City of Dreams

I awoke to one of the most intense feelings of pain I have ever experienced in my life. The room was pitch black and I couldn’t see a damn thing. I soon realized that I wasn’t able to move either. I was face down on a really hard surface. My arms and legs were tied in spread-eagled positions, and I was naked. What the fuck was going on? I tried to move and felt an even more intense pain in my side. The right side of my body burned and felt like it was sticking to whatever I was lying on.

Suddenly, everything came rushing back to me. Blood. I was bleeding. Bailey’s insane father had ransacked the apartment and while I was trying to get away from him he had sliced me in my right side with one of the knives from the kitchen. I took a deep breath and gulped. Ok Miah. Be calm. I have to think of a way to get out of here. Just as I was trying to collect my thoughts a door in the room opened. I was tied down facing the door and the light that spilled into the room hurt my eyes. I blinked a few times and looked up again. I expected to see Bailey’s father standing there, but instead I could make out two shadows filling the now open doorway. I could see something in one of their hands. It looked like a long piece of rope.

“Ahhh I see our little friend has woken up finally.”

The evil sound of Bailey’s father made my stomach roll and I wanted to throw up. It was the second voice that surprised me because it was a voice I never expected to hear again.

“It looks like we will be able to have some fun tonight, Mr. Masters.”

The two figures walked towards me. Bailey’s father turned on the light in the room. I could now see that they had tied me to a steel tabletop. I could also see the piece of rope the other guy was holding was actually a whip. The other man squatted down so we were at eye level with each other. His hand reached out and grabbed onto my hair. He yanked my head back. I gathered my courage and spit in his face. I felt the crack of the whip on my back before I heard it.

“You dirty, little faggot. Is that any way to treat your father?”

* * *

Gina’s Point Of View

It took those damn cops almost three hours to check out the apartment and get all the information they needed. Now don’t get me wrong, I am thankful that the police showed up so quickly. I knew that the four of us needed some time to pull ourselves together, and having to answer the countless questions the cops had asked was driving me insane. I mean how many times did they have to ask the same question?

We had to pull together soon because I could see the tension of the situation was getting to us. Thankfully the cops were packing up their shit and on their way out.

“Ok guys,” I started. “We need to figure out a game plan.”

“This isn’t one of your little schemes, Gina, so quit acting like everything is going to be ok!”

I could hear the anger building in Bailey’s voice. I understood him being upset. We were all fucking upset. I love Miah just as much as he does, but obviously in a different way.

“We have to do something, Bailey. We can…”

“Why don’t you just shut the fuck up? Didn’t you see the bedroom you stupid bitch?? That his blood! The cops said that there isn’t a good chance of anyone losing that amount of blood and surviving. Weren’t you even fucking listening to anything you stupid…”

SLAP!

Oh yes I did! I hauled off and gave Bailey one of my meter maid, I mean person, bitch slap specials. I knew he didn’t mean what he was saying, but he had to calm down. We were not helping Miah out at all by just going at each other. From the looks on Austin and Sarah’s faces you would have sworn I hit them. Bailey looked even more shocked than they did. He took a step towards me.

“Bailey…”

He cut off what I was about to say by grabbing me and crushing me to his chest in what had to be the biggest hug of my life. I could feel his body start to tremble and the floodgates opened again.

“Gina…”

It was difficult to hear him through the sobs that were coursing through his body.

“I am so sorry. I am just going crazy. I think I am having some type of fucking breakdown. You were totally right to pound me. I just can’t think. I don’t even know what to think. All I know is that I CAN’T LOSE HIM. Not again. I loved him for years and then finally got him back, and once again my father ruins everything. Only this time he may have ruined things for good. I don’t want Miah to….”

I knew what he was going to say. It was a thought that had crossed all of our minds. None of us wanted Miah to…die. Bailey started to collapse against me and I knew we were both going to end up hitting the floor. Austin saved the day though by grabbing on to Bailey. Bailey clung to him and Austin sat him down on the couch. He wrapped his arms around Bailey and just rocked back and forth a bit. Austin was murmuring something to Bailey that I couldn’t hear. Whatever it was though seemed to calm B down. I lit up a cigarette and sat down on one of the ruined couches next to Sara.

“Sara, hand me the phone.”

Everyone looked at me.

“Who are you gonna call?” Bailey asked.

“Fucking Ghostbusters.” I said and stuck out my tongue.

He laughed. Thank God he laughed. I needed to keep an eye on him. I had to try to keep his spirits up along with his hope. Sara handed me the phone.

“Y’all don’t call me Nancy Drew for nothing. Let me work my magic.”

They all looked at me curiously. I’ve lived in the city my whole life and since the age of 16 I’ve been working. I’ve worked at practically every major hotel or club here. I had a nice ass list of contacts that could practically find out anything, and it was time to call in some favors. It took about three phone calls before I found anything out. Finally on the fourth call I got the information I was looking for, but I had to admit it wasn’t what I expected. That scared me most of all.

“Thank you so much buddy! I owe you one definitely!”

I hung up the phone and all of them looked at me expectantly.

“Well what did you find out?” Austin asked.

“They are staying at the Hilton.”

“Ok…” Bailey looked confused. “But what do you mean they?”

“The room isn’t registered under your father’s name, Bailey.”

All of their eyebrows rose up.

“Then who is it registered under, G?” Bailey asked.

“The room is registered under the name Wilson Summers.”

Bailey’s eyes widened in shock, but Austin and Sara looked at me questioningly.

“Who the fuck is…”

Bailey cut Austin off. The grim look on his face told us just how serious this was becoming.

“Wilson Summers is Miah’s father.”

* * *

“Did you really think you could get away from me, you little bastard?” My father said as I felt the whip slashing against my back.

I didn’t answer him. In fact I was making every attempt to not even cry out from the burning fire I felt rolling over my back. I hurt so badly. I knew though that no skin had been broken. Yet.

“Answer me when I talk to you, BITCH!”

I felt his hand connected roughly with the back of my head. He continued to scream and yell at me, but I still refused to answer him. Bill, Bailey’s father, punched me across the face. I could feel my lip start to swell and I tasted blood.

“Answer your father, you filthy cock sucker!”

Bill was yelling directly in my face.

“FUCK YOU BOTH!” I screamed as I spit in his face.

He jerked back wiping his hand against his face. As he pulled his hand back he could see my blood all over it.

“You dirty mother…”

Bill lunged at me, but my father stopped him.

“Settle down, Bill, Jeremiah has always been a rude and difficult child. There is only one way to deal with him when he gets like that. He needs some love.”

My eyes widened in fear. NO. He will NOT put me through this again. I couldn’t stop the tears that started to well up in my eyes as I heard my father taking off his pants.

“He needs to be cleansed with the love of his father. That will bring him back from his evil ways.”

My body shuddered as I felt my father climb onto the table behind me. I had to stop this. I had to figure out something. He WILL NOT touch me again.

* * *

Bailey’s Point Of View

Normally I would say that Gina’s schemes are way out there and would never work, but this time the girl was brilliant! Austin and I were waiting outside in the hotel’s parking lot. Gina and Sara went in to get some information. It seems that Gina was able to get a hold of two maids’ uniforms and planned on getting into the room to investigate. If this worked I will owe her forever!

We knew the cops couldn’t use the information about Miah’s dad since we knew my father was involved. We would need something that would connect the two of them together. And I didn’t want to have to explain Miah’s past to anyone. That is his business, and I know he doesn’t want anyone to know. In fact there are things he still hasn’t talked to me about, but I know he will once he feels he is able to.

“What is taking them so long?”

Austin’s voice brought me back to reality.

“Well, you are dating Nancy Drew. She is probably taking finger prints off of the glasses that might be there.”

We both chuckled. We all make jokes about Gina, but she is probably the core person in our group. She is always there for all of us. Gina keeps our spirits up and makes sure no one is hurting. If it weren’t for her we wouldn’t have any information to go on. I thank my lucky stars to have her in my life.

“Here they come.” Austin said as he pointed out the window.

Gina and Sara came rushing over to the car with smiles and they didn’t look happy at all.

“So did you find anything?” I asked.

Gina and Sara hopped into the backseat. Gina lit up a smoke and started to give us the run down.

“At first we couldn’t find anything at all. It’s obvious that they really aren’t staying in the hotel.”

“Then where are they at?” I asked interrupting her.

“Let Nancy finish her run down.” Austin said with a grin.

“Gee thanks, Ned.” Gina added with a laugh. “I didn’t think we would figure it out, but I found this phone number on a notepad by the bed.”

“Whose number is it?” I asked interrupting her yet again.

“Bailey, you are lucky that this is a desperate time or I wouldn’t tell you. So let me talk damn it!” Gina said, but she was smiling. “I called my friend at the phone company and found out whose number it was.”

“Who?” Austin and I asked at the same time.

* * *

I could feel the weight of my father on my back and knew that I had to do something, but what? I was tied to the table and couldn’t get up. Wait a minute! If I couldn’t move then maybe….I just hope this works. It has to work. I will NOT let him use me again. I screamed as loud as possible and with every once of strength I had I threw my body towards the side of the table. I knew I couldn’t break through the ropes that held me, but this just might work.

As my body weight shifted I felt my father slip off the side of the table, and as he did he grabbed onto me for support pulling me with him. YES! The table tipped over with us. We hit the ground in a loud crash. I could hear Bill and my father both cursing. Just as my father stood up and Bill came towards me the door banged open again to reveal a third person in this twisted plot.

“What the fuck is going on down here? And why are your pants off, Wilson? You didn’t tell me that this was what you were planning on!”

I looked up in shock at the person who entered. I couldn’t believe it. I was barely able to even mutter his name.

“Jeff.”

* * *

Bailey’s Point Of View

“I knew we should have broken that mother fucker’s legs when we had the chance! How the fuck did they find him?” I raged.

“Well, B, that was my second call.” Gina said.

“What do you mean, honey?” Austin asked.

“I called Diversity. Gen is working tonight. She saw two new guys lurking around the bar yesterday and saw them talking to Jeff. Somehow they lucked out and stumbled upon him. Gen said they chatted for about 10 minutes and then left. That was yesterday.”

“Damn it! I wish Miah had worked last night. He would have recognized them instantly. Then maybe he would have been safe. We could have kept an eye out. We…”

Gina interrupted me.

“We are NOT going to play the ‘what if’ game, Bailey. We can’t control what has happened. All we can do is try to fix what is going on. Your dad must have gone back to the hotel last night and talked to Wilson. That’s probably how they ended up at the club.”

“You’re right, G, thanks.” I said sincerely. “So, what’s the game plan now?”

“Well I got the address to Jeff’s place. So I say we head over there.”

“That’s a good plan, Gina, but what are we going to do? Rush in there with our bare hands like we are the A-Team or something?” Austin asked. “Shouldn’t we contact the police?”

“That would take too long, Aust. Gina is right. If we called the cops we would have to explain everything and how we got the information. I don’t care what we have to use, but we are getting Miah out of there right now.”

“I second that, Bailey!” Gina added. “And it’s a good thing we are in my car.”

“Why is that, G?” Sara asked.

“Cause I have some baseball bats in the trunk.”

“Do you play softball or something?”

“No. Why?” Gina replied with a grin.

“I am not even going to ask whose windshield you were planning to use those bats on, G.” I said and laughed.

“Bailey, you already know me all too well.”

“Let’s fucking roll team.”

* * *

“You said all we were going to do was rough him up and scare him. You didn’t say anything about raping him or whipping him like that! You sick fucks.” Jeff screamed at the other two men.

“Shut up, you fucking pansy. We are going to deal with you right after we are done with my son. We just needed your house, not you.”

Bill came up behind Jeff as my father, or should I say sperm donor, was talking to him. I couldn’t even open my mouth to warn him. Bill hit him in the back of the head and Jeff passed out.

“Well, well, well, son. It looks like your time has ended. You won’t be cleansed before you die, but it really doesn’t matter. You are going to rot in hell either way.”

They untied me from the table. I tried to fight back, but it was futile. There were two of them and only one of me. I was forced to sit down on the floor and they tied me back to back with the now unconscious Jeff. The ropes were so tight I could feel them cutting against my bare skin. I didn’t know what was in store for me, but I was to soon find out.

Bill left what had to be Jeff’s basement and came back a few minutes later with a can of gasoline. My eyes widened in shock. Bill took the can and poured it around the basement and then in a circle around Jeff and I. I thought he was finished, but he then dumped the remaining contents over the two of us. I wanted to throw up as some of the shit got in my mouth.

“You cast some type of spell over my son and turned him into a fag. So I thought it was only fitting that you be burned alive, just like the nasty witches in Salem. I would tell you to pray for help, but God has already turned his back on you. You are certainly a pathetic piece of shit.”

“FUCK YOU, ASSHOLE!”

My father punched me in the side of my head and I could feel the room begin to spin. I couldn’t get my eyes to focus at all. I couldn’t lose consciousness. I couldn’t! A sound echoed in the room and that brought everything back into focus. It was the sound of a match being lit. My head snapped to where Bill was standing. He was grinning like a madman.

“Like a moth to the flame, you’ll be burned by the fire.”

Bill and my father started cackling as the match dropped.

The sound that echoed in my ears chilled me to the bone. It was a great whooshing sound. The fire shot up from the floor.

“Goodbye, son, burn in hell.”

The two men left and I was already starting to feel dizzy from the smoke that was quickly filling the room. I could see the fire start to swell in the corner of the basement. When Bill was pouring the gasoline he had made a line towards that corner. I stared at the corner to see what was there. My eyes focused only for a second because of the smoke, but a second was all that I needed. I couldn’t help the sob that ripped through my body. I knew what the object in the corner was. It was Jeff’s gas meter. If the fire hit that then the house was going to be going up like a rocket. Oh God this can’t be happening. I couldn’t help but start to cough as the thick black smoke filled the room. I had one last thought before the smoke overtook me. I love you Bailey.

* * *

Bailey’s Point Of View

I was going about 80 miles an hour down the side streets trying to get to Jeff’s house as quickly as possible. That weird feeling started to settle in the pit of my stomach again. I caught Gina’s eyes in the rearview mirror. Her face echoed the concern I was feeling.

“Bailey, you have to go faster. Something bad is happening.”

I could see the tears building up in her eyes and I knew I was on the brink of crying myself.

“I know, G, I know.”

We pulled up to the house and we immediately jumped out of the car. I popped the trunk and Austin and I grabbed the two aluminum bats that were there. We turned and started towards the house. Before we could even take two more steps we were all thrown backwards as an explosion roared through the night. I looked up to find the house completely engulfed in flames.

“NOOOOOOOOOO!”

I pulled myself to my feet and started towards the house, but Austin grabbed me and held me back.

“Bailey, you can’t go in there. I want to go in just as badly as you do, but look at the house. The entire first floor is engulfed in flames. There is no way we can get inside.”

I could hear Gina and Sara screaming in the background. I also heard sirens. A lot of sirens. I collapsed to the ground. My body was shaking with gut wrenching sobs. Gina came over and practically fell on top of me. We clung to each other. Sara and Austin joined us. Tears streaming down all of our faces.

It took the fireman 3 hours to put out the blaze. We never left the positions we were in. The cops showed up and luckily Austin explained everything to them. They tried to console us, but it didn’t work. Gina looked at me.

“Fuck this, Bailey. We don’t even know he was in the house. He could be anywhere. We’re not even sure that they brought him here and…”

Gina kept rambling on and on. Eventually sobs overtook her as well and she collapsed onto me again. This isn’t happening. Gina could be right. He probably wasn’t even here, but if he isn’t here then how are we going to find him?

“Gina, you may be right. I mean is Nancy Drew ever wrong? He might not have been there. We just have to go back to square one and…”

I was interrupted as the detective on the scene came up to us.

“Excuse me, folks, I am really sorry to interrupt, but I know you think one of your friends may have been in the house. A fireman found this with one of the…”

Gina’s head snapped up.

“One? How many…. bodies were there?”

The detective looked a bit uncomfortable.

“There were two, ma’am. This was found on one of them.”

He held out his hand and everything stopped. I couldn’t breathe. I couldn’t speak. I started to feel very dizzy. I shook my head back and forth. I refused to believe it. It can’t be true. I reached over and picked up the object the detective was offering. It was the ring that I gave Miah. It was his ring. Oh my God. Was. Was. Was his ring. My chest tightened and I couldn’t stop the sobs that once again overtook me.

“NOOOOOOOOO”

I locked eyes with Gina and could see the anguish that was written all over her face. I could hear Austin and Sara sobbing next to us.

“Bailey….it can’t….he can’t be….I….”

Gina was as incoherent as I was.