alone and barricaded away in the bedroom with the family that was just as lost as myself.
"What are you do
ing in there?" Frank asked with his voice now rich with curiosity.
"Don't worry about me." I replied as I knelt by the sink and began rooting through the cupboard. The only things I could find were a couple of Q-tips and lots of cobwebs. Nothing useful. I felt something pressing at my feet. I looked down and saw a large black snake beginning to weave itself around my ankles. I shrieked, jumping around hoping I'd be able to spontaneously sprout wings so my feet wouldn't ever touch the ground again. I hopped my way into the bathtub as quickly as possible.
"You're not afraid of snakes, are you Abby?" Frank taunted again.
"Screw you!" I said, watching as the original snake began to multiply into many more snakes over and over again until the green tiles into a sea of serpents. I closed my eyes as I saw the floor of snakes beginning to rise, or perhaps it was the tub that was sinking. Either way, the snakes were coming closer. I could hear Frank's laugh. The giggle I feared the most of all; because he was all fears rolled into one. This was the end. I was beginning to hyperventilate and my heart was about to launch itself from my ribcage.
"Dear God, help me." I prayed.
Something my grandmother had told me entered my mind. "In times of crisis, turn to God."I chanced opening my eyes and regretted it as I saw snakes