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FAITH
I can’t see a thing.
There’s a blindfold over my eyes, and I’m tied to a chair. They didn’t bother gagging me, so I’m guessing there’s no point in screaming. I’ll save my energy for now. You’d think they wouldn’t have bothered with blindfolds either, then. It might be just to intimidate us.
It’s working.
“Goddamn, motherfucking, piece of shit ropes,” Blade grumbles behind me. It’s about all he’s said since we established that we’re both okay and that neither of us have any idea of where we are. His words aren’t exactly calming, but his presence is. At least there are two of us here. If I had been alone, I’d be a blubbering mess by now.
“Still no luck?” I tried to pick at mine too, but I have no idea how I’m supposed to release them. Even if I could get at the knots, I don’t think I have the finger strength or coordination to work them behind my back. I mean, if Blade can’t get at them either…
“Goddamn, motherfucking…”
I’ll just let him do his thing.
There are four beeps in rapid succession, followed by a click and the sound of an opening door. Footsteps on metal. What kind of place are we in?
More importantly, who’s in here?
Blade stops swearing, which makes the room uncomfortably quiet.
“Well, we got two for the fucking price of one, didn’t we?” Shovelhead. The gravelly quality of his voice is easy enough to recognize. I won’t forget that any time soon. “One we care about, at least for now, but the other one? Just a bonus prize.”
There’s a hard impact, followed by Blade’s grunt. A moment later, I hear him spit. “Fuck you.”
“Oh, that was the wrong answer.”
Blade grunts again.
I’m pretty sure there wasn’t a right answer. “Don’t hurt him,” I beg, hoping Shovelhead isn’t here to kill Blade, because I’m starting to think of all three of the guys as mine, and losing him like this? It might break me, even if I die here.
“You fucking killed Crank,” Shovelhead snarls. “You know that? You and your fucking knives that night. He bled out before we could fucking save him. What’s going to stop me from doing the same to you, huh?”
Another punch and a grunt. And another. Jesus.
Other than the grunts, Blade doesn’t make a sound. He just takes the punches, and it’s all because of me. I’m trying not to cry, because it’s not going to help anything and I don’t want Shovelhead to get the satisfaction.
I don’t know how long it lasts, but eventually Shovelhead tires of not getting a response out of Blade. “Fuck, you’re boring. Maybe I should start punching your girl instead, huh? Crow said to keep her alive. He didn’t say shit about keeping her comfortable.”
“You’re that much of a fucking pussy? Your knuckles get sore or something? Does punching a girl make you feel like a real man?” Blade spits, and I hear it hit.
“You piece of shit!”
And then he starts the beating over, leaving me struggling not to cry or beg while Shovelhead takes out his anger on Blade. As terrible as listening to it is, I can’t even imagine what it’s like for Blade, who’s having to actually take all that abuse.
“Leave him alone!” I shout, unable to take it any longer.
“Faith, shut up!” snaps Blade, but his words sound slurred.
Shovelhead laughs as his footsteps ring on the hollow metal floor, coming in my direction. “I figured you’d be the first to break. What, don’t like me roughing up your boyfriend? Would you like a turn?”
“You little pissant, come back here and finish what you started,” shouts Blade. “You punch like a little girl.”
“Aww, really? If it’s just love taps I’m dishing out, then you won’t mind if I put a few of them on your girl, would you? She’s been fucking naughty.”
Then he slaps me. With the blindfold, I can’t see it coming, and it snaps my head sideways with a crack that’s loud as thunder in my head. A moment later, pain spreads from my cheek like ripples on a pond until I swear I can feel it all the way down my toes. I work my jaw to make sure it’s not broken.
Even in pitch blackness, the press of anxiety makes things louder, less focused. This is way too close to that night. No one can expect me to hold it together here. No one.
