Disclaimer: All these characters belong to those that created and produced Swamp Thing.

The Perfect Sky is Torn

Graham ran through the blinding rain, hot tears and sliding down his cheeks, mixing with the cold water. Stumbling he lost his balance and fell into a small puddle. Numbly Graham tried to haul himself to his feet, giving up when the effort became too much.

"How could you," whispering, defeated, Graham laid his head on his knees, "I hate you, I hate you!" Dully he shook his head, unable to work up much emotion. Events had left him sick with despair and shame. Even now he could hardly believe Arcane had been so cruel and brutal. The bruises and throbbing ache in his body didn't lie however.

Shaking Graham curled further in on himself, memories rushing by in a vicious flood. Memories of how he had been working late on some experiment while the Doctor was out of one of his many dates. Things had been going great, he'd actually made some progress. Bitterly he recalled being happy at the thought of how pleased his employer would be with his work.

He had just been finishing up for the night when Dr. Arcane had stormed into the lab. Graham had never seen the man look so complete and utterly furious. Stepping back Graham had immediately smelled the liqueur on the Doctor's breath as the man approached startling close.

Staring into wild and stormy grey eyes Graham felt a shiver of fear. An emotion that was justified as without warning the Doctor swung his fist and punched him in the face. Crying out Graham stumbled backwards, falling to the ground. With a chocked off cry he got the wind knocked out of him as his employer pounced on him and pinned him firmly to the floor. Continuing to rain blows on any body part within his reach. As much as Graham tried to get free he found himself unable to push Arcane away, it was
like trying to fight with a wild animal. In fact, vaguely he could hear the Doctor snarling something about woman and tricks under his breath, how she'd pay and so on. A glancing blow across his temple made things fuzz out for a few minutes.

When his vision at last cleared and the numbing darkness eased on his mind Graham became aware of fingers scrabbling at this clothes, tugging his pants down.

"Dr. Arcane," he gasped, pushing desperately at the man, "what are you doing? Stop!"

"Shut up!" Snarling Arcane backhanded him across the face. Terrifyingly Graham wasn't even sure if the Arcane was actually seeing him.

"Doctor, please, it's me ... Graham!" urgently he tried to reach the Doctor, the feel of his pants and boxers ripping his only answer. Abruptly all too aware of where this was heading Graham renewed his struggles. A hard right hook took him just below the kidney's leaving him gasping.

While he lay stunned, unable to defend himself he felt Arcane flip him onto his stomach. Graham cried out as something hot and hard nudged against his
buttocks. Before he had the chance to draw a breath or gather strength to struggle Arcane brutally rammed his cock in to the hilt. Graham screamed as the agony ripped through him. Gasping he had to fight to draw breath through choking sobs. Dear God, he'd never felt so much pain before in his life.

His throat felt raw from screaming so much, his employer thrusting in a punishing rhythm. There was no time for even the minutest of adjustments, each thrust felt as painful as the one before. Graham thought the torture would never end, waves upon waves of agony crashed through his nerves. Finally, he felt Arcane stiffen and a surge of hot liquid flood his insides, the man collapsing across his back. Sobbing, not daring to move he listened as the Doctor's breathing evened out into that of sleep.

Fearfully an inch at a time Graham struggled to free himself from under his employer's dead weight. Minutes later he staggered to his feet. Crouching silently he stared at the Doctor's unmoving form before reaching out a trembling hand and grabbing his torn clothes. Backing up to the elevator he made it out of the lab safely. Pulling on his pants best he could, ignoring the rips in his desperation to get away.

With tears streaming down his face, mind numb Graham knew he had to leave the Complex. So he ran. As hard and as fast as he could. Which left him where he was now, kneeling in a puddle of cold, muddy water. How was he supposed to face Arcane again, the very thought of seeing the man made him feel ill. In an instant all the pent up love and yes, desire for the Doctor had turned to loathing. With one brutal act of violence Graham could never forgive.

Struggling back to his feet Graham knew what he had to do. Forcing himself to walk back to the Complex was the single hardest thing he had ever had to do in his entire life. Creeping in he offered up a small prayer that Arcane was still sleeping. Graham made it without any problems to his quarters where he hastily stripped off his clothes and stood under the hottest shower spray he could stand. He only allowed himself a few moments of this, even though he felt like he could stand there for hours just trying to get clean. There were things that needed to be taken care of. Things he couldn't be
slow about.

Towelling off and dressing in record time Graham threw some clothes into asmall case. Whatever could fit went in and whatever couldn't he left behind. Before long he'd packed everything he owned of value. Grabbing his bag Graham was on the way out when the picture he kept of the Doctor caught his eye. In a fit of rage he threw the picture against the wall, leaving the room to the sound of shattering glass.

His next stop was to Arcane's office; thankfully he'd had to foresight to ensure he knew the combination to the safe there. It only took a second to open the safe and retrieve the contents. A small fortune in precious gems and money. Stuffing it all in his bag Graham left the office without a backwards look. Graham made it down to the garage without bumping into anyone, a fact he took as good luck. Throwing his bag into the first vehicle Graham lost no time in leaving the Complex far behind.

He drove as fast as he dared to the airport, although he knew it was one of the first places Arcane would check once he woke up and found him gone. Still it was the fastest way out of Houma and that's what he needed, before his courage deserted him. After what had happened though it didn't take much courage, fear and hurt and shame pretty much took place. God, he'd never thought that the Doctor would actually hurt him! He'd always thought he was special, that maybe Arcane even cared about him a bit. What a fool he was! Arcane would never care about anyone but himself.

Shaking himself Graham purchased a ticket for the earliest flight. Ironically enough to a city called New England. He didn't feel completely safe until the plane was in the air and with Houma rapidly dwindling in the distance. The first step was taken and only time would tell if he could stay ahead of Arcane.

The End