"Come on, baby, we know you can do it. We seen you runnin' around here, tryin to get away from us. You can do it again, movin' around like a fuckin' animal."
Rough hands pushed her to the ground. Jeff was leading her by the top strap, making her pull that cart. One of the boys jumped in, adding to the weight. Her arms shot out in front of her and Darlene found her face splashing in the piss-stained mud. She could smell the piss and reared, up, rubbing the foul mud from her face.
"Pull it, baby. Come on, pull that cart," Jeff demanded, reaching back and slapping her hard across the ass.
The hard blow made Darlene spring into action. She reared back and began grunting, digging her fingers into the dirt and pulling that old cart. Had someone else jumped in? The leather pulled hard at her shoulders as she perspired heavily and panted with the load. They were using her as a beast of burden.
"Come on, bitch, come on and pull it around," they called out, laughing when she slipped again and crashed down into the ground.
Jeff moved behind her once again, kicking her ass with his booted foot and hooting at her to get up or he'd knock her out.
It was hideous, some awful inmate that she was trapped in. Darlene pulled the cart around the yard twice, her arms bowing out, her checks puffing as sge strained with great effort. Several men had climbed into the cart at one time and made it impossible for her to move. She tried, but it was impossible.
It was then Jeff took off his belt once more and flogged her there, beating her again and again like a beast. When she collapsed in a defeated heap, covering her face, he realized the game was over. Nothing could have moved her at this point. The men climbed out, knowing they had pushed her to the limit.
"Okay, that's enough," Jeff said, pulling off the harness, then tossing it to his buddy. "Let the bitch go. She ain't gonna be paradin' her ass around here anymore without thinking twice about it. Right, baby?"
Jeff pulled back her hair, staring like an animal into her eyes.
"No, no, I promise I won't," she said in a meek voice, not believing it was finally over.
"Good. Then get back in there and keep your mouth shut about this. Ain't no one who'd believe you, anyways," Jeff said, tossing her crumpled bikini in her face.
Darlene staggered away, knowing what he said was true. No one could believe what she had had to endure – no one. She was trapped. And they knew it.
CHAPTER EIGHT
Darlene had lain in her small bed for nearly one day. She feigned illness, pulling the covers up to her chin when her Aunt Helen came in to investigate. She was just tired. Just needed some rest. Thank goodness her aunt believed it! Darlene trembled at night, fearing her cousin would come in and drag her from the safety of her bed.
Of course, the girl knew she could have demanded to be taken back to L.A. But she was still here, still staying on this farm with her depraved cousin. What on earth was wrong with her? She could have bolted. But instead she remained, wanting… more? The thought made the girl wrinkle her forehead in confusion. Was she that kind of woman, the kind who enjoyed getting beaten before having sex? Jeff had told her that, laughed at her for having denied that. But maybe he knew something about her she was closing her eyes to. Darlene didn't know. She just needed rest, some time to get her head together.
The time wasn't long enough. On the third evening, her Aunt Helen came to her room, saying she and Darlene's uncle would be going to another church social.
"Is Jeff going with you?" Darlene asked, feeling something like a mixture of fear and disappointment at a possible affirmative answer.
"Oh, no. He's got far too much to do here tonight, he says," Helen said, sighing and shaking her head. "I just wish he'd do less chores and more with God."
Darlene shrank down under her covers, her fingers tightening around the satin ends. Darlene hadn't seen her cousin for these three days, although her aunt brought greetings up from him every day. Now with the news he would be staying home while his parents went off sent slivers of excitement and terror rushing through her. She could have asked to be taken to that church social. It would be boilng, but safe. But instead the girl kept her place in the bed, saying she would be all right.
"Good night, dear. Maybe we'll have some coffee or cocoa when I get back."
Helen kissed her lightly on the forehead, tucking the girl in before switching off the light and padding lightly from the room.
Darlene lay quietly in bed, all her senses keenly tuned. Previously, Darlene had felt relatively relaxed and sleepy and would have dozed off if her aunt hadn't come in with this news. Now she was alert, her ears picking up every sound in the house and outside. She could hear the car doors slam, hear the sound of the engine starting up. The tires crunched over the gavel. And then in a moment there was only the fading roar of the engine as her aunt and uncle went off to town. And then silence.
Darlene perspired nervously, her fingers still clutching the blanket to her chin. There was nothing stirring outside. At first, the girl thought of getting up and pulling aside the shades and looking for her cousin. But Darlene thought that would be too oven. She would be inviting trouble.
More minutes passed. Her skin became prickly again with fear.
Footsteps. Footsteps outside! She could hear the frightening sound of her cousin's footsteps crunching over the gravel. He was walking quickly across the courtyard, then climbing the wooden stairs to the side porch. There was the slam of the screen door, then more silence. Darlene knew he was inside the house now. She could have run to the door and locked it. But Jeff would have knocked it down. Some regret for having stayed behind crept into her mind as she waited – waited for the inevitable sound of her sick cousin climbing the stairs and opening the door.
More minutes passed, each one longer and more terrifying than the other. Darlene was about to decide Jeff had forgotten her when she heard the sound of his boots on the stairs. She clenched the blanket more tightly than ever, turning her head and pretending to be asleep. When she heard the doorknob turning, Darlene thought she would die. Her heart was pounding while her cunt grew hot and swarmy. Intense heat concentrated in the furry bundle between her legs as she heard the door open all the way, the doorknob banging lightly against the wall.
"You ain't asleep, baby. You been waitin' for me – just like I've been waitin' for the old folks to go to their fuckin' church."
Darlene turned her head, finding her eyes locked with those of her cousin.
"No more. No more. Please, no more!"
"You're a lyin' bitch, you know that? You want more, and you're too fuckin' afraid to admit it. The more I throw at you, baby, the more you suck it up."
He strode forward, gripping the blanket and pulling it off. Darlene had worn nothing to bed, liking the soft rub of the blanket against her flesh. She lay there now stark naked, her body revealed completely to her cousin.
"Man, the more I see you, the more I wanna get my hands on you," he said.
"Please…"
"Get up. Throw something over you. We're goin' somewhere."
Jeff stood there by the door, his big bulky body blocking the doorway. Darlene stumbled around the dimly lit bedroom, groping around for some clothes and still feeling a bit shamefaced about dressing in front of him. It was silly, she knew, considering all he had put her through.
"Okay, let's go."
He took her by the wrist, dragging the girl down the hall. Curiosity and a weird kind of expectation kept her in line. Darlene followed him down the stairs, through the silent living room and out the back. She stopped on the last step. Darlene saw he had pulled the small green Ford pickup up to the back kitchen door.
"Get in."
He shoved her in roughly, slamming the door and locking it, then climbing in next to her.