"Distressing Situation : Haven House Part 2" ** Physical and Verbal abuse of minor characters portrayed**

Posted on Tue May 3rd, 2022 @ 9:39pm by Jaclyn Morrison & Unawakened Kai Irving

Mission: Tales of the Unawakened
Location: Edgerton, Wyoming
Timeline: Current

Dinner had been a real eye opener to Jac. And she was very upset about it.

First when she had arrived at the dining room, dressed as suggested, in a long black skirt and dark red blouse with cap sleeves, she did a count of the seats. 7, not 8 as she thought there would be.

Kai was putting the meal on the table, a large roast chicken, and several sides. And then she vanished when the others came in with Monica introducing Jaclyn to the other boarders.

They had sat down and Jac had been about to ask where Kai sat when Simon said their version of Grace. A long rambling prayer, which asked their god to protect them from the sinners and those who brought dishonour on their families by being genetically different.

She had kept her gaze down during the monologue and clenched her hands in her lap.

Then Kai was there serving them their food. Simon snapped at the teenager several times and Jac glared at him and Peter as they spoke to Kai as if she was a slave.

When she ask Kai if she was joining them, Mary had laughed and called Jac stupid for asking about servants.

Jac had glared back, and barely eaten.

The Elwys's had noticed her displeasure at the older boarders attitudes. And Monica had tried to deflect the conversation to different topics but Jac ignored it and grabbed Kai's hand, and made her sit on the same chair with her to eat with them.

When Simon had commented at her, Jac had retorted with "God does not forgive people who treat others badly. You can sit there and pray to him but your actions show your true selves"

Dinner had then been consumed in silence from then on and when the adults had finished they all left, and Jac had helped Kai clear and clean up.

Kai had whispered thank you and retreated to her room, which Jac caught a glimpse of, and it was bare.

Angry, Jac had marched through the TV room where the adults minus the Elwys's were sitting. Peter had snarked at her and she had given him the finger and stalked upstairs to let Artemis out for her walk.

She was walking Artemis outside when she heard yelling from the kitchen. She drew close and heard Peter and Simon yelling at Kai, calling her names and telling her that she was doomed to hell because she dared to eat with them.

Livid, Jaclyn entered the kitchen with Artemis and yelled at them both before pulling Simon off of Kai who he had been slapping.

Simon swung and Jac dodged the strike, just. "Stay away from her!" Jac snarled at him.

"You have no right to interfere!" He snapped. "She knows her place! And she deserves this and more!"

"Hit her again and I will call the police!" Jaclyn replied and Artemis began to growl. "She is what? 12?13? And you, a grown man, should not be hitting a child!"

Simon snarled and swung again, this time he connected with Jaclyn's face and she cried out in pain but managed to hold her ground. She pulled her cell out and dialed 911.

Simon slapped the phone clear and Peter grabbed the leash from her hand and pulled Artemis away from Jaclyn as the phone hit the kitchen tiles.

"You should stay out of things that do not concern you!" Simon snarled and he grabbed Jaclyn by the hair and flung her to the ground. "You and the little bitch are here at our sufferance and if you keep going, You will join her in the kitchen!" He yelled and went to kick her only to be stopped by a strident..."Simon!" From the door. It cut through his yelling and Artemis's barking.

He turned to find Monica there.

Jac scrambled to her feet as Peter let go of Artemis's leash and the dog raced to Jaclyn who placed herself between Simon and Kai. She looked at Monica, "Did you know?!" She asked the woman. "Did you know he hit's her? That he abuses her?"

"Oh I am sure it's not that bad Jaclyn" Monica soothed as she stepped further into the kitchen.

Jaclyn didn't believe her. "It is. You're allowing it means you condone child abuse! These men are what? In their 30's 40's and she is barely a teenager! Bad enough you make her cook, clean and other things and do not allow her to eat at the same table but you allow these men to abuse her and the other two to treat her badly!"

"Jaclyn you are obviously tired and not seeing things clearly. Kai is well treated here." Monica spoke slowly, "Everything is fine, breathe Jaclyn, in and out, calm down, nothing is wrong here"

Was this woman insane? Jaclyn noticed that Peter and Simon were standing stock still, their faces blank

"Simon, Peter, everything is fine, go back to your rooms" another voice said and Jaclyn noticed Monica's husband Carl standing there.

Both men turned and left the kitchen.

"Kai, go to your room. Jaclyn will be fine."

Jac glanced over her shoulder at Kai who looked worriedly at her and then went into her room. Leaving Jaclyn facing Monica and Carl.

Monica moved forward and touched the forming bruise on Jac’s face.

Jac flinched back. "I am going to report this."

"The police do not need to know Jaclyn" Monica said softly. "They won't do it again, I assure you. Kai is safe and you are safe." Gently she slid an arm around Jac's shoulders and led her out of the kitchen.

Jac pulled back and picked up her phone, it was fully smashed. She clenched a hand around it as Artemis leaned against her again.

Before she could move away, something pricked her neck and she gasped. "Wh-what.. Did you do?"

"Just a sedative, Jaclyn, to help you sleep..."

Jaclyn pushed herself to her feet only for Carl to scoop her up and carry her out of the kitchen and up the stairs. By the time he reached her door, she was out.

Monica followed him in with the dog and unleashed Artemis who jumped up onto the bed where Carl lay Jaclyn down.

"Do you have the Flunitrazepam?" He asked his wife.

She nodded and handed him the syringe. "We need to control Simon and Peter until she is here longer and accepts things."she said as he injected the drug into Jaclyn's arm.

"And if she turns out like the last?"

"Well then we sell her to our contacts. They always like fresh blood for their experiments." Monica tucked Jaclyn in, petted the puppy and she and Carl left the room.

Carl went up to the men's floor and Monica checked on Mary. Mary was in bed, stretched.out with earbuds in listening to the words of their preacher. Confident that Mary was not going to be an issue she left and headed up to help Carl with Simon and Peter.

Down in the room off the Kitchen, Kai sat curled up in her bed under the blankets praying the Elwys's left without checking on her. It was the first time anyone had defended her. And had treated her like she mattered. No one, even those who had come before Jaclyn had done so.

Jaclyn was nice, Kai thought..maybe she .. could help Kai leave? Kai heard footsteps and was glad she had no light on so she closed her eyes and regulated her breathing to pretend to sleep.

The door to her room opened but no one entered and it closed again. Kai lay there silently until the footsteps left the kitchen and then the Elwys voices came from the front hall, then that door opened and closed then the sound of their car leaving reached her ears. Kai took a breath and went to sleep, knowing morning came too soon.