Antecedent (Tex Sawyer)

Antecedent 3

A/N: with thanks again to a great friend for editing my work.

Words failed me. Keeping my back to the tree, I tucked in my legs and could only stare at Tex who was grinning back at me and it all added up. The reason he didn't panic in the car, he was expecting it and left when the situation suited him. Swallowing a hardened lump in my throat, I breathed and told myself to snap out of it as I tore my gaze away from the stare that bore through me. I would settle for a rock, a stick or anything at this point. Just something that would ensure he could not come closer as Alfredo yelled insults at him only to get told to hush up.
"That hurt, motherfucker!" He snarled, pushing himself up from the ground and hunching over as he did so, hand cupping where I had kicked him.
Tex just rolled his eyes at the greying man as I placed pained and scratched hands onto the stump of the tree trying and failing to force myself to straighten up. The crash, the attack, it was all adding up and I felt every inch, every bruise, every cut. Tilting his head, Tex tutted at me while I remained grimacing back, knowing he had schemed this, released a rage that nestled in my gut.
Through the corner of my eye, I could still see the tree smeared with what was left of Sherri's head and as if sensing it, the cowboy gave a low chuckle stepping in the direction of where her body had landed in a heap. "At least that finally shut her up" He commented as he raised a hand to the bark before pointing a finger forward and delicately tracing a line down.
I turned away feeling ready to be sick as he then placed his index against his inner lip. "You're disgusting!" It was all I could manage to finally say as I hung my head trying to brave through the pain to move, there was a new desperation but the heaviness only fought back in protest. Then there was the thought of the possibility of more traps. They knew this place, for all I knew there was more waiting and much less obvious. What chance did I have?
"Sticks and stones." Even as I remained facing away, I could practically hear the sneer in his voice followed by a small hum and informing Alfredo that he'll be happy. "And so will Tink, knowing that his latest trap was a success." Shaking my head gently I tried to coax myself to stay on track but upon hearing them casually talking about the 'condition' of Sherri. "Clean headshot, easier for you to move it."
"Why me?"
"Because you said you wanted her, stupid."
"With a head!"
"As if you care." Tex drawled as through the shaking of my limbs, I tried to compose myself and think through the horror of seeing Sherri each time I closed my eyes. It was risky but to know the intentions of either man seemed to be the far worst decision out of the two.
Side stepping quietly, I took in what was around me, any obvious traps, what part of the environment I could use to my advantage. It was impossible to tell when there were only the rays of the pale moon poking through the branches being the only source of light. Telling myself to breathe as they continued arguing, I flickered my attention back at them as Alfredo took to shoving Tex back, to which the taller of the two returned the favour.
If ever there was a chance in hell...hissing through gritted teeth, I kept them clamped down on my already bleeding lips. The pain was not giving me away, I was adamant as much as I stumbled my first longer stride around the tree and onwards hearing the scuffle gave me the confidence to attempt to stay down and hidden amongst the others. Back to the road, that was the destination that made the most sense. I knew we hadn't stumbled on the way down here together and it was only a few minutes away. Either it had been blind and stupid luck or it was clear from any nasty wire they had set up or game.
My eyes stung; my legs protested but keeping my fists balled I told myself to ignore the pain. The pain could wait and it would only be worse if either of the men caught up and noticed. Gripping onto the mud of the hill and slope I knew I would have to tackle, I groaned with difficulty and pressure; but gasping through each prod, pain and aching sensation, I raised a leg and then the next.
"One foot in front of the other. Don't look back. Looking back will slow you down." Groaning once more, I pulled up again, pushing myself the distance of the small hill and the road. Even if I could get back to the car it would be something. If there was any chance it could move in what condition it was left in, I could try and search out Troy and Joel to warn them.
It was a realisation that kept me going as my mind plotted it together more, they were looking for Tex's family for help. Tex clearly had a part in the trapping and therefore Sherri's death. Alfredo just happened to be here and seemingly chose his intended victim. He was a relative and the boys were heading towards the others. Giving a small cry of horror at the thought of them meeting the same fate, I held onto the road and forced myself up.
I couldn't let it happen. With bent knees, I forced myself to catch a quick breath and tried to take a closer look on which way to go next and stumbled blindly, hair clinging to my face as I inspected each way frantically. There was no sign of disturbance as my breath laboured and panted. The thought of Joel being in any way hurt opened a new sense of desperation as I went forwards and chose to go left around a corner and hidden patch of road which curved. Instantly, a light graced my sight. Red. A red flare still smouldering and sparking against the concrete. Another one behind it and another. Cautiousness reminded me to see things out further before I told myself there was no time to waste.
Every second was precious, any minute could be lethal under these maniacs. Stumbling forwards as fast as I could manage, I watched as red flames licked the air before being put down, the sight of a man discarding it as he leaned against the wagon of his truck. Throwing my hands up, I tried to shout but struggled as I kept focused on getting to them swaying and holding my gripping ribs which protested ever more.
Upon noticing me, the man stood forwards and cocked his head before walking on over. It was enough to allow the tears to slip down my face burning in their tracks. "Damn girl, the hell happened to you?" A thick grave voice came from the taller man. His face mainly kept in the shadows of the flare as I continued to seal the distance between us. An earring glimmered through the red light; a missing hand was replaced by a steely looking hook.
"They're trying to kill us." It was the place my mind decided to start as his hand held against my lower arm. "They're still in the woods! They killed Sherri, Joel and Troy could be-"
"Now slow down, how am I supposed to understand you when you don't even know what you're saying?"
"Just listen!" I pleaded desperately shaking my head and putting a scratched up hand over his feeling my grip shake against his fuller fingers. In return he only positioned himself lower with a low whistle inspecting the injuries I had received in the crash. "There are two men trying to kill us, we have to go!"
"Go?"
"Yes!"
Straightening up, the dark haired male nodded at me slowly. "How hard did you hit your head?"
"I am not concussed!"
"Right, only I see no others." He shrugged, holding out his hook to show it was only him. "Just me and the flares tonight."
"I'm not that concussed." I corrected myself knowing how bad the injuries looked but tightened my grip on him and moved closer to him, I failed to understand what was failing to reach his ears. "We were in a crash; we were run off the road then they attacked us in the woods after we split up."
"You split up?"
"We have to go, now."
"How many of you did you say there were?" He brushed off the pleas and removed his hand, shaking his head and glancing over my shoulder. Automatically I turned as he did, "didn't you say you were on this?" Loudly he called across the road as a figure emerged from the shadows, Tex. "What's this about them splitting up?"
"I'm handling it, Alfredo got in the way." Stepping back, the man instantly told me not to move. Another relative. "And the rest?"
"Already handled. Hear that Lori or are you going to get all twitchy again?"
Already handled..."Where the hell is Joel?" I demanded breathlessly aware of how much closer the cowboy was slinking to us. Back to square one of being outnumbered and nothing to fend them off. Even if I managed to pluck a flare from the stone it was putting me at an uneven playing field and disadvantage. The smallest knock could have me doubling over, in that second, I could be pinned or injured enough.
"At home, I'll take you if you want? Not that you won't be coming anyway, but it depends if you want it the hard way or the easy way." Tex said simply placing his hands on the loopholes of his jeans, tilting his head grinning, "I don't mind the hard way."
"Don't you dare touch me."
"Or what, you'll scream?" He smirked, "ain't that always the way, Tink?"
"And crying." Tink added closing in behind me as Tex shifted to block me off from any attempt of making distance. "They always love to cry but it looks like this one has already started." Squeezing my eyelids together, I balled up my hands but by now I felt he had filled the gap of space we had between us, my head cushioning against his chest as I shook it gingerly. "Know what my favourite bit is though?" Tex asked and refusing to open my eyes I could feel his hot breath against my face and knew he had purposely leant to me closely. "Come on, guess, Lori."
"What do you want?" My voice cracked as I remained still hearing him sigh before pain gripped onto my chin, the feeling of his nails raking and poking through the flesh of it, wincing I finally faced him, tears obscuring my vision but he was still clear enough to see the look of humour riddled over his once seemingly charming face.
"Close, they always ask something but think a little harder, I want to hear you ask me." Gripping his thumb and forefinger closer he pinched more at my flesh, blue eyes remaining focused on my green ones. "Ask me why." A new tone laced with his amusement, his breathing becoming more drawn out to show that he was clearly getting a thrill from this power play. "Ask me why!" He repeated as I glared at him allowing more tears to overflow and sniffed trying to find the willpower to head butt him, to kick or even bite but his hold was too tight and Tink was close enough that he would be able to overpower at any moment.
"Why?"
"Why what?" Tex encouraged me, from behind and against me, I felt the vibrations of Tink's laughter. Having my face shaken he urged my name again, his lips curving into a longer grin. "Why what, Lori?"
"Why are you..." Tink coaxed as I breathed in through my nose, Tink sighed and in no time his free hand lunged and took a fistful of my hair forcing my head to the side and inspecting me closer.
"Keep going."
"Why are you..."
"Doing this."
"Doing this?" I repeated as he clicked his tongue releasing a higher pitch than the other male. Despite it coming across so giddy, I could just feel myself feel whatever part of my resolve which clung and fought faltering. He was enjoying this, Tink was enjoying this and it was clear that Alfredo must also.
"Good girl, wasn't so hard to do as you were told, was it?"
"She's learning fast."
"Isn't she just?" Tex nodded in agreement, tongue poking out from the corner of his lips, his hand slowly slithered from my hair caressing the skin of my blood stained face as he trailed his fingers gently to where his other hand was. I shivered against it, it was like the legs of spiders crawling and tracing your skin as you slept but I was very much awake and it was happening. It was real and as his other hand parted, he had a cheek in each "you want to know what I tell people who ask that, sweetheart? Say yes. Say yes." Nails poked dangerously as I flinched.
"...Yes."
"Such a good girl." Tex mused leaning in closer, the tip of his nose touching mine, through instinct I tried to move but he kept me still and the feeling of Tink's knee in the back of my thigh made it clear that I was playing by their rules. "I tell them, it's because we're hungry. I told you honey, you're late for dinner. Alfredo will catch up to us Tink, right now let's go see mama, she gets impatient when she's peckish. Now, I'm going to let go of you and you are going to walk like the good girl I know you are into the passenger's seat."
"Think you should tell her what we'll do if she doesn't?" Tink breathed slowly, stepping back, his boots crunching under the gravel, what I could tell to be the point of his hook nestled into my lower back.
Tex sniggered and nodded, slowly removing his digits with another flick of his tongue. "If you don't, Princess, if you run-"
"Or fight-"
"Yes, or fight, I'm going to hogtie you, then I am going to make you choose whether you want me to cut off your left or right leg." He threatened, the giggle of humour becoming raspier keeping the firm eye contact unbroken.
I didn't doubt him. Not after what had happened with Sherri. Upon also stepping back, I straightened up, to try and run wouldn't end well and if this was how to get to Joel and Troy then I could not argue or fight. To hurt people purely because they were hungry...it was insane but then so were the both of them. I cursed my stupidity for allowing my guard to slip so fast at the thought of salvation but I thought of Joel.
If he was okay, if they had hurt him, if I could help him. My fingers clenched, I inhaled deeply, ushering myself to calm down and not show a further weakness. It was time to use my head, I had to focus. Walking to the truck, I heard Tink make a remark on how it was like training a new dog to which Tex replied that it was more fun. Grimacing, I unhooked the door handle and slipped in. Tink instantly clambering beside me dangling the keys beside my face as if to show he already squandered my next attempt to get away.
"I see you're experienced in the ways of abducting people." I hissed; his lips twitched to the side amused at the scathing look I sent his way.
"Seatbelt, I can't promise I won't run over any passers-by." Stretching at the black material he looped it over my head, from the back the sound of objects being moved and Tex giving a small grunt interrupted the curse word I so desperately wanted to say.
Instead, I did what I was told again. I didn't doubt Tink's statement. Light filled the truck as he jabbed his keys into the ignition. The shadows once again camouflaged his face but it was enough to let me know he was older than Tex and myself and the thinning of his dark strands of hair and facial hair. His earring drop once again jangled gently as I noticed upon second look that it was a skull. A very realistic animal skull like that of a bird entwined with a small feather. I could hear Troy in my brain calling him a hippy freak, further instigated by the glasses that rested neatly on a small string around his neck.
"Keep looking at me and my brother will get jealous."
"I'm thinking of how I am going to reverse and forward this truck on you the first chance I get." I promised clipping myself in as a twang of pain sprung up my spine and straight to my head. Hanging forwards, I felt the discomfort of the belt nestling to where the bruise was fresh and full from the last time I wore one.
"Let me know how that goes." Tink's voice echoed. Blinking once as the world shook and trembled, it blurred and split, a fever like temperature rippling along with the sensation of needing to be sick. Now I had stopped, the adrenaline was flatlining, the shock flowing into the fatigue and exhaustion as I closed my eyes hearing remnants of Tex's voice teasing me from the back.
...
Awaking to screams, my body jolted instantly being forced to keep still. Allowing my eyelids to part as voices and laughter filled the air, I groaned as strands of auburn hair filled my foggy view. Lulling my head against my neck as it mostly fell or nestled in the now crusty patches of dry blood, I moaned again. It came out muffled and gentle before the next yell of pain and anguish ordered me to focus. The smell of meat cooking hit my nose, the bubbling of water in pans rattled from one side of the room which I took in with difficulty. It didn't take a genius to know I was in a kitchen. A rather rustic and old fashioned one at that.
"Have you ever heard a grown man cry like that?" Tex's voice ran loud and amused followed by a giggle of a young sounding girl.
Fidgeting again, I inspected further before instantly freezing at the sight of a familiar man sat inches away from me, tied and held against a chair, nails embedded through their palms which faced the ceiling, tracks of blood splattered around the open wounds. My already sore eyes teared up and widened as I took in the sight of Joel who murmured behind a makeshift gag of his plaid shirt which had been ripped at the shoulder and duct tape which fastened around to the back of his head surely tugging at his hair with each breath he took.
His face was white as a sheet but as he tried to get my attention more determined I could see the soaked black hole from the corner of his face, where his ear once stood was no longer, a collage of crimson and scarlets were stained and smudged down his neck, leaving tracks as I gave a small gasp and once again tried to utter his name with no luck. It became clear as I breathed in that I had also been gagged along with him, peering with dread down to where I could feel my hands against the arms of the wooden chairs I was unsure whether to be relieved or cry at the sight of the tape that was purpling at my restrained wrists, there were no nails but surely I was stuck to the spot and fidgeting with my ankles trying to manoeuvre my boots to escape the tape that bound them.
"He's pissed himself." The little girl's voice sounded again as I tried and struggled to turn my head and the grunt of Joel called me back as he turned to shake his head with difficulty. No words were needed, he didn't want me to see what was happening behind me. His teal eyes focused on me silently beckoning for me to only focus on him as I sniffled and inhaled. The horror was written all over his handsome features as he bowed his head a little trying to keep my focus purely on his eyes and not to take too much in.
Twinging as he glanced over my shoulder, he grunted and clenched against his gag before focusing on me, another yell. Another giggle. From the side, a little girl passed without so much as a glance back as she called for her grandpa, in her hands I could see the red that dripped from the corner of the cup she grasped skipping away. Her blonde hair bounced innocently at every move. I had a hideous thought as several spots splattered against the floor beside my feet. I had a grim idea of just who was behind us and being tortured.
"She's a good kid." Tex spoke from behind me and feeling his head lean against my shoulder, I shrugged it up as he laughed and took to crouching at my side instead. "Told you I would take you to him, only he's not looking so good is he, sweetheart?" Glaring in his direction and hearing muffled demands for him to get off me by Joel, Tex breathed out a long drawn out sigh. "I want you to take a good look at him because later I want to play a little game with you. Since you enjoy being vocal." Flexing his fingers against the stained knees of his jeans, he glanced between us both with a wispy smile, "See if you're more of a screamer than your friend and heck, that's just making him bleed. Junior has been taking a real good look at him. Think he's a fan of his face, personally I wouldn't be so inclined if he wanted yours." Leaning forward to hit Joel's leg he pouted his lips at him. "I almost feel bad for you, almost. We've barely started, only gave mama a taster because she didn't want to wait, then of course have to feed grandpa but that was your friend's job." Shrugging bored, he gave a small acknowledgement Tink's way as he entered the room and instantly focused himself on stirring some pans and complimenting Tex on his work who seemed grateful for the acknowledgement. "Though you must be wondering though, what it is we want with you."
Joel once again gave a muffled growl as an arm stretched across my leg as the blonde leaned on me and gave my boyfriend a bored look silently daring for him to do something other than hurt himself through his determination to get free. Bright red was peering from the holes where the splintered nails kept him still.
"Play with your toys later, Ed." Tink commented. Immediately the arm retracted from me and to the table at the side I hadn't taken in once I had seen Joel. From it he picked up a large and gleaming carver knife before tossing it, his fatigued features looking wilder and more frustrated. Tink gave him a wide eyed stare before giving a deflated noise lifting up his hands in a half attempt to give an apologetic shrug. The knife clattered loudly against the worktop skidding against a pile of plates. "Tex." He corrected himself, the younger of the two nodding in begrudging acceptance. "Told you to lay the table twice now."
"Heather wanted to poke the little runt that wouldn't shut up."
"Seems to have done the trick now."
"Uh-huh," Tex agreed plainly. "Junior wanting to show his face anytime soon? Keeps on playing that game and always getting it wrong."
"Don't see you volunteering to help." Tink replied absently grabbing some dark stained oven gloves and checking on what he was cooking. "Almost there."
"He doesn't listen to me."
Closing the door once more and straightening up while removing the gloves and slumping them on his shoulder he glanced my way thoughtfully. Dark eyes curiously glinting under the weak and dimming lightbulb. "Didn't you say Little Miss Feisty over there was training to be a teacher?"
Glaring in his direction, Tex rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "That's right. Looks like you have some time to kill before we play, sweetheart." Giving a small yelp as the chair bowed onto its back legs and scraped backwards, Tex told Joel to shut up as his yells behind the tape only grew louder. "Junior knows this one isn't for baby making." Continuing to manoeuvre me, I took in the rest of the room, the assortment of knives stretched out on the table. If I had managed to get one the next time and cut myself free...Determinedly, I nodded in a bloodied Joel's direction, fusing together how we could possibly escape. Then we just needed to grab Troy. Troy...I reminded myself before feeling my body jolting at the man who was being held up in the corner by three meat hooks all drenched in blood from where they had been pushed into their access points.
My stomach tightened as I was grateful it was empty, but I couldn't look away. Suspended by his shoulders, skin was tugged and clinging to the metal. The last one lodged through either cheek and forcing his head backwards, the flesh from the strain and pulling was starting to turn a blue colour as weak moans came. His torso was on show as was most of his body, all that was left material wise was his beige underpants which had a filling wet spot stretching across the fabric. Letters were carved across his stomach in bold deep letters which were beginning to bleed once again from the raw red wounds. HEATHER.
"Good kid." Tex's voice quoted in my mind as a cry lodged against the material in my mouth, they were all deranged; Alfredo, Tink, Heather, Tex and most likely Junior and Mama. "Stop whining, you should be happy. We're giving you a chance to promote your skills." The chair hit a snag on the way out the door and against the lower step. What I assumed to be the garden was rife with grass and weeds.
There were a handful of cars lined up on one side leading towards the woods behind it. On the other a battered old picnic table, a rusted old swing set and a familiar looking tent being held down by skeletons of every size animal from mice, to birds, to armadillos. It was clear the minute I saw the fabric that they had already raided our car of possessions.
"Should give you a heads up, Junior is a little shy." Giving a small cry of pain as he raked the piece of furniture closer to a small rusting shed which I could see from my tilted position.
A small crack in the door allowed a robotic voice to spell out F. O. O. D. "Whoops! Try again!" It chimed with the sound of a deflating balloon.
Tex knocked and allowed himself in. The place immediately revealed its mess as the small toy once again to spell out F. O. "Hey Junior, got you a friend." A wounded moan replied to Tex's cheery voice. "Here we go." The chair straightened itself as all four legs touched the ground more and being turned around there was no time to take in my surroundings, only jumping and instantly being kept from going too far as the large figure stared at me quizzically. "Want you to be nice to her but not too friendly."
Scanning the man before me, my bound wrists and ankles flexed, they were hunched over a small chair which nestled underneath a decorated table of scissors and leather, sewing needles were crudely stuffed into a rotting hand which made me question the type of leather the minute I noticed and smelled the decaying flesh. But what was worse was the man himself. Giving another small moan and reaching towards me with a filthy yellow sleeve he held his toy. The skin on his face sagging and poorly fitting around his eyes.
It sagged and looked almost melted, his wonky mouth poking out from flapping skin and revealing slightly too large teeth. The horror hit me and for a moment I was glad I was gagged as I noticed it was not his face but another on top of his own. I thought back to what Tink had said and knew what fate awaited Troy as he clung on nearly gone already from those butcher hooks. The leather on the table revealed its true purpose along with the crude stitching when it was a copied detail on the 'mask' he wore now.
"Aw, he likes you." Tex laughed, patting my shoulder as the toy was thrust closer. "That's a good start. Now, I'm going to take this off you and free your wrist a little and I should warn you," he continued stroking my hair and taking to ripping the gag painfully off my face so the scream was unleashed. Junior gave a noise of amusement as Tex returned the amused noise. "I know, I like it when she does that too. Have fun now."
"Rot in hell."
"Oh! Do you talk to your boyfriend like that?"
"If you touch him-"
"Yeah, yeah. Hey, Junior you know how to plug her up if she gets too noisy." Blowing a kiss in my direction, he walked around me with a grin.
Junior moaned again, a noise that reminded me more of a wounded animal than any kind of person. But then...what kind of person would wear someone's face over their own like some kind of battered Halloween mask? I wasn't sure if I wanted the answer but there was no denying it was sitting in front of me seemingly unable to talk as he pushed his small toy to the edge of my fingers in inclination.
Still were the first letters he spelt out, ready to type in what I assumed to be food once again. Disgust washed over me as on the screen was an outline of a small child. I couldn't even be surprised anymore, there was a numbness that came from all the horror I had endured before and only so much I could try to rationalise, the fact this was happening was still a surreal and terrifying situation. Again, the pressure prodded my fingertips and breathing in, I nodded and with difficulty used the arrows to spell out the word as his much larger hand kept the gadget still.
C.H.I.L.D. "Well done," the toy applauded as Junior howled in confusion frantically turning his head from it to me with a more enthusiastic posture as he applauded. Nodding, I wearily watched him as he took it back, cocking his head as it turned onto the next picture: a bird.
F.O.O.D. As it denied his answer, he panted in frustration and then back at me before I could try and figure out how to get out of this predicament. The hair of the victim's face covered over his eyes as he flopped his head nodding away at it. Maybe this was my way out, Junior. If I could make him think I was enough of a friend, I pondered if he could get me out before I tackled how to free the others from a grizzly demise.
"B," I started, my voice quivered and dried as I instructed him only to be met with a confused hoot. "B for bear." Realising he still did not understand I used a trembling hand to guide the arrow along one space to make the letter appear. "B." I repeated. "I. I for igloo or...ivy?" Ivy was the one I was surer he would understand living next to a forestry enclosure but with the lack of words and only him peering closer on the tip of his seat, I wasn't entirely sure he was comprehending. "Itchy ivy. R, for rabbit, your turn." His filthy thumb pressed on the small button determinedly pushing it along by one, with difficulty through the strain and aching I nodded encouraging him to continue onwards. "See, R. Now D, remember when you spelled 'food' in the last game? It's the end letter."
Lifting his head, Junior's tongue pointed out from the folds of his lips and ran across his exposed teeth in concentration. I quickly looked away, unable to handle what was staring at me was once the skin of another person and not some sick man's accessory. But then as he groaned again, I asked myself just how much Junior understood. He didn't appear to show much clarity towards anything and considering the three others around him were all sadistic killers in themselves it was possible he did not know what he was doing was evil or monstrous at all.
Pity graced me as I watched as he waited for encouragement as he found the D but made a small hum to ensure he was right to stop. Nodding, he pressed down on the next button to enter his answer, naturally it was correct and giving a victorious round of applause to himself I tried to make myself smile at him warmly so he knew he had done well. Junior, I decided, was a very fitting name as I couldn't help but decide his IQ did not go much higher than that of a child.
"You like me helping you, don't you, Junior?" Hearing his name, he perked like a puppy and fumbled with his toy. "Since I helped you, will you help me?"
The large man fidgeted in his seat awkwardly and while I couldn't help but wonder if he knew what I was up to or if he was more bewildered by the fact someone considered a victim was appealing. Still, I inhaled, I thought of Joel, of Troy the fact that both of them had been mutilated and the need to get away before even more ill befell us.
"Can you help me off the chair, it hurts. Please, Junior?" Knowing he had enjoyed the sound of my screams as Tex proved to me in the hair pulling, I didn't know if I was only digging myself a hole but to try seemed better than to just give in and be a willing lamb to the slaughter, For all I knew I was next to lose an ear while my friends suffered their next round with psychopaths lurking in the house. "Afterwards, I can help you again and then it can be your turn to help me, to make it fair."
His lips formed an F noise gently but the execution of forming it into repeating fell flat. Still, he seemed to be thinking it through, his fingers drumming down on the wood of the rickety chair to where the tape bind me a little less tight than it had.
"Yes Junior, just there. Can you pull?" Shifting slightly, I tried to indicate where I could see where the tape had cut off and guided him to look at it. Junior's hands trembled, his bitten down nails scraping at the material with little luck. Pursing my lips, I inspected what was close and illuminated through the window by the moon and dusty lamp. "The scissors, the sharp point you used to cut and make your face."
Junior seemed to understand a bit easier this time after running his fingers on the chunky stitches he had made on the flesh and nodded. Turning his back to me he faced his work top but rather than reach for the scissors, a feverish hand gripped the needle stuck into the arm instead. I called his name softly and shook my head before guiding it to the left, my auburn strands that had been painted red with my blood sticking to my face more as I attempted to keep the plastered smile on. Watching as he picked up what I instructed I breathed in relief.
"Good boy."