King Schultz opened his eyes to find himself engulfed in unfathomable darkness. He didn't dare move. His head was throbbing with pain, and he vaguely registered the taste of blood in his mouth. He didn't mean to, but his eyes closed themselves again.
Light hurt his eyes. He could feel the heat of fire around him. Too close. His eyes shot open when the flame caressed his cheek. His own scream pierced the silence violently.
-Oh, fantastic, you're awake.
Dr. Schultz blinked once, then twice. Things seemed to take recognizable form under the light of the candle. A man was holding it, a man whose face he had seen before, hadn't he? Damn, his wrists hurt so bad, why was that?
The man took the candle to Schultz' face again, but this time he didn't scream.
-Don't you know who I am?
Schultz tried to look around. His wrists felt like they were on fire. Looking up, he saw the bindings. He had been tied by the wrists to the ceiling, well, that explained it. The skin was torn so bad, the flesh underneath was exposed. How long had he been there?
-I'm terribly sorry, I can't seem to be able to place your face.
He felt the fist colliding with his jaw before he knew it was coming.
-No one said you were allowed to speak, old man.
Blood in his mouth again. Probably a bit in his nose too. He spit it out in a desperate attempt to be able to breathe again.
-Sorry about your floor.
The man gave him a nasty look but didn't punch again. Instead he grabbed his face and pulled it so close to his own, Schultz could smell his breath.
-You are after me, herr doctor, aren't you? And I can't have that. You did a damn fine job with my brother a few years ago, right? You thought you would get away with it? You should have done me in long ago.
Schultz mentally reviewed the list of people whose brothers he had killed. Not many he could remember seemed to dangerous. Except for one, yes. Edgar… something. He remembered his brother Robert as well. Nasty fellows.
-Long time no see, Ed.
The punch hit his stomach this time.
-Didn't I say you should stay silent?
Schultz gasped for air for what felt like minutes. His whole body hurt, he was probably covered in cuts and bruises from head to toe.
-Now, what am I gonna do with you, eh?
-Where are we?
Edgar's eyes went like plates before he hit him again. It was the eye this time. He couldn't open it for weeks afterwards.
-Jesus, you've got some mouth on you. Maybe I'll sew it shut next time!
Django couldn't have been far, could he? When was the last time he saw him? The last thing he could recall before waking up in that place, was camping with him. They had been looking for someone for weeks now. No, he couldn't have been too far.
Edgar Something walked over to him again. He had grabbed a long piece of metal from God knows where. The tip was red with heat.
Schultz twisted his body, trying to get lose, but the only thing he could manage, was hurting his wrists even more.
-Aha, you like this, don't you?
Mr. Something pushed the metal to Schultz' chest. He thought he was going to faint. He could feel the skin tearing when he took it away. He knew he wouldn't last for much longer. He cursed.
Schultz heard a shot. For a second he was afraid he had been the target. Then Mr. Something fell to the floor. Django's form appeared behind him.
-Ah, my friend. Always a pleasure to… to…
Django walked over to him and undid the straps. Schultz felt himself being lifted from the ground.
-Maybe we should rest for a couple of days, Django. I feel a bit under the weather.
He heard Django chuckle under his breath.