Chapter 28
Carlos huddled in the corner, trying to hum a familiar tune to himself just to keep his little body occupied. His body was trembling from the cold and from his fear, and he didn't know what to do. It was happening all over again. Him getting thrown into a basement, being locked inside and deprived water and food and sunlight all over again.
The Latino boy was just about to curl up and cry when he heard a noise at the top of the stairs. Jake shouted something and threw something down the stair. For a terrifying second, Carlos thought it was a bomb or something. He was sure he was going to die.
But then, he heard a grunt, and he knew that someone was down there with him. His body went rigid with fear. Who could it be? What if it was someone coming to get him? What if they were coming to kill him?
The figure groaned, rubbing his forehead. "Geez, that turd," he mumbled, not even noticing Carlos in the corner. Carlos whipped his head up. Only him and Kendall and James and Logan said turd, so could it be that it was one of his friends? It was almost too good to be true. Almost.
Based on his voice and his shape, Carlos assumed that it was James. "J-James?" He whispered into the darkness. The figure jumped, shocked and startled by the sudden noise. His shopping bags lay on the floor in heaps around him.
"Who- Carlos?" James grinned when he recognized Carlos's voice. Carlos crawled over to his older friends, curling up in his chest. James put him in his lap, and cradled his head.
"What… what happened?" James asked hesitantly.
Carlos sighed. "Jake… he's trying to get "revenge" on us or something," Carlos explained. James nodded, though it was hard to see the slight movement in the dark.
"You alright, buddy?" James asked quietly. Carlos nodded and buried his face into the crook of James's tan neck.
"I d-don't understand why, James," Carlos whispered softly. James didn't even have to ask what he meant by the statement.
"Some people in the world are cruel, Carlos. Not everyone's as nice and friendly as you want them to be, buddy. And we just have to try to get through this, and we'll be alright, ok?" James sounded like he was trying to convince himself, but Carlos didn't detect the tone in his voice. He was way too scared and worried for the both of them.
"But wh-what did we do to him?" Carlos sniffled and wiped a tear away with his sleeve. James sighed; Carlos wasn't supposed to have to go through this. He was too innocent, yet Jake was sick enough to lock Carlos and James inside this… whatever this was.
"Carlos, you told us why, remember? His need for fame made him do horrible things." James explained quietly. He remembered that day Carlos had told them the whole story. It was a day much better than this one. They had no clue what they were gotten themselves into.
"I'm scared, James," Carlos whimpered into James's shirt. James held him closer.
"I know, Carlos. I am too."
The two sat in the dark silence for a pretty long time. It could have been minutes later, or hours later, but the two were started out of their manly silence when something was thrown down the stairs again.
James and Carlos huddled even closer to the corner than ever, bur James relaxed when he realized who the person was. Kendall. His green eyes practically glowed in the dark.
"Carlos, buddy, it's Kendall." James gently told Carlos, who relaxed and stood up, brushing off the debris and dirt on his pants.
"Guys? What are you doing here?" Kendall's confused voice asked.
"Same thing as you," James mumbled, sighing. Everything was getting worse and worse. He expected to see Logan thrown down in a few minutes, too, but that wasn't the case. Someone did open the door, but the man who came down was… Jake. Horrible, disgusting Jake.
"Hey, my little boys," he cooed in a cruel voice. Carlos hid behind James and Kendall. The two older stood protectively in front of their youngest friend.
"What do you want, Jake?" Kendall practically sneered. Jake grinned, showing his yellow and crooked teeth.
"I want nothing but to hurt you, my three little piggies. But, oh no, where's the fourth one?"
James took a step forward. "Logan's not stupid enough to fall for your traps! We may be, but he's not."
Jake laughed. It was a horrible sound. "Oh, I know. So that's why I've come up with another plan. And that one involves you guys." None of them liked the sound of that.
"Blonde. Give me your phone." Kendall decided it wouldn't hurt anything, so he handed it over. Jake looked through the contacts list. He stopped scrolling when it landed on "Logan Mitchell". "I want you to call you nerd friend here, and tell him exactly where you are. Also tell him that you're totally fine. And tell him to come over."
Kendall gaped. "You're kidding me, right? Why would you think I'd ever do that?"
Jake rolled his eyes. "That's what I thought you'd say." Before any of them knew it, he grabbed Carlos by the wrists from his spot behind James. James tried to take him back, but he failed miserably. Jake was a lot stronger than they'd thought.
"If you don't, your little friend here is gonna suffer the consequences." He shoved Carlos behind him harshly, smirking. Kendall bit his lip. He couldn't just lure Logan into this trap. He had to come up with a plan. What could he do?
For once, Kendall Knight had no clue what he could do. He couldn't get Carlos hurt, but he couldn't lead Logan into a trap, either. He locked eyes with Jake's, and they stared at each other for quite some time. His brain was turning and turning, trying to think of something to do.
A few minutes later, Jake looked away. "So, have you decided yet, Knight?" Kendall felt like punching him and pulling all his hair out. But he didn't. That would just cause more trouble, right?
Kendall hesitated in answering, because he really didn't know what to do yet. He was never this puzzled, never this helpless. His hesitation caused Jake to take Carlos and shove him to the ground. He put his foot on Carlos's body, holding him down.
Kendall's eyes widened. Jake obviously wasn't kidding when he said Carlos would suffer the consequences. He didn't want to get Carlos hurt anymore. "Okay! I'll do it, you… bastard." Kendall spit out, anger almost blurring his vision. How could this cruel man do this to them? They were just teenagers; they didn't deserve any of this.
Jake narrowed his eyes and kicked Carlos hard in the ribs. The Latino's face scrunched up in pain, but he didn't make a sound. Kendall quickly took the phone and dialed Logan's number. He couldn't stand watching Carlos get hurt. Maybe Logan would know something was wrong? Maybe he'd call the police and they'd all be safe?
As Kendall listened to one ring after another, he knew he was kidding himself. Jake had got all of them, and that was that. None of them had been careful enough, and now they stuck in this disgusting place with an even more disgusting man.
"Kendall?" Kendall almost jumped when he heard Logan's voice breaking his thoughts.
"Hey, Logan!" Kendall called out, his voice echoing in the dark and eerie silence.
He heard Logan sigh. "Where are you guys, Kendall?"
"Um, we're at a, um," Kendall didn't want to say it. Once he did, Logan would be trapped. He would come to Jake's house, and then he'd be stuck, too, and everything would be ruined. It would all be over too soon.
Jake gritted his teeth, pulling Carlos upright and shoving him into the wall. He raised his fist up. Kendall quickly blurted into the phone, "... a party! Yeah, it's really awesome. You should come and meet us. Then we can go somewhere to eat!" Kendall wished more than anything that that were true. That they were at someone's house chilling, and then they'd go out to wherever and eat. But he was struck back into reality when Logan's voice broke his thoughts again.
"Um, sure… where are you guys?" Logan asked. Kendall took a deep breath.
"Wait a sec, alright? I need to ask the guy who lives here." He looked over to Jake, expecting him to say something. Maybe Logan would hear Jake's voice and recognize it? But Jake was already expecting this, so he whispered something into Carlos's ear.
"4125 Barrington Avenue?" Carlos repeated to Kendall, his eyes scared and wide. The statement cam out more as a question, but Kendall repeated the address into the phone, and Logan said he'd be there in 5 minutes. Then he hung up, and Kendall was left on the other side of the line, hearing the beep, beep of the phone.
Logan was coming. He didn't even suspect a thing. He was tricked, too, by his own best friend. But Kendall hoped more than ever that Logan would understand that he had to do it. He couldn't let Carlos get hurt. He couldn't even let James get hurt, either. He didn't want to hurt Logan, but he couldn't get his other two best friends hurt, either.
"Good boy." Jake sneered, letting go of his tight grasp on Carlos's arms. Carlos winced and rubbed the bruises already forming on his arms. Jake walked up the stairs without a word, and locked the door behind him.
Kendall sighed. "I'm sorry." He whispered, feeling tears forming in his eyes. He had still hurt Carlos even when he'd tried not to, and he'd hurt Logan, too.
"Hey, it's not your fault. Logan's too smart for Jake's dumb plans." James assured Kendall. None of them really believed that anymore, because they'd heard Logan agree to come in 5 minutes. In 5 more minutes, their lives would be ruined. They were dying too soon.
Logan. They were all counting on Logan now. If Logan was just distracted by something and didn't really care to notice anything strange about the phone call, they would all be dead by the next day. But if he did… what could he do? Call the police? What if it was too late for that?
The three boys sat on the cold ground, holding on tight to each other and thinking about everything that had gave them joy in their lives, because soon enough, they weren't going to feel that blissful feeling again.
A/N- I'm so sorry… I took such a long time to update, and then I give you this horrible chapter… sigh. I'm sorry. I'm really sorry.
But going on to more serious matters, do you think Logan knows anything? What do you think's gonna happen? Are they gonna die? Or not? ;)
Well, review and tell me your thoughts! PLEASE?
Peace, Love, and Giraffes,
Anonymous Skrtle
