I wedged myself in the corner of the hallway in between the washer and dryer and breathed heavily, my heart pounding against my chest. I heard footsteps slowly creeping down the hallway. My breath caught in my throat and I clamped a hand over my mouth so Ticca could not hear me breathing.

“Come on out, sweetie. You don’t have to be afraid. I’m not gonna hurt you, I swear.” Ticca smiled, trying to act sweet and innocent. A tear escaped from my eye and rolled down my cheek. I squeezed my eyes shut and pressed myself harder against the wall. I could see Ticca walking down the hallway from a small slit in the closed door to the laundry room that I was hiding in.

Ticca grabbed the door handle to Brian’s room and shoved the door open, looking inside for a minute and then shutting the door again. He did the same to the other three rooms. Shit. He was almost to the end of the hallway. If he goes in the laundry room, I’m done for...I have to get out of here! I thought, panic coming over me like ocean waves. A bead of sweat trickled down my forehead to the bottom of my jaw, where the tear was. They collided and fell to the floor.

“I know where you are. I can smell your fear.” Ticca said, his eyes focusing on the door to the laundry room. My mind raced to think of some way to escape. Suddenly, the footsteps stopped right outside of the door. The light from the bottom of the door was replaced by a shadow. He had found me.

“Aaaaand... Gotcha!” Ticca shoved the door open and flicked on the light. He looked around the laundry room, inspecting everything. Giving up after a while, he shrugged and walked out of the room, not bothering to turn off the light. I breathed a sigh of relief and shoved all of the clothes off me. Thank God he did not look in the laundry basket. I clutched my heart and tried to calm myself. I pressed my ear against the door, listening for footsteps or anything that might indicate Ticca had left. After a good five minutes of silence, I slowly cracked open the door, peeking out with one eye. Ticca was nowhere to be seen. I threw the door open and ran for my life. Suddenly, I felt arms grab around my waist.

“I don’t think so!” Ticca exclaimed, pulling me back towards him. I screamed for help, but Ticca muffled it by clamping his hand around my mouth, keeping his other hand wrapped around my waist.

“Ashlynn, are you okay?” I heard Brian’s voice coming from the basement. My eyes grew wide and I struggled to get out of Ticca’s grip, but he held firmly onto me.

“Say ‘you’re fine’.” He snarled, taking his hand off my mouth and pressing a shank knife against my throat.

“Y-yeah, I’m fine.” I called back, trembling. “I just saw another cockroach is all.” Ticca smiled and put the shank back in his pocket.

“Good girl. Come with me now.” He said, walking back towards Brian’s room. I struggled intensely against him but it was no use. Ticca opened the door and shoved me into the room, shutting it behind him and locking the door. Tears started rolling freely down my face.

“Please... Please don’t do this.” I sputtered, my bottom lip quivering.

“You did it to yourself.” Ticca shrugged. “If you had just cooperated with me before, then this wouldn’t have happened.” He pushed me back and I tripped, falling onto the bed. Ticca loomed over me menacingly. I kicked at him as hard as I could, aiming for any man’s weak spot. My aim was dead on. Ticca dropped to the floor in the fetal position and let out a pain-filled groan.

“You little... bitch...” He gasped. I rolled off the bed and ran for the door. Before I could get there, I felt a hand grasp my ankle. The ground came up fast. I heard a sickening crunch and blood started gushing from my nose. Ticca stood up slowly and winced from the lingering pain that my blow had caused. He grabbed the collar of my shirt and picked me up from the ground. Blood dripped from my nose, going on the floor, into my mouth, and all over Ticca’s hands.

“Can’t get away this time.” Ticca smiled. I spat blood and saliva in his face. “Now, now. There’s no need for that.” He said, wiping his face. He grabbed my face with his free hand and forced his lips onto mine. I struggled to get away, but he dug his fingernails into my cheek and deepened the kiss. He finally pulled away from what seemed like forever and wiped the blood off his lips. “Now, that wasn’t so bad was it? I sure enjoyed it.” He whispered next to my ear, sending shivers down my spine.

“Go to hell...” I said weakly. Ticca laughed and lightly touched my nose.

“What was that, baby? I couldn’t hear you.” He mocked, holding a hand to his ear.

“I said, I hope you burn in hell forever, you sick fuck.” I spat.

“Now now, there’s no need to talk to me like that.” He crooned. “Not after all I’ve done for you.”
I laughed weakly, my head rolling to the side. “Here, let me demonstrate.” Before I could stop him, Ticca carried me by my collar over to the bed and pushed me onto it. He grabbed my shirt, lifted it up over my head, and threw it to the side. “That’s better...” He grinned, climbing on top of me and kissing me roughly on my lips again. Tears were streaming down my face as I tried to get away from his grasp. “Don’t fight it.” Ticca growled and slapped me hard across the face. Intense pain immediately shot through my body and more tears erupted from my eyes.

Snaking his hand around me, he attempted to unhook my bra, but I pressed myself into the bed so he could not move his hand. “Stop it, or I’ll hit you again.” He threatened, raising his hand, ready to slap me again. I cringed and prepared as best I could for the pain that was coming.