Fiery despair plagued and burnt his insides with each tortured cry that flew over the compound wall.
It couldn't be real! Not his Luke…
Naturally first to recognise those shrieks, Noah flung himself forward, leaving his four friends and the bribed police guard in his dust; before they could properly comprehend the situation for themselves.
Noah's vision was pulsating along with his heartbeat, waves of fear and nausea taking over; making each footfall frustratingly slow and terribly clumsy. He followed the crumbling walls of the compound, looking for a way inside.
"Come on!" his body shook, "Where is it?" Breath was hard to come by as he practically felt along the wall, half expecting some hidden door to appear. "Where is it?"
All thoughts of safety and reason had left his consciousness at the first bite of the whip; all thoughts of anything save reaching Luke; making those heart-wrenching cries stop at any cost.
It was the equally long legged Magomu who reached him first; and then only managing to snatch the back of Noah's shirt when he happened to stumble slightly on a jutted rock.
Noah groaned and protested as he was tackled with unbelievable force to the ground. He tried to roll over but Magomu lay on top of him; pinning his stomach hard to the ground; rough earth scrapping at his bearded cheek.
"No!" Noah screamed.
Hands pulled at him, lifting him up and backward. He fell awkwardly between Magomu's knees; legs kicking and arms flying; the other man's hand urgently trying to muffle his agonised cries.
"Oh no! God! Oh no! No! LUKE!"
Catching up to Magomu and Noah, Najja sat down hard on Noah's legs, trying to help Magomu keep him still.
Noah flailed his arms hitting out at anyone, anything in his desperation to be freed. But Magomu's arm gripped him tight around the waist, pulling Noah into his chest as his hand searched out and found Noah's mouth to gag him.
All the while the air filled with the terrifying soundtrack of agony and a whip.
Suddenly Lutalo was squatting, face to face, hands gripping at Noah's wrists.
Noah's tearful eyes widened as he realised they would not let him go. They would sit this out. Allow it to happen.
"Mmmmm!"
He could taste his own tears and the sweat from Magomu's palm.
"Quiet! You must quiet!" Lutalo grabbed a wrist in each hand and fought to press Noah's arms to his sides, "You must! If they find us… he will surely die! You will die! We ALL will die!"
Lutalo's words might as well have been in Swahili as far as Noah cared. None were seeping through to him; Noah's desperation growing still stronger as Luke's horrific cries changed in tone to those of a small boy calling for his mother. Only in this instance and even worse for Noah, Luke's plaintive and weakening sobs had started calling for him.
"No… ah!" Another lash. "ARGH! Noah!"
Each cry was a punch to his gut and his teeth clenched.
Noah continued to struggle. Sitting there and doing nothing was not an option for him. Fuck consequences!
But these men were hell bent on keeping him still and quiet and even kind Kigongo's hand rubbing his shoulder, trying to calm him, was doing nothing to provide any relief.
"PLEASE!" Noah tearfully moaned from beneath Magomu's hand and strong hold, "Make them stop! Make it stop!"
Lutalo glanced at the traitorous police guard, whose enlarging eyes displayed an undeniable impulse to flee the situation, money be damned.
In the back of his mind Noah knew they needed this guard if there was ever going to be any hope of getting Luke out alive, but his emotions were like a runaway train heading for a broken bridge.
"Make it stop!" he cried again, heaving for air and courage and help.
And Lutalo did just that. He delivered a knockout blow to the side of Noah's head.
Noah suffered just a second of pain and surprise before all went black.
...
It was late afternoon. A rare moment alone.
They lay on a blanket out in the yard under the dappled shade of the two tall palm trees. They swayed and rustled gently in the wind, creating a natural gateway to the lower garden.
Three pairs of weaver birds had set up home there; their neatly thatched nests dangling elegantly by the ends of the palm's curved fronds. The males hung upside down, silently and industriously working on their threading to the noisy chirping of their significant others, twittering instructions whenever they arrived back with the next strand of grass or strip of palm leaf.
The air smelled rich and fragrant of the sea and freshly mowed grass.
The trees' oval shadows played pretty patterns on the rise of Luke's cheek. Noah lay sideways, elevated on his elbow, mesmerised by them.
Luke's eyes were closed; dozing flat on his back just this side of sleep; enjoying the soft warmth of the setting sun. His perfect lips were curled in a slight smile of sheer contentment.
Noah's finger began to trace an oval shadow darting around just under Luke's left ear. This action caused Luke's slight smile to widen further.
"What are you doing?" Luke asked without opening his eyes.
"Just touching."
Still keeping his eyes closed, Luke lifted his arms and stretched himself out, signing in relaxation; enjoying the feel of cool lawn grass under his bare feet.
"This is nice." Luke smiled again, settling back down to this nap.
A blond strand had fallen sideways across his right eye and Noah pushed it delicately to one side.
He was perfect. This was perfect… except… it wasn't...
Noah swallowed hard and tried to lose himself in the moment; push away this black thought like a dark smoke in the back of his head.
Everything was perfect.
He pressed a kiss to the pulse in Luke's neck but instead of a shiver of pleasure he felt a sliver of fear and he pulled back in surprise; watching as the beauty of the man before him remained unchanged.
Perfect… right?
"Luke?" Noah was almost afraid to ask. He thought perhaps he shouldn't.
"What is it Bubby?" Luke's head lolled to the right, facing away; eyes still closed.
"This is nice." Noah tried repeating Luke's previous sentiment. Get them back on the track he wanted them to follow.
"Yes it is."
"Yes it is," Noah agreed, "But…"
"Relax, Baby. Go to sleep."
"I can't."
"Why not?"
Noah didn't want to feel it, he wanted to escape inside of Luke; hide away in there. But the dread kept building and he couldn't understand why?
Why? Everything was perfect. It WAS perfect.
"Will you look at me?" Noah wasn't sure why he asked that. Just a hunch. Again that deepening trepidation.
Luke turned his head back in Noah's direction.
"Luke?"
"Yeah?"
"Open your eyes."
"Why, Baby?" Again that smile that Noah loved so much. That tender voice. He traced his finger over Luke's lips.
"Because…" It came out in a strangled whimper.
Noah wanted to cry suddenly and he didn't like it. He didn't understand it.
Why wasn't he happy in this moment? It was supposed to be the perfect moment.
"I need you to…" Noah's breath hitched.
Something was wrong. Terribly, dangerously wrong.
Luke's lazy eyes began to open, a sliver of hazel first until they were round and full; speckling in the sun.
But his smile faded and frown lines deepened upon his brow.
Luke's hand came up to caress the side of Noah's face and Noah closed his eyes; pressing his cheek into it.
"Bubby?" Luke asked with worry. "Why are you so sad?"
"You said you'd never leave me. You promised."
"I'm right here."
"No."
"I'm right here, Noah."
Noah's eyes flew open to the empty red blanket's crisscrossed patterns. He jumped to his feet, surrounded now by nothing but grey swirling fog.
"Luke! Come back!"
"I'm right here."
Luke's voice came at him from the left so he headed that way, stretching his arms out, feeling around in front of him.
"Don't leave me!" Noah begged. "They're hurting you!"
"Everything will be okay."
"Luke! Don't leave me!"
"I always come back to you."
...
They spilled an entire bottle of water over his face to wake him. He came out of his unconscious state in the same way a man might resurface from beneath the ocean after holding his breath for too long.
Gasping and stuttering, droplets flying from his hair; he focused his full frustration and venom on the person standing before him.
Leaping forward Noah pushed Lutalo back until the man's spine hit the wall with an audible wheeze.
He could feel the hands of Najja and Magomu on his shoulders, trying to pull him away, until Lutalo told them to back off.
A moment of intense contact took place and Noah could not deny the conflict in Lutalo's chocolate eyes. They were soft and kind those eyes and Noah's anger broke.
He wept, his forehead falling forward to rest on Lutalo's shoulder. He felt the other man's hand try to move out of his grasp and Noah let it go.
Lutalo's freed hand came across the back of Noah's neck and squeezed in a friendly gesture of understanding.
He pulled Noah's head back until they were forehead to forehead and whispered, "We could not, my friend."
Noah nodded, accepting what he already knew. He dropped back, allowing Lutalo to step away from the wall.
"Luke?" he asked.
"It is over." Najja announced poignantly.
"Why?"
Noah looked deeply into the faces of the men surrounding him; men who had seen much and perhaps experienced worse than this.
"Why'd they do it?" He asked Lutalo more directly.
"They will want to know who helped him escape." Lutalo announced walking toward the police guard who stood just a few yards away. They began an urgent discussion in Swahili and Noah could feel his patients ebbing once more. He had to get to Luke. It was all that mattered.
He knew the men had done the right thing, for themselves as well as for Luke, but it didn't help simmer the anger.
"We are getting him out of there." Noah seethed with heavy determination despite the dizziness from the blow to his head. "We are going in there RIGHT NOW!"
"The plan is set, rafiki yangu." Kigongo's comforting hand came to rest reassuringly on Noah's forearm and Noah closed his eyes, taking some refuge in the calm and confident tone of his friend. "Have faith. We will help him."
"The guard will buy us time. He will clear the others for ten minutes only." Lutalo explained, "We must get Luke and us out of there and away from here in just ten minutes. After that they will come for us."
Noah nodded.
"You understand?" Lutalo's hands came to grip Noah's biceps. It was a loaded question full of double meaning.
Noah nodded again; trying to calm his irrational side, knowing it was essential he follow Lutalo if this was to work.
...
It was a wooden pole fit for purpose; hammered upright deep into the baked earth at the centre of the compound's expansive yard.
At its tip a hooped and rusting nail protruded, similar to the industrial type used to moor boats. It was through this hoop that the rope binding Luke's wrists had been knotted, pinning his arms high above his sweat covered head.
Conscious, he would have had to stand on the tips of his toes, but now he simply hung there, abandoned by his tormentors. Damaged and broken he swayed; his legs having long since given way beneath him.
They found Luke almost immediately after entering through the back service door, unlocked by their bribed guard. The mouse of a man had gone before them, clearing the other officers with promise of payment to come.
Under normal circumstances Noah would have cared greatly for the prisoners who could see the five of them through gaps in their corrugated cells. The inmates called to them, desperate, thirsty and begging for help.
Usually Noah would have done his utmost, risked everything to get each and every one of them released.
But one glance at the centre of the yard and Noah was deafened to them.
Luke's exposed blood-soaked back; blond hair caking in it; was all he could see and he let out an animal-like sound that for a moment scared his companions and made them jump a step away from him.
He never felt the steps that took him there, but he was tentatively reaching a hand out toward Luke before he could blink.
Noah knew his own body was in shock. The midday sun was baking down, causing mirages to rise up from the distant earth, but he felt polar cold; every skin cell shivering.
He couldn't see Luke's face. His head drooped; flopping forward. Noah reached for a pulse with fear and gasped as Luke flinched and groaned.
"Luke?" he said softly, cupping his cheek; pulling his head up, pushing the matted hair from his face. "Hey? Baby?" Noah tried to keep his voice steady for Luke's sake but it was a losing battle as their heads met. "Oh God! What did they do? What did they do?"
He reached up and began manically scratching at the ropes above their heads.
"Get them off!" He screamed between painful sobs and desperate groans; totally lost in hysteria. "Get them off!"
"I have it." He wasn't sure who spoke. It was a gentle voice so he thought perhaps Kigongo and then knew for certain when the man's warm hand found the small of Noah's back. "I will cut it, rafiki yangu. It will be okay."
Noah's one hand curled round the back of Luke's neck, the other round his waist. He didn't even see what they used to cut the bindings; was just grateful when Luke's arms dropped and his limp and exhausted body fell into him, sending them both to the floor.
Noah cradled him up. Luke lying horizontal over Noah's right leg, while Noah's left leg bent over his hip, cocooning him in a protective bubble.
Despite appearances Luke was awake. He stiffened at first but then nuzzled into Noah's stomach and clung to him like a frightened animal.
"I got ya…" Noah bent over him, rocking them, whispering in his ear. "I got ya, Baby. It's over."
Tears flowed unguarded; the anger inside of him building. He wouldn't leave Luke's side but, God he wanted to kill the one's who had done it!
"Noah." Lutalo's deep voice echoed into his brain. "We must go now!"
Noah nodded, looking up and around at the others who stood nervously watching them.
Gathering himself as best he could, he gently moved himself over so that he could better see Luke's face; careful to keep Luke's back off the dusty ground.
"Luke? Can you open your eyes?"
The lids lifted but it was obvious with great difficulty. Luke's chest pulsed up and down; his face grimacing every time a wave of pain attacked him.
He seemed to calm somewhat as his gaze fell on Noah.
"Hey." Noah tried to smile. "I'm right here. We're getting out of here now, okay?"
Noah expected Luke to nod but he didn't. He kept licking at his lips, gaping as though he wanted to say something.
"Shh. It's okay, Baby." Noah insisted. "Don't' try to talk."
He made a move to lift Luke up but with sudden strength the blond gripped a hold onto Noah's arm and pulled him back down.
"Luke!" Noah protested in panic, well aware that the time was ticking away. "Luke, we have to go right NOW! Why are you fighting me?"
Luke's eyes were wide and he pulled Noah back down with much effort; wasting energy Noah knew Luke didn't have to spare.
"Okay, okay..." Noah relented. "What? What is it?"
Luke stared off to the left and pointed toward a group of corrugated cells. Noah shook his head in confusion.
"What?"
Trying to ignore the shock coursing through his veins, trying not to think of all the blood soaking through his and Luke's jeans he lowered his ear to Luke's lips.
"Tell me."
It was faint and weak but undeniable. "To…ny…"
As the syllables left Luke's lips Noah's eyes squeezed shut. Tony was alive and in one of these cells. It should have been good news but it wasn't.
Pressing his forehead into Luke's, Noah pleaded with the last remaining strength he had left in him.
"Oh no. Please Luke. We can't." He lifted his head to see the protest in the hazel. He sobbed loudly at his husband's stubborn determination. "I'm so sorry. We can't. There's no time."
Luke was vigorously shaking his head.
"Please!" Noah begged. "Don't fight me on this. You're killing me right now, Luke."
Luke lifted a weak hand to Noah's cheek, reading him sorrowfully and then looking back at the group of shelters.
"Look at me." Noah waited for the blonde head to turn back to him, "We won't get out. We have to go right now, baby. Or all these men will die. Please…"
Another moment passed between them and Noah felt his heartbeat regulating as he realised Luke was uncharacteristically giving in.
"We'll do everything we can to get him out." Noah said. "I promise."
And with that he got the nod he needed.
"Quick, help me!" He called and Kigongo was instantly squatting down beside them, taking hold of Luke under his one shoulder while Noah took the other. "Ready? One, two, three…"
They both groaned as they lifted Luke up between them.
It was a difficult struggle getting the injured man to the exit and out of the compound. Standing by the back door; greedy palm turned up in expectation, was the police guard. He nodded once as Lutalo handed him the cash and disappeared inside the compound; locking the door behind him.
Almost instantly they heard the shouts from within.
"Hurry!" Lutalo yelled and they headed back through the woods toward the clearing where the get-away car waited.
Don't forget to tell me what you think…