Notes: THIS IS SO DARK. Like woah brain, wtf. WARNINGS: Graphic Character Death, Non-Con, Violence against a minor, Blood, Gore, Torture, WARNINGS EVERYWHERE. Ye be warned. Also extra long chapter! Because yay for 4am writing!
Doc was gone for a long time.
Long enough for Maya to lose patience with taking it easy, and begin moving around the room. Her legs were shaky as she teetered around the small space, nearly knocking over the table with the lamp once or twice. Her head still hurt, her temples throbbing in time with the beats of her heart, but it was manageable now. A good sign, she hoped.
A pile of clothes had been left for her, neatly folded by the mattress. In another life she may have been embarrassed by the white elastic banded underwear folded on top, but Maya just felt grateful for a clean pair. The jeans were old and worn, threadbare in places, but they were warm, blocking out the chill of the basement. She managed to step into them without falling over, pulling them up her thighs. She avoided looking too closely or thinking about the dark blemishes dotting her skin. Finger-like bruises along her arms and thighs, the twinge whenever she swallowed.
She'd taken a beating alright, and her body wasn't about to let her forget.
The flannel shirt was one of Mickey's, probably from the pile she had arranged up in his room. It was a dark checkered green, the fabric thin under the arms. It felt good against her scraped skin, soft and comforting. She slid it on and buttoned it up, her fingers clumsy and stiff.
Finally dressed, she settled back down on the mattress, exhausted. She had peered beyond the sheet at the rest of the basement but it had been empty. If her friends had been kept here, Job had moved them.
So. Two whole days. How could it have been so long? Already her concussion-induced dreams were fading, slipping back into the recesses of her brain, but it had only felt like minutes. What a cruel joke for her mind to play, showing her the true dead, family lost.
Maya shuddered, rubbing her arms. She needed to concentrate on the living. She hoped Lily was okay. Hopefully Mickey had looked after her, had made sure-
The basement door creaked open. Doc's voice echoed down, angry.
"-over my dead body!"
Boots thudded on the stairs, and Maya heard Job's cruel laugh from above.
"That can always be arranged. I 'aint a patient man, Doc-"
The door slammed shut on the voices, cutting them off. Maya stiffened as a lone pair of boots continued down, scuffing along the concrete floor. The sheet shivered, the dim lamp throwing shadows around wildly as a man pushed through.
"Mickey!" Maya breathed out as she recognized him, scooting towards the edge of the mattress. "I've been going crazy down he-"
She trailed off as she looked up at him, really looking at him.
His eyes were a mess of mottled purple, one swollen and almost black. His nose had definitely been broken and reset, a thin strip of tape across the bridge that Doc must put in place. His lower lip was scabbed, mottled red, and Maya hissed unhappily, reaching over to snag one of his hands. His knuckles were in just as bad shape and she ran her fingers over them gently, wincing in sympathy.
"What happened?" she asked, glancing up at him. "Jesus you look like…well. No offence, but you look awful."
Mickey said nothing. He just stared down at her with an expression she couldn't read, and unnerved, Maya tugged on his wrist.
"Hey. Talk to me."
He blinked, as if coming out of a daze. "You're alright."
His voice was strained. Maya breathed out slowly.
"Yeah. Yeah, I'm alright. But what about-"
Mickey crumpled, his knees hitting the mattress either side of Maya hard enough to bounce her. Maya yelped, planting both hands on his chest to stop herself from head-butting him and knocking herself out again. He groaned, and suddenly he was kissing her, his mouth desperate, hands tangling in her messy hair.
Maya's indignant cry was muffled in his mouth, but she didn't stop him, didn't try to push him away. She could feel the hard edges of the scab on his lip, tasted metal lingering on her tongue even as his lips moved to her chin, her cheeks, pressed against her sore temple as he muttered words she couldn't understand.
On the third pass of her lips, Maya craned her face away, giving his shoulder a squeeze.
"Mickey, what…"
"Thought I'd lost you," he mumbled, apparently uncaring of his broken nose as he jammed his face into the crook of her neck, hunched over on her lap. "Thought you'd gone and I…couldn't do a damn thing 'bout it."
A playful quip was right on her tongue, but the words died as Mickey shuddered against her, his breath warm and humid against the chill of the basement. Maya swallowed, heart pounding. Her head felt light, the room tilting a little. She breathed, counting the rise and fall of her chest.
When she felt more in control, Maya touched his hair tentatively, smoothing the fine hair at his temples with trembling fingers.
"'M so goodamn sorry," Mickey whispered.
She felt him press his lips against her pulse point. Her heart gave a little lurch.
"I wasn't there," he continued. "I shoulda been there, shoulda been payin' more attention. I just stormed out like some asshole and I…goddammit Maya what if…what if-"
"No point in what ifs," Maya said firmly, hand dropping to his shoulder. She gave him a gentle squeeze. "I'm okay, Mickey. I'm okay."
Mickey pulled away to look at her, stricken. "But-"
The basement door slammed open.
"Mickey you fuckin' wettin' your dick or somthin'? Get your ass up here!"
At Job's voice Mickey changed. An emotionless mask settled over his features, and Maya wasn't looking at Mickey anymore, but a Wilkerson.
She hated it when he did that.
"Hold your damn horses you impatient bastard!" Mickey roared back, and Maya flinched, ears twinging. "Aint like she's fuckin' skippin' about is it?"
"Well then skip for the bitch! I 'aint gettin' any more beautiful than I already am, and we got a party to get started!"
Mickey's lip curled in a snarl. He wasn't looking at her. "Alright, alright."
He bent, hooking a hand under Maya's knees and one arm across her back. She went willingly, looping her arms around his neck as he lifted her up. She tried to catch his eye but he wouldn't look at her, gazing somewhere straight ahead.
"Mickey?" she asked quietly, nervous, as he pushed past the sheet. She tried to ignore how the room lurched around them as Mickey carried her over to the stairs.
"Just keep quiet," Mickey said tonelessly, climbing the creaking stairs. "Might go better for you."
Maya could see Job in the doorway, grinning ear to ear. The pounding in her head intensified and she felt like throwing up.
"Well howdy there, Maya," Job chirped as he moved aside. "You're lookin'…like shit."
Mickey pushed past, carrying her out and towards the living room. Looked like it was night outside, but there was a bright glow streaming in from the front windows. Doc was there, the man looking as hopeless as Maya had ever seen someone.
"Please," the doctor begged as Mickey paused, Maya in his arms like a fragile doll. "Don't do this. I'll-"
"Oh simmer down, Doc," Job slunk towards the front door. "Just enjoy the show."
"I won't be a part of this!" Doc shot back. "I won't-"
"Then don't, Jesus. Go back down to the basement and stay there!" Job snapped.
Maya was pleased to note he looked as beat as Mickey did. She'd need to find out what happened later, but it looked like the brothers had fought. Maybe-
Job flung the door open with flourish. Bright orange light spilled in with the crackles of flames, along with the loud raucous laughter of the men. Mickey's fingers spasmed under Maya's knees, squeezing her hard enough to hurt.
Job just smiled, gesturing out the door, his eyes flat and dark like a shark. "Shall we?"
Like a robot, Mickey obeyed, carrying Maya towards the garish light, ducking past the doorway. The air was cool, but she could feel the warmth radiating from the large bonfire that had been piled with broken pieces of the destroyed fence.
The men had formed a horseshoe around it, leaving a little space in front of the roaring flames. Maya couldn't see what they were looking at but they cheered as one, a dull roar that reverberated in her chest as they hoisted bottles over their heads in celebration.
Even at the end of the world, alcohol flowed freely.
Mickey put her down on the porch, straightening quickly and stepping away from her. Her legs were still wobbly, and Maya sat down hurriedly, curling them beneath her protectively, unsure of what exactly she was expected to do.
"Maya!" A blur tackled her, thin arms wrapping around her shoulders and Maya sagged with relief.
"Lily," she sighed, hugging the girl tightly. "Oh Lil, I'm so glad you're okay."
And she was, from what Maya could see. Healthy and whole, not beaten or cowering. Maya buried her nose in Lily's hair, taking a steadying breath. It was okay. Lily was okay.
A rough voice carried over the men, drawing her attention. "Good to see you, Maya."
Maya jerked, neck protesting. Sam sat close to the stairs, one wrist tethered to the bannister. The handcuffs glinted as she gave a half-hearted wave.
"Sam!" Maya gasped, yearning to reach out and grab her friend as well.
The woman didn't look as bad as Maya had feared, but there was a feral look in her eyes, a yellowing bruise spread along her cheekbone. Her clothes were dirty, torn in places but she was alive.
She looked a lot better than Maya herself did. Yet it was only Sam cuffed there, no sign of the others.
Maya looked around cautiously, shifting Lily in her arms. "Where's Maggie?"
Sam's face darkened, gaze sliding away from Maya's. "She-"
"Shut your traps," Job snapped, tromping through the doorway, and Sam didn't continue, glowering as Job dragged a grotty looking lawn chair from the shadows. He sank down into it with a contented sigh, legs sprawled. It was then Maya noticed the other women standing motionless along the porch. Penny, Kelly and Crystal stood as still as statues, none of them looking towards Maya.
Job slapped his thigh. "My lap's mighty cold. And I'm feelin' parched."
Penny automatically moved forward, eyes vacant. Crystal bent to retrieve a bottle from a cooler at her feet, the contents sloshing.
Job chuckled, leaning up to snag Penny around her plump waist and settle her down on him. She was wearing an oversized shirt that gaped in the neck, and as Crystal passed Job the bottle, he kissed the bare skin of Penny's neck, making an obscene slurping noise.
The men cheered again. Maya tightened her arms around Lily, panic beginning to set in.
"Lil, what's going on?" Maya whispered. "What's happened?"
Lily wormed herself almost the whole way into Maya's lap. "Janet and Sarah died," she said quietly, forehead bumping under Maya's chin. Maya's bruises twinged, but she ignored the pain. "And a few men. Job was…angry. He kept saying you were gonna die too, that you were too far gone. Wanted to leave you in the woods."
Maya shot a look towards the Mickey. He looked like a stranger, straight backed and staring straight ahead. Was that why the brother's had fought? Over her?
In her arms, Lily shuddered. "They caught some of the group that attacked. They've…been doing it for hours. There's only one left."
Maya squinted towards the fire, the light dancing in her eyes. The men were nudging each other, shouting bets at each other as they drank. They were exchanging things, bottle caps, cigarettes, anything semi-valuable. But still, Maya couldn't see.
"Doing what?" she asked.
Job looked over at them, irritated, taking a swig from his bottle.
"No thanks to you, some o' the bastards killed my men." He belched loudly, patting Penny on the rump. She didn't stir. "Aint gonna do that again, are they sweet-cheeks?"
Some of the men shifted, the ranks clearing enough that Maya could finally see into their inner circle.
Stumbling around inside the inner circle was a man Maya didn't recognize, bleeding heavily. He was naked, chunks of flesh missing from his arms, his shoulders and thighs. Around him two collared zombs shuffled, grunting as they tried to grab him. They were collared with a thick leather band and a catchpole attached to keep them at arm's lengths from their handlers. One of the handlers was huffing and puffing with the exertion of wrangling his zomb away from the crowd and aiming it towards the unfortunate man in the center.
The other got close, latching onto the man's forearm. His mouth opened in a scream but only a hoarse croak made it out as he tried to pull away, legs shaking with the effort to keep himself upright. The zomb latched on again amongst cheers, chewing as its victim tried desperately to shove it off. Maya saw the creature rear back, sinew and torn tendons lodged in its teeth before the men closed the circle again, blocking the gory scene from view.
Anger burned hot and acidic in Maya's bruised throat.
"Is that really necessary?" she spat towards Job, hugging Lily tighter. "Just kill the man and be done with it."
The chair creaked as Job shifted. "Your woman's bein' mouthy, Mickey. Might wanna take care o' that."
Mickey grunted, but did nothing. He stood behind Maya, watching the men with feigned interest. In the firelight his bruised face looked even more garish and red, a mottled canvas to match Job.
God, what had she woken up to? Maya shut her mouth, teeth clenched together. She needed to tread carefully here.
"But I guess she's right," Job sighed dramatically. "We got better shit to get on with. Frank! I'm bored as fuck, finish it up."
At Job's voice the crowd parted, one of the handlers acknowledging him. Maya saw the man's pole go slack and looked away, concentrating instead on Lily shaking in her arms as the men screeched with joy. She could do nothing but listen as a man died, trying to block out the wet slurps and gurgles.
Job whooped happily. "That's what I'm talkin' about! Get 'im!"
It took only a few minutes for the fight to end, but it felt like an eternity. After, the wranglers got the zombs back under control and someone else dragged the ruined mess that had once been a person away.
"Alright!" Job clapped a hand to his thigh, shoving Penny off him to the floor as he stood. She stayed where she crumpled, blonde hair hanging in a curtain around her face. By the wall, Crystal and Kelly tensed.
Job ignored them, facing the crowd with his arms spread wide. "Got a special treat for ya next! You lucky bastards get to see somethin' we 'aint done before."
There was a ripple of laughter and booing. Maya tried to see over the crowd, but from her position couldn't see much beyond. Lily clung to her tighter.
"Maya something bad is gonna happen," she whispered. "Something awful."
Maya swallowed. Hadn't Mickey warned her only a few days ago? Somethin' big is gonna go down.
The crowd parted, and Maya's heart leapt in her throat as two figures were pushed towards the porch. The booing rose in pitch, a few men shoving the two as they passed, others trying to trip them up.
"No," Maya breathed, recognizing the two. "God no…"
Marcus and Ed approached, looking worse in the light. At least they didn't look more beaten, Maya reasoned. Marcus looked like he wanted to kill everyone, his broken arm held loosely against his body. Ed had a split lip, dried blood caked along his jaw. He was fidgeting, practically bouncing out of his skin, shooting nervous looks towards Maya. But they weren't bound, and they were otherwise okay. Had her crazy, stupid plan worked?
Job smiled down at the two.
"So how 'bout it fellas? Still wanna join our happy little family?"
Marcus looked like every word Job spoke pained him. It was Ed who nodded, subdued and frightened.
Job beamed. "Well then! I'd be more than happy to welcome you but…see, some of the boys doubt your loyalty to the cause."
Mean laughter echoed around the circle. Maya's heart struggled, fear flooding her veins. In her arms Lily had curled up like a pill-bug, hiding her face in Maya's armpit. She tried to catch Marcus' eye.
"Now I know you're both men o' your word," Job continued, and more laughter rippled through the crowd. "And it 'aint like me to doubt ya, but I think maybe you gotta prove to us all you're willin' to do what it takes to join us."
Marcus was so tense he looked carved out of stone. "And what exactly would we need to do? Sir."
There was too much Maya was missing here. What had they promised Job? What had they said to convince him?
Maya had never done well when she couldn't plan. And right now, she was grasping at straws after two whole days of being flat on her back.
Just what the hell was going on? What point was Job trying to prove?
Job smiled that same toothy shark grin. "Well let's find out."
He sauntered back to his lawn chair throne, dragging Penny back up onto his lap. He glanced over at his brother.
"Mickey make your damn self useful, bring the girl over."
Maya tried not to flinch as Mickey stepped forward, reaching past the circle of her arms to grab Lily.
He's helping us, she chanted to herself as Lily was pried from her. It was hard to relax her arms, to not grab desperately at the teen as she was dragged away. Trust him.
From the corner of her eye Maya saw Marcus tense up further, but he stayed where he was, fists clenching.
Mickey has only ever helped you. Maya forced herself to remain where she was, even as Lily whimpered. It's all an act. Just stay calm.
Lily didn't make it easy for him, dragging her feet as Mickey pulled her over to Job. She was dumped unceremoniously beside the chair, and the teen scrambled to her knees, hands balled into fists and ready for a fight.
"I'm not afraid of you," Lily spat, and if Maya hadn't been so unnerved at the whole situation, she would have been beaming with pride.
Job laughed, loud guffaws that drew the attention of the others, jostling Penny on his lap.
"Aw sweetheart. You're a fierce lil' thing."
Job's hand had slithered beneath Penny's shirt, rubbing lazy circles into the woman's skin. "But you 'aint got no manners. Mickey, teach 'er some."
Maya's heart leapt into her mouth. Surely he wouldn't-?
Without hesitation, Mickey grabbed Lily's shoulder, wrenching her around towards him. Lily flailed, twisting as she tried to break free.
"Let me go!" she yelled, kicking out with one sneakered foot. She caught Mickey on the shin, but he barely registered the blow, raising his left arm.
It took every shred of control Maya had not to cry out and rush him as he backhanded Lily across the face. The sound of flesh on flesh, Lily's pained gasp as the blow connected, made Maya see red.
Job laughed as Lily went sprawling, clutching her cheek. "Now that's better. Finally mannin' up, brother."
Mickey took a step back into the shadows, his face expressionless. Still sprawled on the wooden slats of the porch, Lily looked at him with loathing.
Dimly, Maya realized she was digging her nails into her palm, leaving painful red indents. She tried to relax, to straighten her fingers, but she was shaking. She tasted blood, and her lip throbbed.
Mickey had hit Lily. Was the time of his protection up? Had it all been a ruse?
Stop it, she ordered herself. He can't defy Job with tensions so high. That hit was more a tap than anything. She's okay.
Her lips tingled with the memory of him kissing her in the basement. No. There had to be a plan she wasn't aware of, some act he had to put on.
Job was stroking Penny's thigh as if the act had excited him. Maya channeled her rage away from Mickey, towards Job. He was the one behind this, the one who deserved her anger. She would talk to Mickey later, try to figure out just what the hell was going on. Right now she just needed to get through this.
Whatever…this was.
"I think we've waited long enough," Job said, feigning a yawn. "Bring 'em out!"
That was a signal for someone, and the crowd began muttering excitedly. Ed looked around nervously, but Marcus didn't look away, his eyes boring hot holes into Mickey's shadowed form. Lily had gotten back to her knees, chin jutted out defiantly, but Maya could see how the girl shook, the minute trembles that seized her muscles.
Over from the direction of the granary came movement and a few men called out, hooting.
Maya was shivering herself, a cold sweat she could feel trickling down her spine. Air felt like lead in her lungs, a sense of foreboding settling in amongst the throbbing in her skull making it hard to think. "Lily-"
The men got louder. Mickey shifted in the shadows, the movement drawing Maya's eye. Along the wall Crystal was pressed tightly against the wall as if she could disappear into it, Kelly holding onto her arm. The red-head met Maya's stare, and the blank terror in Kelly's eyes only fanned the fear in Maya's.
"Lily," she said urgently, over Job's chuckles. "Lil, come back to me."
"She'll stay where she is," Job chortled, taking another swig from his bottle. "Mickey, hold 'er still."
Obediently, Mickey emerged to grab ahold of Lily's arm, the girl practically hissing at him.
"Get off me!" she scrabbled at Mickey's sure grip, clawing at his fingers. "Don't touch me!"
Job looked over, amused. "Settle down hellcat, you don't wanna miss this show. It's gonna be a hit."
He laughed as if he'd said a joke. On his lap, Penny was unresponsive.
Before them, the men parted, allowing a clear view of the lawn.
It was Maggie, the older woman bowed over as she was dragged. She'd been beaten, there was blood still dried around her nose and mouth, and every movement looked painful, her arms a canvas of yellow and purple. The men booed at her, some throwing things, and Maya's heart broke as Maggie was shoved into the center of the circle, falling to her knees as she slipped in the bloody viscera left behind by her predecessor. She was shaking.
Job glanced towards them all, as if expecting someone to protest. Maya kept her eyes straight ahead, refusing to give him the satisfaction of seeing her distress.
She heard Marcus' curse, Ed's sharp gasp, and silently begged them to stay quiet.
"I'll give the old bitch props," Job was saying. "She's a tough one. But too old for our purposes if you catch my drift, and I don't feel like feedin' another mouth."
Two other men entered the circle, dragging another form between them. Logically, Maya knew who it had to be, but she was still unprepared for the inhuman scream that came from Lily's mouth as Jacob was dragged through the crowd.
He was barely dressed, only a pair of bloodstained boxers preserving what little dignity he had left. His legs looked broken, unable to handle his weight as he was pushed down beside Maggie. One knee was completely out of alignment, his right ankle broken and foot twisted the wrong way. His face was barely recognizable, a mottled mess of purple and dried blood. There were burn marks across his chest, welts from something, and Maya had no doubt his ribs were broken.
How he wasn't dead yet, Maya didn't know.
Lily was a ball of fury, battling futilely against Mickey as he grabbed her arms and held firm.
"Jacob!" she screamed. "Jacob!"
Job was smiling, the bastard.
"Here's the deal," he addressed to Marcus over Lily's shouting. "You want in? Then you kill those two, right now, right here. Consider it a metaphor for out with old, in with the new or some shit."
"You…you can't be serious," Ed gulped. He suddenly looked so young, eyes wide and face pale. Beside him Marcus was trembling with anger, clenching and unclenching his fists rhythmically. But he said nothing.
Job chuckled. "Oh I am, little man. Joe, give 'em the bats!"
A beefy looking guy pushed through, two crude looking pieces of wood in his hands. Jagged spikes had been hammered in, pointing outwards for maximum damage. They were already bloody, and vomit rose in Maya's throat as her brain finally caught up to what Job wanted them to do.
Ed was shaking so hard he dropped it when it was handed to him, prompting more laughter.
"And if we refuse?"
Finally Marcus spoke, his words tight, clipped. He was trying to control himself, not make things worse for everyone. Despite her horror, Maya felt a rush of affection for him, for what he stood for. Marcus had always been their impromptu leader, the moral compass of the group.
Job shrugged. "Then I let you play with my pets. They're always hungry."
Lily was sobbing, shoulder-wracking wails as tears streamed down her face. Marcus' eyes met Maya's.
I can't do this, he seemed to say. Don't make me do this.
But what choice did they have? If Marcus and Ed refused, they'd be killed, alongside the two already condemned. This wasn't a fairytale. The good guys weren't going to win and no last minute miracle was going to stop this from happening. This was reality, where women were raped, and good people died horribly as some sort of twisted amusement for the masses. And the only thing Maya had, the only thing that was keeping her sane in this shitty, hellish, reality was knowing that some of them would make it. Some of them would survive.
She had to believe that. She had to believe that she could save at least someone, even if it meant sacrificing someone else.
Hating it, hating herself, and hating Job most of all, Maya looked back at Marcus and nodded.
Something in his eyes died, a spark. She was asking the impossible of him, but she knew he would do it.
Ed shook like a leaf beside him, staring down in numb horror at his weapon. But to his credit he didn't say no, didn't throw it down in disgust. They had listened to Maya's words, knew what was at stake.
Knew what Job was capable of if they refused.
Still tethered to the rails, Sam slumped, hanging her head. Her lips were moving, and it took a moment for Maya to recognize the Lord's Prayer.
Job stretched his legs out in front of him. "Oh and make it a good show. You don't want me gettin' bored. Might just kill you anyways for the entertainment." He squeezed Peggy's thigh, taking another drink.
Marcus moved first. Always leading the way, always shouldering the heaviest burden. He walked like a man on death row, strides slow and heavy. He chose Maggie, knowing Ed would never have the heart to hit a woman. He circled around her until he faced the porch, Maggie in front of him. Giving Job the best view of the entertainment.
Maya's heart broke that much more.
Maggie raised her head as Marcus stopped, her shoulders slumped. She had given up, knew what was coming.
"I forgive you, Marcus," she said quietly, barely heard over the jeering. "I know…I know you're a good man. I'll…I'll be in a better place."
Marcus didn't speak, his head bowed.
Ed skittered towards Jacob, almost dropping the bat again. He clutched it to him in both hands, holding onto it as if it could singlehandedly beat him to freedom, take him somewhere far away.
"I don't…" he looked around helplessly but found only a sea of hard faces, some laughing, others glaring, daring him to mess up so they could fall on him.
Ed swallowed, and Maya could see tears in his eyes, reflecting the hellish firelight.
"I'm sorry," he said to Jacob's slumped form, voice wavering. "But I gotta…I gotta."
Jacob didn't register him. It was a small mercy, maybe he wouldn't be aware, wouldn't feel a thing.
Job raised his hand.
"And ready, set-"
"Jacob!" Lily screamed again, still struggling in Mickey's hands. If she were a braver woman, or a more foolhardy one, Maya might have tried to help her, run to push Mickey off, kick Job in the face and take down as many as she could. As it was she couldn't move, couldn't find the strength to fight this new atrocity.
She had accepted it. And that was almost worse.
Hearing his sister's voice, Jacob somehow raised his head.
"Lil?" he slurred, broken fingers twitching as he tried to get up. Maya's heart plummeted. He was conscious. He was aware.
"Well would you look at that!" Job was almost giggling. "Even after all the fun we've been havin', you're still with us!"
He leaned forward, Penny still balanced precariously on his knee. "Hey! Asshole! Got your sister over here. Pretty lil' thing 'aint she?"
To Maya's horror, Jacob was trying to move, to inch closer towards them. "D…don'tchu t..touch 'er…"
Job leaned back in his chair, a wide grin fixed in place. "Too late. Mickey here fucked your baby 'sis all night 'till the sun came up."
"It's a lie!" Lily screamed, and Mickey almost lost his grip on the teen as she jabbed an elbow into his stomach. With a growl he wrestled her back under control, practically lifting her up by the arms so she couldn't kick him. "It's a lie, Jacob! Jacob!"
Job guffawed. "How's it feel Jacob? Knowin' I'm gonna do to your lil' sis what you did to my fuckin' brother? Let that lil' image haunt you to hell, you fuck!"
He gestured towards Marcus with his beer bottle. "Fuckin' get started! And remember what I said, make it good."
They couldn't afford to hesitate. If they did, they'd balk at what they had to do.
Marcus knew that, and swung before Job was even finished speaking. Maya recognized the blankness in his eyes, the mechanical movements. He had disappeared, tucked himself somewhere far away while he carried out the grisly task. Maya had seen soldiers do that during war, how they detached themselves from the act of killing.
Marcus didn't go for the head first. He couldn't with Job watching, had to make it last. His first blow struck Maggie across her back, the nails digging bloody trenches in her shirt and skin, driving her down onto all fours with a pained scream.
Beside him Ed shook, the bat clutched in his hands.
You have to, Maya thought at him, despairing. Ed you have to, find the strength to put Jacob out of his misery.
She hated herself for thinking it.
"Looks like we got ourselves a little boy, not a man!" Job hollered, and the men booed. "Get on with it you fuckin' pansy!"
Looking like he was going to vomit, Ed raised the bat like an axe, over his head. His legs were shaking so badly he swayed, the bat unsteady in his hands.
"I'm so sorry," he whispered. "Jacob, forgive me."
Lily wailed as he brought the bat down on Jacob's back.
Maya had seen some terrible things during war. Blood and violence were old friends to her, things she had experienced time and time again to the point where they didn't scare her. Death had been an acquaintance once, something to be greeted with a respectful nod, despite the burn of resentment when He took another one of Maya's friends.
But torture…torture was something else entirely. A twisted version of death that could never be truly accepted, something unforgiveable. It only happened in horror movies, something the soldiers sometimes whispered about but had never been proven. Even now, watching as Marcus brought the bat down again and again, listening as Ed's screams rivalled Lily's, Maya watched with a sense of detachment.
It didn't feel real. She lost herself in the rhythmic thuds of wood on flesh, the roar of the crowd. Her eyes were dry, her voice silent.
Marcus was roaring like a wounded bull, beating Maggie into the mud, his bat caked with blood and hair as he relentlessly bludgeoned the older woman to death. He was a powerful man, and it showed. Ed struggled, physically weaker than Marcus he couldn't get the force behind his blows, and the crowd loved it, shouting abuse at him as they reveled in the bloodshed.
"You call that a swing? My fuckin' grandmother could do better than that and she's dead!"
"What are ya, a woman!?"
"Fuck he's barely scratchin' 'im!"
Maggie died first, collapsing beneath Marcus' blows.
Maya heard and saw the explosion of blood, the bright red splatter that signaled Marcus had done it as the crowed brayed. He had killed her.
Maya's eyes focused, zeroing in on Maggie's twitching corpse. Her head was cracked open like a melon, blood mixing with mud as the men shouted. Marcus was breathing hard, his eyes wild and torso covered in crimson.
Ed was crying, sobs wracking his skinny frame as he tried to carry out his grisly task.
Job snorted. "Lil' bastard is weaker than a kitten. Give that fucker what for dammit! Because of him my brother is dead!"
Lily thrashed, kicking out her legs.
"You bastard! You fucking bastard!" she screamed at Job, neck straining and face red. "I'll kill you! I'll kill you!"
Job laughed, not even looking at her. "You got your work cut out with that one, Mickey."
Jacob groaned, twitching in the bloodied dirt. Ed had been battering ineffectively at his broken legs, unwittingly drawing out the execution.
Mickey ignored the sobbing girl in his hands, looking over at his brother. He looked so unaffected by it all, and Maya had a surge of hatred for him in that moment.
"Job, the runt can barely lift the fuckin' bat," he drawled. "Lemmie finish the boy off."
Job scowled suspiciously. "What, it makin' you uncomfortable, Mickey?"
Mickey rolled his shoulders. "Naw, but watchin' that lil' cuss weep his dainty soul out is. Sides, you got your revenge on the boy for Eli, now I want my turn."
Job sighed, waving his bottle. "Fine. Go have your fun. The kid's doin' my head in anyways."
Kelly and Crystal swept forward to take ahold of Lily as Maya watched helplessly. She fought them too, but between them they managed to keep her in hand, even as Lily kicked and screamed.
Do something! Maya yelled at herself. Anything!
But she stayed where she was. One step out of line at this point and Job just might hurt them all.
Marcus stood still, staring down at the bloody mess he had made of his friend, barely registering Mickey as he clattered down the steps. The bat in his hand was dripping, a steady trickle of blood that had once been Maggie's.
Mickey circled around Jacob, his movements loose and fluid. Ed had paused, and stood there quivering. Mickey took the bat from Ed's nerveless fingers, hefting it easily and giving the younger man a push away. Ed shrunk away towards Marcus, stumbling.
The men hollered, bloodlust in every eye. On the ground, Jacob was struggling to breathe, each lungful thick and wet.
Mickey looked at Maya.
She wanted to hate him. Wanted to feel betrayed, that he had lied to her and he was just like the rest, blood thirsty and cruel. Why offer to do it if he didn't enjoy it?
But he looked at her, and Maya understood.
There was a power struggle going on between the Wilkerson brothers. Mickey was on thin ice as it was, he couldn't afford any missteps or Job would hurt Maya or Lily. He needed to prove to his brother he was trustworthy, that he was one of them.
If he was going to help them, he had his part to play, same as Maya. And his part was more bloody, more unpleasant than hers was. He was willing to make that sacrifice, for her.
Maya understood. She met Mickey's gaze with her own, and nodded her consent.
Jacob screamed as the bat swung down, lodging in his lower back. He convulsed, Lily echoing his agony in a sound so primal, Maya would have thought it coming from an animal at first. Inside Maya howled along with her, but outside she barely moved, her face like stone.
Mickey pulled the bat back, tugging hard to dislodge the spikes. His face was emotionless, no grimacing, no smile. He brought it down again on Jacob's already broken legs, bone snapping as the crowd roared. Blood splattered up his legs, but Mickey was mechanical, tugging the weapon loose and bringing it down, nails winking in the firelight.
Jacob just groaned, and Maya willed him to die.
Three more times the bat rose and fell, and stubbornly, Jacob lived on.
"Do it, Mickey!" Job bellowed, on his feet now, one arm wrapped around Penny as he surged forward to see better over the heads of the crowd. "Fuckin' kill 'im!"
Mickey raised the bat a final time. Lily was prone in Kelly and Crystal's arms now, moaning and head lolling listlessly.
Mickey looked feral, his hands and forearms splattered with blood, bat raised over his head, poised. The crowd roared once more, and Mickey threw all his bulk into the swing, slamming the bat down with as much power as he could.
Maya couldn't watch that final blow. She closed her eyes, hearing the wet thud the bat made as it smashed through Jacob's skull, could imagine the sight as the men howled and cheered, already exchanging tokens as if celebrating a day at the races.
Job was the loudest, actually clapping.
"Fuck me, that was beautiful," he sighed, as if emotionally touched by the whole experience. Maya opened her eyes, and Job was looking over at her, expression calculating.
"I think my brother deserves a fuckin' award for that performance!" he turned to shout into the crowd. The men cheered, undulating around the bloody mess, Mickey in the center of them, chest heaving, blood dripping from his face. The bat lay embedded in the dirt, the ruins of Jacob's skull scattered around it.
"Come on, ice queen," Job was talking to her, tongue curling crudely behind his teeth. "Not even a tear? Surprised my brother's cock hasn't frozen off from fuckin' you."
Laughter. Maya barely registered it.
"See that, girl?" Job tossed towards Lily. "She didn't even bat an eye at your poor brother's messy death. She don't give a shit."
Lily moaned, eyes rolling. Job snorted.
"Pathetic." He waved dismissively at Maya, burying his face into Peggy's neck. "Get the fuck up then, bitch. Go show my brother what a good lil' woman you can be."
Somehow, Maya got up on numb legs. Her head still hurt, pounding with every step, but it felt like nothing compared to the empty space in her chest where her heart had been.
What did she have left to lose? Dignity? It seemed like such a silly thing to worry about, what with two of her friends lying dead on the grass. She had to do this. She had to fool them all into thinking she was beaten, given up. For her, as much as Mickey. Already he had done too much, made his brother suspect him. If Mickey failed, Maya's plans failed, and every hope she had ever had of escaping this hell would be for nothing.
She put one foot in front of the other, bare feet scraping along the wood as she slowly descended the steps. There were eyes on her, heated gazes, and Maya took a deep breath, trying to summon any scrap of courage she could.
An eerie silence had fallen over the crowd, the men watching her, watching what she would do. They parted before her as she stepped down onto the cold, wet ground. Blood and mud squelched between her toes, a grim reminder of what was at stake if she failed in her performance.
Slowly, Maya forced her hands to the front of her burrowed shirt, undoing the buttons with shaking fingers.
Keep their attention on you, away from Lily. You know what you have to do.
"Maya-" Marcus' voice was choked, broken, and it took everything Maya had not to look at him, to ignore her friends as they looked at her sadly. Buttons undone, she shrugged the shirt off before she could second-guess it, her dark hair now caressing her bare shoulders and chest.
No-one breathed a word, the men watching her with bright eyes.
Maya's heart was pounding, her skin clammy with nerves. Mickey watched her approach, shoulders heaving. She was close enough to smell the blood glistening on his arms and face, and she resolutely refused to look down at his feet, neatly sidestepping the bat embedded in the ground.
"Maya, no," Mickey breathed quietly, for her ears only as she drew close enough to touch. "Not like this. Not here."
"I want you," Maya said, blankly. Loudly, for the others benefit. Had to make it a show after all, they had an audience to think of. She leaned up towards him, nose brushing his. "Like this. Right here."
She grabbed the front of his shirt, ripping outwards. Buttons went flying, splattering into the mud, into the crowd. There were a few nervous titters.
Mickey stood there awkwardly, staring down at her and Maya knew it was up to her. She forced herself to touch him, to smooth her hands across his exposed abdomen and lean up on her toes to kiss him, pushing her bare chest up into his.
"Maya, no," Mickey murmured to her as he tried to pull away, his eyes wild. "No."
"Yes," she said bluntly, grabbing the back of his head and forcing him back down to her. Mickey's hands slid to her waist, and Maya nearly recoiled at the sticky warmth of them. He was shaking, smearing the blood in twisting lines along her back as he touched her.
The kiss tasted of metal, and as they finally broke apart and Maya opened her eyes, she could see a sticky trail of blood tangled in the beard on Mickey's chin, like badly smudged lipstick. She felt it on her own skin, and fought the urge to scrub hysterically at her face. The men were talking now, beginning to stir out of the strange mood she had managed to inspire in them.
"Show 'em how it's done!" Maya heard Job yell from the porch. She didn't want to think about what he was doing to Peggy. "Give it to 'er Mickey!"
Maya took Mickey's hand, placing it robotically on one breast. She needed to excite him, for both their sakes.
"Mickey please," she whispered. "We have to. Job's watching…there's no choice."
She reached down, cupping him through his jeans. A part of her nearly wept with relief to find him completely soft, that he found no pleasure in violence and unwilling partners like Job did.
Fury flashed in his eyes, and for a moment Maya thought it was directed at her. "There's always a damn choice."
He grabbed her shoulders, walking her backwards away from the crowd. Some men whooped at him, cat-calling as he pushed her up against porch wall beside the steps, blocking her from view with his body.
Maya went limp in his arms, Jacob's blood still warm on her face and skin. This was it; they couldn't afford to pretend anymore. He had to follow though, had to.
"Do it," Maya said quietly, her head lolling on the wooden slats. Her body felt numb, not hers. Everyone was watching, and she didn't care. It was like watching it from the outside, it was happening to someone else.
Mickey made a broken noise against her throat. He tugged at her jeans, pushing them down to her knees, her underwear following suit. Maya stared at the side of his head sightlessly as he fumbled with his own jeans, the crowd behind them laughing and drinking.
Maya braced herself for the invasion, for the burn of being violated. He grabbed her thighs, spreading her open despite the jeans tangled around her knees. She felt him slide into the v of her thighs, shuddered at the hot heavy weight of him. But the pain never came.
He rutted against her, holding her hips close with one hand, the other braced against the wall. For anyone watching it certainly looked like they were fucking, but…they weren't.
He was shaking; she could feel the quivering in his arms beside her as he moved between her thighs, miming the act of penetration. He wasn't hard, barely interested, teeth clenching hard enough to creak. Maya forced herself to come back to reality.
What was he doing? Why not just fuck her and be done with it? She wasn't going to stop him. Couldn't stop him. He didn't have to pretend anymore, he could just take. They all thought he was anyways.
Stubbornly, Mickey continued the charade to the cheering of the men.
Maya blinked, skin flushing where his touched hers. She pressed her mouth to his cheek, out of sight of the others.
"What are you doing?" she hissed. "They'll kno-"
"Fuck 'em," Mickey growled, nearly driving the breath out of her as he pressed up against her. "Fuck Job, fuck that and fuck this. I may be a damned man but I'll be dead 'fore I fuckin' hurt you."
He was trying to protect her, still.
There's always a choice, he had said. Understanding dawned on her then, made her tremble and slide her arms around his neck.
Mickey chose to pretend. He could have just taken, forced her up against the wall and taken her six ways to Sunday and the men would have laughed, there would be no consequences. But he didn't. He could have chosen to watch Ed draw out Jacob's death even longer. Jacob would have suffered for minutes instead of seconds. He hadn't.
Mickey chose to help her, best he could. He was trying.
She could try too. For him.
Maya swallowed hard, pulling back to study Mickey's face. His eyes were shut, expression twisted in a grimace as if he was in pain.
"Kiss me," she said, and his eyes shot open.
"What-"
"I want you to kiss me," she murmured, daring to touch his jaw. Blood was beginning to dry there, coming away in red flakes. "Please, Mickey. I need…I need something that's ours. Not for them. Just ours."
He looked at her unhappily, not understanding. "Maya-"
She kissed him, uncaring of their audience. She could taste copper on his lips, warm flecks that didn't belong to him. She kissed him, skin painted with Jacob's blood. His hands that carried Jacob's death kneaded her skin, the same fingers that had stolen Jacob's life trailing along her ribs reverently.
If he was damned, then she was damned with him. And Maya made that choice willingly.