Lost to Lovely

Chapter 9

"Life comes at you fast. It runs through your body and tries to escape and be expressed in anyway possible. It's a lot like....lightning." 

-Chris Colfer in Struck by Lightning

"You sure have a lot of pent up feelings," Theo observed, hovering behind a seething Jacques.  "Ever considered talking about it?" 

"Hah hah." Jacques said sarcastically. 

"Guys, can we just go. I think the owner is coming out here with a shotgun," Marcie insisted. "And I think it's quite clear we aren't eating at a restaurant any time soon." 

Jacques grumbled something, leading them off again. This time he headed for the outermost part of town. They continued in silence, taking the sidewalk instead of the alleys. They kept their heads down, trying to stay anonymous. Jacques was still slightly angry, clenching and unclenching his fists. Theo figured he'd cool down once they really got going. 

They came to a scenic road, deciding the faster they got out of town, the better. The wind whipped their hair back, sending chills down their spines. Theo pinned his ears back, frowning in distaste at the chilly weather. Lucky for them, the road was short and led to a smaller, rougher looking town. 

There were shady looking people hovering in the shadows. "I think I'd much rather be in the other city with the chance of getting caught, than here with the chance of getting jumped." Marcie commented as some of the menacing looking fellows were eyeing her in interest. 

"I agree." Theo nodded, flicking his tail back and forth. 

"We just need a place to stay for the night." Jacques snorted, scanning the rows of run down houses and shops. There was a dingy looking motel farther down, a flickering 'Vacancy' sign on the outside window. 

"You guys go on in," Theo said. "I wanna go explore a little." 

"Be careful." Jacques said reluctantly. "There's a lot of rough people around here." He warned as he and Marcie went in to get a room. 

Theo sighed heavily when they were out of earshot. There were too many things going on in his life right now. Sometimes people just made it worse. He milled around the town with caution, avoiding dark corners and groups of people. He came to a dead end, turning around. There were people coming his way. He ducked down into an alley, hoping he'd avoid them and get away scot free. 

After turning another corner, he was stopped by a bone chilling voice. 

"Well, well, well. What do we have here?" A burly man stepped from a shadow. "A little half breed." He sneered.

"We don't like no half breeds." Another guy stepped out from behind the first, lanky fingers laced around what looked like a piece of glass. Theo could see the outline of a third lingering in the shadows. The certainly wasn't good.

"I was just passing through." He tried to move around them, only to be pushed back into the brick wall of a building. Why'd he have to spilt up with the group? 

"We gonna teach you a lesson. Don't any half breed come here and get out in one piece." The man spit, the glob of chewing tobacco landing on Theo's shoes. It took all his willpower not to lose his breakfast right then and there. He took a deep breath, he wouldn't submit to these thugs. He'd done enough submitting his whole life. He was done with being the weak one. He raised his eyes, meeting the leader's gaze defiantly. 

The man sneered again, reeling back his arm and punching Theo right in the stomach. His two cronies held Theo still by pinning both of his arms. The one with the glass was holding it to his throat, threatening to kill him if he made a noise. 

Blood dribbled from the side of his mouth as the man relentlessly pummeled his gut. He had punched him in the face once, successfully giving him a bloody nose and most likely a black eye. The couple let go of his arms, and Theo sank to his knees, reduced to a pitiful, broken, bloody heap. The third kicked him in the ribs as the others guffawed and jeered. 

"Let's leave him to die," the first suggested, as the others voiced their ideas of throwing him in the dumpster. After bickering, the leader smacked some sense into the other two, leading them off. They cast amused glances back at Theo, who could barely keep his eyes open.

Theo drug himself in between two trashcans, taking shaky breaths. It hurt to breathe. Hell, it hurt to think, move, everything. He half-heartedly assessed the damage, thoughts swimming around in his clouded head.

He focused in on one thought. Sleep sounded good.

He closed his eyes, slipping into a  comfortable darkness. He drew what felt like his last breath.