Food

For both of us the clothes we put back on were blood soaked. My shirt at least was clean and now the wound in my chest had been slightly healed by Floyd's ministrations with his mouth and tongue and so physical pain was now only minor. Even after what he had just done to me in the river I am feeling quite pain free. I still don't fully understand all that has happened though. Someone cannot bleed the way Floyd did. It just doesn't happen but he said he didn't want to talk about it and so for now I am letting that drop. I will mention it again though. He is taking longer to get dressed again than I am, but he has more layers to put on and he looks slightly doped which he probably is after all the stuff he took in. My pants feel disgusting. The wetness from the boxers has made the blood all over my pants tacky and somewhat pungent. I wipe at them with my fingers and them look over at Floyd who is standing looking at me in his slightly stiffening clothing.

'You don't look happy.' And he smiles at me.

I glance at the ranger's back pack. 'Do you think that there is a change of clothing in there?' I ask him. But this rucksack or backpack thing is making my ears ring and my nose tingle. I don't like it and right in the back of my mind I can hear something screaming at me. 'Floyd, I need to go back to the ranger's hut.' I walk to the pack and unzip the top. There is indeed a change of clothing but I don't think that they will fit me too well. When I hold them up against me I can tell that the ranger they belonged to was much shorter and me and somewhat broader.

'We cant go back there and are you thinking of wearing those? If so hurry up and get changed. We have to leave here now.'

I peel my trousers again and throw them to the side and pull on the clean pair. I can see Floyd is watching everything I am doing and I wonder if I've done something wrong.

'I'm sorry.' I mutter as I slide my own belt through the loops of these slightly ridiculous pair of dark green pants and pull them tighter.

He shakes his head slowly but is still watching me. 'Sorry for what?'

'I don't know. You just seem pissed at me so I'm assuming I did something wrong.' I walk over to him now and as I get closer I can smell the filth and blood coming from him. He must see the expression on my face change slightly because he reaches out to me and takes my left hand in his right one.

'You didn't do anything Spence. Nothing wrong. This shit that happened to me, this wasn't your fault. We can't go back to the hut babes, you killed the ranger and as I said he will be missed. We need to distance ourselves from this place quickly and yes I know I stink but I've not the time to get to the laundrette right now and I don't fancy we have the time to sit on a rock and wash them in the river.' His hand tightens on mine. 'Get the rucksack and let's get moving.'

I pull my hand out of his and some of what he says makes sense but I know I didn't kill anyone. I wouldn't. I couldn't do that, but then logic is telling me that is why I have these injuries and why I am wearing someone else's clothing. It doesn't make sense. It just doesn't fit together…half of my mind is insisting it was a nightmare, but half of it is laughing and pointing out the split knuckles and the single sock and the blood. So much blood from both of us I don't know how either of us are still standing.

'But you, what happened to you?'

He scratches at his eye brow and does a strange half smile at me. 'You will understand in time. I sort of, in a fashion, passed on some information as such. It will take a while. Maybe tomorrow.' And he turns his back on me and starts to walk away before I can question what he just said to me.

'Floyd!' I call out as I slip the rucksack over my shoulders. 'Wait.' I want to ask him more but he isn't going to tell me yet. I don't know what he means by passing on information. I cant remember him telling me anything and I would remember wouldn't I? I don't know anymore. He doesn't wait for me though, but his long steady stride today is less steady and slower. I think he must be in pain. I walk next to him for as long as I can and then fall back behind him. He doesn't look at me nor does he talk to me for the next few hours at least.

-o-o-o-

I can't breathe this fetid air.

I can't lay with a corpse and feel her stiffen under me.

I can't stay here.

Where the hell is Sam.

Why has he left me here?

I know what he said was mostly lies. I also know some of it was true. Slowly the lies are washing away as I lay here in the dark sweaty space full of death. I know Reid wasn't all we thought he was. I know there are parts of him he never let anyone else see and I need to talk to him about it all. I don't want to kill him in a rage. This is what Sam was trying to work me up to do and so why has he abandoned me.

'HEY!' I shout again and I pummel at the metal lid which seems to be getting closer to me minute by minute as I breathe in the death. I don't even know her name. I tried talking to her; apologising to her, but how can I talk to someone when I don't even know her name? I tried feeling around in the trunk for something, maybe a jack, anything to use to try to get this open, but there is nothing. A very tidy young lady it would seem and we are both lying on the space under the cover which houses the spare wheel and probably a jack. I tried moving to the side to make room to get at it, but there just isn't enough room to move us both.

'HEY!'

I try again, but I can hear nothing. I have my watch which is backlit so I can thankfully keep tabs on the time but it seems wrong. Everything feels wrong. I can't have only been here this long, I can't have been here for this long, both concepts are wrong and both are right. My watch is telling me that it should be getting light again by now, but I can't see any light seeping through gaps anywhere. No light so maybe no air. Where is the air coming from? Can I escape the same way?

I can't breathe.

It is much too hot.

I can't breathe this girl's death any longer.

'HEY ANYONE THERE!? SAM!'

and my voice is hoarse from the shouting and I am thirsty and I am going to die here.

My mind drifts for a while as I think about – try to think about everything that's happened. Lack of fresh air, fear – something is effecting the way I am thinking and all I can remember is Sam and his filthy mouth.

If I ever get out of here, if I do, then I will locate that child and I will want something from him and he wont like it.

She is leaking her bodily fluids.

She is losing her rigor.

I can smell her rotting.

I have been here more than twenty four hours. Less than forty eight. Someone will find me. Someone will eventually. The girl. The girl will be reported missing. They will be looking for her car.

'I'm sorry.' I say to her. I am sorry. I should have protected her.

I let her die.

This is all my fault.

I close my eyes but I don't want to sleep. I don't want to miss that opportunity if I hear something. I can't risk sleeping here. I can't. I can't. I will just close my eyes. I have to try to get some strength back from somewhere.

Sam.

Come back for me.

-o-o-o-

'I need to rest.'

He has been lagging for a while now and so with a sigh I stop and nod. 'We need to find water and something to eat too.' I tell him and turn around to look. I avoid the strange clothing he is in and concentrate on that beautiful face. 'Come here.' I put my arms out and he walks obediently into them and we just stand and hold on to each other for a while. I know he is bothered about things which happened and I want to sooth the problems away but I think I probably just made them worse with the 'information' I 'passed on' to him. He feels hot and sweaty and when I pull back from him and start to undo his buttons he doesn't resist. Sometimes I wish he would, you know, say "Not now Floyd." But he never does and if he did I would beat him into submission anyway. Which is probably why he doesn't bother. I undo that top button and I plant a kiss on his ever sweet skin and I feel his hands lightly touch me on my sides. The next button reveals slightly more and my kisses make their way downwards and his fingers dig in slightly. We are meant to be hurrying. I don't have time for this now, but I want it so badly.

So badly it hurts.

The next button is undone and I can see the deep indentation across his chest which earlier had been a nasty cut. I healed it well, though I do think it will scar.

I run my tongue over it and his hands move upwards and then down, his fingers are pinching at my skin through my shirt. Again I move back…and this time I remove my coat and jacket and then I am back with him again and I am touching him and moving my hands over him and he is doing it back. I feel Spencer's fingers slide behind my waistband and pull my shirt out from where I'd roughly tucked it in. I feel his hands on my skin and I lick my way up to his neck where I bite gently and suck at his throat.

'We – don't have – we don't – Spence – we don't have time.' I sigh across his hot skin. 'We need to move on. Find – somewhere – somewhere we can stay the night.' It is hard to concentrate when someone has their mouth gently on your ear whispering things into it. I push him back away from me. 'No. Not now.' And I snatch my things up from the forest floor and walk away from him. I will have him later. Not now.

I know where to go. I can smell the water and it will be a chance to sit and maybe relax and I can explain some things to Spencer. I know he needs to know. I just don't know how he will take it, so it is about half an hour of silent walking until we reach the edge of a smallish sized stream. Probably in the height of summer it doesn't even exist, but for now it is good. I can hunt locally and keep him safe.

Firstly we both kneel on the bank of the stream and take in handfuls of cold water. It feels good. Then I take Spencer in my arms and just hold him for a while. I bury my face in his hair and just enjoy this feeling. I know it will end. I know it can't last forever and so I need to make the most of every second we have.

'Sit.' I tell him. 'Just sit and relax for a while. I will be there.' And I point. ' You will be able to see me and hear me. I won't be far. I just need to get things for us to eat and smoke.

He nods and sits under a tree and pulls his knees up close and wraps his arms around his legs and his head goes down to rest on his knees.

-o-o-o-

I am exhausted. I sit and wrap my arms around myself and sit with my head on my knees listening to the insistent voices in my head. It has tired me beyond belief listening to them all day and tying to ignore them. Now though there are no other distractions.

You are going to let him leave you here?

He won't come back.

Scum.

Pervert.

Filth.

You are just a dirty little whore.

I know what you're thinking.

I mutter back at them occasionally but not much. I don't want Floyd to know what is happening. I don't want him to know about it so I keep as quiet as I can. I thought I heard him coming back, but he wasn't. Maybe he can hear the voices too? No, no, I don't think so.

Then something touches my arm. It just brushes gently over it and I close my eyes tightly expecting more, but nothing happens. I finally lift my head and stretch slightly. He has been back at some point. I knew he had. He's left berries and mushrooms on a big shiny green leaf. I smile at it and touch it with my finger but I don't eat yet. I will wait for him.

'Babes.' And he is next to me and sitting down beside me with his legs crossed. 'Here.' He passes me more berries and looks at the first lot sitting on the leaf. I place a berry in my mouth and let it roll around on my tongue for a while before biting into it. It is divinely sweet. I watch Floyd pick up his own supply and pop them in his mouth. I try another. Not as sweet this time but still wonderful.

'Spencer?' Floyd puts a hand on his throat and starts spitting out the fruit. 'What the hell is this stuff?!' He tries to get to his feet but I can see him sliding sideways. 'What have you done to me?!' I can hear him coughing and gagging and I am moving in to help when his eyes roll back and he starts vomiting.

'N n nothing! I've n n not done anything! What's going on?'

'Poisoned me you fucker!'

'No! God no! How? I didn't touch them.'

He is twisting on the floor. 'Where did you get them?' More vomiting and his nose is pouring blood.

'I thought you got them!'

'I poisoned them.' The voice comes from behind me and there is someone dressed in a crazy oriental costume. 'get out of the way Reid. I need to say something to Floyd here before I take you.' My arm is grabbed with such speed that I don't have a chance to escape it. 'Floyd!' He says. 'I killed your little shit Sam. I've got my orders for this one too, but you know what I'm like with rules. I like to bend them a bit. Reid will live. For now. Until I've stopped playing or I get bored, but I think you need to see this first.'

I twist my arm to get away as my eyes flick from this person to Floyd who is now lying still in his vomit and back to this guy again. 'Let go of me!'

-o-o-o-

I can't move.

I have no clue what was in the food but it has downed easily. I am trying desperately to metabolise whatever it was but Taki knows I do this and this stuff, whatever it is had begun to bind to my blood. I can feel it seeping into my body and crawling through my heart and I need to reach out and snap the bastard's neck but I can't move. All can do is watch and listen. I watch as he upper cut's Spencer and I watch him stagger back. Then the blades are out and pointing at his face.

'Strip.' Taki sounds amused. 'Strip or I will slice you open.'

And Spence is shaking his head. 'No.' he tells him. He looks at me for confirmation but I'm not able to give him any, but it does give Taki an idea. He moves back from Spence and over to me.

'Strip or I will start hurting your lover.'

Again Spencer shakes his head. 'No.'

I would scream. I really fucking would cos those damned demon swords are made to hurt people like me. It slices through my side and digs deep down inside me but all I can do is lie there and look at the horrified look cross Spencer's face.

'Stop it!' he shouts it 'OK – I'll do it.' And he is kicking off his boots and pulling at his clothing.

'Thank you Reid.' Taki moves away from me again and over to Spencer who has stripped down to his underwear. He has never looked so thin and pathetic as he does now. Taki pushing him down to his knees and moving in behind him. 'You are going to have to learn a whole new set of rules and the first one is that you will never talk to me and secondly you will never look at me. You will do exactly as I tell you.'

He talks loudly enough for me to hear what is going on. He positions Spencer so he is facing me and then as I lie here bleeding into the leaves he rapes Spencer. I can see him writhe and struggle and try to get away from the assault and I can see Taki is saying something to him, but I can't hear it. He is hissing it at him over his bare skin and Spencer stops trying to get away. He looks at me while the assassin rips into him. Not anything I've not done to him but this is different. This is someone else. This isn't me. I can see hands on Spencer's hips pulling him in closer and I can see the satisfied look on Taki's face.

'I took your spawn's head off.' He says. I see Spencer's eyes widen. 'And I will take Spencer's too. I will take everything you have ever wanted or loved and I will destroy it. One way or another I will take it and break it.'

I listen now to Spence shout out in pain and I can hear Taki's howl of satisfaction and he pushes my Spencer down away from him where he just curls up.

The bastard knows he has time constraints. He knows he has to get moving now. 'Get up whore.' He tells him. 'Get up and put this on.' And he has thrown a dark blue sarong onto the ground next to him. Spencer doesn't get up though. He doesn't put on the sarong. 'Do it or I will slice him again.' And the blade is placed against the side of my neck where it cuts in slightly letting out a small dribble of my blood. I watch Spencer get to his knees and pull the thing around him.

-o-o-o-

I don't want to do it.

I want to lay here on the floor forever and never have to move again.

I don't know what damage he has done to me but I am bleeding. I can feel that much. I need to go to hospital. See a doctor, something, anything, I don't need to be putting on a damned sarong.

But I do.

And I stand there watching not doing anything because there is nothing I can do. If I do the wrong thing he will kill Floyd. He will then kill me and so I need to do what he asks of me and let Floyd recover and he will come for me. I know he will.

'I'm sorry.' I say silently to him.

'I know.' He mouths back at me.

And I watch the blade slide into his neck and I watch him lay helpless in the leaves as his neck opens up and starts to empty his blood out. I want to run forwards and help him but this guy is tying something around my neck. 'I'm Taki.' He tells me. 'And you belong to me now. Remember my rules and you will be fine. Now let's go.'

I look back at Floyd as I am dragged away and Floyd looks back at me and gives me a little twitch of his fingers and a smirk…

And I know everything will be alright.