Brook turned to the shower, but Gina stopped her. “Uh unh.” She shook her head. “No shower. Just wash up.”
Brook wet the rag at the sink and wrung it out. She peered into the mirror as she wiped her face. Her eyes were swollen, one nearly closed completely, and her face puffy. Her lips were bruised. She drank from the faucet, gulping the liquid like it was a life-line. It hit her empty stomach and sloshed around uncomfortably. For a horrible moment, Brook thought she was going to vomit, but her stomach settled enough to keep the liquid down.
She re-wet the rag, liberally this time, and used the cloth to wipe her hair, combing through the tangled mess as best as she could with her fingers. She scrubbed under her arms, and then began to clean her breasts. The cut bled a little as she cleaned it, but it wasn’t deep.
Agony pulsed through her as she washed between her legs, but nothing compared to the pain between her buttocks. She tried to muffle her cries. She rinsed the rag multiple times but she still felt filthy; was filthy.
Once more, she tried to appeal to Gina. Turning to face the girl, she pleaded, “Please help me get out of here. I’ll get you money. All the money you want. You don’t even have to tell anyone I gave it to you. Please.”
Gina snorted. “You’re an ignorant bitch, aren’t you? Do you think I need your money? We have plenty of money. Plus, we got the cash from your purse, and your credit cards. I should be able to pick up some nice shit before anyone figures it out.”
“You have money?” Brook couldn’t hide her disbelief. “What about this house? You can’t have much money if you live here. But, I can buy you a house, a big beautiful house.”
“This ain’t my house, stupid; it's Jase's. We just hang out here when the guys have a bunch of jobs to do. Makes it easier to plan shit. We ain’t fuckin bums, you know. God damn it anyway, just get your ass back to the bedroom.” She opened the door and shoved Brook through.
Back in the room of her torment, Brook pulled the filthy sheet around her body and peered through the window again, trying to determine if she had missed anything, if she could get out by breaking the glass. Maybe the bus wasn’t as close to the window as she thought. Pressing close to the glass, Brook looked up and down and to both sides, but she'd been right; it was much too near to squeeze past. She wouldn’t be getting out this way.
Brook gasped aloud as the sudden memory of the clothes in the closet hit her full force. How could I have forgotten there were clothes? Throwing off the sheet, she darted to the closet and began snatching things at random. She came up with a pair of jeans and a t-shirt, both too small. She squeezed into them nonetheless and immediately felt more in control, though she knew the feeling was only an illusion.
Dressed, she determined to attempt another escape. It was worth a try, even if she failed. Maybe they were all in a different room or distracted by something. Putting her ear against the wall, she listened, but heard nothing. Maybe they were outside and she could slip away like a shadow. Although Benny had put a lock on the door, he had used a simple hook and eye and hadn’t done a good job of installing it. It was too large and Brook could open the door far enough to flip the lock open with her little finger. So, the door was no trouble. All she had at her disposal was stealth, and she planned to use it. She could slip right out of the house before anyone was the wiser.
She moved cautiously to the door and was reaching for the handle when it opened, startling her. Jase walked in with his penis in his hand. “Say hello to Big Mack,” he announced. “He’s making a house call. Come to see how Missus Pussy is holding out.”
Brook backed up, but there was nowhere to go.
It took a moment for Jase to realize what he was seeing. He came to a dead stop. “Where the hell did you get those clothes?” he demanded, erection forgotten and swinging in front of him. He hollered over his shoulder, “Gina! Did you give the bitch any clothes?”
“No,” came a distant answer. In a moment, Gina’s sallow face appeared in the doorway. The instant her eyes fell on Brook, she flew into a rage. “Those are my fucking clothes! Get them off!” Rearing on Jase she screeched, “I told you not to put her in my room in the first place!”
Gina started toward Brook, but Jase put up an arm and blocked her. He kept his gaze on Brook.
“Didn’t you hear me say you don’t need no clothes around here?” The look on Jase’s face froze Brook to the spot. “You just fucked up big time. You’re gonna pay for this.”
He gave Gina a shove towards the door. “Get the fuck out, bitch! You’re starting to annoy the shit outta me.”
But Gina was furious. Shaking with rage, she growled, “Not until she takes my clothes off!”
“Oh, she’ll take them off, don’t worry none about that,” Jase said. “Now get the fuck, out of here.”
Gina, finally hearing the threat in Jase’s tone, left. She threw Brook a hateful look before slamming the door on her way out.
“Take them off,” Jase said, an odd gleam in his eye as he turned back to Brook. “Real slow. Sexy-like. Give me a little strip tease.”
“No!” Brook dropped to the floor, one arm held up in a protective posture.
“NO!” Jase bellowed. “NO?!
Brook quaked. “I don’t know how,” she said in a little girl’s voice.
“You have about one second to learn.” Jase’s voice was husky. He took himself in hand again and began a slow stroke. “And you better make it good. Real entertaining.”
Brook struggled to her feet. She swayed unsteadily back and forth, hoping if she moved, it would keep him from hurting her more. She began removing the clothing, slowly, sobbing as she did so. Her movements felt jerky and awkward.
“Good,” he said. “Keep going. Turn around and bend over. Now slide off those jeans; show me that butt. Do a good job, and maybe I'll go easy on you.”
Terrified and embarrassed, Brook did what he asked. When the clothes were removed and tossed aside, Brook stood before Jase, arms crossed over her body.
“I could surely use a blowjob,” Jase stated in the same tone he might say he could use some food or sleep.
Anger rose inside Brook, overriding her fear. “I’ll bite it off and spit it in your face,” she said, her voice bitter.
“Is that right? You’re still pretty mouthy for someone in your predicament. We’ll have to work on that.” Jase backhanded Brook and sent her reeling onto the mattress. He considered her threat and came to a decision. “Okay, no blowjob. I think I’ll have some more of that tight ass instead. But first a little more pussy.” He dropped to where Brook cowered, slipped between her legs, and took her with unnecessary force. Her scream echoed off the walls and down the hallway.
Jase spent what seemed to be an eternity, pounding away, oblivious to Brook’s misery. Brook soon fell quiet. Jase didn’t even seem to notice when she tuned him out; when, in fact, she tuned out everything.
Brook focused her attention on the tattered valance hanging over the window. Little brown cartoon monkeys danced across a faded green background, and Brook guessed this room, at some distant time, must have belonged to a little boy. She wondered where that child was today. Was he out there in the world somewhere right now, all grown up and happy in his life, going about his daily routine? Or did he die young, leaving his parents with an aching grief that would never end? The thought added an inexpressible sadness to the horror she was enduring. Then she thought, maybe the child grew up to be one of the animals who now tormented her. Maybe this room had actually belonged to Jase when he was a child.
The thought slammed her back to current time just as Jase withdrew and flipped her to her belly, taking her from behind once more. Brook squirmed, unable to move out from under Jase’s weight. Fortunately, in this position he didn’t last long, and with a hoarse cry, he released inside her. He stood, pulled his pants up, and without a word, left the room.