Chapter 10

Confined

Snow collided with the ground heavily. The sky was gray and the clouds were large and puffy. A storm was brewing. Everything seemed angry. The sky, the trees; anything really. The wind howled sharply, it whipped and blew blistering cold. The flesh on his hands and face were red as blood pumped through his veins trying to keep the body warm.

Pip shivered, sitting in the unbearable chill of the small cell. He huddled on the hay in a corner as he wasn't aloud anything but small scraps of food or water. Everything hurt to move. He had been sitting in here for nearly two days. He had had a few visitors since then, mostly his family. His father was disappointed, his mother said she was doing everything she could to straighten this out along with his brother, who knew everything but was risking his own neck for Pip's.

Pip was a sweet kid. Jeremiah had said he was lucky to have him as a little brother. But Pip is also easy to manipulate because he leaves his heart open because he believes everyone has good in them. Even the son of the Devil. His heart was not made of stone, though his motives weren't of good nature he still had a soft spot. His love for Pip changed him. Pip changed him. Pip was the only one who could. He didn't deserve any of this. Damien would make sure that he got what he did though.

Damien on the other hand, was shackled and caged but more securely. As secure as something could get from this time period. The blacksmiths had this cell special made. It had several locks, from top to bottom. His wrists and ankles were cuffed and changed to the side. Damien knew it was pitiful of them to use these forms of containment when he himself knew they were useless. He could break the iron clad cuffs like they were weak twigs or brittle bones. Rip them to pieces in a second and run away. But he wasn't going to. He was going to stay still and let them keep him chained, keep him captive. All for Pip. He would think of a plan to save him. He was not going to die today, or tomorrow, or any day after that. He was going to live as full of a life as he could. Damien would make sure of that.

Sometime later, after counting the tiny spiders that wander around the wood that surrounded him, there was a shuttering noise that came from the door. Damien heard the latch swipe the opposite way, roughly because it was heavy and then the door being slowly opened. Unlike Pip, nobody had come to visit Damien, they were all dreadfully terrified of him. They had no idea whether he was the real deal or not. Nobody would take a chance. But one chap was certain of this, it was fact to him because his younger brother told him it was true.

Jeremiah stood a few inches from the cell, his body movements slow and a bit shaky. Damien's eyes blazed red as he noticed the intruder, his gaze a fire and it burned into Jeremiah.

"Are...you..?" He could barely began to ask, so he decided to start with who he was when he noticed no movement or response from Damien. "I'm Jeremiah...Pip's older brother...may I ask...are you truly he?"

"Aye." It was quick and he turned his head away, his eyes settling to the mahogany brown color for a moment.

"What are you called?" His voice was shaken slightly.

His eyes flashed back to red as he turned and cocked his head to the side. He gave a small smile as an attempt to be friendly but it came across a bit creepy. "Thorn, Damien Thorn." He spoke rather lowly as if it was hush hush, top secret.

"You...love my brother Mr. Thorn?" He had taken a wary step forward.

"It's Damien, and I am more than just in love with him, I adore him. He brought me happiness."

"I thought a...creature of your nature knew nothing of true happiness, that or any other human emotion..."

"I am half human, half demon. My mother was a mortal. With this human body comes all the basics, a fleshy outer exterior, vulnerable organs and vessels of the like. It's emotion especially. Though I've never been able to grasp them they way any everyday mortal might. Happiness and sadness; though opposite are the two key emotions of a human. Those emotions link to others such as excitement, being of extreme happiness or misery, being of extreme sadness. There are many others I could get into, but as of late one emotion I have been able to, at the very least, began to understand."

"And, that emotion being? If you don't mind me asking."

A much gentler smile came across his fine face, "Love for another being." He said, simply. "I had been observing this here village for sometime. I had big plans for it." Then, his smile faded as his facial expression changed to much more serious as he meant every word he was about to say. "Then I saw Pip. He had the most delicate of facial features that just made him look ever so perfect. The way he spoke of other people and his charming personality made me think otherwise. He was...just so lovable that I let it take me over. He was adorable and had the brightest of smiles. I do admit I stalked him for quite a while before I could get into a closer proximity of him. He was frightened at first, I told him outright who and what I was. Somehow I think I may have manipulated his feelings, but in no way was that my in tension. Just to be able to stay by his side gave me the utmost of joy. I could not go a day without his smile. He makes me wish that there was no bad in the world, that there was no bad in me. He makes me believe it. I can be good, I can change! And I have."

"The words you speak bring tears of admiration to my eyes. You certainly have proven to me you loyalty to Pip." He stood there a moment and bit his lip. He then took a leap of faith and took a step forward and kneeled down in front of the cell. He then spoke in a low whisper. "I have devised a plan for you and my brother's escape."

"You wish to help?" Damien asked, knocking his head to the side. "Interesting. Do tell."

"He will be put to court and ultimately be put to death. But you can escape. During the high full moon in the next night. I will make sure of it. The guards are out cold during that time and you may escape easily, to anywhere you like! Just so as long as I don't see my brother put to death."

"But you would most likely be put to death if you were found out."

"I have already planned for that and I have decided that I would gladly die for my brother. Although he may only be a few years younger, he's still too young to have to go first."

"That's very noble of you. But I can't let that sit on my conscience. Forget about me and let Pip leave."

"Have you gone mad? The whole point is for Pip to be happy. And I know by now that he can only be happy with you. You have to go too. Unless you want to see my brother's heart broken."

He certainly got Damien with that. He glowered and turned away, eyes glowing red again. He knew it to be true. He's already seen Pip cry too many times before, he didn't want to make him cry again. That wasn't fair to him. Whatever happened, Damien didn't care what happened to himself, just so long as Pip is okay in the end.

"Aye! I see your point."

"You will escape your confines tomorrow night. The guards will be more worried about you than they will Pip." He said in a whisper tone.

"How will I know when is the right time?"

"I'll give you a signal. See those bars over there?" Damien looked over above his head at the hole with bars going down in between it and nodded. "I shall throw a stone and about a minute after I'll make a sound of an owl. Then wait a few minutes after you hear me leave and that's when you go."

"Aye, but where shall we go?"

"I only wish that you keep my brother safe. Wherever you two decide to go is fine by me."

"You want me to decide? Aye, I will do it. I will keep Pip safe as well."

"I probably shouldn't trust but a town full of betrayal and deceitful people, I'm taking a chance, so please do not waste it."

"Tomorrow night, I shall wait for your signal."

"Aye, goodnight."

"Farewell."

-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-

On the other side of the village held the rest of the cells. A few more had been built in Salem after the trials had started. They needed them, now at least. There were no more than 5 so called witches housed there as of late. Damien being the exception and housed separately. It was hard to keep track of them all. There wasn't many people in the town before but not there was even less. It was a bit depressing and shows that when humankind is faced with a conflict they resort to violence, at least in some extreme cases.

Pip huddled up in a corner, mirroring the one Damien sat in. It was cold, he missed his bed; he missed his bed with Damien. His heart ached at the thought of him. He hasn't heard from him since yesterday. Despite all that has happened he didn't blame Damien. It may have been from the love he felt for him but he felt that everyone was responsible in someway. They let it get too out of hand, none of it was necessary. He just wondered how long this suffer may last.

He felt dazed and withdrawn. They were feeding him but not enough. Enough to keep him alive until the trial. He never thought he would end up in this situation. Well, he did he just never thought it would be so soon. He thought maybe they'd last a little longer, but even the best things don't last. Not for long anyway.

The sound of the wood of the door scrapping the concert caught his attention and he glanced up from his fetal position and was immediately relieve to see his older brother.

He leaped up from his position and crawled like a little mouse to the bars and pulled himself up with all his might. "Jeremiah! Oh brother! I am so elated to see you!"

"Good day brother."

"Well not in it's entirety...but, have you spoken with Damien? What has he said about me? Did he agree to this plan of yours?"

"I can see clear, this Damien, he loves you dearly. Aye, he has agreed. Now you must wait."

"Oh but I can not! I must see him soon!"

"You will, I swear it."

"Now you remember what I told you. If he does not return to you in an hour you are to leave on your own."

Pip swallowed, "Aye..." He wasn't sure about that. It made him have a heavy chest. To leave Damien just for his own freedom? Never. He would never dream of it. He leaves with Damien or he does not leave at all. Or he shall die trying. Damien had become everything to him. He was all he lived for now. He would never take it back. Not a second of it. This was his life now and he was okay with that.

"I brought you some bread...I know they haven't been feeding you a lot..." He took it out from his pouch that hung from his side. "I know it's not much, but it was a last minute thought."

"It's quite alright! Thank you brother. For everything you have done for me. Ever since I was a little baby you have always looked out for me."

"I'm your big brother, why would I not?" Pip smiled graciously and took a huge chunk out of the bread. He had yet to eat today and if they didn't then at least his brother thought of him.

"I must leave you know. Father will be upset if I miss Mass."

"I understand."

"Farewell!" Jeremiah said leaving the cell room, the wooden door swinging shut and latching to lock securely. A guard sat next to the door and was highly aware of Jeremiah. He had a slight glare looking over at him and a scowl twisted into his face. Jeremiah have him a gently wave, "Good day." He said nervously then ran off down the dirt path home.

He arrived home and opened and slammed the door shut, a sigh exacting his lips.

"And where have you gone off to?" Jeremiah caught his breath sharp in his throat. He realized it had been his father.

"Oh, father! Is it not time for church?"

"Don't avoid my question, you went to see your brother haven't you?"

"He is still Pip, he is still my brother no matter how you perceive him to be!"

"Jeremiah your brother is a witch, can you not see?"

"I can see that he is scared, I don't care what he did! He is my brother and I still love him and you should as well he is your son!"

"Blasphemy!" His father became red in the face. "If I didn't know any better I'd say you were one of them, in fact I should turn you in and lock you up right now!"

"Phillip, please!"

"No Georgia, he is in the wrong and should be locked up as well. My sons worship the devil!"

"Keep your voice down, do you want the whole lot to hear you, Mr. Reverend." His wife turned to him and gave him a stern look.

"Are you threatening me, my own wife?"

"Our sons are confused and would like some help, do not turn this into a big ordeal!"

"It already is a big ordeal! Friends, family and neighbors have turned on each other over petty squabbles!" He took in a large aggravated breath. "I want to hear nothing more about it and you." He pointed to Jeremiah, "Stay away from your brother, or it will be your head!" He started toward the door, Jeremiah's face of awe and shock.

"And you are just like them!" Jeremiah put his foot down. His father turned to face him, eyebrows pointed down with anger.

"And how's that?"

"Your own son, flesh and blood; family! You're turning your back on him when all he has ever done is give you love and respect you sure as hell didn't deserved-"

"Now you watch your mouth young man-"

"No! I'm talking! You listen to me right now! Pip is a smart and wise kid; he did nothing to you, he had nothing but love to give. Say these accusations were true, I don't see him any different. That-that other man in the cell across the way has done nothing to indicate he is who we think he is. What right do you have to pin this on Pip? All he ever wanted was to help anyone he could."

"Jeremiah, your brother has committed acts that in the eyes of God is seen as sinful. You can't just ignore such a thing!"

"Father, forgive me. Pip is my brother, I will love him however he is."

"Jeremiah-"

"I believe there is mass to attend to..." Jeremiah walked passed his father and out the door, for the first time in his life feeling resentment and for his father.

-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-

Jeremiah had been uneasy since that little debacle with his father and he knew that once Pip and Damien had skipped town, Jeremiah would be giving a fate worse than death. It was all for the good of his brother, he reminded himself. It would be for the good of the town, as well. With Damien, being an influence for this, and Pip skipping town, things should settle not long after. As in that was one outcome. Another is that the citizens of this town wouldn't stop until they had depleted the population of the town to nothing. A pity, really. The town had so much potential to grow. Instead it was go to suffer and shrivel to nothing but mere dust. He felt nothing anymore.

Soon, he would get his brother out of here and then he would leave too. There was nothing left here for him. It was easy to get now then later, although now may be too late as well. But is was now or never. He walked about the the town piecing his plan together. He would give Damien the signal and he would break free and then, while everyone was distracted with that he would go let Pip. If anything were to go wrong and Pip never went free he would never be able to forgive himself.

He was getting weird looks from people as he walked through the town. He was starting to get a bad feeling. He decided to shake it off and take a deep breath. The next night couldn't get her faster. He knew Pip felt the same. He'd been in there for a while. Jeremiah would make sure

Pip got what he deserved, and all of it.

-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-

Pip sat in the cell with what seemed like a permanently frown. Permanent sadness. He laid in the corner looking around with the vague sunset of purple and orange through the whole rectangular hole in the cement. Just a couple more hours and he could see his beloved Damien. He had been daydreaming about him all day. He felt the warmth of his arms and smile and in his eyes. The gentleness of his lips on his and of his hands.

He knew in this time and age it was seen as wrong to love another man. Pip knew by now that that didn't even matter to him. He loved Damien and he would die for Damien. He waited for his brother as the sun went down. Time passed slower and slower. Pip gnawed on his fingernails as he waited for the hour to come. He just wondered how Damien felt right now. Did he miss Pip? Does he feel lonely like Pip does?

When they meet up again it will all come together. Pip will kiss Damien because he missed it so much. He will caress his face and rub their noses together and that permanent frown will no longer be so permanent. When it comes to Damien he can make all the bad thoughts and feelings disappear like they were nothing in the first place. And only Damien could do that for him.

Tears formed in slivers as he thought of Damien. His heart pounded harder and harder as he thought of him. Pip missed being with him every day. He just could never get over the fact that they were caught and how terrified Pip felt. He held himself in the now dark and chilly cell, his chest heavy as his heart leapt into his throat. He wasn't out of the woods yet, all this fear settled and made a place of home inside Pip, burrowed deep in his heart until him and Damien were home free. If they would ever be that is.

...

The cold didn't bother Damien by this point. He was conscious and aware of it therefore it couldn't take him down. He knew he had to be on his toes and wait for Pip's brother's signal so that he may be with Pip another day. Indeed he did miss the bright eyed blonde. A soul so pure he never thought he'd see the day. He never loved something so much, so purely and sinfully at the same time. He lusted for Pip but he also felt so much for him, other things, strongly.

Damien stayed alert in the depths of the night. He sat in the darkness of that cell, chained up, knowing that made no difference. They'd be a pile of melted metal soon. Once he leaves and sees Pip he shall scoop him up in his arms and spin him around with their lips tightly locked, holding his face and kissing it several times over. Pip will know how much Damien has missed him; how much Damien loves him.

Suddenly there is a noise. Is this it? Is it time? Damien readies himself anyway. Then he sees it. The stone comes through the window. He starts muttering some unknown language to himself. A satanic spell that heats up his as he hears the owl sound. Then the sound of what he assumes is Pip's brother's feet rushing the other way and final he sets himself free.

-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-

A/N: I am very sorry for how long this took. But it will be ending all too soon I'm afraid to say. This may not have been my best fabric. It's messy in the middle but it will all come together in the end. Soon. I shall work on my KylexKenny fix next. That one will also be coming to an end. I may have other South Park fanfics in the future. I already have some planned and started to be written just from my over creative brain. But I hope you enjoyed this chapter! Faves, follows and reviews are always very much appreciated!