Whumptober, aka how many times can I kidnap Gordon month :)
Day 25
Theme: Hide & Seek
Prompt(s): escape | hiding
"Come on, Gordon. Just a little further. You're doing so well."
A groan from the man next to him was all he got in response as they shuffled forward a little more.
Virgil tightened his arm around his brother and tried to bear as much of his weight as he could. Virgil could only take so much, as he was sporting his own injuries, but he tried his best to keep Gordon off his broken leg.
Gordon had taken the brunt of the abuse they received during their time there. That was due to the fact that their captors realised how much it affected Virgil to see his little brother getting hurt, and they hoped that would up their chances of getting information from them. That, and Gordon didn't know when to shut his mouth, which riled their captors up to inflict more damage.
It was because of his brother's state that Virgil knew he had to put a plan together to escape. He had held out in the hope of being rescued, but as each day passed, they knew the chances of that happening were dwindling.
Gordon wouldn't be able to go on much longer, and neither would Virgil. Their wounds were days old and hadn't been treated, and the risk of infection was high. There was a very good chance that their captors would just let them die, and Virgil couldn't let that happen.
It took him a while to find an opportunity, but when he did, he took it without hesitation.
Getting out of their tiny cell was easier than he had expected. The captors had likely let their guard down after all this time, and probably thought they wouldn't put up much of a fight. When the guard appeared to give them their poor excuse of a meal, as they did at the end of most days, Virgil used what little strength he had to take the man down.
He knocked the man unconscious. He only allowed himself long enough to check that the man really was down for the count, before he scooped Gordon up and hurried from the room, the door now unlocked.
Getting out of the cell was the easy part. Getting out of the building without being caught was harder.
They couldn't move fast, what with Gordon's broken leg and the array of gashes and other still to be identified injuries they both had. Virgil definitely felt something pull at his shoulder everytime he adjusted his grip on Gordon, but it was something he just had to push to the back of his mind until they got help.
Out of their cell, Virgil got his first look at the building they had been held in. It was bigger than he had been expecting, and the hallways were like a maze to navigate through. However, likely because it was late at night, there fortunately weren't many people around.
In the time that the two of them had been there, they hadn't seen many different people come and go into their cell. But based on the size of this building, Virgil guessed there were more people working here than they realised. He just hoped none of them were around right now.
They had just turned into another hallway when Gordon stopped abruptly next to him. Virgil looked over to see Gordon was panting and his eyes were clenched shut.
"We can't stop." It pained Virgil to say so as he pulled his brother along. Gordon was in obvious pain and he wanted to help his brother, but the only way he could do that was to keep them moving. It just meant that he would have to put Gordon through more pain to get there.
Gordon offered him a shaky nod, and then limped along as they continued further down the corridor.
They had only gone a little further when Virgil heard voices approaching. He quickly looked around in a panic, and found a door nearby. Hoping that it wouldn't lead to more thugs, Virgil pulled it open, and breathed a sigh of relief when he saw it was just a small storage cupboard.
Virgil quickly pulled Gordon inside and then shut the door behind them.
Virgil leant against a wall, taking this moment to catch his breath. Gordon was leaning on him, with his head on Virgil's shoulder. Virgil knew that his arm around his brother was all that was keeping him up.
The voices past the door grew louder and Virgil held his breath as they sounded like they were just outside the room. Each second felt like an eternity as he willed them to not open the door, but eventually their voices grew quiet as they walked away.
He waited for a few more seconds before he dared to open the cupboard door. He only opened it wide enough to peek out and look around. There was no sign of anyone, so he slowly opened it the rest of the way, adjusted his grip on Gordon, and then carried on their way.
Virgil had no idea where he was going, so it was all guesswork to find the exit. And find it he did.
He didn't know if they knew the two of them had escaped yet, but it had already been a little while since they left their cell. They were on limited time, so it was with a huge relief when they turned down another hallway, and saw the door at the other end.
Virgil could tell it was a fire exit, and his steps quickened just a bit at the sight.
There was always the chance that it was locked, so Virgil didn't know who to thank when he pushed on the handle and the door opened without resistance.
What met them on the other side was a forest. It was dark outside, even more so when they stepped out past the door and it slammed shut behind them, blocking the light that had been guiding them through the building.
Virgil couldn't actually believe that they had made it outside without being caught. He couldn't allow himself to relax, as they were not free yet. They wouldn't be free until they were far away from here.
"Just a little further," he said to his brother again as they continued on. He was practically holding all of Gordon's weight at this point, but Virgil's adrenaline was fuelled by the thought that they were almost there.
They made their way through the trees. Virgil knew that if they kept going straight, they would eventually come across something as the forest couldn't go on forever. Hopefully whatever they found would be just what they needed.
Virgil didn't allow himself to think about how tired he was or how much pain he was in. They were all things that could be fixed when they got to help. All he thought about was moving forward, and keeping his brother going as well.
He had been concentrating so hard on putting one foot in front of the other, that it was a surprise when the trees suddenly stopped and they hit gravel.
Virgil stopped and looked around, and found that they had reached a road. His eyes lit up at the sight, but still he turned back to the trees.
He took Gordon to just past the treeline and crouched down to help his brother sit up against a tree. Gordon's head fell back against the trunk, and Virgil frowned as he caught sight of the hair that was plastered to his brother's forehead with sweat.
Virgil placed his hand to Gordon's head, and cursed inwardly when he felt how Gordon was burning up.
"I'll only be gone a moment, okay? I'm gonna get help."
The fluttering of eyelids was the only indication that Gordon had heard him. Virgil was reluctant to leave him, but he needed to to get him the help they both needed.
Virgil didn't go far as he went back to the edge of the road. It was a quiet, country road that was surrounded by a forest, so Virgil couldn't imagine a lot of people drove through here that often. He just had to hope, because he didn't think either of them could keep going on foot.
He didn't know how much time had passed, but eventually he saw headlights in the distance. He stood up straighter to check that the sight was real, but he could now hear the car too as it came towards him.
Virgil stumbled out into the road as the car got closer. He held his hands up and hoped that whoever it was would notice him before they hit him.
For a moment, Virgil didn't think they would stop, but then there was the screech of brakes as the car abruptly came to a stop barely a metre away from him.
He hurried around the side of the car to the passenger's window, which was already down.
There was an elderly couple sitting in the car, and they both looked at him worriedly. Virgil was relieved to see that it wasn't their captors that had come after them.
"Please, I need help," he told them, pleadingly. He couldn't afford for them to leave him here because they didn't realise how much trouble he was in.
"Of course, get in." The woman in the passenger seat gestured to the backseat.
"I need to get my brother." Virgil turned away and hurried back to the trees.
Gordon's eyes were closed, and he didn't respond as Virgil tried to wake him.
"Gordon?" He shook his brother lightly.
"Let me help."
Virgil looked up to find the old man from the car smiling kindly down at him. He crouched next to Virgil, but waited until Virgil allowed him before he touched his brother.
Virgil was glad to accept his help, and Gordon had an arm draped around both their necks as together they carried him back to the car.
The woman was out of the car and had the backdoor open for them. Virgil sent her a grateful look as they reached the vehicle, and then they helped get Gordon onto the backseat.
Virgil climbed in next to his brother, and the two of them climbed into the front seats.
"Do you want a hospital?" The man turned in his seat, and Virgil nodded.
"Yes, please."
The man turned back to the wheel and the car started up.
"Thank you so much," Virgil said next. He couldn't repay them enough for helping them, and they hadn't even asked who he was or where he had come from.
"We're just happy to help." The woman sent him a smile, which Virgil gladly returned.
He sunk back into the seat and glanced out the window as the trees disappeared and the car started to move. He looked down at Gordon, who was laying across the seats with his head in Virgil's lap. Virgil ran his hands through his brother's hair, still feeling the heat of his fever.
He didn't know how far the hospital was and therefore how long it would take for Gordon to get the treatment he needed, but they were on the way. Virgil knew he wouldn't relax until they were at the hospital, and from there, he could contact his family. That's when he would allow himself to feel safe again. But at least for now, with the end of all this finally in sight, he felt like he could finally breathe.
Don't worry, the lovely old couple does help them and take them to a hospital, just in case you thought they were going to betray them. I'm not that mean!