Amber Alert [Lashton. A.I. + L.H.]

I'll Protect You

I look at the cement wall, with the daylight peaking in from the window. I draw a new line next to the rest of the lines marking the dull grey wall, reminding me that it's been a long damn time since I've been here. I'm too lazy to count how long I've been here and I probably could of if I wanted to, but I don't want to know how long life has continued to pass me by.

Life just sucks sometimes, like my life was perfect. I had a great best friend and an amazing home life. I was top of my grade and captain of the Sports team. Then bam, the rug was pulled out right from underneath me and I'll never understand what I did to deserve this. 

Hell can get kinda comfy once you've settled in. Every day they bring me food at the same time, being sure to dim the lights each time, and wearing a mask so I can’t see their faces. Sure, it's creepy down here; the bloody hand prints on the wall, along with the blood splatter on the floor creep me out. I can almost already see my fate. 

My neck hurts, mostly because of the heavy chain round my neck keeping me tied to the floor. However the chain is long enough that I can walk around down here, wall to wall. Did I mention that once a week I get to shower! Whoop! Note my sarcasm.

I just wish they'd bring someone else down here. Yeah, that's bad because that means they’d be kidnapping another person, but whatever, I haven't had contact with a person in a very long time, the wall is exhibit A. 

After doing nothing, like usual, it's time for bed. They check on me, coming down here and making sure I'm on my cot. As if on cue the door swings open and one of them walks down, mask covered face like usual. "Good kid." He chuckles; his voice gives me shivers and makes me sick to my stomach. 

He soon leaves and I drift to sleep in the damp basement of the building. I'm soon awoken by screaming, and it’s not mine or the kidnappers, it sounds like another guy.

"Let me go!"

"Please don't do this!"

"Don't hurt me."

"I don't want to die!"

Is all I can make out as the door swings open again and they barge in with fresh meat. They toss him to the floor and he lands with a loud thud and a hissing sound. I open my eyes a little to look at them. One of the men is holding the boys head back as the other puts the collar on him, chaining him to the floor and then kicking him in the ribs as they leave. 

It isn't until I hear them locking the door, do I dare to move. "Psst" I whisper to him, and he gasps curling in on himself and pushing himself away from me. The poor kid looks terrified, I sigh and pull the blanket off me and drape it around him. "You'll be okay." I whisper even though I don't believe it. "I'll protect you." I whisper again, but I'm just met with sniffling

"You can, uh- sleep in the bed if you want." I say motioning to the cot, it's not much of a bed, but it’s better than the cement floor. He finally looks up at me from his spot on the floor, and he just nods slowly and climbs into the bed. I press myself tightly against the wall, so I'm not suffocating the poor kid. I’m not exactly going to expect him to curl up against me and cover me with half of the blanket. I smile and close my eyes; I finally have someone with me, a cute someone. I giggle to myself and finally fall back asleep. 

When I wake up, I'm met with a face rather close to mine. A pair of blue eyes staring intently into my hazel ones; I don't jump or move. Just simply stare back at him. 

I look down at him and he's cradling his arm against his chest. I slowly point at it, "Are you hurt?" I ask softly, looking back up at his crystal blue eyes. He nods and bites on his bottom lip. I slowly sit up and take his arm into my hand, I roll up his sleeves and look down his forearm and it's all cut open and covered in dirt, I'm guessing it happened when they tossed him down the stairs.

I frown and sit up the kidnappers are nice enough to let us have a bathroom with a first aid kit. I quickly stand up walking into the bathroom. I wet a washcloth and grab the first aid box and walk back to the blond boy who like a child is poking at the wound, and whimpering when he pokes too hard. 

I shake my head and take a seat on the cot with the box and a few other items I’m going to need. I take a dry towel and hand it to him "Bite on that." I say and he nervously gulps but does as asked. I bring the wet towel to the opened wound and clean off the dirt. He gasps and whines as the towel brushes his wound. "Hate to break it to you, but this isn't even the worst of it." I say with a sad smile.

I grab the dreaded brown bottle of peroxide, he eyes widen and he's shakes his head, and muffles a "No! No!" 

I frown, "I'm sorry cutie, but I've got to. It’ll get infected if I don’t." I say and then he does the last thing I expect him to do, he grips one of my hands and nods mumbling random gibberish. "I really am sorry." I say as I pour the liquid on his arm. 

He grips roughly on my hand and screams behind the cloth and leans his head back. The liquid bubbles and then slowly stops and I'm guessing so does the burning because his grip on my hand loosens. He pulls the fabric out of his mouth and looks at me. I grab a bandage and wrap it arm his arm carefully using a piece of medical tape to keep it in place. The boy watches me closely, "How do you know so much about this?" He asks softly looking from me to the bandage. 

"My mom's a nurse." I say bring the stuff back to the bathroom and coming out to him and sitting across him on the bed. 

"Thank you." He smiles hugging me tightly, "I know who you are!" He exclaims loudly and looks over my face. 

"Everyone in our town and in school has posters for you, and we have T-shirts with your face on them that say, 'A search for Ashton.'. I have one!" He smiles but then frowns, "I'm gonna be on the next shirt 'Looking for Luke.'" He whimpers. I frown and pull him into a hug, "You're gonna be fine, I'll protect you." I promise and give him a gentle squeeze.

"Did you mean that?" He asks "When you called me cute?" He giggles. 

I blush brightly and nod, "Well, yeah, you're adorable as hell." I chuckled shaking it off. 

"You're cute, and I got a shirt with your face on it." He laughs, "But yeah I'm Luke and you're Ashton. I think you’re cute and you think I’m cute" He giggles.

"Maybe being kidnapped won't be so bad." He whispers hugging me tightly burying his face into my neck. I smiled and hug him back just as tight. 

AN: Hey Damned One here! I'm co-author to this story with AshtonsBlondie comment and let us know what you think!

~Abi AKA Damned One ♡