" A gambling man's luck is only as good as he believes it to be. Unfortunately for you guys, that luck has run out." The words echoed in my brain, right before the lights went out. A fist drove hard right in the center of my skull, it felt more like a hammer banging away at the railroad spikes. Tiny blips of rainbow drops filled the inside of black bag that obscured my vision. The last thing I felt was a gentle breeze drifting me off into uneasy unconsciousness.
When next I woke the wooden wheels of a caravan shifted, groaning uncomfortably against some sort of makeshift gravel road. My body nudged hard, a warm somebody sitting next to me, stiff and unyielding.
Ouch! Watch it, or I'll bit your ear off when they take this thing off me!" A rough voice vibrated the inner working of my ears, rough like metal scraping against metal, older and worn. The carriage rocked, pushing me back towards the man. His head intentionally collided with my own, farther the headache from the previous blow.
" That'll teach yea!" the man spat, before shoving me to the floor.
Leather boots began kicking at my sides as I writhed in burning pain. At least one of my ribs was broken, maybe two, I wasn't quite sure. My hands were bound making it difficult to swing at my assailants but all the same, I had to try to defend myself. Blow after agonizing blow the men jeered as I shouted out in pain. Gasping I wanted to pass out again, to escape this hell I had dug myself into. One way or another, I feared I would get my wish.
Warmth had gone away from the world, my surrounding suddenly dark and cold as a cool breeze circled the encampment clearing. The black cover had been taken away now, a bright flame crackled beneath the night sky, but I had been placed in a small cage twenty or so feet away. There were three men, raiders, sitting nearest to the fire, laughing and drinking joyfully.
" How much do you think we'll get off this lot? Twenty caps each I wager." The man who spoke was scrawny, definitely not the coward who snuck behind me in the train station. His arms and legs were like twigs at the end of a large branch, and his shoulders barely did the job of holding up his thin neck and abnormally large head. Shifting his weight, the largest of the three slammed his mug on the makeshift table they had shared, nearly breaking the supporting legs.
" With those kind of caps I could quit working for Slater! You know, do something legit for a change!" This was the larger of the three men, the fat rolls below his chin clapped together loudly followed by fleck of sweat sizzling within the flame momentarily, before fading away.
" You, do something legit?! Your joking right? It's every man for himself out here and you want to do something legit?" It was the third man who spoke this man, his tone even and calculated, obviously the brains of the operation. " You'd be wise to keep your nose down and your mouth shut, or Slater will do it for you."
"Where the hell am I?" A voice to my left whisper groggily. Up until this point I had completely forgotten that I was not traveling alone, the vicious beating driving to the forefront of my thoughts. There was a group of about six of us, bound, some gagged, guessing they were the trouble makers, the one who had spoke however was the one who had pushed me to the ground. This had caught the attention of our captures.
" Well, well, well, looks like our new friends are awake." The raiders stood up, one by one, the big guy cracking his knuckles as he stood.
" What do you want from us?!" A women spoke a suddenly. At first glance I would have suspected nothing unusual about the out burst, a typical response for someone who was in fear of their life, but there was something different with this. Her voice was strong, the " you just messed with the wrong person" type. The brains, as I had so quickly labeled him, pointed at cage next to the woman lazily, a smirked etched across his face menacingly.
" Boas. Let's teach our lady friend here some manners, shall we." The large man clambered forward, a small set of keys dangling from around his tattered belt line. He was headed straight towards the man in the cage next to the women who had spoken up, looking just as defendant as she was.
" Jack will find out what your doin' out here raider scum!" The man spat as Boas unlocked the steel padlock and dragged the man to the dirt. " You best put a bullet dead and center because I swear to god I'll..." The man was cut off abruptly.
Without my noticing, Boas had pulled out a hatchet, dull and bloodied at the edge. Swinging downwards in a swift motion so fast and unexpected for a man of his size a severed hand hurled in the air silently before making a grotesque landing.
It had taken a few moments for everyone in the clearing to realize what we had just witnessed. The bloody stump oozed crimson as we all stared at the aftermath. Realization finally registering within the man vacant gaze his eyes grew wide. Opening his mouth, he screamed, tears rolling down his cheeks as he writhed in utter agony, Boas and his comrades jeering, doubled over in laughter.
" Jesus man, I swear that is the cleaning cut I've ever seen outta you." The brain said, whipping the tear tracks from his own face. " Otter, go pick up the poor sap. We aren't finished with him yet." The man called Otter hurried over to the bloody man, grabbing him by the collar as he clinched his wrist.
" Now I know you all are very curious as to why you are holding you here tonight, and the answer is simple. You see, my buddies and I are looking for someone very important to our boss. This someone has taken something that quite frankly doesn't belong to him." The brain pause dramatically, lifting his index finger pointedly towards the open sky before speaking again.
" You all seem like a nice, smart bunch, so I'll make you an offer. Tell us where Jackson Philips is hiding out, and your all free to go, well except this one of course." The brain pointed at the man Otter was holding, his completion becoming paler with each passing moment.
" This one will be my example if you will. Now I am a fair man and I know some of you are gonna want to put up a fight but your pal here is going to convince you otherwise. Boas, if you don't mind."
Once again Boas swung his hatchet, this time aiming down toward the mans ankles. He miss, this time his blade entering the meaty part just below the kneecap. The man on the ground of convulsing, blood spilling from his mouth. All of the captives, including myself were either screaming in protest, or reaching out towards the dying man, shouting words of encouragement.
I was beside myself, pulling hard at the bars, I kicked and reached and clawed towards someone I had never know, I was angry. Whoever this Jackson fellow was, it wasn't worth torturing an innocent man to find him. After an eternity passed it seemed, all had fallen silent. The Brain walked towards the remaining five cages, taking it in turn to run his greasy oil covered hands along the bar.
" Not so talkative now are you, bitch?" The woman who had spoken so bravely before was now whimpering in the corner of her cage, he knees pulled up to her chest. He continued, stopping every once in awhile to look down at his captive. Finally he had reached my cage.
" This one looks like he's gonna cry! Awh there, there, you shouldn't be so down, your still breathin' aren't you?" He began to walk towards the next cage, but something had stopped him...I had stopped him.
Reaching out, I grabbed the grimy coat that clung to his thin body, finally looking up to meet his intrigued expression. This man was excited at the prospect of a challenge. I spoke before my brain could process the words, before I stop them from pouring from my mouth.
" What was that you little shit? I couldn't quite catch that." Gritting my teeth I yanked the man down so he could look me right in the eyes. Otter and Boas darted forward, but the brain held out his hands to halt them. After a few moments in silents, I spoke, clearly this time, my voice filled with absolute hatred and determination.
" I...am...going...to kill you."