Chapter 3
Craig came running out immediately. Once he
took sight of the situation, he knew exactly what to do. Running over he
grabbed Brian roughly by the arm. Knocking Brian out of the shocked state he
was in. Brian winced as pain shot up his arm.
Brian felt like throwing up. He had never felt so horrible.
He was hungry, tired, dizzy, nauseous, and his whole body was in pain. On top
of all of that he felt completely detached from the whole situation. His mind
was too fuzzy to comprehend anything but the pain.
Reality struck as he was being forced into the basement. His
vision was blurry but suddenly, he felt safe as he fell into a pair of arms.
Brian heard voices yelling his name. Comforting voices the voices of his
friends.
Nick gently took Brian into his arms bringing him over to where
A.J. was being laid down. He carefully lowered Brian to the ground. Kevin was
taking care of A.J. so Howie rushed to help Nick with Brian. Howie grabbed one
of the pillows they were given. He set it on the ground. Nick then, as gentle
as possible laid Brian down. Brian immediately shut his eyes succumbing to
oblivion.
Looking over at his cousin, and then to A.J. Kevin became furious.
“What did you do to them,” Kevin demanded sharply. His voice not once wavering.
Jack looked at Kevin, surprised that he had the courage to be so
sharp. Especially since the two of them were so much larger then him.
Kevin did not once tear his gaze from the two men. His green eyes
bore into Jack and Craig, waiting for a response.
“I guess they weren’t strong enough to take a day of work,” Craig
finally responded. His voice full of bitterness.
“You had these to out there for, God only knows how long,” Kevin
spat. “They were working outside for hours, obviously without any water. You
actually except them to be strong! You make me sick! So help me God if they
don’t pull through this, I’ll freakin’ kill all of you!”
Jack and Craig stared at Kevin shocked. Nick and Howie too. Nick
was silently pleading with God that they wouldn’t hurt Kevin. Hoping he would
just get away with a lecture or a threat. Nick knew deep down inside they would
have no such luck.
“Boy you just screwed up,” Jack yelled. “I hope you do realize
what’s going to happen to you! We’re taking you to the boss, Rob! He’ll take
care of you boy!”
Howie and Nick stared at
Kevin. They envied his courage when they saw no trace of fear on his face.
Howie truly did believe that he was more scared then Kevin.
“Please don’t,” Nick began. His voice faltering. “Please he didn’t
mean it! Kevin means so much to us like a brother. Please don’t take him!”
“I’m touched, really I am,” Craig said the sarcasm etched in his
voice.
“Nick, it’s alright I’ll be okay, I promise.” Kevin’s voice was so
calm and collected.
Nick almost believed him,
almost. He had seen Rob. Rob was a large and bitter man. The person behind it
all. The man that wanted to see them dead.
Craig pulled Kevin away
from AJ’s side. “No one talks to us like that boy,” Craig yelled. Jack walked
over to Kevin and Craig grasping Kevin’s other arm.
As they walked out of the
basement, Kevin turned his head around and smiled at Howie and Nick. Trying his
best to somewhat make them feel better. He knew there was no way he could. He
was far more scared then they would ever know.
Howie looked over at Nick.
“It’ll be okay, have faith. Kevin’s strong he can take care of himself.”
“No D. you saw how big those guys are!”
“Yeah Nick I know, but maybe just maybe they’ll let Kevin off the
hook. You know just as well as I do that they want to torture make our lives
miserable before they kill us. Hopefully we’ll have a plan before they do.”
Nick felt somewhat better.
Maybe Howie was right.
“Yeah, Howie you’re right but how long can we survive this? How
long can Brian and A.J. survive this? Look at them! They look like the living
dead! They can’t, we can’t survive going through this day after day! I mean did
you see Brian when they brought him in there. He had not freaking clue what was
going on! A.J. was friggin’ unconscious!”
Howie looked away. Nick was
right he was one hundred percent right. Brian and A.J. couldn’t survive another
day of it. With no food and barely any water, they were bound to die. It was
inevitable. There was nothing they could do about it. Nothing at all. They were
going to have to sit around and watch people who were practically their
brother’s die. Unless they could find a way out of it but that was pretty much
impossible. The odds weren’t in their favor. Five, if not more large men held
them captive.
“I’m sorry Howie,” Nick said feeling bad.
“No Nick, your right.” We have to get out of here.
“No man, we’ll never get out of here. These two have no strength
and they won’t for a while. I’m sure Kevin won’t have too much strength to do
to much of anything either. So it’s impossible to break out. We are just going
to have to take everything day by day.
“No Nick,” Howie began. “Maybe Brian and A.J. are stronger then we
think. They aren’t quitters. They aren’t going to give up on us this soon
Nicky, they can’t they won’t.
“I hope to God that you are right Howie. But I have this feeling
that everything isn’t going to be okay. That when we get out of this, if we get
out of this….”
“What Nick?”
“That maybe one of us won’t get out. That someone will die,” Nick
said solemnly.
“Nick don’t ever say that again!”
“D. I’m just thinking realistically!”
“You can’t be so negative Nick!”
Their conversation was
interrupted when A.J. began to stir.
“Hey Aje,” Nick said in a quiet voice. “Sorry to wake you.”
“You didn’t,” A.J. moaned.
“So, how are you,” Howie asked, eyeing A.J. thoroughly.
“Okay, I guess, considering what I’ve been through.”
“Yeah A.J. we’re sorry,” Nick said silently, not wanting to wake
Brian.
“It’s not your-hey where’s Kevin?”
“Uh…um…” Nick began
“Spit it out Nick!”
“Okay, okay. They took him. He smarted off so they took him.”
“Oh my God,” A.J. said taking it in.
“This can’t be happening.”
“A.J. it’ll be ok,” Howie reassured.”
AJ’s eyes filled with tears the thought of what Kevin could be
going through was horrible to even think about.
“Brian, is he alright,” A.J. asked his voice failing him.
“Yeah, Brian will be ok,” Nick said wrapping his arm around A.J.
“This way Kevin,” Jack ordered.
“Here we go.” Kevin walked into the room. His voice void of any
fear.
“Well, well, well Kevin,” Rob began “You are in quite some trouble
buddy!”
***
