Pain and loyality
I woke up in a cold, dark room, my body aching and my mind foggy. The memories of the last moments slipped away like sand through my fingers. The expedition with Dutch and Micah. The O'Driscolls. The abduction.
I felt a tremendous pain in my shoulder, where one of the bandits had shot me. There was a large black hole therejj, surrounded by blood, and my hands were tightly bound. I felt a wave of helplessness wash over me, and every attempt to free myself only intensified the pain. I couldn't bear it. Panic began to engulf me.
Suddenly, I heard the door open, and there stood a face I didn't want to see.
- Colm.
As soon as I saw him, anger flared up inside me like a fire. I felt rage towards the O'Driscoll standing before me, but even worse was the anger towards myself for being so easily captured. It was humiliating.
- And how do you like it here, Arthur? I hope your requirements are met, because you'll be here for quite some time unless you betray Dutch.
- You know I would never do that.
- And that's your biggest mistake. What does Dutch give you that you follow him blindly like a dog follows its master?
- Something you know nothing about. Loyalty, Colm.
- You and your silly loyalty. Just look where it has led you. You're sitting here all alone at my mercy, and Dutch? He's probably sitting with the others, celebrating and not giving you a single thought. No one has probably even noticed you're missing.
- You're lying! Dutch would never leave me behind; he's definitely on his way right now, and as soon as he finds you, he'll kill you.
- How amusing your naivety and loyalty are - as he said this, he drew a knife across my face - But that won't help you. Oh, imagine how furious Van der Linde will be when they find you dead, drenched in blood. Or I have a better idea; maybe we'll cut off your head. Oh, that would be much better.
- Screw you, you bastard - I said, though my voice trembled slightly, and I felt pain under my ribs where he had stabbed me.
- You better start weighing your words because remember, you're just a worthless mutt at my mercy, and believe me, I'll make your life so miserable that you'll want to end it yourself, but since you're so chatty, what do you say to this?
And with those words, Colm tied a rope around my neck as if I were a damn dog, but before I had a chance to say anything, he tightened it until I began to choke.
The pain was unbearable as the rope tightened around my neck. I felt every movement sending new waves of suffering through me, as if my body was fighting an invisible enemy. A heaviness built up in my chest. I started to run out of air. Time suddenly stood still, and every minute became an eternity. The lack of oxygen triggered panic. I couldn't breathe; my chest felt tighter and tighter. My mind began to cloud over. Fear gripped my heart. With each second that passed without air, I felt the fight for my life becoming more desperate. Forgetting my honor, I wanted to beg my enemy to end it, but I couldn't utter a single word. In the silence of the room, I could only hear my own desperate attempts to breathe, and in my mind, I could hear how Dutch, Hosea, and the others would be disappointed at how I had died in such a pathetic way.
In my head, the mocking voices of Dutch and my father, who had died in a similar way, echoed. Memories from the past spun in my mind like crazy, all those happy moments with the gang. Hosea, who always had a word of support, John, who was like a brother to me, and now he had no idea what was happening to me.
Colm stood before me, his face twisted into a smile that only fueled my anger.
- Funny how quickly you can lose everything, isn't it, Morgan? - His words sounded like a cold knife stabbing into my heart. In that moment, I realized I couldn't give him that satisfaction.
I clenched my teeth, trying to focus. Images of those I treated like family flooded my mind - their faces, their voices. I had to get back to them. With each weak breath, my heart grew more determined. Despite all the pain, I decided I couldn't let Colm win.
As my thoughts wandered, I remembered how Dutch always said that true strength lies not in the body but in the mind. "I must be strong," I repeated in my mind like a mantra, "I must find a way."
Colm stepped closer, holding the same knife he had stabbed me with in his hand.
- Let's see how much longer you can resist - His voice was full of contempt, but in my heart, a spark of hope ignited. Perhaps amidst all this madness, there was still a chance to escape.
However, the lack of air was becoming more unbearable. My heart was beating slower, my mind began to cloud. Fear began to surround me as if it were my shadow. The fight for survival was becoming increasingly hopeless, and the faces of my loved ones seemed to fade like a mirage.
O'Driscoll approached me, his satisfied stance showing his delight.
- You see, Arthur, how easy it is to lose everything?
His voice seemed so distant, and the darkness was slowly consuming me. Just when I thought I could still do something, the world began to blur. The last thing I felt was the grip around my neck and the darkness that enveloped me completely.