The Dragon's Scale (COMPLETE, EDITING)

4.1 || To Protect a Life

AIR WAS SUPPOSED to be weightless, yet the more Josh breathed, the heavier he felt. This didn't make sense. People couldn't hurt him. Darren couldn't hurt him. Multiple attempts had proven so.

Josh's cheek ached as a painful reminder that apparently Darren could hurt him.

Darren scoffed. "Pathetic."

He struck out with a kick. Too numb to brace himself or even move, Josh took it straight to the shoulder. He slammed down to the ground with a grunt, only having a moment to process the kick had hurt as well before Darren slammed his foot down on Josh's chest.

A searing pain laced through his ribs. Josh screamed. Dark spots dotted his vision as he heaved for breath. Every inhale burned.

"This all you have?" Darren peered down at Josh and sighed. "I expected more from you."

Before Josh could retort, a small box flew through the air into Darren's face. It fell to the ground next to them. Darren glanced down at it, then his eyes shifted to the source.

"Get away from Josh."

That trembling voice sliced through the paralyzing haze, but it made his insides freeze. Eli. His little brother was still there, witnessing all of this. Josh twisted his head as much as he could to catch sight of him.

Terror had Eli shaking in the spot, tears building in his eyes and snot trailing from his nose. But he stood there, another box in his hand, refusing to look away.

"Scram if you know what's good for you, kid," Darren said, jerking his chin in the direction of the rest of the store. "I'm feeling pretty good today, so I'm not gonna involve some innocent in this." When Eli didn't budge, Darren's smile gained a nasty edge. "Or, if you insist, I can just get rid of you."

Eli made a choked sound, and that sent a crack through the ice in Josh's body. Burning anger seeped forth, sweeping through Josh until he thought he'd see red.

Darren had threatened Eli.

With the roar of his fury filling his ears, Josh reached up and wrapped his hands around Darren's shins. Darren looked down at him. Snorting, he added more pressure.

Pain flared, but Josh ignored it and struggled to shove upward. He was a pretty strong guy, but somehow, Darren didn't budge. Gritting his teeth, Josh pushed harder, arms trembling.

He wouldn't let Darren do this in front of Eli, and he would never let him hurt his little brother either.

"Get off of him," Eli whispered.

Josh dug his fingers in. He would protect Eli.

Darren rolled his eyes. "This is your last warning to go, kid."

Protect Eli.

Another box flew. Darren's eyes flashed as he swatted it out of the sky. "Well, if that's your choice, just let me deal with your big brother first, alri—"

Protect.

The thought unlocked a flood gate. Energy surged through Josh. The pain no longer felt as consuming, and the weight on his chest no longer felt so heavy. Darren snapped his head back in Josh's direction, eyes wide.

But it was too late. Josh heaved with all his newfound strength. He didn't manage to force Darren to go down like he wanted to, but his leg being tossed upward did throw off Darren's balance. Josh rolled out from beneath his foot before he could drive it back down. Then, scrambling halfway up, he rammed into Darren.