Page 20 of Stanton Unconditional

5

Natasha

I struggle to break free. The sound of Joshua groaning as they hit him echoes through the dark wet tunnel. Three men are holding him while three others are taking turns hitting him.

“Stop it! You’re going to fucking kill him. Please let him go,” I sob out loud.…“Please, what do you want?” They start to kick him repeatedly in the stomach and I scream. “NO! You are going to kill him! Please, stop it!” I sob while I desperately fight to escape the two men holding me. They throw me onto the ground and one of them kicks me in the stomach. I scream in pain and I hear Joshua go crazy again as he tries to break free.

“Let her go,” he screams. “Kill me.… just let her go. It’s me you want.”

They pick up a metal bar and hit him across the face and a cold metallic thud echoes through the space.

“Nooooooooo!” I scream.

“We are not letting her go. Who will we take turns in fucking with her gone? There are nine of us to please you know.”

Joshua goes crazy. “I’ll fucking kill you when I get free,” he screams. “I swear to God if you touch her, you gutless pricks, you’re fucking dead.”

I look to the corner where Ben’s dead body is slumped in the corner. I close my eyes, the sound, the sight.… the pain too much to bear.

They continually hit him until he slips into unconsciousness and my heart breaks.

Dear God, no!

One of them hits me hard across the face and I fall to the ground. They gather around and one of them unzips his pants.

“Tash. Baby, wake up.” He shakes me.

I scream as I sit up in a rush. Heart racing, my body is covered in perspiration.

“Jesus, Tash. What were you dreaming about?” Joshua grabs me in an embrace and pulls me into his chest as I sob.

The door opens and a bodyguard bursts in. “Is everything alright in here? I heard screaming.”

“Natasha just had a nightmare. Can you give us some privacy, please?” Joshua says flatly, obviously annoyed at the intrusion.

“Yes, sorry.” He leaves immediately. I cry into his chest as I shake in fear.

“It’s ok, baby. I’m here. Don’t be frightened,” he whispers into the top of my head.

I continue sobbing.

“Were you dreaming about your father?” he asks in a defeated voice.

I shake my head. I don’t want to say it out loud in case it makes it come true.

“Tell me sweetheart. What were you dreaming about?”

“I have been having the same dream over and over,” I sob. “What dream?”

“They kill you.” My chest heaves. “Who kills me?” he gasps.

I sob out loud again as I bring my face up to his. “They hold me and make me watch the men taking turns bashing you to death and then they gang rape me.”

His expression drops. “Christ…it’s not real, Tash. It’s just a bad dream.”

I pull back to look at him “I am scared it’s a premonition, Josh. What if my dad is trying to warn me? It’s so real, always exactly the same dream. They started two days after Dad’s death.”

He smiles sympathetically. “It’s a nightmare, baby. Let’s have a shower. You always feel better after a shower.”