Hide and Seek in the Dark (Being Rewritten)

Chapter 22

22

Pain pounded through my left eye socket like a jackhammer against a pile of concrete. Hunger sliced through my stomach like a double edged knife. My entire left side radiated with a burning pain that was little less than unbearable. Every breath I sucked in was labored and seared my lungs. With each rise of my chest my stitches were stretched taught against the bruised skin it kept pulled together. I leaned back and looked around the room Len had stuffed Benjamin and I into more than a week ago.

It was a wide, dark, and dusty room; I could smell the mold where I sat. Around the room sat multiple large cases filled with old bottles I could only assume were filled with wine- I mean what other kinds of alcohol do people keep underground? There were no windows, one door at the top of a staircase, and a single light bulb hanging from the ceiling which was currently shut off. Len and his goons only ever kept the light on when they came down here to harass us. The rest of the time, Benjamin and I sat alone in the dark, like mole people. And what's worse? We were separated.

A few days ago one of the henchmen decided to start pounding on Benjamin, an act that was more than likely tolerated (if not encouraged) before, when he was the only prisoner. But I wasn't going to let that happen, not while I was around.

I jumped the piece of shit and started wailing on him with whatever strength I could muster. I yanked at his hair, kicked at his ribs, punched and ripped at his face while he struggled and squirmed. He managed to pull me off his back after a few moments and as he did I sank my teeth into his palm, biting down into the pad of meat below his thumb as hard as I was able. I was rewarded with a burst of blood filling my mouth and his shrieks of pain. For a brief moment I felt amazing as I attempted to rip the man's finger off. I was protecting Benjamin and inflicting pain on the man who caused him to cry in fear and anguish, this little boy who did nothing to him. I never felt prouder of myself as I bit down even harder and the man's screams assaulted my eardrums.

And then the moment was over. He finally regained his composer and rammed his fist into the side of my head. Stars dotted my line of sight but I kept my hold. So he kept bashing my head with his fist over and over again until I couldn't hold on anymore. The final blow nearly broke my jaw and I released, falling to the floor. My vision swam and I instantly felt a headache pounding against my temples. Then he stood over me and began his beating.

He nearly busted my eye socket, almost ripped my stitches clean out, and dislocated my right shoulder. I remembered hearing Benjamin scream as he bloodied nearly every inch of me. As long as it wasn't him, was all I could think. Benjamin had taken enough beatings. If I could keep him from at least one more then that was great.

After he left Benjamin was crying and I could hardly move. When I was able to sit up again I had Benjamin help me pop my shoulder back into place. I knew nothing about how to pop a shoulder back into its socket aside from whatever I saw on football Lifetime Movies but I had to try. On my count Benjamin pushed as hard as he was able and- over the sounds of my girlish screams- there was a pop. I could only assume that was good.

Since that day Benjamin and I were shoved into our own dog cages, kept shut by huge pad locks. Together yet separated.

I leaned against the metal wires and looked over at Benjamin. He was curled up on the plastic matt, staring up at the black ceiling ahead.

"Princess," he whispered softly. "Are you awake?"

"Yeah. I'm awake," I whispered back.

He sat up and leaned against his own wire wall, looking my way. "I'm hungry."

I smiled at him through the dark. "Hey there, Hungry. I'm Princess."

He smiled back but said nothing.