From Death Unto Life

Ch. 22 Athos

Helio was gone again when I awoke. I was worried for him. He has been traumatised by his experience in war, and it was the return of his memories that made- Narrowing my eyes, I stood up to examine what had caught my attention. A small puddle near the foyer that hadn't been there earlier or had it? As I got closer, the sense of foreboding I had woken up with increased. My mouth tightened. It was blood. I crouched down and carefully touched it. It was still warm. Then I noticed the smeared blood leading towards the kitchen. Someone had been attacked, and then dragged away. Something told me to go find Dean and Emilia. So I ran upstairs, frantic. I found them hiding in their bedroom.

"It's Anthony! I heard him!" She hissed.

Dear God, that blood had to have been Helio's! Without another thought, I shoved a sheathed blade into my waistband from Dean's bedside table and hurried down the steps and followed the smeared blood to the doorway of the cellar. The door was open and I peered down. To my horror, Helio was sprawled at the base of the stairs, unmoving. Blood was pooled around his head and his face was white as paper. Throwing caution to the wind, I scrambled down the steps.

"HELIO?!?" I screamed, no care for the fact that my voice strained and cracked. "Helio, are you-" I touched his cheek, but dared not move him, in fear that I would harm him.

"Oh, love, oh dear. Te amo." I stood. "Who- who could have done such a thing- WHO?!? QUO?!? Quid inferno?!" I kicked the wall. "Only the devil has such distressing affects. 'Hell is empty and all the devils are here'. Right? Shakespeare is always right..." I laughed lightly, tears choking me. My shoulders shook, bending my knees. I set a hand on his chest. I don't know how to help him. He's too injured.

"DEAN!" I shouted, calling for his assistance. "Don't worry, my dearest. Dean is coming. He can help you. He can help you..." I stared at his closed eyes, his shallow, trembling chest. "Just remember that night that we danced. The music we made together. The symphony of our hearts. Helio, Helio. 'If music be the food of life, play on'.... I'm going to make sure that you and I can play our symphony together again. I will take out your father, I will tear his flesh to shreds, I will make jewels from his teeth, I SWEAR- nothing will stop me from keeping you safe." Footsteps pounded down the steps.

"Athos, lad. Move away. I need room." I stumbled back. "Candle," He ordered. I held one closer to him. He took some things from under his arm and laid them out in front of him. Two poles and a cloth. Quickly, he made a stretcher and started temporarily wrapping Helio's wounds. Then he picked up his body. I could hear the awful crack of his spine as his body melted in Dean's arms. I was frozen in place. I wanted to cry out, but the part of me that held me back knew that Dean could help fix him.

Dean lifted Helio onto the stretcher, and I could have sworn that I heard the hollow spurt of blood emerge from his side. As he lifted the shirt, Dean's eyes grew in terror. I held the candle closer, my heart pounding. I could barely see him looking like this. My eyes widened also at the sight of what lay before me.

Carved into Helio's shivering, pale stomach was the word "slut". With every movement, blood would dribble out of the wound. It was obviously infected, pus leaking around it.

Rage boiled inside of me. No man could do such a thing and proclaim himself more innocent than his victim.

Within further inspection of his body, I could see that a piece of his leg was missing. A hunk of flesh torn from his body, savagely, no mercy, no kindness. A glint of bone peeked through this window of flesh. I wanted to vomit, but couldn't bring myself to do so.

"Help me," said Dean, taking one side of the stretcher. "NOW, BOY!" he shouted, and I could sense the urgency in his voice.

I obeyed him, helping lift Helio up the stairs and into the kitchen, where we laid him on the floor.

"There's nothin' more you can do, lad. I need to be totally concentrated. I know you love him, but I have to ask you to leave." Dean washed his hands and gathered medicinal herbs from the cabinets.

"How- how long will it be? I need to see him soon. I can't just leave him here."

Dean sighed. "It might be two hours. It might be a whole day. You can't stay here. Emilia will help me. But you. You have some business that I think you need to finish. Vengeance you need to seek. Helio is in a coma right now-" my heart skipped a beat. "And I predict that he will not wake up for at least half a week."

He glanced up at me, his lips pursed. I nodded.

Then I rushed around the house, frantically grabbing supplies and shoving them into a spare bag. Weapons. Food. Water. Bandages. Then I returned to the front of the house.

"Can I-" I motioned toward Helio. Dean complied. I kissed his forehead and stroked his head. "I'll be back. I promise. I'm going to avenge you. Goodbye, my one and only. I love you."

I held back tears. How? How could anyone do this? To such an innocent boy? I clenched my fist. Helio had to be avenged. His father will know that he could compare only to the devil.