Charles [Short Story]

Chapter 1

It was a cold winter morning in Ketchum, Idaho. Stella Douglas woke up and throw the covers off letting the cold air wrap around her, she shivered rubbed her hands up and down arms as she made her way to the closet where she pulled out her favorite sweat pants, and wool knitted sweater. After she got dress she grabbed a pair of wool socks and pulled them on before making her way downstairs.

"Mmmm tea sounds lovely." I thought out loud. "Dad?? Are you still here?"

No response which means he has already left for work. I grabbed the copper stove top kettle filled it with water and placed it onto the oven. As I waited for the water to heat up I moved across the kitchen to get my favorite clay mug and the can of tea along with some milk from the ice chest and sugar from the pantry. The kettle started to whistle, I added two bags of tea to my mug and filled it with the hot water. After I let it seep for a bit I took the bags out and tossed them into the trash. I added my milk and sugar than I took my first sip.

"Mmmmm perfect." I said out loud "What am I to do with my day?"

I walked into the study and started a fire, I grabbed my favorite book and curled up on the sofa. Sipping my tea I was lost in thought.

"Hello?" I heard a week voice say. I sat up straight placed my tea and book down and wandered back into the kitchen.

"Hello? Is there someone there?" I called out. All the doors and windows are locked.

"Yes, Please help I am down here." the voice said again this time I could tell it was coming from the basement. I was not allowed down there. My father always told me to stay out of there. Walking over I unlocked the door and opened it. Letting the door swing open I stood at the top of the staircase flipping the light switch on. I looked down the stairs and called out again.

"Hello?" I said I could feel my body shaking, What the f**k was I doing?

"Please." Is all I heard before I started walking down the stairs. There in a large room was a man hanging from the rafters. He was beautiful, long black hair, tall, covered in muscles, his skin looked like honey.  I slowly walked up to him, reaching out and I softly ran my finger tips across his stomach. As I looked at him I could see cuts, burns and scars and a large wooden stake sticking out of his chest.

"What happened to you?" I ask him not thinking he would answer me.

"Frank." is all he said.

"Frank? No my father couldn’t do this." I said with disbelief.

"Your my promised." he said with a smile. "Can you please help me down?"

"Oh yes of course. I am sorry." I said as I started loosing the chains wrapped around his wrists. I placed myself under the first arm I was able to unbind, holding all of his weight I started on the next cuff. As soon as I got it undone I heard him groan in pain and all of his weight was on me, I placed him gently on the ground. I ran over and grabbed a blanket to wrap around him.

"I need to pull this out… It is going to hurt…" I said in a scared whisper. He only nodded his head and braced himself for the pain. I wrapped my fingers around the stake and pulled as hard as I could. It came out and I feel backwards the strange handsome man let out a roar so loud I thought I heard the house rattle.

"Thank you." He said grabbing on to my hand, it was the first time I saw his eyes. They were dark brown, once you looked into them they just held you there.

"You have beautiful eyes." I said with a slight smile. He started getting up, I held onto his arm and led him to the stairs. Once we were upstairs he turned and looked at me with a smile.

"Thank you for saving me. " He said as he leaned in and kissed my forehead.

"Your Welcome, can I ca…" Before I could finish my sentence he was gone. "Um okay than."

What the heck just happened??? A stranger tied up with a wooden stake baried into his chest… What in the world did he mean by "Your my promised" I looked around for the phone but instead I spotted the clock realizing that it  was already 3:29pm and I needed to start dinner soon. I decided on making a roasted chicken, roasted veggies and some fresh rolls. That all sounds good and it will make my father happy.

My father stepped through the door just as I pulled the food out of the oven. I heard sniff the air as he placed his jacket on the hook and kicked his boots off.

"Mmm that smells wonderful Stella!" He said with a big smile. "How was your day sweetie?"

"It was ummm, strange." I said with an awkward giggle as I set the roasted chicken in the middle of the table. I so badly wanted to confront him about what I saw in the basement but I knew I would be in trouble for touching the door let alone actually going down there.

"I am going to do some work tonight so I would like you to stay upstairs. Okay?" He said as he cut himself some chicken and scooped some veggies up putting them on his plate. "What do you want to do tomorrow?"

"Tomorrow?" I asked confused as I placed some chicken in my mouth.

"Yes Stella tomorrow, it’s your 18th Birthday. What do you want to do?" he said with a laugh.

"Mmm, I would like to go to the old bookstore if that’s alright with you?" I said before popping another carrot in my mouth.

"Of course sweetie, you going to that coffee shop you like after?" He asked

"Ohh, yes that sounds like an amazing idea." I said with a smile.

"That was a lovely meal, thank you sweetie, are you finished?" He asked, I nodded and got up to start cleaning the plates. "No, you cooked I clean. You go take a shower and relax for the rest of the night. Can you stay up stairs while I work?"

"Yea that's fine dad, I love you." I said placing a kiss to his head before running up to my room. A nice warm bubble sounds good.

After I took my bath I made my way into my room, closing the door behind me I dropped my towel turning to the closet grabbing some comfortable clothing. I walked over to my fireplace and started it, than I got a book and plopped down onto the make shift bed of pillows and fluffy blankets. I read until I let sleep consume me. Until I was woken up by my fathers screaming. I sat straight up and ran downstairs.

"Father! What is it?" I asked him

"What have you done?" My father screamed as he ran out of the basement.

"Father. Please. I couldn’t take it anymore." I said as I backed into the room further trying to stay far

Out of his reach.

"You stupid girl. I can’t protect you now. You've let him free." He replied rubbing his head in frustration.

"I don’t understand, I don’t know who he is or why you had him locked in there." I said with a shaky voice.

"I don’t have time to explain Stella, your endanger and we need to move now." He exclaimed while grabbing bags of food and his weapons. "NOW STELLA!" he yelled as the front door was kicked in. I looked at my father before turning back to the front door, I saw him standing there. The same man I had released hours ago. His eyes were focused on my father than back to me with a wicked smile spreading across his face, his eyes looking me with hunger.

"You know she's coming with me right Frank?" The strange man asked never taking eyes off of me.

"No. She will never go with you." My father said as he started walking towards me, placing himself in the middle of us.

The strange let out a chuckle as he walked towards us with slow lazy steps "No, Frank. You promised her to me, and  I am finally free of your chains so now Frank I am taking her with me." He was so close to my father looking around him directly at me. He slowly reached around my father tangling a strand of my hair around his finger.

"Your perfect Stella. Perfect." He said as he sucked his lower lip between his teeth. His eyes were beautiful, the way he looked at me made something inside me stir.

"Don’t touch my daughter." my father said as he moved the strangers hand away from my hair.

"Frank, don’t make this harder than it has to be. You remember our deal I save her from the auctions and you promised her to me when she hit 18. Well if I am correct today is her Birthday." He said with a smile.

"Please don’t hurt her." My father pleaded.

"Why would I hurt her? I am hoping she will be the women I have been waiting for." He said with a completely straight face.

"What is he talking about dad?" I asked.

My father turned to me taking a deep breath, "When your mother got pregnant with you she never told me, I didn’t find out until Kelly called me one day telling me your mother was in the hospital having a baby, by the time I got there the auction house had already taken you, I went to them and begged them to give you back but because I was not added to the birth rights I had no claim on you. So I went to him making a deal so I could have you come home with me where you belonged.. I lock him up in the basement trying to find a way to kill him before your birthday but I failed." he looked down with so much shame.

"Can we just pay you the money you spent instead of me going with you? I don’t want to leave with you I do not know you!" I yelled trying to move away from him. "I could never be happy…" 

"It's time to go Stella." The stranger cut me off and grabbed my arm shoving my father aside.

I wanted to run but his grip was to tight, he dragged me out of the house than all I saw was black.