Frozen Chains

Chapter 10

Bunny watched as Jay started trembling. He seemed so afraid of them. Terrified, even, of what seemed to be an unsaid promise of some sort of pain. Jay had obviously been brainwashed into thinking everyone wanted to hurt him. Jack, too.

E. Aster Bunnymund had never wanted to kill someone before. Ever. Being the Guardian of hope, he just never had any murderous thoughts. 

But now, Bunny realized that he would never look at the world the same way if Pitch Black was in it.

After persuading him to take off his hoodie, Tooth had just finished cleaning Jay's wounds with peroxide. The whole time, the teen had squirmed, fought, and cried out in pain. Jack didn't seem to be responding well to his brothers' discomfort, flinching at the sounds of him screaming.

Though he wanted to be of some help, Bunny, North, and Sandman had been told not to say much around the boys. Well, not that Sandy could  say anything.

Tooth said it was so that Jack and Jay wouldn't be overwhelmed, so they stayed quiet. At first, Bunny wanted to argue, but upon walking into the room and actually seeing them, he found he didn't have much to say.

Nearly every word fled his mind.

"You did good," Tooth announced, smiling brightly. Every time she moved, Jay flinched as though he thought she was trying to hit him or something else terrible. "All we have to do now is fix your arm and leg."

North gave Bunny a sorry look. Both of them knew that this wouldn't be easy for Jay, especially after seeing how much pain it had made for Jack.

Speaking of Jack, he hadn't fallen asleep. Now, all that seemed to matter was what the Guardians were doing to Jay. Though his eyelids drooped, Jack fought to keep them open, even though he had been so tired.

Sandman gestured for him to go to sleep, but Jack only stared at Jay, fighting to keep awake.

Bunny was impressed. This kid was tough for someone who had endured who knows how many years of emotional and physical trauma.

Tooth's slim hands felt Jay's arm. Jay shivered, his breaths quickening. It was obvious of how afraid he was, especially with his wide blue eyes darting in every direction, almost as if he was searching for a way to escape.

"We have pain killer," Tooth said, though she seemed to be talking to herself, "But it really only works with little things, so I think I might give it to you after... "

Bunny didn't think Jay really wanted to accept anything from them.

Jack just kept watching, not saying anything, fear written across his face.

"Okay... " Tooth pulled on Jay's wrist and gently pushed the broken bone of his arm back into place, the same way she had done with Jack.

Jay screamed. It was the only time they ever heard his voice. It sounded broken, worn. 

Bunny winced at the sound. It echoed with hopelessness, and wore down on his Center.

"We're done with that part, okay? We're done now." Tooth said quickly. Bunny noticed that her eyes were a little watery. Very watery, actually, though she hid it easily. "All I have left is your leg. And Jack?"

Jack jumped when she said his name, looking fearful.

"Go to sleep, honey. You're tired." She said. Then Tooth turned back to Jay, frowning, her violet eyes clouded with worry.

She flipped up the blanket at the end of the bed, revealing Jay's broken leg. 

Bunny really wished she hadn't.

There was a huge gash where the bone had stabbed through the skin and leg of his pants, dried blood all over it. Splinters of white bone were stuck in his flesh. Jay gasped in pain, clenching and unclenching the sheets in his hands.

"I'm not entirely sure how to go about this," Tooth admitted, "But I think that the first thing to do is pull out these." She pointed out the small bone fragments.

Jay wasn't even paying attention, just staring at the ceiling, violently shaking.

"Tooth," North said quietly, "You should give him pain medicine."

"It won't do anything for something this big, and we really shouldn't waste it." Tooth said desperately, "And we don't have anything to knock him out with. He'll just wake up if we use dreamsand."

Bunny frowned as Tooth retrieved a pair of tweezers. He didn't want to watch this.

Sandman turned away, his small hands curling into fists. Bunny could see the fury rolling around like a storm in the small man's eyes, and knew that it must have been all that Sandman could do to not fly outside and kill Pitch.

Tooth didn't give any warning. She simply used the tweezers to extricate a long splinter of bone from the flesh of Jay's leg.

At first, Jay just appeared stunned. 

Then the pain registered, and a piercing scream filled the air. North flinched terribly.

More and more screams filled the air as Tooth continued. Every piece of bone that she found was laid on a paper towel on the nightstand, which was by the bed. Each shard was proof that Jay's leg hadn't just been broken.

No, it had been crushed. 

Another scream, long and almost inhuman in volume rang through the room as Tooth pulled out an extra long splinter.

"Please, st-stop!" Jack shouted finally, his hands over his ears. "Don't h-h-hurt him anymore!"

"It does hurt him," North said quietly, "But it must be done. It will be better soon."

Jack didn't seemed to believe him.

Jay writhed, involuntarily trying to fight Tooth off. The agony was taking over his senses.

"North, a little help!" Tooth cried, "Sandman, take care of Jack."

Sandy snapped his fingers, golden sand floating from his hand and hovering over Jack's face. For a moment, the teen fought to keep conscious, but, as always, the dreamsand won.

North tied down Jay's arms and other leg with thick Velcro straps, difficult for a fully healed person to get out of, impossible for the weak. Jay was the definition of weak.

His hands turned into claws, tensing so hard that the veins stood out.

"We only have a few more." Tooth choked on the words, struggling even more than before not to cry. "Just a few."

Jay didn't seem to hear. To Bunny, it seemed as if the boy had been swallowed by the pain, only existing in it, only understanding, feeling it. Being it. 

Just three more.

Another scream. A strangled gasp of pain.

Jay's eyes were squeezed shut, his face twisted with pain, breathing heavily. Bunny didn't understand how it was possible for Jay to not be crying.

Two more.

More screaming. Another piece of bone layed on the paper towel.

Bunny felt so useless. His paws curled angrily and he turned away. He couldn't end the pain. He couldn't promise it would be over soon and be telling the truth. He was useless in the situation.

One more.

Jay gave a final scream. His limbs twitched, his head jerking. His dead, hollow blue eyes opened finally, only to close again. 

There was a whimper.

Then it was quiet.