Runaways: The Journey Home

Chapter 18

When Brooklyn awoke from his anesthesia in a matter of hours after his surgery, after his vision focused, he looked around and saw stone walls instead of being outside.

What happened?... Where am I? He thought. Brooklyn then rubbed his head. Then he felt the chain on his neck, and he had cuffs on his hands as well. Great. More chains. Why am I always chained? Then he tried to open his mouth but instantly felt the muzzle on his mouth. He couldn't open his mouth, again.

He swallowed some saliva and went to try to sit up, but an instant pain in his stomach made him grunt in pain and he laid back down in response. He breathed hard through his nose, then put a hand down to his stomach to feel what was going on.

Brooklyn's hand touched some stitches in his belly. He raised himself up on his elbows and he saw a good line of stitches across his belly just below his ribs. Oh great... just what I didn't need... another injury! He thought grumpily to himself.

Then, from the inside, he felt a sharp jolt of pain attack him, causing him to yelp in pain and he fell back to the floor, breathing hard. He moaned in pain. Oh! They opened me up to poison me! But this... oh... feels worse!

Some men came into the room near the cell. They saw that the gargoyle was awake. They couldn't help but grin at Brook's discomfort. Brooklyn opened his eyes, looking pleadingly at them. His chest heaved heavily for breath while he rubbed his belly to try to soothe it. He moaned for help.

"Silly freak!"

"Hope this teaches ya to respect your master!"

Brooklyn tried to ignore their taunts. His ears were flattened in sadness. His stomach felt sick and bloated. More jolts attacked his stomach, making him moan in pain. His eyes closed tight. His hands clutching his belly tightly and rubbing it.

He cried with the muzzle blocking most of his voice. This was a horrible moment. That human wasn't his master. He was part of the Manhattan Clan. But was he really if they still weren't trying to save him? This made Brooklyn more upset and miserable, continuing to massage his bloated and sick belly, the feeling of abandonment threatening to cloud him as much as the pain.

Brook looked at one guard, giving him begging eyes. Help me... please... it hurts! The guard just rolled his eyes, huffing.

"Just stop with the begging. No one will save you except the master." He growled coldly, ramming his rifle against the bars, causing their prisoner to flinch.

The men left him alone after that to make him wallow in his pain alone.

Brooklyn knew he had to get up. He tried again, but the injury wasn't letting him put any bend in his middle. He cried out in pain but could only lay there on the floor of his cell. His hands still clutched his belly. He was in incredible pain.

Brooklyn sniffled again, struggling to keep his pain in, his heart was filled to the brim with despair and pain. But pain more than anything else.

.....

Meanwhile, Thomas was watching the flipped stomach affecting the gargoyle. Anthony came. "So? How much pain is my sweet little pet in?" He asked smoothly, eyes casted to his gargoyle, who by now was rubbing his stomach violently to calm it down, writhing in pain. "It happened right after he woke as you expected. How much longer should he have this?"

Anthony rubbed his hands together. "Just long enough to get the message across that he shouldn't defy me. Simple as that. But I'm going to talk to him soon, so keep an eye on him?" Thomas nodded as Anthony left.

....

Everything was a painful blur to Brooklyn now, who just lay there, staring at the wall in his pain. He wanted it to end! Suddenly the door unlocked. Brook weakly turned at the sight of his master, still soothing his belly. Anthony smirked at him.