We're Free
Toris sat at on the park bench, head in his hands. Tears fell from his eyes. He shook uncontrollably, looking small and weak surrounded by the frigid air and icy snow.
Ivan had punished him again. The bloody gashes on his back hurt so badly, he just wanted to leave it all behind and move on, away from this horrible place. What had he universe seen him do, he wondered, that could earn him this?
Usually, Feliks would come to comfort him at a time like this. He had turned eighteen and moved out of the orphanage, and he had not seen him in months. He missed him dearly.
"Where are you, my angel, now?" Toris said, remembering a line from a son he had heard in the movie he had seen once when Feliks and he had snuck into the small theater on the edge of town.
Feliks had reminded him of an angel when they'd first met, with his light blonde hair, green eyes, and pale skin. He turned out to be more than an angel, he was Toris's best friend. He missed Feliks with all his heart.
Toris stopped crying, now sure of what he had to do. He stood up and stalked down the silent street.
As he reached the orphanage door, he could hear the muffled screams of one of the boys, Raivis. He slowly opened the door. He was turning eighteen tomorrow, an he was here to collect the little that was his.
Ivan looked up from Raivis, who he had tied to a chair and was whipping with the long, leather belt. "You are back for more?"
"No. I-I'm here to save the kids from the likes of you." Toris cursed his speech impediment under his breath.
"You are scared, da?" Ivan looked at him in a creepily happy way. Toris shuddered.
Ivan raised the whip to strike Raivis again, but Toris grabbed the tall man's muscular arm. "No," he said coldly.
Ivan glared daggers at him. "Now Toris," Ivan said in a playful tone, "what have I said about rebellion?" Ivan ripped his arm from Toris's grasp and choked him up against a wall. Ivan began to laugh sadistically. Raivis screamed for Ivan to stop.
Suddenly, with a thud a large, metal pipe hit Ivan in the head. He let go of Toris's neck and fell to the ground, unconscious.
Toris's hands immediately reached up to his neck. He looked up to see his roommate, Eduard, clutching a bloody pipe, shaking. He looked scared and angry.
"I-I just couldn't watch anymore..." Eduard was only a few months younger than Toris, but he was eons more mature. Sometimes Toris forgot he had feelings because of his icy exterior. Eduard was a good friend and ally, a logical mind amongst the passionate.
They untied Raivis from the chair. He immediately pulled Toris to him, crying tears of relief.
Toris walked over to a chest in the corner and opened it. It contained all of their belongings. They each took out the satchel filled with an outfit or two, a few coins, and the single memento of their old life allowed by Ivan.
Toris reached to the bottom of the box, grasping a small, brass key. He walked over to the safe that stood on the highest shelf and pulled it down, unlocking it with the key. He took out the large bag filled with money, likely the child support that was never used on them.
Toris lead the three of them out of the door. They looked back on the old, dirty apartment from the curb. Toris had thought of killing Ivan for all he'd done, but at least Ivan had given them refuge off of the streets and food to eat. Without Ivan, they'd all be dead.
After a moment, the three departed. They walked to the train station. It was midnight now, but a man stood in the ticket booth. They got three train tickets to the town where Feliks had moved. They settled down onto an old bench, withered by the elements, and fell asleep.
The whistle of the train awake them some ten minutes later. They stepped onto the train and shimmied to the back. The train departed into the unknown.
Raivis had been lulled to bed by the chug of the train, and Toris felt himself beginning to doze off as well. He looked at Eduard with tired eyes and Eduard smiled.
"It's okay, Toris. I'll stay up and watch."
Toris fell asleep before he could say thank you.
He awoke again when Eduard shook him awake. They walked off the train onto the platform. After some searching, they found a map. They found Feliks street and house.
The three departed from the train station and walked slowly through the streets, absorbing every moment.
It had only taken about ten minutes to get to Feliks's apartment. Toris reached out and lightly pressed the doorbell.
After it rang, they waited twenty seconds. Had they gotten the wrong house? Had Feliks moved? Worries like these floated through their heads.
Then, the door opened with a creak, showing Feliks in an oversized shirt. "Who is it? It's only, like, 2 AM!" He saw the boys. "Like, How?" Feliks dropped the key he was holding and pulled the three into an embrace.
"Are we free now?" Raivis asked shakily as they sat in Feliks's living room.
Toris smiles genuinely, something he had not done in forever. "Yes," he said, "We're free."