Chapter 2: The Longest Week

Nestled at the base of Mount Thornton in the Cascade Range, the small town of Thornesville was surrounded by lush forests. Multiple streams flowed from the mountain down through the town, carving paths through grassy fields until joining together outside its southern edge to form a mini waterfall. Agriculture was one of important industries in Thornesville. Fields of apples, cherries and hay dotted the landscape around town. Trucks could be seen driving to and from the farms, transporting their harvests to be sold at the market.

However, the largest source of employment was the Blackthorne Copper Mine on the northern outskirts. Elias Blackthorne’s mine was arguably the lifeblood of the small community. Few other opportunities existed for work in Thornesville aside from the farms. Many of the men felt they had no other choice but to continue risking their lives day after day in the mines, all for the profit of one man. It was a grim reminder of the class divide that existed in Thornesville.

While the mine was an important source of wages, it was not the main moneymaker for the town. That distinction lay with the scenic land downstream. The parcels of private property situated along the banks of the numerous streams flowing from Mount Thornton to the south of Thornesville were highly sought after. Wealthy individuals from Seattle frequently purchased this land to build vacation homes with views of the cascading waterfalls. The parcel sales provided substantial funds to the town council each year. Without these land deals, Thornesville would struggle to maintain its infrastructure and facilities.

The forested slopes and riverfront plots were truly the town’s most valuable natural resource. The owners who purchased the scenic private parcels were all extremely reclusive. They rarely visited their land and made no effort to socialize with locals when they did. This fuelled rumours among Thornesville residents about the buyers’ true identities. Word on the street was that the landowners included some of the wealthiest individuals in the world. Billionaire tech moguls running massive multinational companies, Hollywood actors and actresses at the top of their professions, famous athletes who dominated their sports, and even powerful politicians as high up as Senators and Congressmen, it was claimed.

While the natural beauty and secluded forest parcels defined Thornesville’s economy, the lifeblood of its community was the high school sports scene. Football and baseball reigned supreme, much like in many American towns of similar size. The Thornesville Titans football and baseball teams were perennial winners of their league championships. Everyone in town followed their progress religiously during fall and spring seasons. Players were treated almost as local celebrities, with nobody daring to say a bad word about the star athletes. Teachers handed them passing grades whether they showed up for class or not. Rumours of criminal behaviour were swept under the rug by law enforcement. As long as the Titans brought success to Thornesville on the field, the players seemed untouchable by normal rules.

Garrett Blackthorne, current senior quarterback of the Thornesville Titans football team, was the most celebrated athlete in town. As the only son of Elias Blackthorne, owner of the lucrative Blackthorne Copper Mine, Garrett wielded immense influence. Wherever Garrett went, he was treated with the utmost deference and respect. Teachers never made him complete assignments or show up for tests. The local police turned a blind eye to his antics off the field.

Garrett had been leader of the Titans since his freshman year. Under his command, they had dominated the league year after year. This cemented his role as an untouchable demi-god in Thornesville. Everyone knew not to oppose the will of Elias Blackthorne or his heir Garrett. Their control and power was absolute in the small Cascade town. As long as the Titans kept their championship streak alive, nothing Garrett did seemed to matter. He lived without limits or consequences.

Marcus Ashborne was another dominant figure on the Titans football team who wielded influence in Thornesville. At 6’3 and built like a powerhouse defensive lineman, Marcus controlled the defensive unit with an iron fist. As the son of Reginald Ashborne, the high senior judge presiding over the local courthouse, Marcus was virtually untouchable by the law. Any disputes involving the muscular linebacker seemed destined to resolve in his favour before even reaching a trial. Between his bruising tackles on the field and privileged status, he struck fear into anyone brave or foolish enough to defy him.

Maxwell Ironcrest was the ace pitcher and golden arm of the Thornesville Titans baseball team. With a tall, lanky build and fiery red hair hinting at his Irish ancestry on his mother’s side, Maxwell was a dominating presence on the mound. As the son of Gregory Ironcrest, who had been mayor of Thornesville for over two decades, Maxwell enjoyed immense favour and privilege in the town. No decision made by the town council or police force would go against the wishes of the mayor and his family. Like the others, Maxwell lived above reproach in Thornesville thanks to his family name and prowess in athletic competition.

Sébastien Hale was another member of the circle of sons of power wielders in Thornesville. However, unlike the other athletic boys, Sébastien was more tech-savvy and cerebral. As the only son of Dominic Hale, the sheriff who had kept control of Thornesville for over two decades, Sébastien had the law enforcement system wrapped firmly around his finger. No allegations against him could be investigated properly by the police force led by his father. While not a star athlete, Sébastien more than made up for it with his keen intellect and skills with computers and technology. He helped the other boys cover their tracks and avoid culpability for their misdeeds. Sébastien’s savvy ensured they evaded conviction for even the most egregious activities.

Elias Blackthorne, Reginald Ashborne, Gregory Ironcrest, and Dominic Hale appeared to lead Thornesville with dutiful leadership, but they covertly controlled the town and its illegal activities. They had amassed control over a range of illegal operations, from drug running to extortion and illegal logging. Any opposition or attempts to expose their actions were ruthlessly crushed, with even the local media and law enforcement serving their interests. Under their authoritarian rule, residents knew to remain silent and obedient, as speaking out could lead to fatal consequences or a ruined reputation. This corrupt status quo was diligently maintained.

And so, with Garrett Blackthorne, Marcus Ashborne, Maxwell Ironcrest and Sébastien Hale formed an untouchable brotherhood of sons of power. With their combined influence and lack of accountability, they ruled Thornesville however they pleased. The started their own little criminal enterprise with a sinister plan which unfolded in the most nefarious of ways. They meticulously plotted and executed the installation of an intricate network of hidden cameras within the privacy of the girls’ locker room in their high school. Each camera was strategically placed, ensuring that no corner or angle would escape the gaze of their dark intentions. They understood that the dark web, would provide the ideal marketplace to sell their captured videos.

Inside the opulent walls of Garett’s mansion, a sense of tension hung heavy in the air as the four individuals gathered in the seclusion of a private room. The room’s rich wooden furnishings and softly illuminated chandeliers provided an eerie juxtaposition to the weighty discussion that was about to unfold. Seated along the soft plush leather sectional, the other three members of their clandestine group exchanged excited glances.

“Did you get the footage?” asked Marcus eagerly.

Garrett smirked, pressing a button to lower a projector screen. “See for yourself.” he replied smugly.

As the digital display unveiled its voyeuristic offering, the room fell into a hushed stillness. The image of Rory, unaware of the prying eyes fixated upon her, took centre stage, her delicate form illuminated against the brightly lit locker room. The air grew heavy with anticipation as Sébastien, Maxwell, Garrett and Marcus became captivated by the scene unfolding before them. Each detail, every intimate movement, was scrutinized with a mix of fascination and predatory desire.

Sébastien let out a low whistle, drinking in every intimate detail. “Our little viewer numbers are bound to skyrocket with this fresh meat on the menu.” he remarked.

Maxwell nodded appreciatively. “Such a sweet, innocent thing. Pity we’ll have to shatter that image of her.” he mused darkly.

Garrett paused the recording, thoughtful. “Perhaps we keep her as our own personal entertainment instead, once we break her in, that is.” he proposed.

A cruel smile spread on Marcus’s face. “I can break her beyond repair.” he promised.

Sébastien leaned in closer to the screen, his eyes ablaze with an unsettling hunger. Every contour of Rory’s silhouette, every innocuous gesture, fuelled his desire for control and manipulation. The sway of her hips, the graceful curve of her waist, became fodder for his twisted fantasies, igniting a sinister pleasure within him.

Maxwell, unable to tear his gaze away, felt a tingle of excitement course through his veins. He revelled in the vulnerability that Rory unknowingly displayed, her guard lowered in this private moment. The purity of her innocence beckoned him, a tempting canvas upon which he could exercise his disturbing influence, eager to taint and corrupt.

Garrett, his eyes fixated with a cold intensity, absorbed every nuance of Rory’s being. He catalogued her every movement, her every flaw - fragments of ammunition he could use to break her down. With a calculating mind, he envisioned the psychological torment he could unleash, revelling in the power he held to shatter her pristine facade.

Marcus, his lips curling into a malevolent smile, contemplated the image with wicked intent. His mind teemed with sadistic possibilities, plotting the physical and emotional torments he could subject Rory to. He savoured the prospect of reducing her spirit to nothing, leaving behind only a shattered remnant of the person she once was.

Sébastien, Maxwell, Garrett, and Marcus revelled in their twisted camaraderie, their despicable minds united in their objectification of Rory.

“Sebastien, you know what to do.” Garrett said leaning casually on his recliner.

Sebastian hacked into many girl’s phones and social media accounts to collect any compromising information before. Once the group got hold of the pics or videos, they would blackmail and use the girls for their sexual gratification whenever and wherever they wanted until someone new caught their fancy.

Leaning back in his chair, Sébastien savoured the control he believed he held over Rory, his eyes dancing with malicious anticipation. To him, she was merely an object to be used for their entertainment, nothing more than a pawn in their depraved game.

“Two days.!” announced Sebastian, as rest of them descended into their own depraved fantasies gazing at the still image on the projector.

With the weight of humiliation still fresh and haunting in her heart, Rory’s determination to escape the stifling grasp of her tormentors grew with every passing day. Her once innocent facade now masked a steely resolve as she meticulously began executing her plan of liberation. Under the guise of her daily routine, Rory made subtle shifts in her actions, purposefully concealing her burgeoning rebellion. In the hushed moments of twilight, when the world seemed to hold its breath, Rory embarked on her secret mission. With careful determination, she began relocating her treasured belongings, one by one, to her chosen refuge. Piece by piece, her clothes, books, and necessities found their way into the tree house, each item serving as a declaration of her imminent departure from a life of despair.

Her heart pulsed with a mixture of adrenaline and fear, but the knowledge that a glimmer of freedom awaited on the horizon propelled her forward. Pushing through the doubts and uncertainties that lingered in the back of her mind, Rory navigated the delicate dance of secrecy, ensuring her intentions remained concealed from prying eyes. Night after night, Rory stealthily transferred her belongings, her movements shrouded in silence, her spirit aflame with a newfound sense of purpose. The tree house, once a mere childhood refuge, now held the keys to her emancipation, a cocoon of solace where she could shed the shackles of her suffocating reality.

Garrett’s frustration exploded in a fiery burst, his voice filled with disbelief and anger. “Are you fucking kidding me?” he exclaimed, his agitation palpable in the air.

Sebastien, unable to offer any solution, could only offer a helpless shrug, his defeat evident in his body language.

His voice dripped with venom as he expressed his exasperation. “That bitch!” he gritted through clenched teeth, his anger mounting. “She has absolutely no online presence. No electronics whatsoever, not even a registered email address outside of what the school provides.”

The frustration was etched on his face as he continued, “She relies on the school computer and a simple push button flip phone, for god’s sake.”

The group had convened once more, eager to begin their latest conquest. But despite their efforts to uncover compromising information on Rory, their digital scavenging yielded nothing. Their insidious plan to blackmail her had hit a roadblock, leaving them frustrated and fuelled by a dangerous desperation.

Sebastien, Maxwell, Garrett, and Marcus exchanged glances filled with a mix of anger and resentment. The realization that their intended prey had managed to evade their prying eyes and escape their clutches shook them to the core. But rather than accepting defeat, a new, more sinister idea began to take shape in their collective consciousness. No longer content with playing the long game of manipulation and manipulation, the group resolved to escalate their attack. They decided to abandon the shadows and confront Rory directly, ensuring their twisted desires would be met through force and intimidation instead. As the plan took form, an unsettling thrill ran through each of them. Schemes that once relied on secrecy and deception were now replaced with an overt display of their power and dominance. The darkness that had sparked their initial camaraderie morphed into a shared malevolence, a binding force that now fuelled their actions.

“Ok. This is what we are going to do. Tomorrow is our championship game before our Spring Break. Me and Marcus will be gone, so will most of the town. This is what you both are going to do...”, Garrett started explaining.

The school bell rang, signalling the end of the day. It was the last Friday before Spring Break, set to start on Monday. Most of the students had already left, either for the Championship game or to get a head start on their vacations. Rory gathered her bag and jacket and exited the school alongside a few remaining students. The usually bustling front yard of the school was now eerily silent, hinting at the darkness that lay ahead.