...
Sequel: Chapter 14: The Escape
Kevin's PoV:
"Hey. Hey, buddy, wake up," I'm slightly shaken awake. "It's time to go."
"Where?... I don't know you... Go away..." I face down on the pillow. My head's killing me, and I feel so sick... I don't want to go anywhere...
"I'm trying to help you, kiddo. Come on, get up,"
"I'm sick..."
"I can get you the help you need,"
I look up from the pillow and ask, "Why are you doing this?"
"Because, I care,"
"Why do you care for me? Aren't you with them?"
"I was. Not anymore. I came back to get you out of this mess. Come on, we have to hurry," I nod and sit up, but I hold my head in pain. Marv picks me up and carries me in his arms. He bunches the blankets together, and I hang onto his shoulder, while being carried out of the room...
"Where will you be taking me?"
"The Police Station," Marv whispers. "Now, be quiet," He carries me into the bathroom and turns on the shower, then leaves, turning on the light and closing the door.
"What are you doing that for?"
"To stall Harry, Ben, and Krista, thinking that the bathroom's occupied," We make it out to what looks like the main room, and he sets me down. He hangs onto my arm, while he grabs a coat off the coat stand. "Here, put this on. It's awfully cold outside."
I put on the oversized coat and ask, "Where are the others?"
"Harry and Krista are out drinking, and Ben took Harry's bed. So, that's why you need to be quiet,"
Marv hands me a pair of boots, and I slip them on. "They're too big," I whine.
"I'll carry you, if I have to. Now, come on,"
He takes a hold of my hand and walks me to the front door. "I don't feel well..."
"Well, you're gonna have to suck it up, buddy. We're not stopping, until we get to the city,"
"Why can't we just take a car?"
"I found out from Harry that he ditched his vehicle somewhere, since it was on radar. Ben's is the only vehicle, which Harry and Krista took out,"
"We have to walk?" I pout.
"Yes. And we can't be on the road, because Harry and Krista will see us,"
"We'll freeze to death..."
"No, we won't. Can you please stop, so we can go?" Marv opens the door, and the cold punches me in the face immediately. I remember now... As soon as that cold wind punches my face, I remember now... I remember everything... Harold Lime... the torturer... Marvin Merchants... the nice one... Ben Pelzer... the leader, yet nicer than some of the others... He also saved my life the last time... And, Krista Hilda... the mental abuser, who posed as my therapist... The torture... The beatings... The insults... The fear...
"I'm scared..."
"Don't be,"
"I don't wanna be lost in the woods again..." I start to cry. The memory of running for my life rushes back to me... Scared... In pain... Alone...
"You won't be lost in the woods again. You have me,"
"Oh, joy..."
"Hey, I'm trying to help you here. Now, can you please be quiet, so that we can go?" Marv closes the door behind him and we head off the porch, into the bushes... Bushes... Yet again...
Harry's PoV:
"Two whiskey," I order.
"Thank god for this night out. I'm getting so sick of taking care of that kid..."
"Well, it won't be too much longer, honey. As soon as Christmas Eve arrives, he'll be out of here, one way or another..."
"I told you about... that conversation I had with the little shithead in the closet, right?"
"What was it about again?"
"I told him that we were gonna kill him Tuesday. He took me seriously, that's for sure..."
"Yeah. To the point where the little dummy gave himself amnesia..."
"Well, it serves him right... Even though he doesn't remember anything..." Our drinks get served to us, and we say "thank you". Krista takes a shot of her whiskey and says, "I don't think it was a good idea to leave the little bugger alone with Ben and Marv..."
"I'm sure nothing will happen..."
"How can you be sure?"
"Are you really that worried, Krista? Really?"
"Yes! Yes, I am!"
"Fine... We'll have one more drink, then we'll head home..." I take a shot of my whiskey and tell the bartender, "Two more..."
Kevin's PoV:
"I'm cold..."
"Please stop complaining, bud... I know it's cold, and I'm trying to forget about it..." Since the snow is so deep in these bushes, the boot on my right foot slips off, getting stuck in the snow. I fall down and cry. "Come on, buddy, please..."
"He's... He's out here... He's out to kill me!"
"What? No... He's out with Krista!"
"I'm cold... I'm sick..."
"Come on, Kevin!" Marv says, nearly in a shouting tone. He picks me up by my waist and holds me in his arm, then picks up my boot, stuck in the snow... He puts my boot back on and continues walking, carrying me...
"Marv... my hand is burning!"
"Hide your other hand in your coat. That'll warm it up," I wipe my tears away from my face, before they freeze. Then, I hide my other hand in my coat. Marv then pulls the hood up over my head and continues to carry me...
Harry's PoV:
We make it back home, and once we're in the door, I say, "I'll go to the back bedroom and check on the kid,"
"That's weird... Marv was sleeping on the couch when we left..."
"The man's entitled to a bathroom break, honey..."
As I make my way down the hallway, I see that the bathroom door's closed, and I hear the shower running. I look in Ben's room, seeing the blankets bunched together. Good... They didn't try anything...
"How's the kid doing?" Krista asks, startling me.
"Jeez! Don't do that!" I whisper, still trying to catch my breath.
"Sorry," She shrugs.
"Well, I'd better get to bed. I'm whooped..." I say, tiredly.
"Me too. Can I join you?"
"Of course you can, baby..." Krista and I hold hands and head to Krista's bed...
A Few Minutes Later...
Ben's PoV:
I wake and hear the shower running. I get out of bed, and I hear that Harry and Krista are home. I don't even want to know what's going on in there... I look in my room, to see the blankets bunched together. It looks like the kid's asleep... I also hear the shower running, stating that Marv's in the shower... I go back to bed and try to go to sleep again...
Kevin's PoV:
"Are we almost there?" I whine. "I'm freezing!"
"Not even close, pal. Please stop whining..."
"I thought you were supposed to be the nice one, Marv..."
"I am. Just please... This isn't easy for me, either, pal... Not only is this snow deep, but it's cold, late, and I have to carry you..."
"Don't make me feel guilty..."
"Well, don't make me feel guilty!"
"I'm sorry... I'm cold and tired and sick..."
"Well, this is the best thing we can do, pal..."
"Why couldn't we just hide in the ditch and then steal their car, when they get back to the house?..."
"And risk getting caught? I don't think so..."
"What if they're back to the house now? Can we go on the road now? Hide in a ditch, if they drive by?..."
"I'll go on the road for a few minutes, dude..."
"Are you working with the cops? Can't you call them?"
"I didn't want to bring a phone with me to call them... I couldn't risk Harry or one of the others finding it..."
Marv starts to head for the road, and he sets me down and takes my hand as soon as we get out to the road. "How long did it take you to get here?"
"I took a cab. So... maybe an hour?"
"What if a car drives by that doesn't look like Ben's car? Can we hitchhike?"
"I don't know... Please stop talking..."
"I'm just trying to warm up..."
"Well, do something else to warm you up..."
"Like what?"
"Think about the excitement of finally being able to go home..."
"What if they capture me again?..." I ask, with actual fear that that will happen again...
Marv stops walking, turns to face me, kneels down, and places his hands on my shoulders. "That won't happen again, OK? I promise." I hug Marv.
"Do you think they would've killed me on Christmas Eve?..."
"It's hard to say... Ben probably wouldn't have... Harry and Krista... maybe..." He picks me up and continues carrying me down the road... I hope we get into the city soon...
Ben's PoV:
It seems like forever that Marv's been in the shower... I get out of bed and knock on the door. "Marv?" No answer. I knock again. "Marv?" Still, no answer. I open the door and run over to the shower. I pull the curtain across. No one's in it! I turn off the shower and run out of the room. I run into my room and pull up the blankets. "Son of a bitch!" I run out of the room and barge into Krista's room, not caring what's going on in it... They're cuddling, spooning each other. "Jesus Christ!" I shout, using the door to block that image.
"Who the fuck told you to come in here, Ben?! It's not like we're naked or having sex, or anything!"
"What do you want, Ben?" Krista asks, clearly angered that they've been interrupted.
"They're gone,"
"Who's gone?" she asks.
"Moron and the kid!"
"What?!" They both jump out of bed. "How long have they been gone for?!"
"How should I know?! I was sleeping!"
"I knew we shouldn't have trusted him..." Krista mutters.
"Well, we have no time to scold him here. We need to find them and then scold them. Come on," We head out to the main room and put on our coats. Harry grabs the keys, and we head out to the car...
Kevin's PoV:
I start to nod off, while my head's resting on Marv's shoulder. I look forward, when I hear a car coming. Marv runs into the ditch and hides behind a tree. The car drives by, not even slowing down... "The coast is clear," Marv runs out from behind the tree and continues on the side of the road, still carrying me.
"They'll find me..."
"You'll be OK," Marv tries to reassure me.
"They always find me... Harry... he always finds me..."
"I'll make sure he doesn't hurt you, anymore. I promise,"
"You swear it?"
"I swear it,"
A few minutes later, I start to nod off again, when bright headlights make me open my eyes. I squeeze them shut and say, "Marv..."
"What?"
"There's a car coming behind us... Marv!" I scream out. He turns around, and the car pulls up closer to us. It slows down, until it stops completely. Ben, Harry, and Krista get out of the car.
"Marv! What the fuck do you think you're doing?!"
I bury my head into Marv's shoulder, trying to hold back the tears... "What's it look like, Harry?!"
"Walking up the side of the road, carrying a little brat!"
"He's not a little brat, Harry..."
"This is why you came here... to save the kid... That was the trick all along, wasn't it? Wasn't it?!" I quickly look, to see that Harry now has a gun pointed at Marv. I scream with fear. "Shut up, kid! I trusted you, partner! But, no, you had to go behind my back and try to save the stupid kid!"
"Well, maybe it's because I'm a little more forgiving than you are, Harry! Think about it! He's just a kid!"
"Well, in case you've forgotten, kids are useless to me!"
"You were a kid once, too, Harry!"
"Like I give a damn about my childhood!"
"All's I'm saying is... give the kid a chance... Please... don't use him as a way to get money... Please..."
"I'll kill you both! Right now! I'll kill you both!"
"Harry, Harry, calm down..." Ben says, trying to nicely pull down Harry's arm.
"Go ahead and shoot them, honey..." Krista says, as she glares at us.
I hear Harry squeeze the trigger slightly. "Harry! No! This won't solve anything!" Ben shouts.
"My best friend betrays me twice... I want to get this damn kid out of my sight... One way or another... And I just prefer killing him..." I'm shaking this whole time... I'm so scared...
"Please, Harry... Please..." Marv begs.
"Set down the kid," Harry orders.
"What?" I cling to Marv even tighter.
"Set. Down. The. Kid," Nothing happens... "Now!" Harry shouts, which startles Marv. He sets me down. He's shaking, too... I hide behind Marv, still shaking with fear... Though, Harry storms over to me and grabs me by my right shoulder.
"No!" Marv shouts out, as Harry pulls me away. I start crying out and screaming, trying to get out of Harry's grasp...
"If you don't stop squirming, I'll shoot him!" Harry threatens me.
I can't help but sob. "Let us go..."
"Things were going to go a lot easier than this... If $4,000.00 got handed in on Christmas Eve, we'd never see this little shithead again... But, you had to come along and make things complicated, didn't you, Marv?"
"I didn't trust you, OK? Knowing how much you disliked this kid, I thought you'd..."
"No, no, no... I don't "dislike" this kid... I hate this kid... Loathe this kid, entirely..."
"Please get over it, Harry... I did..."
"Shut up! I guess I'll have to hold this kid for even longer, then... And ask for double... No, triple the amount of money!"
"No! I want my family! I wanna go home!" I try to protest again.
"Stop it!" Harry smacks the side of my head with the gun. I cry again. He aims the gun at Marv again and says, "Or, I can just beat the kid and drown him in a lake..."
"Let him go, Harry... Let us go..."
"Put down the gun, Harry..." Ben says.
"You should never have been the boss of this, Ben... You really suck at it..." Then, Harry pulls the trigger...
To be Continued...
...
A/N: Thanks again! ^_^ Of course, do the usual! :D Useless info: Well, I had my final exam today, and it wasn't as much of a load as yesterday's... -.- The apple pie turned out well... enough... But, the Ginger Molasses Cookies turned out... OK... Let's just say I suck at cookies. :P
Wow... I told you it was going to be an intense chapter! ^_^ I had quite a few ideas for what to do for this chapter, and I just wrote where this led to... Either way, it was still intense, right? Right? XD I thought so... :P Anyway, you'll see what happens next! Shoot out some ideas, if you wish! :D Well, ciao, ciao!
- Termina's Hero1234