Chapter 5 – It hurts!

Rolling up my shirt, I could already see two huge, purple bruises, covering most of my stomach. I slid my shirt back down. If I could choose being locked in a small room with Sligo, or a lion, I'd choose the lion. Even if Sligo had no weapons, and his hands were tied behind his back.

I put the pain as far aside as I could. I had to get out! I began crawling toward the door, but just as I made it, Sligo stepped on my sore hand.

"Ahh!" I screamed. He bent down and grabbed me by the neck; lifting me and carrying me back inside. Things were going fuzzy again fast! I didn't have the strength to fight; I could feel myself going limp.

Suddenly he dropped me, and the oxygen flooded back into my brain. He grabbed my shirt, lifting me up again. He pressed into my chest, holding me still. Then I heard what Winter was saying.

"Gun! He's got a gun! Cal! No, Cal!" He held up the gun to my head, then stopped.

"Nah, I'm not gonna kill you. I much rather you suffer." He grabbed my good hand, pressing it against the wall, and placed the barrel of the gun into my palm. I looked away, and Winter screamed. I heard a bang, felt horrendous pain, then fell unconscious…

…

I woke up in a daze. I rolled over, realising I was on the bed. I tasted blood, so I spat it out over the edge. I used my good hand to try and prop myself up, but was stopped short by searing pain.

"Ahh!" I cried. Looking down, I saw that both hands were bandaged, and then I remembered being kicked, punched and shot. That would explain the blood.

"Cal?"

"W-Winter?" I stuttered, my voice raspy.

"Oh Cal! Thank god you're up! I was so worried when I saw the blood, and then you fainted and wouldn't get up." I heard her crying. "Sligo bandaged your hand, and dumped you roughly on the bed. There was blood everywhere!"

I heard voices coming down the stairs, so I struggled to sit up. Looking at Winter, I saw her face was pale, and wet from tears.

"He-he didn't… sh-shoot you… did 'e?"

"No."

"P-punch… ki-kick?"

"No. Just you."

"G-good. You c-can't get 'urt. Ahh!" I cried out again, the pain coming back in a rush. I fell back down on the bed. Sligo came down, and unlocked the door.

"Hello, Prince Bloody!" he said, in a mocking tone.

"Ef… you."

"Aww, how nice manners you've got! Back at ya!" I tried glaring at him, but it didn't work.

"What y-you want… Sligo?"

"I heard your screams, and wanted to see you… make sure you were in serious pain." He grinned meanly.

"W-why you… d-do this?"

"I told you, I wanted revenge. I figured I could blackmail you into capturing Winter for me, and then it would just me a matter of time before you did something stupid. Then, I could punch, kick and shoot you, saying I had a good reason."

"Y-you… lied."

"Yeah. Get used to it!"

"C-crawl into a hole and… die… y-you big fat… JERK!"

"Aww, thanks!"

"If… if I could use my hands… I'd… punch you r-right now!"

"What, you mean like this?" He punched me in the face again, and I spat out more blood. "Or more like this?" He punched me in the gut. I just lay there, barely breathing.

"Sligo, please! Just leave him alone!" cried Winter.

"Yeah, you're right. I should stay away from him!" He picked me up, and threw me across the room. I whacked my head on the metal bars, and almost lost consciousness again. He jogged over to me and threw me back, onto the bed again. I bounced, and landed on the other side of it, hitting the floor hard.

"Sligo! Leave him alone!"

"Sure." I saw him walk out of my cell, and into hers! She screamed, and I mustered up all my strength.

"Sligo! Over here! I'm still breathing!" I yelled. He was holding Winter by the shirt, looking at me.

"No, Cal! You're not strong enough for that!"

"The girl's right dude. You look UG-LY!" I struggled to my feet, and staggered to the open door.

"Look. I can still walk! Leave her alone, take me instead!" He laughed, and put her down. He came up to me, looking me straight in the eye. He put his hand on my unstable shoulder, and pushed me over. I hit the ground… hard.

As he walked back toward Winter, I stood up again, taking a few steps toward him.

"Cal, no! He'll kill you!" Sligo turned to see me staggering toward him again. Once more, he pushed me over with no effort. When I hit the floor this time, I whacked my head. I rolled to the side a bit, spitting out blood, before getting up once more. I walked forward, almost inside Winter's cell.

"You just don't know when to quit!" This time, rather than pushing me over, he picked me up and threw me to the back wall of her cell.

This time, I couldn't get up. Sligo laughed, before leaving and locking the door. Winter came running to my side, helping me roll onto my back. I smiled up at her, and she cringed, obviously because I was covered in bruises and blood.

"Cal, are you ok?" She sounded worried.

"I'm… I'm smile, aren't I?"

"Yeah, you're smiling, but why? Are you hurt?" I spat out more blood, careful not to get it on her.

"Yeah… I hurt bad. But… happy."

"Why are you happy?"

"He… he leave you 'lone. And… I in here… with you." I looked down at my hands groggily.

"Cal, you need to rest! I'll grab you a pillow."

…

I don't remember getting the pillow. I opened my eyes slowly, adjusting to the light.

"Winter?"

"Cal! Oh my god! You're up! You're alive!"

"I am? Well… we better fix that!"

"You didn't wake up at all yesterday… or the day before."

"Hey Winter?"

"Yeah?"

"I have a headache." She smiled, making me smile.

"I guessed you would."

"What happened? I don't remember."

"What's the last thing you remember?"

"Uh, being thrown at the bed. No, the wall… I don't know."

"Ok. Sligo grabbed you and threw you at the bars."

"Then?"

"Then, threw you at the bed. You bounced right off. Then he came to my cell, and you stood up, yelling at him that you were still breathing…"

"I did? Why?"

"I dunno! Maybe you were trying to get him away from me. Anyway, then you said you could still walk, and you barely made it to your open door. He left me here, and pushed you to the ground without even trying, and came back to me."

"Wow! I didn't think I'd have been able to walk after all that the other day!"

"Neither, and you weren't able to before. I don't know where that extra strength came from!"

"I walked after hearing you scream, didn't I?"

"Yeah."

"That's it. I was worried for you, and determined to help you."

"Oh… wow! Anyway, even after being pushed down again, you stood up… again! You walked closer to me, and he went to you and pushed you down again. This time you hit your head… hard."

"Explains the headache."

"Yeah, well amazingly, you still got up again!"

"Holy!"

"Then Sligo picked you up, and threw you at this wall. You whacked your head again… but didn't get up…"

"Then I blacked out?"

"No."

"No?"

"Then, I ran over to you, rolling you onto your back, as Sligo left, locking us in. What was really weird was that you were smiling. You said everything hurt really bad, but you were happy."

"Why was I happy?"

"You said it was because he left me alone, and you ended up in here, with me. You looked down at your hands, as if you'd never seen them before, while I was getting you a pillow. You said something about a plan working, then you started shivering like crazy! I had no idea what was happening… That's when you blacked out, and didn't get up for two days."

"Whoa. I must be crazy, huh?" I laughed, but Winter was crying.

"I thought you were dead, Cal!" I cupped my hand under her chin, but it hurt like hell, so I stopped.

"But I'm not. I'm here now. I must've just gone into a shock-induced sleep. I would have been tired, too. And extra groggy from the loss of blood."

"Ok. Here, I'll help you onto my bed." She put her arm around my waist and started to lift, but I recoiled in pain. She put me back down gently.

"What is it?" she asked, searching my face for clues. I lifted my shirt for her to see, and he took in a horrified breath. Looking down myself, I saw that my entire stomach was a deep purple/blue, with some black. I put my shirt back down, and lifted an arm.

"Here, you can help this way." She bent down, and I hooked my arm over her shoulders, making sure not to whack my hand on anything. Slowly, we stood together, and she helped me as I stumbled to the bed. She let me go as I sat down, looking around the room.

It was pretty much the mirror version of mine, but without quite as much blood. Well, except for where I had slept for the past two days.

"Hey Winter? You said something about me muttering about a plan working?"

"Yeah, why?"

"I think I remember my plan."

"Really?"

"Yeah. Quite simple really. My plan was to get locked in here with you, instead of on my own."

"But why?"

"Because, I wouldn't be able to stand on my own, or move at all. I would have just collapsed next to my own bed, and be stuck there. My plan was to be closer to you, so we weren't lonely, and we could help each other."

"You mean so I could help you," she said, laughing.

"You know what Sligo did with my stuff?"

"Yeah, he dumped them in here, so I put them out of the way, under the bed."

"Awesome. Grab the pile and look through it." She did as I said, and her hands came across the DS as I hoped. "Now you don't have to put up with boredom."

"But what about you?"

"I won't be bored, I have too many aches and pains to take care of. FUN!" She laughed at my not-funny joke, trying to make me feel better. "Besides, I can't do much without hands anyway."

Suddenly we heard footsteps coming down the stairs. Winter hid the DS in the pile of stuff under the bed, and sat next to me.

"He came down twice each day for the past two days, once to check if you had gotten up, and then did the same again, but bringing me food as well," she whispered.

"Ah! If it isn't the blood-master!" said Sligo. "Have a nice nap?"

"Quite splendid, thank-you, your horridness!" I said, in my best English accent. (A/N:nooffencetopeoplefromEngland) I could tell Winter was trying not to laugh.

"Winter, to the back of your cell, Cal… come here." Winter got up and walked to the back, but I couldn't move.

"Cal! I said, COME HERE!"

"I know what you said, I can't move!"

"Then how did you get to the bed? Just yesterday you were over there, on the floor!"

"I helped him," said Winter.

"Ok, fine! I'll come in and get him. But if either of you move, I'll shoot… you!" he said, pointing the gun at Winter.

"Don't worry Sligo, I can't move."

"Hmm, ok, then I'll shoot Cal. Winter, if you love Cal, you'll stay still, and stay quiet, got it?"

"Yes Sligo." He opened the door, walked through, then re-locked it, eyes darting from me to Winter, and back again, keeping the gun steadily pointed at me. Suddenly, a fly buzzed past his face, and annoyed, he waited 'till it landed on the wall, before shooting it!

"You were right Cal, he IS fast with that gun!" said Winter, eyes wide with surprise. Sligo glared at her, and she shut her mouth. He walked forward to me, and sat on the bed next to me.

"Winter, slowly walk toward the far corner, away from the door, and away from us, then sit down." She did as he said. "Now, Cal, where do you hurt?"

"Face, hands, neck, and gut. I also have a massive headache, and probably a concussion."

"Ok, I can see most of the bruising you listed, but how bad is the gut?" I pulled up my shirt and he swore. "Jeez I'm good!"

"I'll say. Winter said I was unconscious for two days straight!"

"Haha, yeah. Is it sore to touch?" He poked my sides with the barrel of the gun lightly, and I recoiled in pain again.

"Yeah, VERY sensitive," I said.

"Good." He picked me up like a plank of wood, his arm digging into my bruises.

"Ahh! Stop! Please, stop!" I cried.

"What? I'm just picking you up!"

"You're… hurting… me!" He leant in close and whispered into my ear.

"That's the point."

"Why?" I croaked.

"Because from now on, I'll be giving you a daily beating!"

"No! Please don't!" He carried me into the blood-stained cell, locking both it, and the one Winter was in. He put me down on the bed.

"Ok Cal. I have a deal with you. Each day, I will come down, and give oneof you a beating. That way, if you feel you can't take any more, you can let Winter take over for a day. How does that sound?"

"Sounds like you're just trying to get me to give you permission to beat up Winter. No deal."

"Suit yourself." He yanked me off the bed, and slammed me into the wall. He pulled his fist back, but before he could punch, Viper ran downstairs.

"Boss! Emergency!"

"Ugh! Fine, YOU take over." Sligo dropped me and started walking off, but as soon as I let out the breath I was holding, he ran back and kicked me in the gut.

Viper walked over to me, as Sligo disappeared. I braced myself, but rather than kick or punch me, he gently lift me to my feet.

"Look, kid, I know Sligo wants me to beat you up, but he doesn't realise what's going on up there."

"Who's there?" I asked.

"You heard of Murray Durham?"

"Yeah?"

"It's his old bodyguards." I felt myself smile, even though it hurt like hell. "What're you so happy about?"

"Murray Durham left his bodyguards to me and my family."

"So they're your bodyguards?"

"You bet your sorry ass they are!" I said, smiling some more. Viper grabbed a fistful of my shirt in his hand, and slammed me against the wall.

"Shut up, Ormond!" I heard footsteps coming down the stairs, but Viper kept his grip on my shirt. Slowly, he pulled out a gun, aiming at my head, watching the stairs.

Suddenly, Ezekiel jumped out from behind the wall, followed closely by Scottie, Ryan, and even Boges. Ezekiel and Scottie both had guns, that were aimed at Viper, who had a gun aimed at me. Then, Harry was added to the mix, pouncing on Ryan.

"Harry! Let my brother go!" I screamed, ignoring the gunman threatening me.

"Holy shit Cal!" said Ryan. "What happened?"

"Sligo."

"Vulkan Sligo? Was that the fourth?"

"Ha, yeah."

"Shut it Ormond!" Viper took a step back, letting me fall forward a bit, before kneeing me in the gut.

"Shit! What is it with criminals and attacking the guts?" I cried.

"Look, I don't know your name, but you have to back off! Let Cal go, then step away from him, to the other side of the room!" said Ezekiel.

"Name's Viper, and no problem-o dude!" He dropped me on the floor, and backed up to the far corner, holding up his hands in an easy surrender. Ezekiel eyed him suspiciously, as he opened the door to the cell. It mustn't have been locked like I thought.

"Cal! Are you hurt?" he asked, rushing over to kneel by my side.

"Oh no, these bruises and cuts are fake, and I'm just lying here because I'm lazy. Of course I'm hurt! I can't move!" He bent down to pick me up around the waist, but I cried out in pain. He slid up my shirt and swore.

"What is it, Ezekiel?" asked Scottie. Ezekiel moved to the side, keeping my shirt held up, and I heard the others in the room swear, even Harry, who was still holding Ryan.

"Harry, let my brother go!" I repeated. Scottie aimed at Harry, who was aiming at Ryan. Suddenly, I heard a loud 'thunk' as Harry dropped to the ground. Then I saw Winter, who had been standing behind him out of site, and was smiling, holding up the stool from her room.

"Where's Sligo?" she asked, reminding me we hadn't seen him since ordering Viper to wail on me.

"I didn't see him, I thought he must be out," said Ezekiel, deepening my fears further. He bent down again, this time picking me up by my legs and upper back, avoiding all of my bruises. He held out his gun to Ryan, who took it eagerly.

"Look, if you don't know where Sligo is, we'd better get out of here, fast!" said Winter.

"I agree. He was here just before you guys showed up. Viper came down to say there was trouble, and he went upstairs. Next thing I know, is you guys are running down to my rescue," I said.

"Uh, Cal? Not to change the subject, but whose blood is all this?" asked Boges, speaking up for the first time since getting here.

"Well… everything except that large puddle… is mine. That's Three-o's. Sligo shot him… killed him."

"Yep! Proud of it, too!" We all turned to see Sligo standing at the base of the stairs. We had all been focussed on the blood-splattered walls, and my injuries, that we hadn't seen him come in and take aim on Ryan.

"Sligo, you're out-numbered, drop your weapon!" said Ezekiel, as Scottie and Ryan took aim on Sligo. Sligo shot the guns out of their hands before they knew what was happening.

"I may be out-numbered, but my chances of winning this fight aren't. Now, big guy holding Cal, put him down, and enter the cell on your left. The one you got him from. Refuse, and I'll shoot him." Hesitantly, Ezekiel put me down, letting me stand on my own, and he walked in. Winter noticed the subtle hint I was giving, and tapped Ryan and Boges on the back of the hand, flashing her eyes toward me. I just stood there, waiting.