Set Me Free

Chapter Ten

Who could possibly be at her door. The app said that it was just finished being made. Juno wondered if that made pizza joints paranoid, knowing people can view the progress of their orders. It’s ten at night, and it isn’t the delivery driver, so who could it be then, Nix maybe?

Juno opened the front door to greet her visitor, but nobody was there. Looking left and right, there was nothing. Looking down the dark driveway, and nothing there either. The front yard was fairly open with nothing in view with the exception of some trees.

“Maybe I am tired. Maybe I’m losing my mind. I swear, it’s living in this huge house and being by myself that does it.” Staying with Kevin for a while she forgot how lonely it can be staying here. How scary it is for some nights.

Juno went back inside and plopped back down on the couch and continued her movie, something about men with swords cutting others in half in some giant clash of metal. Juno couldn’t follow and eventually zoned out.

The next morning, Juno woke to the sound of her phone going off. This early in the morning it sounded like an ambulance screeching in her eardrum. Throwing her arm out from under the covers she swats the night stand for her phone. Trying to slide it over, instead it fell off the nightstand and onto the carpet with a soft thud.

“Damn…” Grumbling, she crawled her head over to the edge of the bed and looked down at her annoying phone that was no respect for morning sleep-ins. The screen flashing with the name, ‘Sweetie’.

“s**t. I forgot to erase that. And it’s ten in the morning. Ugh.” After the night at the club she forgot to change Kevin from her phone. She really needs to erase him for good. Reaching down she picked up her phone and flipped through her contacts. Her thumb hovered over the delete button for a second, then it was gone.

Throwing herself back onto her bed, limbs sprawled like she was trapped in a giant spider web, she blinked back the grogginess. Slowly she sits up and notices she’s in her bed. She wasn’t in the living room where she thought she was. She swore she fell asleep on the couch, but that doesn’t explain how she ended up in her bed. Confused and disoriented, she went to her bathroom. A headache drilling away at the inside of her skull, holding onto the edge of the sink she stripped. Grabbing the towel off the rack she knotted it firmly center mass and flipped her hair back. Padding back into the bedroom she opened her underwear drawer and gasped. 

“What is this?”

She pulls a pair of her panties out, or at least what’s left of them. They were torn to pieces like they were hacked with a buzz saw and it wasn’t just the one pair that fell victim. Every pair was torn and shredded.

“Ok, this is seriously messed up! Emra!! Callie!!” Juno stared at the morgue of undergarments in shock. How could someone do this. If this was Emra or Callie’s twisted idea of a joke, she wasn’t laughing. She will seriously lose her s**t if it was them. This was just cruel and not the least bit funny.

The padding of quick footsteps came stampeding down the hallway, the door swung open seconds later to two breathless women. Callie was holding a broomstick, prepared to swat someone to death, or choke them with dust that hands off the end of it. Emra had a can of hairspray, which she held out like a gun, ready to spray somebody in the face.

“Where!? Who!?” Callie calls out looking around the room.

“Are you ok!? You sounded like your cat died and you don’t have a cat!”

“I don’t think so, but--I---t-this…” Juno stepped aside. Unable to form words she was shaking so badly. A cold chill swept around her and it’s not because the window is open this time. She felt cold to the touch, a heavy block of ice sat in her belly.

“I woke up and my dresser looked like this...and I don’t remember getting to bed last night.” Callies eyes widen in worry as she picks up a piece of torn fabric. Juno could no longer tell what was once a bra, or undies.

“I was kinda hoping you two might have an idea. I doubt it, but I have to ask anyway.”Emra looked hurt once she knew what Juno was insinuating.

“Really? You think one of us did this? Low, Juno. Real low. Much to your displeasure it wasn’t us.” Hurt was evident in her tone. 

“I know! I’m sorry, but how else could have happened? Another thing too is I fell asleep on the couch downstairs last night, waiting for the pizza.” Thinking back, Juno doesn’t even remember eating pizza, and with the way her stomach was coiling in pain, she doesn’t think she ate at all. Or maybe it’s from having her personal space violated.

“Don’t you usually fall asleep watching movies?” Emra was on the phone calling the police. 

“Yes, but this time was different! I just know it was. If neither one of you brought me to bed last night, then who did? And who destroyed my underwear?” Juno was hurt, shocked and scared. How could someone get into her house, destroy her things and carry her up the stairs. For what reason? Tears spilled down her cheeks. Wrapping her arms around herself tightly, she paced around the room.

“Callie, can you call a locksmith and get the locks changed today please? I’m going into town to look at security systems. I’m literally freaking out...somebody was here and they touched me, carried me and I didn’t even know!”

Emra wraps her arms around Juno, looking up at her with worry and fear. “Why don’t you call Nix and ask if he can tag along. He owns a club so he must have a good understanding of security.” A sly grin teased the corner of her lips.

“What did I tell you about him?” Callie interjects. “Best leave it alone for now.”

Juno was already typing out a message to Nix and this time he did respond back, within seconds. Happy and feeling somewhat better, though at all feeling safer. He’s coming to pick her up in thirty minutes. Juno no longer felt safe in her own home, never had she felt afraid to this degree before. Staring at the walls that are familiar, that held warmth now surround her with coldness instead. Shivering, Juno quickly got dressed, Emra and Callie turned their attention to her room. Grabbing the small trash can nearby and bringing it to the dresser, she turned her attention to the girls while pulling the destroyed garments out and throwing them in the trash.

“Don’t worry, Callie. This is technically the second time we’d have hung out. He’s just a friend.” Bending over, she picked up the trash can. Callie and Emra both stared at her slack jawed, eyes wide in shock and fear. While holding the trash can she reached up with one hand and felt her face wondering if maybe she had something on her. When she couldn’t figure it out with their stunned silence, she shrieked like a banshee.

“What!? What is it!?”

Callie and Emra point at Juno. Looking down at her feet, her legs, her hands and arms she didn’t see anything. “Hello!? What has gotten into you two, honestly…”

“The police should be here soon. “ Callie finally says.

“Juno, look at your shoulder.” Emra turns her around to face the mirror.

“For christ sake guys!” Turning to the tall standing mirror in the corner of her room what she uses for final touch ups. Turning left and right, grabbing a fistful of hair she tossed it baring the back of her shoulder. Staring back at her in the mirror filled her with dread, a bone chilling fear, and the confirmation that someone really was there.

Instinctively she rubbed her neck nervously. Eyes scared and round, she turned to her sisters with equally horrified expressions. On the back of her shoulder glaring at her in the reflection, in what appears to be black marker read, ‘You Are Mine’.

The rom shrunk around her. She felt like a bird stuck in a cage. Breathing became harder as she gasped for oxygen. Block spots dotted her edges of her vision. On wobbly legs she shuffled to her bed and sat down, throwing her head between her legs, trying to control her breathing as it drove further out of control. She was on the verge of a full blown panic attack and she couldn’t stop it. No matter what she tried to tell herself, the fact remained that someone was here and violated her privacy, her safety, her security. She didn’t feel safe, how could she, how could she ever feel safe again. Her under garments were destroyed, she was carried up the stairs, a note was written on her shoulder.

Her shoulder. “Jumping from the bed she rushed to her bathroom and turned the faucet on. Wetting a wash cloth she rubbed vigorously the words, rubbing and tearing at her skin raw as the letter’s slowly disappeared into the drain. Through tears and harsh grunts she tore at her skin, her wild eyes stared back at her, like some stranger.

“s**t! Breath, Juno.” Emra came to Juno’s side and coaxed her breathing. Grabbing Juno by the face she pinned hers to Emras. “Watch me, ok? Just breath. In...out. That’s good, that’s my Juno. Take nice deep breaths, ok” Goosebumps broke out across her skin. Juno wrapped her arms around herself, running her hands trying to bring heat back into her body. To find some semblance of warmth in the deep cold that’s taken residence within her body.

Callie grabbed Juno by the shoulders and guided her on numb legs to the bed. Sitting her down, her and Emra took a seat on each side and simply held Juno. Held her as she broke apart. Held her as her tears spilled with uncertainty. She cried, hiding herself away within her sister's arms, hiding from the world, staying where she knew she’d be saf, because evidently not even her own home is safe.