AN) Hey-hey! This week has been awesome! My script was performed on Thursday, and all week before that people were talking about it, and Friday my principal made a school wide announcement! I don't know why it's such a big deal, but it's kind of cool that my school/community is recognizing an achievement other than one in sports! Anyway, my rants done, so here you go my fanfriends! A new chapter!
A scream ripped through the air, jolting him out of his train of thought. He glanced up, as another scream sounded. Richard….
As the cries continued to worsen, he did find his way to the boy's quarters. Richard was tangled amongst his sheets, his forehead dripping with seat as he thrashed about. He screamed once more, his hands clawing at the air—as if he was trying to get someone, or something away from himself.
"M-Master no!" He cried, batting the air wildly. "P-Please Master st-stop!" Slade shook the boy's shoulders—trying to pry him from the dream.
"Richard, Richard—enough." The boy slapped at his arms, twisting to escape. "Richard, that's enough—get up!"
"I'm sorry!" A few tears dripped across the boy's face. "P-Please, please forgive me! I-I didn't m-mean it!"
A final shake woke the boy, his eyes shining with terror. He tumbled away as Slade's grip lessened. Richard actually fell from his bed. He scrambled away, his back pressing against the wall. He curled into a ball, begging desperately.
"M-Master please! I'm sorry! I'm so sorry! I d-didn't mean to fail you!"
"Richard." He tried to lift the boy's head from its place lodged between his arms. "Richard, calm down."
"P-Please don't b-beat me!" Richard was trembling, his blue eyes darting up for a few seconds, before he flinched away in fear. "Please! I promise I'll be good! I'll d-do better! I s-swear!"
"Richard, listen to me. Now!" The boy stopped his pleading, cautiously looking up. "You need to calm down, Calmează-te. Richard, a fost doar un coșmar. Only a nightmare." The slowly panic left his eyes. "I'm not going to hurt you. Nu am de gând să te rănesc."
He gently unfolded the boy's arms, Richard still holding his knees against his chest. His head hung low, shame burning against his face.
"I-I'm sorry, Master. Please—please forgive me."
"You've done nothing wrong, child." He soothed, Richard pulling in a deep breath. His terror was seeing trying starting to reside. Though the child flinched wildly as Slade gathered him up and placed him amongst his covers.
He patted the child's head, giving the faintest of a smile as he left. The way Richard had screamed, begging for him to stop—to relent whatever punishment was playing through his mind. The way he had screamed, and scrambled away. How Richard had begged for forgiveness and mercy. His promises. Richard was completely servile, he looked to Slade for his praise and to find his worth. Richard had been fearful of punishments, he had begged for them to end before—but had Slade truly scarred the boy that much?
The child was batted out of the air with ease, he rolled to a halt. Richard propped himself up, flipping to his feet once more. His stance was weak, but he looked for another spot of attack. He tried, key word being tried, again—but he was thrown aside once more.
"Weakling." He sneered, kicking the child over. Richard lay still—his eyes glancing up slightly—desperately.
"M-Master—"
"Did I give you permission to speak, you stupid boy?"
"N-No Master."
"Then shut your mouth, brat." He slammed his boot into the boy's gut. Richard gasping as air was deprived of him.
Slade ground the boot against his chest, Richard bit against his lip—stupid, stupid boy. He pried the child from the ground, holding him up by his hair. He twisted against the roots, Richard wincing—his hands instinctively flying up—trying to relieve the pain.
"Let me GO!" He froze, nervously looking toward Slade.
The mercenary threw the boy against the wall, Richard slinking to his knees, Slade stalking over to him. The boy shrank away, Slade relentlessly grasped the youth's jaw, snapping his head up.
"I will not tolerate this disrespect, Apprentice." The boy was trembling violently. "What do you have to say for yourself, boy?"
"P-Please—I don't want t-to get hurt—please." He was terrified, but still Slade grasped his arm, yanking him to his feet.
"You want to be unpunished? A free pass for your failures? My property will suffer consequences for failures, do you understand me?"
"Y-Yes Master."
The boy didn't really show any disrespect, he was scared. Perhaps, Slade really had been too harsh.
Breakline
"Keep on your knees boy." Master growled, Richard shrunk even tinier.
His emotions were mixed. Master was not going to whip him. But several new bruises covered his arms and neck. His chest was also heavily decorated. But he his beating was over, now his punishment.
He knelt silently. His head held low before his master. Master sat in his throne, looking down past steepled fingers. Richard shivered from his positon at the base of the throne. He was in his place at Master's feet, but it still felt wrong. Every worthless thought he ever had came flooding back to him.
"You should feel honored Apprentice, I would never let something so worthless in my presence."
Richard nodded, "Yes M-Master." He whispered. And it continued that way.
Master would speak to Richard, tell him how lucky he was to serve his master—how Richard should be honored to be Master's apprentice. Richard nodded along to everything. Master was right, Richard honored to serve his master—he wished to serve his master well and please him. Though, it was impossible for a worthless piece of trash to please his master.
Master lifted his chin, the man's eye smirking. Richard looked down, not deserving to look at his master like they were—equals.
"You are to stay here, you pathetic waste. When I fetch you again—I hope we will not have the same issue you did this afternoon, correct Apprentice?"
"Yes my master." His voice was dull.
"You live to serve me don't you?"
"Yes my master." Again, his voice was empty. Dull. Every word Master spoke was true.
"And you will not ever show such disrespect to your master ever again. Am—I—clear?"
"Y-Yes my master."
He was left alone. The light left, leaving him sore, scared and feeling every—every worthless. He knelt all night, his eyes growing heavier and heavier, until they finally dropped closed.
He felt his cheek against the ground, he blinked a few times. He was slumped over, still kneeling—but not in his position. A hand gripped his shoulder, pulling him from the ground. His heart pounded in dread, he went limp against the grip that dragged him across the floor. He had disobeyed Master's orders. And he would be punished.
"It appears we must have another lesson in obedience, yes Apprentice?"
Master's tone was dark, but Richard accepted his fate. He kept silent, even as Master roughly chained him to the wall. He kept his eyes low, biting furiously on his bottom lip and the leather strap stung his back. He felt one tear leak past his wall. But—he should feel honored. Master had never let trash in his presence before.
"Yes Master."
He curled into himself. Master had hated him. He had whipped him, he had starved him. Richard knew every punishment he had earned, he was nothing but a worthless piece of—clay. Yes, clay. Master was supposed to mold him, shape him in any way Master deemed fit. Richard had no control, and truly he accepted it. Master was his master, Master was to give orders and Richard was to obey without question.
But the beatings, were going to stop. All the times Richard thought Master had hated him were false, but the pain and fear behind them were true. And then—then the memories of the League's sidekicks were good, happy memories—but the emotion were all fake. He only had two sets of memories to look back on, ones that were of pain and ones that weren't true.
He curled against his pillow, trying so hard to think back to something happy. A warm smile, a soft hand running through his hair. A gently laugh reaching his ears. And slowly, bits of memories flitted in like sunlight. His mother, she smiled at him—smoothing a sheet across his chest. Her lips brushed across his forehead.
"Mami, Mami I'm speriat."
"There's no need to be scared, my little bird." She soothed, brushing his hair off his face as a boom of thunder rocked the trailer. He flinched, his mami laughing softly. "It's simply the giants speaking to each other little păsărică."
"Are they angry?" He butchered his English.
"Nu, of course not. They are singing to each other." She tapped his nose.
Richard tapped his own nose, a sad smile flitting across his features. He missed his mami. Very, very much. Why had he failed her? He should've just obeyed. Then—then maybe Master would've saved her. He blinked away his tears, they were hot—burning against his eyes. He felt the warmth envelope him, her little song washing over him in gentle waves.
"Somewhere, over the rainbow, way up high, there's a land that I heard of once in a lullaby. Somewhere, over the rainbow, skies are blue, and the dreams that you dare to dream really do come true." Her voice was soft, sweet as she stroked his cheek, his eyes slipping open and closed. "Someday I'll wish upon a star, and wake up where the clouds are far behind me. Where troubles melt like lemon drops, away above the chimney tops, that's where you'll find me. Somewhere over the rainbow, bluebirds fly, birds fly over the rainbow. Why then, oh why can't I? If happy little bluebirds fly, beyond the rainbow. Why, oh why, can't I?"
Breakline
He gripped the coffee mug tightly, shaking the sleep from his eyes. He had been up, for ohh—seven days straight? As soon as he got back from patrol, the conference call went up. Jade's tired face was in his call screen every night, all night. They compared notes—interrupted every so often by a nervous call from Wally or Hal, the only adult they agreed could help them, to see if they had any news. And each time, they had to deal with the disappointed face of Wally and Hal's heartbroken eyes. It had to be so hard for him, to have the kid who was going to be his official son snatched away from him, by a man who had beaten him.
Tim took a swig of his coffee mug, feeling the rich taste swash around in his mouth. He leaned over, pouring more of the brown energizer into his mug.
"Pick me up, huh Red?" Jade asked, his domino mask from one of his older costumes on to conceal his identity. He chuckled dryly, downing half the mug in a flash.
"I think I'm losing it Jade." He shook his head. "Every night, and still nothing!"
She shrugged, continuing to type away at her keyboard. "I know kid, it sucks—holy, holy crap!" Jade hunched over her computer, typing furiously. "I-I think I got something!"
Tim began to help her, until two cries of joy lifted into the air. A location, thank god, a location! Tim pulled up Hal's number, his smile wide. It took a few minutes, a couple re-calls. But finally, the messy haired, shirtless Lantern appeared on screen.
"Hal! We—"He started, then a wild haired, loosely clothed Carol sat up. "AHHHH!"
"Oh my God—we're getting married. Get over it. What do you have to say?"
"Well, okay—I'm scarred for life."
"Get to the point." Jade rolled her eyes.
"We found something."
"What?"
"A location. We think he might be there."
"Oh God. Oh God!" Hal ran his fingers through his wild locks. Carol squeezing his shoulders. "OH GOD! You—you found him?" Was Jordan tearing up?
"Maybe." Jade rained on his parade. "Wilson has a lot of bases, everywhere. But we have an idea."
"I could kiss you both right now!" Hal looked like he could.
"Uhm—please save that for your wife." Tim paled. Jade cracking up, Carol smirking, and Hal giving him the 'what the frick' look Tim himself had perfected. "I'll get you more information in the morning, I'm going to crash. Night."