Hey everyone. Sorry about the wait. I'm sure you all hate me now... ya. Anyway, I'm going to write the story just at Joe's end, because I can't think of any thing for everyone else.
Joe gasped as Mason marched over to him. He pushed the pain aside and shouted "Stay away from me!"
Mason chuckled. "Heheh. You keep shoutin' boy, and I'll shut your mouth for good.
Joe propped himself up on his elbows and slid backwards along the floor away from the madman. "You'll p-pay for this," Joe stammered, "My Pa's gonna find you an' you're gonna g-get it. You an' your friend."
"Shut up kid. It'll do you a world of good." He stepped forward and grabbed Joe's collar, hoisting him up off the bed.
Joe gasped in agony, his vision blurring from the pain of the two gunshot wounds.
He looked up weakly through watering eyes. He didn't know where it came from, but he felt a surge of bravery that he didn't even know he possessed.
"Do it." He hissed into Mason's face. "I dare you. Y-your buddy won't be to happy, and neither will my Pa when he finds out wh-what you done. You'll hang for this."
"Brave words, whelp. Let's test them out. Bet you're not so tough, huh?" and with that, he slammed his fist into Joe's stomach.
Joe cried out and clenched his eyes shut. Tears of pain trickled down his cheeks.
"Heheheheheh..." Mason chuckled. He punched Joe twice more in the ribs, then dumped him in a heap on the floor.
The young boy curled up in a ball, squeezing his eyes shut and gritting his teeth.
I gotta stay awake... I c-can't let him win...I can't
Thought Joe as he bravely fought off the waves of darkness that threatened to envelope him. He heard footsteps treading heavily to the other side of the room.
"See you later, kid. I got better things to do than babysit little brats like you.
A door slammed, and everything was silent.
Joe stirred. He slowly, slowly uncurled. His eyes opened, and their green depths were filled with cold fury .
He reached out and grabbed the edge of a table that was near him. He dragged himself, bleeding and bruised, a few inches across the floor.
I have to get out of here... find Pa... Pa...
Joe's trip across the floor was agonizingly slow. He was terrified that his captors might return. At every sound that reached Joe's ears, he froze. Every inch of his being tensed with nerves and pain.
At long last, he reached the door. He glanced up at the door handle. Slowly, he sat up on his knees. His left arm hung limply on the floor, and his back was hunched.
1...
2...
3
Joe took a deep breath, reached up, and gripped the door handle. He turned it, and nearly fell through it as it opened.
Squinting in the sudden sunlight, he peered out side for the first time in...
Wow Joe thought How long have I been here?
He shook his head.
It doesn't matter. I need to focus on getting out of here.
He crawled out into the yard. The edges of his vision was fuzzy. He was bent on reaching the line of trees that he could hardly see in his fading vision.
But wait...I'm leaving behind a trail that a blind man can follow...
Joe glanced back, and, sure enough, there was a trail of blood leading from the door.
He hoisted himself up painstakingly onto his feet and stumbled the rest of the way across the yard. He was controlling himself by puppet strings on the outside, forcing himself to take each step. Through pure determination, he stayed on his feet an at lat, after what seemed like an eternity, he made the trees and stumbled into the woods.
It was then that he heard the horses' hooves entering the yard behind him...