DSLW 26

i.

He reluctantly withdrew around the corner of the house when he saw them pull away from each other and he knew the big, blonde man was coming out. Once again he debated himself whether he should knock on the door as soon the boyfriend was out of sight but slunk away. He wanted their reunion to be special. Maybe he'd buy candles and rose petals but with her big belly now...and the fact that she'd got older... it wouldn't be the same. Not what their love had been. He'd been shocked at her apparent pregnancy – and how far along she was...Jesus! Yet she's not much more than a child herself– too young to have her own!

He didn't notice how his thoughts seemed to contradict one another. He never did.

He licked his lips at the thought of embracing her in his arms again. Of stroking her scars softly and then kissing them better. But first he would beg to know Why? Why had she left him? He'd be understanding of course, her mother had been starting to be jealous for a long time. Must have been tough on the poor girl.

But he could wait and bide his time. Some things were worth waiting for. First he had to get rid of the boyfriend. He'd deal with him later.

He started – the shock of seeing his precious Mira – swollen in pregnancy and in the arms of that brute had driven the boy clear out of his mind. How could he have forgotten him? He was still unconscious, would soon wake up and had to be there. Then he would get out of him who he was and what he was doing coming out of her house. Who were these people visiting his daughter? They had not right – not without asking him first! He checked all her friends – especially the male ones who could be a threat.

He drove back to the abandoned warehouse near his motel but not too close. 50 mins drive, give or take. He rattled the key to the chain he'd put across its doors and got his torch out. He did all this of course after he'd carefully surveyed the area. The lot had long since been abandoned – no guards or no security cameras or guard dogs to worry about. Even the fence had holes in it – made by wild animals or kids who came here to booze or smoke or screw or whatever kids these days did in their free-time but the gate was still intact – with the padlock across it.

Barry guessed even the delinquent kids had abandoned this place for richer pickings. He was sure he wouldn't be disturbed here – by no-one.

The boy was wide awake, the chloroform had worn off. As he scrambled back away from the intruder, Barry saw a flash of fear in his eyes. However, he was quick to conceal it before it was replaced by hostility in those icy blue eyes and he took a step back despite himself.

'Who the fuck of ya? Let me the fuck go!' Daryl had been awake for hours – had yelled and screamed for help until his voice went hoarse, he'd banged on the wall to no avail. Then he'd wasted even more time struggling against the strong, thick ropes binding his hands to the old disused pipe running along the rough concrete wall until he started grinding them against it. He was lucky they weren't cuffs. It was a long, tedious process and his hands and wrists were chafed and bleeding – stinging like little bitches and he just had to pray the bastard wouldn't check on the ropes. If he was an amateur – first time he'd done this shit - he might not.

Barry strode over and shone the flashlight direct in his eyes making him blink. He started to back away from him as far as he could, chest heaving in and out rapidly with panicky little breaths making him feel the curious impulse to comfort him. Barry had no idea where this came from.

'Sh...sh...'

'Well, ya fat fuck. The fuck ya want?' The fierce young man lashed out first. Naturally.

Barry laughed instead of getting indignant. Weren't the first time someone had called him that, after all. Mid-forties, he was the one who'd managed to bag a beautiful teenage girlfriend, after all.

Until she ran away, he's mind whispered. When it had first happened, he had tried to convince himself that something had happened to her and she was dead – or she'd been kidnapped. Anything was better than considering the possibility that she had betrayed their love.

'Well, I think the question is...'Who are you and what were you doin' in my daughter's house?'

Daryl opened his mouth to reply but thought better of it, suddenly realising who his captor must be since he knew that Mira's biological father was dead. The man was a sicko and he as hell wasn't going to volunteer any information. He thought back to the couple of hours since he'd woken up.

'Ain't tellin' ya nothin', ya sick fuck. But I know who you are. And what ya did.'

'I'm Mira's stepfather – well more like her father actually. Might as well be, brought her up. You with her. Why? Ya friends with her?'

His prisoner felt his heart stop in his chest in panic because had he touched her? Hurt her again – maybe the baby...the time she was due was so near...something happening like that could make it come early. He shuddered.

'Yeah.' Daryl decided to play it safe, not say anything more, keeping his voice calm with great difficulty. He was surprised the bastard didn't guess the truth. 'Which is why when I get out of here, I'm goin' to fuckin' kill ya. Ya better not have touched her!' He snarled and he was so intimidating that Barry found himself taking a couple of steps back from him, even though he was the one tied to the wall before he remembered himself.

'Funny...has she been here all along? No, I haven't spoken to her yet...nothin' to stop me goin' to visit though...See, she ran away three years ago...her mother is very distraught...'

'She ran away because of what you were doin' to her! You raped her, you sick fuck!' His voice rose in rage, after all he knew what that was like. 'Ya go near her and I'll fuckin' cut ya balls off!'

The image that was burned forever into his memory of what Merle had done to their father reared its ugly head in his mind then. Dad's bleeding crotch and battered face still haunted his dreams every now and then and with a shock, he realised that he sounded just like his brother.

Now, he thought to himself, I finally understood the impulse of pure rage –what had made him do it.

'Such a bad temper. Ya should do somethin' 'bout that.' Barry tutted and shook his head patronisingly, making Daryl want to lunge at him and make him hurt even more than he'd ever made her hurt. He was so full of rage he was speechless.

'Ya know what ya did!' He managed to spit out finally.

'Silly boy. Of course I didn't. You've seen her arms, right? Seen what the poor girl does for attention. Lies about me too. Mentally unstable...'

'Fuck you.' Daryl slumped back against the drain in apparent defeat but actually his aim was to hide his bleeding hands. 'You're the one that's fucked up if ya believe that.'

Barry grinned an ugly grin full of uneven teeth but ignored this outburst. 'And another thing...there was another man...a real rough tall, blond mean-looking redneck...canoodling with and kissin' my little girl... Filthy paws all over her...Dunno how I stopped myself rushing in there and kicking the door down. Probably the same asshole who knocked my poor baby up.' His eyes narrowed when he saw the prisoner go pale and his lips begin to tremble. Unless he was mistaken, he looked like he was about to cry! 'Ya know him?'

The boy's damp eyes grew wide in horror...'Merle...' He breathed. 'No!...'

'Ha...ya do know him, don't ya, Sonny?' Barry chided slyly.

'Leave my brother outta this, bastard!' He suddenly rounded on him, snarling but he looked downcast.

'Hmm...so he's your brother is he? Or half-brother? 'Cos ya don't look alike, do ya? Looks a lot older than you. Hmm. I'll think'll use this, gotta get him away from Mira so I can take her and the baby home. To me and her mother where she belongs.'

'Ya leave 'em both alone, sicko! And let me go!' Daryl clenched his fists behind him and cursed himself inwardly. He hadn't meant to give anything anyway, especially not put his brother in danger. It's just what the asshole had told him...

'Come on.' Barry reached down for the bottle of mineral water he'd brought with him. 'Come on, sonny,' He crooned at him, 'Drink up then it's time to go to sleep. Don't want ya dyin' of dehydration on me before ya brother gets here.'

'Fuck you!' The boy resisted at first – Barry thought it was strange that he seemed to be over-reacting, panicking when he grabbed him and fed him the water from the bottle. He spluttered but soon started drinking gratefully. Shook his head when only half of it was gone.

'Don't want no more? No? ...OK.'

Daryl shook his head but glared at him all the same. Giving his abductor the chills even in his silence.

The sooner this is over and the brothers were dealt with, the better, Barry thought to himself, he couldn't stand the way the boy was looking at him like if he had his hands free, he'd choke him with his bare hands. Probably could – easily. He noticed that he wasn't as small as he looked tied up – yes he had fine bones – prominent ones on his cheeks but he was well-built and strong. And tall.

And he had youth on his side.

'What about the bucket?'

'No.' He did want to go – badly but he couldn't bear the thought of him touching him.

'Don't worry, ya'll be reunited with ya big brother soon. I'm jus' goin' out to see how Mira's doin' – to let her mother know of course, ya understand!'

'Ya leave her alone! I said don't ya fuckin' touch her!' He yelled furiously and tried to lunge at him – kick him with his feet. Of course, he couldn't stop him, tethered to the wall like he was. Barry suddenly realised that he still didn't know the boy's name. Didn't matter, he knew his brother's – good enough. He chuckled. He was enjoying this because had this boy also slept with his precious Mira? Would make more sense -more her age than his brother. And he knew she was a dirty little slut – all girls her age were until he'd tamed her. Taught her what it was like to belong to one man and have self-respect.

'That's enough excitement for the day. It's time you went back to sleep.' His voice was soft, paternal

but he didn't reach for the chloroform – didn't have any on him but drew back his fist to knock him out. The prisoner tried to dodge the blow even got in a hard kick or two but to no avail. He thought he'd hit him hard enough but he had to hit again before he slumped back. The boy was strong. Black bruise spreading along his temple to his cheek.

ii.

Daryl

I woke up with the side of my head throbbing, badly needing the bathroom, thinking I'd been guzzling beer all afternoon in front of the game on our TV like I sometimes did with Merle at the weekends. When we were halfway drunk out of our skulls, even now - he'd hold me and stroke my hair on the sofa or wherever we were and it felt so good I didn't want to get up even to take a piss. Making me forgive him. Making me forget everything. Despite the unbearable feeling of pressure on my bladder. His too but he could always drink more and hold his water in longer than I could.

I couldn't remember where I was at first. I should be hungry – God knows when I'd eaten last – stuck in the dark with the periods when I was unconscious, I'd lost track of time. But I wasn't. I put it down to the crazy situation we were in.

Something was missing – something was wrong. There was no Merle - and I looked down to find my boxers and jeans had been taken off.

Fuck. Maybe the bastard was even sicker than I imagined...because why had he removed my underwear while I was passed out?

Had he messed with me? Fuck!

I anxiously checked myself all over – of course, I couldn't use my hands – everything seemed OK. No damage done, as they say.

Then I saw the bucket placed considerately within my reach, couldn't help breathing a sigh of relief as the warm, steaming liquid streamed from me. Of course, if things had come to it, I supposed I would have had to piss myself. Despite the stink – it would have eventually dried. Better than having a ruptured bladder.

Then like a nightmare, it hit me. Mira would come in sometimes if she was at home and just watch me and Merle together on the sofa. Me with my head in his lap and his arm around me, more often than not. I always wondered what she was thinking – but she knew what he was like with me. More importantly, she knew why. Even now her stepfather could be round my place – threatening her – hurting her because I was stupid enough to get caught. I prayed that Merle was with her – I knew he'd protect her - even if they were together - Fuck – the baby!

And the only person to stand in his way was my asshole brother – and I was trapped here – powerless. I let out a scream of rage of frustration – who knows, maybe someone would hear. I was yelling and banging on the wall for what seemed hours the last time I woke up before I started doing something more constructive. Without any real hope, I tried doing this again – sensing he wasn't around, not letting myself dwell on where he probably was. Sick fuck was deluded and they were the worst.

No answer and I could even sense the emptiness and desolation around me wherever I was.

There was no-one here.

It was weird how you could hear silence sometimes.

So I started wearing away at my binds – I'd realised pretty quickly that the fucker had got me somewhere isolated – probably a disused warehouse – that's what it looked like. Where the hell where we? I had no idea. But I remember that he'd been surprised that she was living here – he couldn't have taken me anywhere too far. After all, he was intending to go and see her...I shuddered. Prayed she'd look through the keyhole and not answer or pretend not to be in.

Best of all – she wouldn't be in.

I wondered what the villain's masterplan was but didn't have to think about it too long. It was pretty obvious. I remembered that the bastard told me that he'd seen my brother with my girl...I considered the possibility that he was fucking with me or he'd misunderstood the situation. However, taking into account the kiss – that sounded about right to me. I sniffed and to my horror, felt the hot tears of rage start to prick my eyes but managed to hold them back. Didn't stop working on my ropes though even as I stewed on all of this. Because I wasn't 5 minutes out of the picture and they were all over each other, apparently unable to control themselves. Never mind that she was 9 months pregnant...that got me thinking. The baby – was the baby OK? I prayed that the asshole wouldn't go after her today... Stress for the mothers was never good for babies – that's if she was even worried about me. Maybe he told her I'd just freaked out about becoming a daddy and walked out of the door...and he'd take my place.

Bastard – he always knew how to take advantage of a situation.

I threw off these thoughts that were in danger of rapidly spiralling into self-pity and got a grip on myself. I was a Dixon. I'd been through worse – I'd find a way out of this mess.

Merle, if he doesn't kill ya first, I will, ya fuckin' bastard. For tryin' to steal my girl and my kid along with her, no doubt.

I was a Dixon. Nobody could kill a Dixon except another Dixon. That's what Merle always said and I had to hope he was right as I started to scrape at my bonds. I laughed, blinking back my tears because the stupid asshole hadn't thought of using cuffs – far safer when you tie someone up. In any case, you should always check the ropes when you tie someone up.