Juvenile Delinquents

Hell

My eyes opened to the sound of a screaming. Rebecca. I thought to myself. I tried to pull my body, tried to get up but I was tied down. Focusing on the room around me, my eyes widened in fear. I was no longer in the my cell. I was in the auction room. The giant area Valentino and his friends used to sell the women they held in the cells.

     The dark dirty walls greeted me with chains and whips. Each torture mechanism was hung on those walls. The room was dimly lit but I was able to spot two bodies across the room. Someone was tied up against the wall—just as I was. I tried to move forward but the restraints on my body pulled me back. The quiet room filled with an ear piercing scream. I knew who it was. "Rebecca." I sucked in as I began to move around in my hold. "Stop!" I shouted. "Stop hurting her!"

     Jackson's chuckle rang throughout the room. My body chilled. "Well, look who's finally awake." Turning around, he wiped his whip. Removing the blood on its white material Smirk on his lips. "Enjoyed your nap, princess?"

     "Let your anger out on me Jackson!" I begged. "Not her!" Rebecca's sobs clenched my heart.

     "No, you see—she disobeyed me." He rolled the whip around making it spin in a little circle. "She would rather be friends with you than get everything she wanted." Jackson got closer to me. Eyes narrowed. Whip stopped spinning.

     My eyes narrowed. Daring him. "Then let your anger out on me, not her."

     Jackson chuckled darkly. "Don't pull the same crap like they did." His brown eyes shone in amusement. "Your little boys seemed to believe they were helping. But they just made it worse." My eyes gazed around the room, before landing upon a barred cage that sat on the far side of the room. Four boys. Alexander laid on his back, blood pooled around him. Huston and Gunner rested agains the metal bars. They seemed alive, the three of them. But their eyes continued to droop. Damiano was unconscious. His blood surrounded him.

     "You put them in a cage?"

     Jackson smirked. "They went against my word. It's only fair punishment was required."

     "Please, Jack—Please." I begged. My eyes not leaving Damiano's limb body. "Let them go—all of them!" I panicked. "You can do whatever you want with me but please, let them go. Let my friends go!" Five men filled into the room. Each of them holding some type of weapon. Each to use on us.

     "No. I don't think so." He raised his whip as the five other men took place at their stations. Four men surrounded the cage. Another stood in front of Rebecca. "You all deserve to be punished. But you—Melody, you deserve to die." His eyes darkened. "I will kill you. Mentally, emotionally and physically."
***

     I wasn't sure how much time past. Hours maybe but they were finally done. Jackson and his gang tortured us till we were bloody. One of the men unhooked me from the wall. My body was numb and I fell forwards, my face hitting the cold floor as the man above me chuckled. Pulling at my arm, he slung me over his shoulder. My head spun. Everything was a blur. The man holding me began to move, I knew he was bringing me to my cell. And I knew I wasn't alone.

     The sound of a door squeaking open rang through my ears. I couldn't move my body. Everything hurt. I felt my body hit the cold floor and the heard the door close behind me but everything was so hard. My eyes barely opened. Taking little breathes I moved my body towards the door. A section at the bottom held a sliding window. One that allowed me fresh air. New air. I tried to move. The closer I got, the more my arms stung as they tugged me towards it. Mumbling was heard from the other end.

     Slowly reaching for the doors window, it creaked open. My friends voices engulfed me. "Melody? Where are you?" Gunner shouted. His voice laced with worry.

     "I'm here." I said in a small and tired voice. "I-I just got here. W-Where's everyone?" I was out of breath and tired.

     "Mel, I'm next to you!" Rebecca said as her voice was close to mine. "On your left."

     I nodded. "Gunner?"

     "He's in front of me."

     I sucked in some air. "The others?" My voice was low. But they managed to hear me.

     "Alex is beside Gunner and Hut is beside him. From the looks of it Damiano is beside you."

     "Okay." Their voices sounded far from us but when I put my eyes in front of the small window.

     Alexander's dark eyes greeted me. "It's going to be alright Melody."

     "You don't understand." I shook my head. "You are all here because of me. I am so sorry guys. This is all my fault." I felt the tears in my eyes again as everyone told me it wasn't my fault. But they didn't understand. I was worried that something like this would happen to the ones I cared about.

     "No, Mel!" Gunner called. "We chose this. It's okay!" The others agreed but I didn't want to listen to them.

     "I-I'm going to go to sleep." Was all I said before pulling away from the window and crawled towards my mattress on the floor. My limbs cried in pain with each pull I made. I heard their calls to go back but when my body landed on the terrible mattress my body refused to move anymore. All I wanted to do was to be left alone in my thoughts.

     I wanted to think about Willow and Greta. I wanted to think about Tyson. I wanted to think about my family. I didn't know what happened to any of them. I wanted everyone to be safe. Even if Tyson hurt me. Even if Greta and I fought. I wanted everyone to be safe. I should have listened to Tyson. Taken his help. They could have kept an eye on me. Keep me safe. But I was begging for my plan to work. For Tyson, my friends and my family to come find me. I held the resources. It was all I hoped for.

      Sighing, I closed my eyes. I pictured Tyson's arms. They engulfed me. Held me. Kept me safe. It was the only place that allowed me to breath. With my head on his chest. We were laying down on the couch in my Foster Home with Greta and Neil cuddled together. Matthew and Willow resting their heads on one another.

     All six of us together. Greta, Neil, Matthew, Willow and most of all Tyson.