WARNING: There is some mild to moderate violence and language in this chapter, and sexual assault is heavily implied. There is no graphic detail, but if this theme is likely to cause distress I ask that you skip this chapter and wait for the next one, which should be up either on Sunday or Thursday. This is a chapter that I would personally suggest that anyone of a sensitive nature, or who is thirteen or under, does not read. Please do not flame me as I have handled this subject as tactfully as I am able to. Read ahead at your own risk.

Shattered

By: Abellen

Chapter Sixteen: Flinch

I came around slowly, at first only aware of the throbbing in my head and the chokingly sweet smell that lingered in my nostrils. I felt nauseous and shaky, but my common sense over-ruled my instincts to get up, and I lay still. I had to assess the situation, rather than stumbling to my feet and alerting my captors that I was awake. I ignored my terrified heart, thundering helplessly in my chest, and tried to calm the butterflies in my stomach. It would be all right. I could get myself out most situations. I'd be all right.

I found it hard to believe my own reassurances and some subtle tugs, coupled with the stabbing cramps in my shoulders, indicated that my hands were tied behind my back, and my ankles were bound together with what felt like someone's belt. I opened my eyes a fraction and took in my surroundings. A naked bulb glowed overhead, the light made hazy by cobwebs and grime. The floor beneath me was concrete, rough and pitted with age. Old rickety shelves lined the wall I was facing. One or two pieces of sports equipment lay around, including a deflated basketball and a broken hockey stick. That might come in useful as a weapon, if I could get my hands untied.

The air smelled musty, with the faintest trace of that distinct school smell. I shut my eyes again and let my mind work, sorting through image after image to try and deduce where I'd been taken. There were several old, disused equipment sheds at the far end of X's playing field. The hedgerow was steadily claiming the rickety buildings, and from what I could remember the squat buildings were half choked with bracken. They didn't have windows, just one door which was bolted and padlocked from the outside. Perhaps I was there?

I moved my hands slightly and felt the rough fabric of my school bag behind me. Some of my books had spilt out on the floor and I felt around for my radio, hoping against hope that it was still there.

'Looking for this, Miss Third?'

I opened my eyes and saw Flint step forward into the circle of light. He was holding up my radio with a knowing smile. In his other hand were the tape recorder and the can of mace that Ariella had given me. 'Well, we couldn't have you trying to be all heroic now, would we? It would be greatly inconvenient.' He tossed the radio to a larger, shadowy figure and I suppressed a shudder as Harris stepped forward and dropped the radio to the floor, crushing it beneath his foot. The same fate was dealt to the tape recorder and the can of mace was put safely out of reach. Even Harris wasn't stupid enough to try and pierce an aerosol can.

I struggled away slightly, trying to put as much distance between him and me as I could. He remained motionless. I could see that sweat was beading on his forehead and upper lip. His eyes were dark, and looked fiercely hungry. His tongue kept darting out across his lips and I tore my gaze away, unwilling to watch his predatory features anymore. He wouldn't get the chance to touch me, I promised myself.

'Don't you have any questions for me, Miss Third? Or perhaps for the lovely Miss Rossi?' He motioned towards the door where a smaller figure was waiting, apparently uninterested. Her features were mostly hidden in gloom, but I could see her lips were twisted in distaste at the sight of Harris.

'I think I know it all already,' I said quietly. 'At least, I know enough.'

'Oh yes, the precious Safety Patrol officer in you just can't leave a mystery unsolved, can it? That's why you're here. You were poking your charming little nose in where it didn't belong.'

'I didn't know you were involved,' I admitted. 'I hadn't worked out the male accomplice yet.' I bit my lip. Flint might be clever, but he was arrogant. This was probably all his plan, and I doubted that he could resist the chance to boast about it.

Flint laughed and I felt my skin crawl. His voice was hard to match with that which had murmured threats down the phone, but his laugh matched perfectly. He put a hand on his hip and pushed his glasses up his nose. 'Yes, I did rather play you for a fool, didn't I? After all, why would I get involved in a scheme like this? What could possibly be in it for me?'

'The challenge,' I replied, feeling my lips quirk into a small smile despite myself. The glee was gone from Flint's face and a scowl had taken its place. 'It was the challenge of committing a crime and not getting caught. Of being too clever for the Safety Patrol to catch, wasn't it?'

Flint nodded and the smile returned. 'You may have had the intelligence to work out some of the facts of our little plan, but unless I am mistaken I am still the winner. You are tied up on the floor, whereas I have succeeded. The exams will begin in just half an hour, and you will receive no mark. The other four will be so terrified by your absence that they will fail on purpose, and then the scholarship fund will be re-allocated. I will have won the challenge, and Miss Rossi will, of course, be remembered as the popular, intelligent young woman who got the money away from the nerds, and into the more admirable areas of sports and the arts. The funding reallocation will go a long way to getting her the recognition she wants.'

'There are better ways to challenge yourself, and be recognised for your achievements. I don't understand why you had to break the rules.'

'Rules are made to be broken,' Rossi hissed from the doorway. 'There aren't any crimes, there are only opportunities and those too weak to take them.'

I drew in a deep, shaky breath and pushed myself into a sitting position. I realised the skirt of my dress had moved upwards, revealing more of my thigh. Harris' gaze was transfixed and I swallowed again, shutting my eyes for a moment before carrying on, my voice steady. 'Was it you who stole the bottles from the lab, Rossi? Chlorine and ethanol. Mix them together with a few salts and you've got chloroform.'

'You wouldn't have come with us quietly. Besides, we couldn't have you making any noise. It was hard enough finding a time when you weren't with your precious Fillmore. It's a pity.'

'What is?'

Rossi moved forward into the light more. She flicked her long hair over her shoulders and smiled. It was a pretty smile, but vacant of all feeling. I'd hoped that Tanja's swinging hips would distract Harris, but he was still staring at me. Flint was watching Rossi with open admiration, but she seemed to be unaware of it.

'It's tragic that such a talented young man could be attracted to such a plain, boring thing like you. He could have had a dazzling future, with the right connections,' she smirked and retrieved a lip balm from her pocket before lavishing it on her pout.

'He doesn't need you to have a good life,' I retorted, feeling the warmth of anger filling my cold body. 'If he wants it, he'll get it.'

'Yes. He's a bit like me in that respect. He gets his way, no matter what.'

'He doesn't break the rules to do it, at least not anymore.'

Rossi turned away with a shake of her head, refusing to get embroiled in a conversation with me. Instead she spoke to the air in general, as though imparting great wisdom.

'I doubt, Ingrid, that Fillmore will want anything to do with you once Harris is finished. Will he want you after someone else has kissed you? After someone else has touched you? I know Fillmore, and he's the possessive type. He won't be interested in you anymore.' She turned back to face me and plastered a sad expression on her face. 'How unfortunate for you. After all, I know for a fact that you're not even a couple, despite the fact that you were kissing in library. You're definitely not going steady. I guess that'll never happen now.'

I didn't say anything, but I felt my heart sink, and real fear set in. So far I'd been able to keep my calm, but as the minutes went past it was obvious that I couldn't get the rope undone, and no one seemed to be coming to my rescue. It was possible that no one even knew that I was missing.

'I hate to tell you this, Flint, but you've lost,' I said softly. 'I gathered enough evidence on Rossi and her accomplice to give to the Principal. She's either going to postpone the exams, or cancel them all together. She's probably already calling Tanja's parents.'

'What?' Rossi screeched, her beautiful face cracking into a look of fury and fear. 'You bitch!'

'She's bluffing,' Flint spat out, but a sweat was showing on his forehead, and his eyes were darting around in his head. 'Go to the school. If the exams have been cancelled there'll be a notice on the doors.'

'Why me?

'Do what your told!'

I smiled to myself as Tanja fled. She was panicking, and Flint was unsettled. He'd shouted loud enough to send dust cascading down from the old shed roof. The young man wiped a hand across his forehead, leaving a trail of dirt. He took a few calming breaths before giving me a sunny smile. 'Your lies might upset Tanja, but I'm sure you haven't got enough hard evidence against her, or myself. You're an intelligent woman, Miss Third. Smart enough to leave your past behind you when you move schools, that's for certain.'

He paced back and forth in front of me while Harris shifted eagerly, as though desperate to get his hands on me. 'It was hard to find anything to blackmail you with, Ingrid. Very hard indeed. When Harris came to the school we thought it was a blessing. Here was a young man who had, by consensus of the school rumour mill, done you considerable harm in the past. The behaviour of your fellow Safety Patrol officers confirmed that. As soon as they questioned him on his whereabouts I knew that there was something there worth knowing.'

'How did you know?' I asked. 'I was questioning you in the library at the time.'

'I have my contacts, Miss Third. Of course it was purely by chance that Tanja saw him threatening you by the lockers. She'd left the library only moments before and was just preparing to do a bit more lab work when she saw the accident, and the blood on your face. Of course we approached him, and told him what we'd seen. The deal was simple. He was to leave you alone unless we said otherwise, or we would be telling the Principal what we had seen.'

'It was an accident,' I whispered, licking my parched lips. Harris caught the movement and groaned softly. The noise was filled with a repulsive desire and I concentrated wholly on Flint, trying to block Harris from my universe.

'I don't think anyone else would have seen it that way. Unfortunately Harris' sexual attraction to you, at times, seemed too strong for the threat to suppress. In the end it was Tanja's idea to pay him a certain amount for each day. The only thing stronger than lust is greed, Miss Third. Harris was expensive to control…'

'That's why the cheerleaders' money went missing, wasn't it? Rossi's allowance wasn't big enough.'

'Precisely. Your intelligence does you credit, but it's not enough to get you out of this situation.' Flint turned away and headed for the door. 'She's all yours, Harris. Make sure that she knows it would be unwise to speak of what happens here. Be -' Flint paused and turned back to me with a grin on his face, 'forceful on that point.'

I cringed at his words and made a final attempt to appeal to him. 'Flint, stop! I wasn't bluffing about Folsom. She knows about it. Let me go and maybe you won't be punished as badly!'

'Those are words of desperation, Miss Third. Goodbye.'

He opened the door and I saw the soft green grass and open blue sky framed by the doorway. The wind blew in, smelling of autumn and freedom. I was so desperate to be away from here that I felt tears prickle in my eyes, and my breathing started to come in short, frantic gasps. Flint stepped out into the world and closed to the door behind him, leaving me to my fate.

'Are you scared?' Harris asked softly, prowling towards me with an almost tender smile on his face. 'Are you frightened of me?' When I didn't reply he reached forward, wiping a tear from my cheek. I tried to recoil, but I couldn't do more than flinch away from him. 'I like it when you're scared.'

He reached down to my ankles and undid the belt. 'Are you going to be a good girl? If you are I'll untie your hands.'

I took in a deep shuddering breath and tried to get myself under control. I knew that he wanted me, and I knew that I wasn't going to stop fighting him every inch of the way. If he untied my hands I could hit him, punch him and fight back. Like this I was helpless to do anything but scream. Mutely I nodded, trying to appear as docile as possible.

Harris was obviously blinded by his own desire. He didn't seem to suspect guile or cunning. He fumbled with the rope, bringing his body closer to my own and I tried not to pull away in disgust. As soon as my hands were free I'd strike back. All I had to do was make it to the door, and I'd be okay.

The rope slipped away from my wrists, but before I could react Harris had pressed his lips to mine and was plunging his tongue into my mouth. I squeaked in protest, but his hands were still holding my wrists. Instead I reacted the only way I could. I bit down hard on his tongue.

I tasted blood and Harris pulled back with a howl of pain. I sprang to my feet and rushed towards the can of mace. If I could blind him I could get away easily! I screamed as a hand grabbed my hair, pulling me back hard. He threw me against the wall and I cracked my head painfully against the old wood. Stars flickered in front of my eyes and I panted for breath, trying desperately to clear my vision. I cried out again as a fist connected heavily with my left side, forcing me to the floor. A sharp pain arrowed up my side and I tried to suppress my whimpers. I had to get up. I had to get out of here!

'Cow!' Harris spat, still wiping blood from his mouth. 'You can't get away from me!' He pulled back his hand as I stumbled to my feet and smacked me hard across the face. My head hit the wall again, harder this time, and the room swam. I collapsed to the floor, sobbing now, unable to keep a firm grip on consciousness. Harris knelt down next to me, placing kisses on my cheek. I didn't even have the strength to pull away. I felt him begin to lift up my skirt before I lost my battle with unconsciousness, and slipped into a place where I was blissfully unaware of what was happening to me.

When I came around I thought, for a few heartbeats, that it had just been a nightmare. That I was in my own warm bed and that Harris was nothing but a bully. Gradually the pain infiltrated my mind and I screwed my eyes up tight, trying to deny the reality. I hadn't been able to fight him off.

Tears flowed freely down my face and I jumped back in horror when the same rough hand wiped them away. His fly was still undone and he was sitting not far away, watching me. I struggled away, ignoring the pain that threatened to swamp my senses.

'You can't tell anyone,' Harris said softly, getting to his feet and towering over me. 'It's got to be our secret.'

'You think you can get away with this? You think I won't report you?' I asked, my voice weak and hollow. I straggered to my feet, hanging on to the wall for support as the pain tripled.

'You mustn't say anything,' Harris mumbled, reaching into his pocket and pulling out an object. His eyes were hazy, and a muscle in his face was twitching. He seemed to be speaking as though he were taking instructions from someone else, and I moved along the wall, trying to reach the broken hockey stick.

He made a motion and I froze, my eyes transfixed by the pocketknife in his hand. He had flicked the blade open and it gleamed in the dim light. He held it limply in his hand and began to move towards me, his eyes glazed and distant.

Desperately I lunged for the hockey stick, ignoring the agony and focusing on getting a weapon in my hand. I had to have something to fight back with. I wasn't going to let him hurt me any more!

In that same instant Harris lunged forward, his face contorting into a snarl. My fingers wrapped around the hockey stick and I raised it above my head, only to fall motionless. Harris backed away, his face pale and horrified. I looked down and saw the handle sticking out from my left side. It hadn't hurt going in, but now the delayed message was making its way to my brain.

Instead of fear all I could feel was an incredible anger. I lifted my arm and swung the hockey stick. It hit the side of Harris' head with a sickening crack and he slumped to the floor. I leaned back on the wall, trying to take deep steadying breaths. I didn't care if he was dead. In fact I almost hoped he was.

My knees were shaking fiercely, and my thoughts were losing their logical clarity and becoming distantly hysterical. I toughed the handle with my hand and the agony shot through me again. Blood was soaking into my dress, and I was desperate to take the blade out. Instead I clenched my hand into a fist at my side. If I took it out it would bleed even more. I needed an ambulance, and I needed it soon.

I tried to walk towards the door, but my legs buckled entirely. I collapsed onto my hands and knees, before lowering myself to the floor. I just needed to rest, just for a moment.

Slowly the pain faded away, leaving numbness in its wake. Distantly I wondered if this was dying. It didn't seem so bad. Gradually I let my eyelids flutter shut and hoped that someone, somewhere was looking for me. A solitary tear rolled down my cheek. It hit the unforgiving concrete and shattered into tiny droplets before it faded from sight. My breathing began to rasp in my throat and all I could do was concentrate on hanging on to life. I wouldn't die here, bruised and beaten. I couldn't.

I didn't let myself consider that I might not have a choice.

End of Chapter Sixteen

A/N: I'm really sorry for leaving it at this point. There will be an update either Sunday or Thursday. I'm also sorry for any typos, but I hadn't even started this chapter three hours ago! I thought you would all like a quick update. As always thank you to all reviewers, but please, no "I hate you's" or anything. I'm sensitive! 