My hands shook as I approached the living room where Bubba was supposedly waiting. I don't want to do this, but what choice do I have. I prayed for God to send some sort of distraction to stall this for as long as possible, but it never came. I felt like a prisoner on death row marching to my demise except instead of my body dying, it's my soul.

He placed a hand on the small of my back a little too far down and pushed me through the doorway towards where the family was gathered. Grandpa sat limp in his wheelchair in the middle of the room with Loretta crouched beside him whispering something in the sleeping man's ear.

Bubba was positioned in front of them dressed in a yellow stained up button-down with his Sunday best jacket overtop, the sleeves pushed up exposing his tanned forearms, black pants and his brown leather boots. Something else about him seemed different though. Maybe it's the mask? I've never seen him wear it before.

He glanced up from fiddling with his blue tie and noticed me. A huge smile spread across his face as he clapped his hands together and bounced happily on his heels. Nubbins gave me one last shove towards Bubba who grabbed my arm and tugged me towards Grandpa and Loretta.

"Aww, would ya just look at that happy couple," she beamed, grinning like a Cheshire cat. "You ready, Grandpa? It's time." The old man moaned in agreement but never fluttered an eye open.

My eyes studied Bubba's new face. Sandy blonde hair was matted down in patches and slicked back on his head. Large jagged stitches pieced together the scalp to the rest of the face. One row of sutures drew the lips of the mask up for his own to poke through. Different scraps of skin, the shades not all matching up, were pieced in like a patchwork quilt; It obviously took more than one person to make up this mask. Twine drawstrings poked through holes in the neck securing it onto his face. Maybe it wasn't new. It looked so familiar like I've definitely seen it bef-

"Oh, God..." I whispered under my breath, my heart sank to the floor. No! No! No! No! It can't be. It's not possible. He wouldn't have....but it is. I know it is. It's Matt. It's his face. Bubba's wearing his face.

" You killed him! "I wailed, my body trembling. "he's dead!"

Bubba tilted his head to the side. Is he really going to act clueless?! He knows what he's done. My legs wobbled like a newborn deer and if it weren't for his arms around my waist, I'm sure I'd have collapsed to the floor. Everything I've been fighting for is gone. It's all over. I'm too late. I wanted to punch him, to beat him to a bloody pulp, to utterly annihilate him, but I know that'll never happen. What I do know is they'll pay for what they've done. I don't know when or how, but I swear it'll happen.

"Let me help you, Daddy. I know the sermon by heart. We can say it together, okay?" she said to the old man who was completely out of it. "Dearly beloved, we are gathered here today..." she began as the old man moaned along with her.

I wanted to scream, to run, to fall in the floor and die right there, but I couldn't move a muscle, I couldn't make a sound. All I could do was stare at his face...at Matt's face on Bubba's face. The same hair, the same nose, the same brows, except now with Bubba's eyes and lips.

" Is this gonna be over anytime soon" Nubbins interrupted. " 'cause I really gotta take a piss. "

" You should have thought about that before we started. Now, you're gonna hold it." " she snapped before continuing on with her speech " Now, Bubba, Do you take Tilly as your lawfully wedded wife, to have and to hold until death do you part?"

"Nothing about this is lawful!" I thought about screaming but decided against it as I'm already in deep enough.

Bubba paused for a moment and stared at his mother for approval to which she gave a slight nod. He pressed my hand to his chest; his heart was racing almost as fast as I'm about to be out of here. He grunted and nodded his head excitedly, squeezing my hand even tighter in his and never letting his eyes leave me.

" Come on Momma, I gotta pee," Nubbins groaned, tapping his foot impatiently.

" Boy, if you don't shut your yap I'll do it for you!" Loretta fussed then turned to the old man "Now ask Tilly, Grandpa. Come on! You can do it!" He let out a long groan and Loretta spoke over him asking me the same question they did Bubba.

She looked up at me awaiting my answer, but I couldn't make a peep let alone catch a breath or even see through the tears blinding my eyes. Why do I feel like I'm about to sign my life away?

"It's your turn, Tilly. " She reiterated as if I didn't already know.

I fought back the tears and managed to choke out the words "I do" through my blubbering.

She clapped her hands together and squealed. "By the power in me, I now pronounce you husband and wife." She blurted out forgetting all about Grandpa. "You may now kiss the bride!"

Oh God, Is he gonna kiss me? Does he even know how? There's a high chance I'll throw up on him if he tries. His eyes grew wide as saucers. He glanced around the room nervously, playing with the end of his tie and pretending like he didn't hear her

"Go on Bubs! Kiss her already!" Loretta urged.

He turned to me, taking my face into his large sweaty palms and stared me in the eyes with a fearful look. Tears rolled down my face into his hands. I squeezed my eyes closed unable to look at him anymore. All I can see now is Matt.

"I swear if you don't kiss 'er soon I'm gonna have to piss myself right here." Nubbins chimed in, doing a little dance to refrain himself from peeing.

Bubba hesitantly leaned in and pressed a sloppy wet kiss on my lips reminding me of how a child kisses. My entire body cringed as his hot breath mingled with my own, his chapped lips pressed harder to my face. I pushed away from him, turning my head to the side and wiping the slobber off my mouth with the back of my hand. My mouth was left with the rancid taste of his own making me wish I had a drink to wash it away.

"Praise God It's over!" Nubbins yelled, bolting towards the bathroom. "Outta my way, bi***" he shoved me out of his path causing me to fall into Bubba's chest.

"NUBBINS!" Loretta yelled, stomping her foot hard enough to make the house shake.

He froze like a paused movie and squeezed his eyes shut probably realizing what he just said and how absolutely screwed he is. He turned his face ever so slowly and locked eyes with Loretta who was staring him down with an expression cold enough to make your hair stand on end.

"Momma please." he gulped, wringing his hands in front of his chest. "I- I'm sorry! I'll never say it again!"

She kept her voice calm, but as anyone knows sometimes that can be scarier than yelling. She pointed a finger at him, her eyes stared so intensely that I wondered if she was sending him telepathic death threats. "You know what to do." was all she said.

He sighed and hung his head, dragging his feet as he exited the room. If I wasn't standing beside my boyfriend's murderer I would've found that hilarious. I wrapped my arms around my waist and sob silently to myself.

"No cry," Bubba signed by placing his index fingers under his eyes then swiping them down his cheek. "We happy together. "

"No, I'm not happy Bubba!" He tilted his head which only made me angrier because how dare he play dumb." Matt was my friend, I loved him! And you just...how could you?"

He shook his head violently from side to side and grabbed my hand, slamming it against the cheek of his mask. "No! No! Love me! We together!"

I rip my hand away from him and clenching them at my side. "Why can't you get it through you're head that I will NEVER lov-"

Loretta interrupted our conversation by rushing over and pecking us both on the cheek, stretching up on her toes to reach Bubba. "Well, if that wasn't the sweetest thing I ever seen! You're a Sawyer now, honey, and I've never been prouder." she gushed, wiping tears from her eyes and blowing her nose into the apron around her waist.

A muffled "Nuh-uh" came from somewhere in the room. We all turned to find Nubbins leaning against the doorway with a bar of soap in his mouth.

He pulled the soap out and gagged before continuing "Not until she's got the family markin'. " He pulled the collar of his t-shirt down revealing the letter 'S' scarred on his chests.

" What? Is that a rash? " I asked just to get on his nerves.

He slapped a hand over his heart and gasped as if I just insulted his great great grandmother. Playing nice is out the window. It's every man for himself now. Let the insults commence.

"You're right, boy. Better go get the iron." Loretta told him.

I turned to Bubba, but he was already staring at me, his eyes full of pity. "Bubs, you're not gonna let them hurt me, are you?"

He gave me a half shrug and looked down. His eyes showed he wanted to help me, but deep down I know he would never go against his family's wishes.

" Bubba, don't let them hurt me! I'll do whatever you want, please!"

He strokes my hair tenderly, his eyes glistened as if he were about to cry. He looked up at something behind me, his body tensed. I spun around just in time to see Nubbins return with a red hot poker in his grip. Oh God, No! They were serious! That's it, no more playing around, I'm gone!

I slipped away from Bubba and bolted for the door only making it a few feet across the floor before his bulky arms coil around my waist pulling me back into his chest. I screamed bloody murder and tried to shove him off while beating at him with my fists, fighting to break away. He struggled to keep me in his arms and ended up falling to the floor, dragging me down with him. I frantically tried to crawl to my feet but he yanked me into his lap, pinning my body between his legs.

" Momma hold her legs down. She's kicking worse than a jackrabbit." Nubbins yelled as he neared me with the glowing iron.

She dropped to her knees and pinned my feet down, but that didn't stop me from kicking as if my life depended on it.

" BUBBA, PLEASE! STOP! " I pleaded, choking on the tears pouring from my eyes.

He covered my mouth with his hand and whispered "Shh" in my ear over and over. How dare he try to hush me! Is it because he cares too much to hear me cry? Well, maybe don't let your brother BRAND me then. I bit down as hard as I could into his palm drawing out warm blood. He yelped and jerked his hand away, shaking it for a moment and groaning before opting to hold me around my shoulders instead.

Nubbins held the poker out. The heat grew hotter as it neared my flesh. My breathing quickened to the point where I was heaving for air. I froze and squeezed my eyes shut. I couldn't watch that thing coming at me.

"Don't worry, babydoll, this won't hurt that bad." Nubbins remarked, the mad gleam in his eyes told me he was lying.

The muscles in my face tightened, every nerve ending in my entire body sent the message of excruciating pain to my brain when he pressed the red hot poker above my breast. My back arched from the floor like in the exorcist as the fire shot through my chest. A faint sizzling noise like bacon in a hot pan filled my ears nearly drowned out by Nubbins cackles. The smell, Oh God, it's like burnt hair except I know it's actually from my skin frying. I dug my nails into Bubba's leg and tried to focus on something else, but I couldn't think of anything except how much it hurts. I know it could've only lasted a few seconds but it felt like an eternity.

" There! Now, that wasn't so bad, was it? " He barked, letting the iron clank to the floor.

" Screw you! " I hissed, growling and gritting my teeth at him.

" Right back at ya, babydoll." He knelt down and grabbed me by the hair. Jerking my head back and brushing my hair away from my chest, he snapped a picture of the burn with his Polaroid camera dangling around his neck.

"Get off of me!" I screamed, kicking Loretta and Bubba away. Wiggling a hand free, I socked Nubbins clear across the face sending him reeling back, spewing curse words and clutching his nose.

I sat there with my feet tucked beneath me peering down at my chest that was as red as a tomato with the letter 'S' swelling and beginning to scab over. Tiny droplets of blood dripped from my wound and speckled on the neckline of my dress.

Bubba gently reached out and turned my face towards his as calmly as if he were trying to tame a wild animal. I whined and buried my face into him. He cradled me in his arms like a baby, caressing my hair and whispering " shhh" in an attempt to calm me. I sobbed in his shoulder, my body trembling and my chest stinging with each breath I took. He lifted me from the floor into his arms. He told me he would protect me, he wouldn't hurt me, and then he let his brother brand me like cattle.

" Ohh, we all know what comes next." Nubbins teased, wagging his eyebrows.

He growled at his brother and I glared at him through my blurry eyes producing nothing but tears of hate for these people. Nubbins pranced ahead of us into the hallway and flung the basement door open.

" Have fun Bubba, " he chuckled, a sick grin played across his face as he waved his hand.

" Pervert" I attempted to shout but it ended up coming out as a broken whisper.

His twisted smile fell into a frown as he squinted his eyes at me and extended his middle finger so I'm guessing he heard me. Bubba clung to me with one hand and used the other to pull the heavy door closed behind us shutting his brother out of the room and me in with my new husband.