Author's Note: Thanks so much for the reviews and the support on the chapters. It's really appreciated. Keep sending them, please. Constructive criticism, anything. Hope you enjoy this chapter.


Chapter Three:

The flashing light was the first thing that broke into Sam's dreamless sanctuary . It was a flicker, barely a spark, but it registered in his mind. It had traveled past is closed eye lids and connected with something deep inside of him, for it was he noticed first. For a couple of moments it was pitch black again, but then there it was again - and again. Sam stirred. Or, at least he thought he moved. He felt like he didn't have full control of his body. Like he was somewhere else, trying to will his brain to work properly. Something was obviously off.

The flash again.

Sam moved. His body, that is. His mind is slowly getting working again. Little by little, he's able to focus a little more on waking up fully. He breathed in deeply. He could feel his tight chest expanding greatly. It stung. It felt like he'd been choking. His throat hurt, too. But he couldn't bring himself to open his eyes. Not yet. Sam took in another breath. Each time it hurt a little less. Actually, it felt good. He tried to move his feet or even his hands, but he couldn't tell if it was working. He still felt disconnected from the rest of his body. He was beginning to get worried, but he couldn't even bring himself to panic. All his emotion- just like his energy, was drained.

More rapidly now, the flashes flicked. Was someone taking pictures of him?

Slowly- bit by bit, Sam became in more control of his body. He could feel that he was sitting on something... It was sort of soft, but was uncomfortable. The smell that roamed around him was near nauseating. He was rank. It was like mold, sour milk, poor pluming, and bad body order all at the same time. It was sickening. That's when it happened. That's when Sam's eyes finally opened. They didn't open much, but they were open. His head felt heavy. Like it weighed a ton and a half. His neck was stiff and sore. How long was he in that position?

Everything was blurry. From what he could tell, Sam was sitting on a mattress. A filthy mattress. Possibly the root of where that smell is coming from...

The flash was back.

Sam looked up, forcing his neck to move and his head to rise. He felt a pain run down his neck and down his spine. He squeezed his eyes shut, effectively clearing his blurred vision and helping the pain subside some. He coughed, and his lungs were instantly set on fire. He breathed in deeply again, calming himself. When he focused on what was in front of him he was finally able to see the man again. He was standing a few feet in front of Sam with a camera, snapping pictures of him. Sam couldn't help but wonder how long he was standing there taking pictures of him.

"Who...-" Sam tried to start, but his voice ran away from him, leaving him silent. His voice was weak still. Almost foreign to his ears.

The man pulled the camera from his eye and looked at Sam quite shocked. "You're awake," he says. His voice had a hint of surprise in it. He set the camera down and stood in front of Sam empty-handed. He eyed Sam slowly, blinking everyone in a while. Sam broke the eye contact, feeling uncomfortable with the way he's being looked at. The man cleared his throat, licking his lips.

Finding his voice, Sam tried again. "Who the hell are you?"

The man's eyebrows arched. He pointed to himself. "Me? Well...let's just say I'm the only person who can possibly tell your family where you are. I'm like the winning lottery ticket."

Sam swallowed.

"You name... what's your name?"

The man's eyes lit up. "Oh, that. I'm Matthew."

"Matthew-"

"Call me Matt," he cut in. Sam looked at him for a minute.

"Matt, where are we?" Sam asked, trying to stay as calm as he possibly could.

Matt laughed. He shook his head. "Can't say. It wouldn't be fun if I told you."

Sam was confused. "Fun? What woul-"

"The game. The game wouldn't be fun."

Now Sam was confused. But he wasn't about to argue. Not now. He needed to get as much information as he could from this guy.

Matt went over to the video camera and pressed a button. Almost instantly, a red light flashed right in Sam's face. He looked away. Matt smiled as he took a seat on the edge of the bed. He looked back at Sam again. He looked at him in a way that made Sam's skin crawl. Taking in a short breath, Sam did all he could not to flinch.

"You know," Matt started. "I'm not a big fan of your father's."

Just like that, a light went off in Sam's head. His father. He's gotta be looking for him by now. Some way, some how he's going to find him. Sam always had his differences , but he knew that he'd stop at nothing at getting him back.

"My dad's gonna find you...," Sam says, trying to put a scare into his capture.

Matt smiled a little. "You better hope he finds me. See, if he finds me, he finds you."

Sam swallowed hard.

"You better make you you've got a really good hiding place. My dad and my brother will hunt you down like the animal you are-"

A hard backhand came across Sam's face, stinging his mouth and his cheek. He looked away as tears filled his eyes. As quickly as he could, he blinked them away.

"I'm not an animal. Do you understand me? I'm not," Matthew says to Sam. His voice hardened as well as his eyes. He breathes heavily as he looks over at Sam angrily.

Sam breathed heavy, too. "My dad will hunt you down," he repeats, fearlessly.

Matt's face softened and he rubbed the side of his face. "You've got a lot of blind faith in your father, don't you?"

"Blind faith?"

Matt shrugged. "How do you even know he cares enough to came look for you? I seen you were upset earlier before I found you. I bet you it had something to do with him..."

Sam looked away, wondering how he could possibly know that.

Matthew reached out and touched Sam's face, just under his eye. Sam flinched, jerking away.

"Don't fucking touch me-"

"I bet he did that to you, didn't he? He hit you?"

Sam didn't answer.

But it didn't matter, Matt already knew he was right.

"They'll kill you if you hurt me."

Matt sucked his teeth.

"Hurt you?"

The man reached out, brushing Sam's hair and pushing it behind is ear. Sam jerked his head, leaning away. He smiled creepily at Sam. "Why would I want to hurt someone like you?"

Sam swatted at his hand, his eye's widening at the man's intensions.

"Get your filthy hands off me."

Matt looked at him, clearly upset from being rejected like that.

"You know what?" Matt says, standing. His hands are clenched into fists at his sides. Sam swallows hard. "You're gonna regret that..."