Chapter 15
Here's the next one... let me know what you think!
As Sawyer watched the others leave, he let out a groan of pain, now no one was there to hear it. He watched as eventually Frank came back, entering the building. He sat with his back on the bars, head resting back with his eyes closed. He doesn't know how long he sat like this, but his head jerked upright when he heard movement. Squinting his only good eye, he saw Frank emerge from the building, with Walt. Last time this happened, it didn't end well.
"Get up, and get on your knees, back to me," it wasn't a request but a command. If Walt hadn't been there, Sawyer would have spoken back. But the boy was scared, so he did what he was told.
The pain in his body flared as he moved, he let out a series of gasps and groans as he made his way to the ground, hearing Frank laugh behind him, blocking him out. He felt the pain in his chest expand, he felt dizzy and breathing was getting difficult. Through the haze he heard the gate swing open, suddenly feeling two arms wrap around his neck. He jumped forward to try and get away, before he realised it was Walt hugging him.
"I'm glad you're ok," Walt whispered in Sawyer's ear, as Sawyer squeezed his hands back, trying to turn around. As he moved, he let out a small yell, making Walt pull his arms away in fear he had hurt him. Sawyer just turned and sat with his back to the bench, not having the strength to stand up to sit on it. As Walt pulled further away at the look of pain on Sawyer's face – coupled with the dark bruising – Sawyer grabbed him around the neck and pulled him into a hug.
The relief for knowing Walt was ok pumped adrenaline through Sawyer's body, now he relaxed, he felt weaker than before. He looked over at Frank. He stood in the gateway, not shutting it.
"He wanted to see you. Make sure I hadn't killed you," he said it with a smile at the anger on Sawyer's face. Sawyer looked down at Walt, who was looking up at him with fear in his eyes. He put his head down so he was close to Walt's ear.
"I'm fine, don't let them use me against you. Next chance you get, run. Where we came in the boat, there's an upturned row boat, hide there. We'll get you." Walt nodded slowly before Frank walked in and grabbed him, pulling him away from Sawyer, even as he shouted for him to stop.
Sawyer's new wave of adrenaline allowed him to stand, reaching out to grab Walt's arm. Frank turned his right arm back and struck him with his baton without turning around, sending him crashing to the ground, the world going black.
It was hours before he woke. He was on the ground facing the building. The gate was closed and Walt was gone. The pain in his head was sharp, he couldn't move. He closed his eyes again, not opening them until he heard footsteps. As he squinted in the light, Ben, Jack Mike and Sayid came into focus. He tried to get up, but the pain in his body made it tense and spasm, he had to stay where he was.
As Jack entered the open space, he saw Sawyer on the ground. He felt rage build up inside him. He stared at the back of Ben's head, not wanting to act out in fear. Mike looked at him, rage showing on his face as well. Once at the cage, Ben made them get down on their knees. They all did without argument. They looked at Sawyer, his eyes open but he wasn't moving.
Ben opened the gate, motioning for them to enter. Jack hurried to check on Sawyer, trying to get him to talk to him, taking in the dark bruising to his temple. Mike crouched down at this torso, Sayid stood in-between Sawyer and Ben. Ben didn't say anything, but just locked the gate and walked back into the building. "Is he ok?"
"He's fine," Sawyer was the one to respond to Sayid, his voice faint but lucid.
"No, you're not. Can you sit up? Get back on the bench?"
"Not really Doc."
"We'll help, there's more painkillers there too," Jack nodded to Mike who helped him lift Sawyer off the ground and managed to sit him on the bench, trying to ignore his yells of pain.
"Here, take these," Jack fed two painkillers and the last of the water to Sawyer. "How's the head?"
"Feels like it's gonna fall off."
"The eye?" Jack covered Sawyer's right eye again.
"Bit better."
"What the hell happened?" It was Mike, crouched down beside Jack in front of Sawyer. They could tell he was struggling to speak, but there was obviously something he wanted to say.
"I saw Walt," at this statement, all three men looked at him, moving closer, not to let the camera above them hear.
"Really? Is he ok?" The fear in Mike's voice was infectious, "Did he look ok? What did they say? What did he say? Was he-"
"Shut up. Those painkillers set in and I'm dead to the world, just listen. He's fine, not a scratch on him. Frank brought him out cos he wanted to make sure Frank hadn't killed me. He was scared, but he's fine. But listen, you remember when we got here, on the boat? That patch of sand?"
"Yeah," they answered in unison.
"There was an upturned row boat, not far from where we docked."
"What are you talking about?"
"I saw it," Sayid answered Mike's question, looking at Sawyer, "it's impressive you did, considering the circumstances."
"I notice things. Anyway, I told Walt, next chance he gets, he's to run, hide under the boat. Once he's out – and we'll know when that happens – it means you three can run while you are out on your dig."
"Not bad. I'd say it was even a plan. But one problem -" Jack was interrupted by Mike, "Just the one?" His sarcasm was not lost on the others, with Sayid answering seriously, "You only set an escape plan for the three of us, what about you?"
"Don't worry about me."
"Like hell we won't."
"I'm not going to make it to the end of the cage, never mind out to the beach. When Walt makes his move, you move. You can't leave him alone."
"We can't leave you alone either."
"Course you can Doc. Besides you can always come back with more of our camp."
"Sawyer, once we make a move, they'll kill you."
But Sawyer was losing his fight with consciousness, his eyes shutting, his breathing evening out once more.
