Filter 

It only amounted to one, and it would always be one and never two —and through his jaundice-soaked corneas, all he could see was nausea.

Suddenly, a violent heave claimed him, a primal urge rising in his liver. Bile stained his teeth, and the following retches were acidic, lashing the roof of his mouth with fury. It could never stop: his body rejected the substance over and over; he was dangling on the edge of sanity . “Not again. Please no-” Liam clenched his teeth, the crucial moment upon him; he had to keep the substance down, or the consequences would be dire. His eyes scanned the horizon with desperation before his lids slid closed, resistance wracking him. Then, as the urge to be sick overcame him, a voice pierced through his fog of despair, a lifeline amidst his struggle. “Can you hear me?” the rough, concerned tone asked as Liam writhed against the concrete, groaning… “Don’t try to answer that, but try to blink twice. Take it slow.” As he fought to drag his eyelids upward, the pain, like a coiling wire, constricted his blood flow in  retaliation. “Make it stop-No I-” he choked out , his voice puncturing the air. If he expelled the Vanderine from his intestines, his efforts would to amount to zero. Square one.

He was at the end of a long night,his vision raw from never resting his eyes, the blood vessels all but ruptured and torn. The ingested substance had been a sinister mistake. And if he threw up twice,  the Vanderine risked expulsion from his system; he battled to hold it inside. All he had could never be enough, he countered, what ever could? Even his attempts to obey the voice , coming from somewhere above him, seemed in vain.

As Liam writhed in the dying sunlight, his skin erupted in feverish bumps, a crawling sensation exploring the surface of his skin.  Violation jolted down his spine as he screamed through his clenched teeth . As the nausea rose again, claiming his entire being, his heart continued  to pulse, counting away the seconds.

“Help me—No. No,” he pled through his locking jaw as he fought another gripe. The instinctive reaction of his body gripped every fiber as he felt his fight ending. He embedded his teeth into his gag, screaming against the material bound across his tongue, taunting him.

Then, in one dreaded motion, the inevitable rise built within him. His pupils dilated with horror as his gag soon became saturated with the vile substance, leaving a bitter sting as he struggled against it; the retches that followed heaving through his chest.

Liam collapsed into the unforgiving embrace of the concrete, his ravaged body welcoming the end with resignation. “Shit,” he lamented , the heat in his own voice spreading across his flesh like untamed fire . “Twice… now it’s too late.”  Twisting his gaze away from the glistening pool of Vanderine, he diverted his gaze from the evident failure. And in a mixture of pure shock and trauma, his eyelids slid closed with exhaustion, his body embracing closure of his fight. After his ongoing efforts and endless torment, he failed to hold down the vandarine, and it was over.

But the voice persisted, causing Liam to force his eyes open, gritting his teeth. “No, I’m still here Liam; I’m getting the binds off—hang tight,” the voice reassured. Liam shook his head , protesting, the fear tugging at his psyche like a fishing line as he cursed in his mouth.

“No, you can’t help—”

As Liam fought to refocus his gaze, a pair of deep hazel eyes locked onto his own with concern. “Hey, breathe. I’ve got you. It’s me, Ry’. Hold on while I get rid of this—” Liam flinched as his gag tore from his mouth, and he gasped for fresh air, the stifling atmosphere saturating him with perspiration.

“Now hang tight while I get these damned binds off-“ , Ryan’s voice reassured with an undercurrent of urgency, as Liam’s arms obstructed his ribcage from accomodating his lungs. Liam’s voice died in his throat as the sear of rope twisted itself around his flesh , grinding like wildfire into his veins as Ryan worked at the constraints with bare hands. His deft fingers delivered frantic sensations into Liam’s malaise as they eroded the rope’s grained surface, causing the fibres to snap. Then, as Ryan tossed the strews of rope aside, he rolled Liam onto his back, smoothing a palm over his chest and anchoring  his sternum. “Ryan? How the hell did you get out of your?” , Liam questioned in untamed confusion, shocks coursing down his spine as Ryan elevated his head and hauled it onto his thigh. “ It took a hell of a long time to wear down my own, but I managed to-ah it doesn’t matter , just concentrate on the breathing.” As his head lolled to the side , Liam’s laboured breaths stalled his movements , the horizon meeting his vision while Ryan held his jaw in place . “Easy, slow breaths, feel how I’m breathing buddy and mirror that.” It was a few minutes before Liam’s chest finally fell into a rhythm, his spasmodic breathing evening out. “There we go, give it some time, it’s been a long damn night.”, Ryan said, his hands remaining secure against Liam’s face as he refocused his vision on Ryan’s steady gaze. Liam, reaching up and gripping Ryan’s arm, smiled against the warm twilight rays of daylight that bathed his features. “Hell of a thing to endure, seeing all that… Damn lucky that we’re both still here.” Liam, pulling on Ryan’s arm, found the strength to prop himself into a seated position, still deprived of breath. “Shit. Get over here, Ry’” he said, as streams of magenta dust hovered , creating a surreal haze that reflected the rising sun.
Liam raised his arm and enveloped Ryan in a warm but rough embrace , melding their silhouettes into one as their shoulders collided. As Liam delivered a thump to his back, Ryan reciprocated by bumping his fist against Liam’s shoulder. “Yeah, yeah, calm down,” Ryan laughed in spite of his cool demeanour. “We’ll get a decent shot of water into you, after we find your clothes.” Ryan, lowering his deep hazel irises to meet Liam’s contrasting blue stare , placed a hand on Liam’s knee. “thank God I reached you in time.” Although the light had drained from his eyes , Liam managed a smirk. “Yeah, I know what you did Ry’ . It’s all kinda hazy but-“ Ryan dodged the heroics as he offered a smile and turned his head, the hues of the ominous sunrise casting across his profile , promising impending heat. “Nah, I don’t go down easy or nothin’ but someone had to save your ass.”

Passage two 


"The sight of his crumpled jeans, smudged with fingerprints, hijacked his attention. “Those bastards don’t care what they leave behind,” Liam muttered as his eyes located his left sock, freezing his joints. “Please help me-“ he whispered, readjusting his grip on Ryan’s shoulder, wrenching his gaze away from the twisted display of inhumanity. Liam’s jaw clenched as he then noticed his dehumanizing undergarments strewn across the footpath, along with his boots and shirt. Ryan held his gaze steadfast on Liam’s faltering eyes as he approached Liam’s belongings, gathering them and subverting the underwear, scuffing it away with his boot.

Liam was already sliding toward the dusty ground as Ryan handed him the brusque garments, his expression gentle. “You earned your dignity, just focus on that,” he reassured as Liam accepted his ruined clothing with a wince. “Yeah, give me a minute-“ he said with a glimmer of resistance in his bloodshot eyes. The drugs in his vision burned with a harsh sting, and Liam shook his head to regain some clarity. “I don’t remember how I got here. No damn clue. Now here I am stripped naked- Ry’, I’m not even sure what’s real or what the Vanderine made me believe—and I only said yes because -”. With a jerk, Ryan pulled Liam inward by the waist. “Doesn’t matter. We never had a choice. But you put yourself in my place. And they never broke your damn spirit. And I can tell you right now, this is real.” Liam, looking away with a nod, fell into silence as he wrestled with the task of dressing himself. Ryan was quick to offer careful attention as he assisted Liam into his jeans. The denim, rough against his bare skin, left his bite crooked with agony. Each movement caused Liam to flinch as he guided his ankle through the hem and then buttoned the waist of the stained jeans . Ryan passed him his destroyed Henley , and Liam yanked it over his shoulders. With a groan , Liam sought leverage in Ryan’s grasp, haling himself upright. “Can you walk? Coz we need to find water , c’mon Li’ , sweet hydration awaits-“. As Liam broke into a grin that reached his pupils with a spark , his feet found equilibrium alongside Ryan’s stance. “Hell yeah-I’m dyin’ of thirst-“ . But as they attempted to leave, Liam’s breath was stolen by confronting remnants of his ordeal. He steeled his grip on Ryan’s arm as his eyes swept over the discarded bottle of lubricant and plastic glove, turned inside-out on the pavement. “Sick, perverted bastards.” Ryan almost spat as his heart was seized by the disarray that had paralysed Liam. 
Shielded only by Ryan’s insistence as he guided Liam past the aftermath , he whispered, his tone punctured with disbelief.
“So you’re outta your binds and you untied mine, stripped my gag -and-“ Liam’s head fell to his hand , cradling his temple and gritting his teeth. “A lot of what happened is ..missing Ry’ -how many times did they?“ 

Ryan responded with a gun-metal hollowness, his words smoked out by his steady exhale. “Several times at least . Enough times enough for anyone, let’s say that.”

Liam disengaged himself from Ryan’s grasp as he diverted the glare that was already rebounding off the asphalt . “I wish you hadn’t been forced to watch-“ 

Ryan dragged his legs into co-operation as he anchored himself against Liam. “It was hard yeah-but what they did-I know you think it was a mistake to say yes , but my mistake was to resist-“ 

The air clung to his flesh as Liam dragged his knuckles over his vision , finding a semblance of composure as he argued. “How the hell was it a mistake to avoid-this? Don’t you go getting all survivor’s guilt on me Ry. “ The amber flecks dissolved from Ryan’s aspect as he mumbled at the ground , grinding his hands into his pockets. 
“I just , never mind. We both need water, and shade. And soon.” 
Liam slung a recuperating arm around Ryan’s shoulder , and staggered in sync with his footsteps as the navigated the footpath as it winded into potential oblivion…

As they walked in shared disorientation, and noon encroached, Liam’s psyche was flooded with a flashback. His hand flew to his temple, clutching his hair as the thumping blades of a chopper cut through his thoughts. The unforgiving smash of his torso onto the ground, the impact coursing down his spine as he thrashed across the dirt and onto the pavement, echoed through his chest. “They threw me from a chopper, Ryan, arms bound to my sides. Did they do the same to you? Please tell me you know more than you’ve been letting on-“

At first Ryan hesitated, his words dead on his tongue as he swiped it across his teeth , as he stared out into the distance. “Yeah, after you, they hurled me down here , and I found myself staring into the barrel of a gun. Said there were more captives , but nothing about their sick intentions. Then you know the rest-“ With a somber nod, Liam added “Yeah, they brandish the damned pistol in my face and -“ 

Liam exhaled into the particles of oppressive dirt and debris as his posture slackened with the sobering reality of the moment . 

“I already feel like they’ve killed me, Ry’. And they’ll be back. They’ll kill us like dogs-“

Ryan’s complexion drained out a shade of its colour and he shifted his weight under Liam’s one sided embrace, maintaining his stare into the spanning horizon.

“Well, I’m guessin’ they could zone in on us at any moment, and while I’ve out walked my limits, it’s probably only been under a mile. But as I said before , I don’t go down easy. “ he said, his detached voice peppered with defiance.

“Hell yeah you don’t “ Liam’s appreciative chuckle warmed the air along with a resonating smile, shrugging Ryan into closer proximity and supporting his weight. “If I live to see a stiff drink, I owe you . Speaking of which-“. Ryan’s eyes followed Liam’s to a ransacked dumpster further up the path, garbage cascading onto the concrete. “Liam, I don’t know that I’m above crawling in there to get out of this sun…just pull the lid down and die of dehy-“ Liam interjected as his eyes caught on several bottles of water , his relief interspersed through his laughter. “Don’t finish that thought Ry’ , I think we might not be the only survivors out here after all-“

Filtered

As Valen suctioned his saliva around the cavity of a decaying tooth , draining the marrow of its essence , the sound was distinct. A lingering testament to the sound of unease , the embodiment of reckless abandon. Had he no moral ambiguity, was he grounded in a neutral evil , on a criminal scale he had fabricated with a woven tapestry that only his sanity could have designed. The irreverence spiralled through his knuckles as he flexed them, each crack falling in line with the thud of his uneven gait. “Ah , Liam, you found the darkest place to shine the glint of terror in your eyes. The place where it could shine the brightest, and not one finger did I lift-“ His boots, scraping to an unbalanced halt, aligned themselves either side of Liam’s ears. As he lay sprawling on the ground, the instinct urging his arms to cradle his bruised ribs, he groaned in response . “You could, if you would enjoy the pleasure , take the entire torch of burning passion , and shove it, blazing and unforgiving, right where no light has ever-“ . In a precise moment, sixty seconds and no less, Liam felt his first boot coming unlaced , each tug a whiplash to his ankles, and he smirked . “Ah Valen, silent assault again , huh. but what’s to be said to a dead man-who wants to die?” . The tension , only palpable on the surface hairs of Liam’s skin, summoned sweat and unease. Elevating his jaw to obtain a level at which he could angle his smirk in a slice of pure , untainted moonlight , he offered “Jist rip the boots off , why kill me soft? When you could make me scream your name?” Valen , with a painstaking timeliness, removed Liam’s boot and placed it by his temple. “Oh , we’ve danced before . I’ve wined you , dined you. Had you where I wanted you. Not a screamer. But . There’s other way’s to make a moment last far beyond the fleeting passion of the night. Ways to make a memory burn brighter than a thousand echoes of my name in your fused mouth. “ Liam twisted his bound torso in a wretch of unfamiliar discern. His bravado trickled through his protesting veins , fight and fight glands awakening as he let his jaw return to the concrete. “Fear is human, Li’ , fear is accessible when you break through the emotions we lie with. But even then, fear is an emotion we all know. What if I can elicit something, deeper? What if , in time , your brain , thrown out into an ocean of fear, choked on the saline of something more sinister?” Liam’s grin, as lopsided as ever, his right dimple betraying his amusement in the face of a threat, stayed etch in his cheek. “Oh , show me , captain, how you will steer our ship tonight, as the iceberg melts and we die in a hell frozen over . But tell me , who will die first in this version, Jack, or Rose? How wide is the door going to-“ . In an instant , his second boot was by his opposite temple. “Well , maybe it’s Rose after all . My feet are overheating in these socks, and besides I know how the story ends . And you know when you cast your locket into that ocean , the one my psyche will drown in, you’ll never get it back. Oh , Rose, my heart breaks for you-“ Valen’s finger traced the hem of Liam’s jeans as he undid the buckle , flicking it back against Liam’s stretched abdomen and watching his skin react . He whisked the belt away as Liam grunted with the soft force, and Valen explored the curves of Liam’s hipbones , lingering a moment too long, but his touch dying away fast enough to sting. In a grinding motion, Liam’s teeth captured the heat of his own breath, feeling hands on his calves , as the friction of his denim left a trail of despair. Liam’s hands, bound at his sides , clench into fist as Valen’s’ touch infiltrated his flesh in a crawling , gut wrenching motion, enclosing Liam’s lower leg in a chokehold of perverted warmth. Then, his finger travelled up Liam’s thigh, drawing forth a shuddered breath that held the deep seated flames of primal , undeniable fear. A threshold of whitewashed oblivion submerged with profound hyper sanity , the sense of realism brushing over the surface of Liam’s awareness. “There’s a place, I haven’t explored . A place I haven’t had the pleasure of touring. The many sights , the many terrains, the stunning architecture-“. Valen wallowed with deliberate pause, awaiting the quickening of Liam’s heartbeat. His hands rested behind Liam’s knees, pressed into the pulse points as he gasped , his voice low. “Ah, it grows faster , for me-“ Valen’s whisper enter the air , cold yet impregnated with an appreciation beyond measure. Liam’s flinch as transgression travelled with prominence, through his thighs and he thrust his pelvis into the concrete Valen remained silent. “Well, it wouldn’t exactly do you any good to repeat history -I’m still alive and so is Ryan-and Victor-Logan-shall I go on. I’m your greatest failure yet -“ . Valen’s touch remained unwavering in the darkness , as he called out, his voice devoid of emotion. “Hey Ry’, have you severed your binds yet, or is that gag making breathing a little difficult?” . There was a muffled scream , serving as an insidious reply, and Liam felt his eyes slam shut under the influence of horror. “Damnit”, he cursed as Valen maintained his silent presence , challenging Liam to ask , as he resisted, his teeth driven shut in anguish, “you don’t want to know , huh? “ Liam begged his bloodline to slow, if only to thrive his captor of satisfaction in his fear . “Tape recording. You don’t have Ryan. “ Valen sneered at the estimation . “Ponder that. A tape recording . Is he alive , Liam? Maybe I don’t have Ryan… anymore. Or I do. Who can tell. Reality is a tool. “ Liam , growling in disbelief , felt the rage build as he said , his voice plated with an insulation . “I’d tell you to go to hell but-we’re already in some sick version of it-not that I’ll break. I’ll never , ever , break. “ . The silence deafened him with its persistence, the truth biting at the edges of his mind . “I don’t intend to break you Liam, I don’t want to see you suffer-I want to feel you descending into that place-that pocket of darkness only you know about-“. Liam only laughed in defiance , “oh I reserve that landmark for the blind-“ . In a sudden thrash , Liam threw his head back , and Valen groaned at the impact to his skull. “You know that after you , and Ryan , and the other useless fools , none of you have served a purpose to the Vanderine, to the drug’s survival , and yet, while it won’t serve my purpose to implant you -again-I don’t have the strength to resist. Business. And I’m the boss. Another day in my office. Another fine opportunity to play with the clientele.” Liam managed a twisted smile , the notion flooring him . “Have you ever ingested it yourself. The Vanderine , what does it feel like, you can’t imagine the dreams I’ve had, the ideas I’ve been invested with-“ Valen’s cool trail of voice interlaced with the stagnant air . “Have, in any of these dreamscapes Liam , have you encountered this-“ . In a swift movement, Liam’s abdomen was against the concrete on a deeper level. “Nah, but you and me , me and you-there’s really no end to the scenarios -“ Valen, his voice fading an inch into the background, expensed a proposition. “There may be a way to embed the drug, that you’re disposable bowels failed at tolerating. “ then as Vaken removed the heat of his touch from Liam’s pulse points , his blood flow was syringed with a profound chill. Liam shivered , as he said, observing the perverted truth encroaching on his existence “It seems however , that my entire digestive system is a ravaged wasteland , explored to the last inch, every cavity stripped and yet the darkest space is still untouched , pure, unvarnished-.” Valen’s breath was at his ear as his low voice caressed the silence, a threat in its proximal absence as it crept further away. “And yet, your vocal cords survived the trauma , but, Liam . I don’t want to cause you to scream ,only to hear your voice echoing into that mouth… But I wonder if Ryan would care to indulge in the reminder of his mistake-his failure. Would he write a little harder at the sound of your pleas-” Valen said, in a lingering snarl. As Liam fought the urge to retch, wincing , the taunt of the potential voice recording pierced the air , the muffled scream lacing his mind and entangling with his resistance. “I’ll need proof before I believe you captured Ryan, I’ll need to feel his pulse against mine …I’ll need to feel the reverberation of his cries against my chest -“ The air held a disconcerting void in its hands as Valen’s unsynchronised gait dragged across the ground. “Will I dangle the carrot until the horse starves out of spite , or will I strip his gag and ask him something that only the present moment has the captivity to answer ?” Liam’s stomach, dropping into its seventh circle of condemnation, raged with nausea. “There’s nothing you could ask him that isn’t predetermined-nothing-“ he said, almost with a spit of poised saliva. Liam felt his own fear deceiving him with a deft profanity as he cursed into a whisper, and ground his jaw. Valen taunted , seeming closer to the doorway than a moment earlier. “Oh sweet Ry’ , is it a shame that , when you abandoned Liam in the heat of your desperation , that he became my chew toy. Well riddle me this -exactly how long ago was it that you left him?. Tell me the minutes , the hours , the seconds. When you can -“ Liam then spat , his tongue enraged with the constraints of his binds “Shit…” Liam lamented, awaiting Ryan’s response. There was an engrained anticipation in the air, spiralling in a tight burst of thrilling panic , as Liam’s pulse throbbed in his eye sockets, and the veins in his temples ticked against his skin. Then it slithered through the room; Ryan’s voice. “Exactly …one day……eight hours…maybe twenty minutes and…fuck I don’t -“ . There was a muffled distilling of Ryan’s voice, as his gag was reinserted between his teeth. As Valen’s hands came down over Liam’s pulsing ankles, he flinched. “Ah, your pulse is faster. And harder. But , it’s not my intention to break you now is it? You will undo yourself in my embrace Liam -“

He lay face down on the pavement to hell, a maze of stones and ever present magenta particles sifting through his vision as he withheld a gasp. “I can’t see my damned watch-“ Liam muttered. Valen , dismissing Liam’s frustration, loomed close and yet far enough away to unsettle the balance of intamacy and isolation. “Now Liam, if you know how long you’ve been alone, berating yourself for urging him to forget your existence, if you can find the answer within yourself, to the question. Well then, you know if it’s all just a tape recorded dream? . Or perhaps …it’s a reality. A truth that Ryan lies bound , and as his mistake , your heart beats on his time, borrowed for you. Be grateful to hear him. Or regret that you will…”

Liam’s eyes slid closed as his mind was transported to the previous night. Ryan’s eyes, swallowed by the insufficiency of the street light, had borne a sharp hesitation as he’d hailed the oncoming traffic. A lone , sleek black Chevrolet, coming to a halt , had been the only traffic on the bare highway of promise married with ultimatum . “I’ll go Liam, if this will save you , buy you some time. I mean , it’s wrong and I know it , and I don’t feel I’m doing you right, but, I owe you.” Ryan’s gaze rested on a space between the stars as his voice hollowed out, a cool edge welding his plea. “Please don’t thank me. Not ever. But …forgive me . In time I need to know that you’ll see what I’m doing as what I have to -for you , and not as some calculated mistake. “ Liam , gazing directly into Ryan’s peripheral vision, said , without missing a beat. “Ry’ , I’m telling you to do this , don’t you ever blame yourself for what happens -don’t you dare, for one second , frame this in your mind as betrayal-“ Ryan then pulled Liam into a hug that burned with regret , their shoulders drawn together with a deliberate force, as Ryan’s arm came down over Liam’s back. Reciprocating with a firm arm around Ryan’s neck, he placed an open palm on the back of his head. “Don’t let them strip your humanity , now go-“ There was a desperation in Ryan’s grip as his his palm searched for extra time in Liam’s jacket, his fingers twisting through the fabric. “Damnit, if they break us-I just need you to know; We’ve seen hell, and there may be no heaven , but there’s being alive . cling onto that , Li’ .” Liam flashed a lopsided grin, his right dimple enlivening its usual position as he smiled “Well give the bastards hell, Ry, I’ll see you on the other side-“ As Ryan stalled a second longer he added , “I’d better, and that’s a threat.” His slate -gray inflection , with an ounce of its coolness heated with urgency , rasped as he released Liam from his embrace and backed away as if he were weighed down with bricks. The passenger door caught in the moonlight as he slid down into the Chevrolet and disappeared.

Liam’s eyes flew open , and the scorn of his binds jolted him into reality. “So the plan is , to torture me with Ryan’s captivity. But, if he were to die , before me , what do you have left. My wife and three kids-“ Valen’s reply was as audible as a pin dropping, and Liam resisted his own tears as hands rested on his thorax . a finger escalated his ribcage , now a perilous stairway to his primal despair. “Ah Liam, joke of your imaginary life, but do not call the bluff on the only real family you have , his life is-disposable , but fascinating beautiful in the way it could visit that place I cannot , simply by being extinguished. A flame can just-“ the snapping of Valen’s fingers caused Liam to blink away a tear , his jaw trembling with the tension as he denied his humanity. His empathy simmered behind his eyelids as he watched the insides of them swim with moisture. “I implore you to kill me first-A suicidal cannon will only light up the sky when the wick burns out. If you exterminate my only reason to breathe-what then? Let me go and have a fading trail -or torture his existence with mine?” . The complexity ignited a strange amusement in Valen’s response , eliciting a new depth of laughter . “Ah Liam , you are a mental fortress of entertainment, but even the cryptic suggestion that without him you’ll be nothing, you’ve transcended the reason I am tracing your ribcage with an ease. You are yet to contemplate the heart of my intentions. It may take some time -I’ll afford you as long as you need Li’ . Ryan has -more than enough time to wait for your revelation. To hear its undertones in your screams. “


Liam lay in the cling wrap of sweat, not quite daring to let his mind connect the dots that reeled across the concrete , like a constellation of fallen stars . Whether it had become day, or remained night, failed to matter. The magenta haze was all consuming. Everywhere, and he was nowhere. Ryan had been eerily quiet . And his voice was only a plea away from escaping him. “I knew from the start , your true intention……I’ve always understood the purpose of my life -to kill me -but not to end my misery. To destroy Ryan. Because unlike me-Ryan believes in -humanity. in dignity. He’s everything you can’t be . Morally good . You have to end me -to truly leave a mark that will sear like a brand . But good luck with that . Because he did make a promise and you can’t stop a lawful good from his word-“ Valen’s clap, a drawn out slap of his palms together , held a faint mockery. “Perhaps that might have been a nice twist to play with. Killing you, to watch Ryan suffer. Or killing him ti destroy you. Perhaps I may play with my food , or throw in complementaries with the service . Keep thinking Liam. What we don’t know , can indeed be dangerous. But what we do know, can be a slow burning nightmare. “ As the air crept closer , Liam cursed under his breath. His cards flashed their expiry dates as he almost threw his failed royal flush across the table. But all he mustered was a faint “you’ll be waiting a while … maybe I never figure it out…” Valen , laughing at the delight in his own voice , positioned his mouth at Liam’s ear. “You will come to a conclusion , and don’t tell me about it. I’ll feel it in your waters as you drown” Liam’s weakened mindset crumbled with dehydration, and malnourishment, as he grappled with a notion that almost set fire to his lungs. “The Vanderine- you’ve never ingested it. You won’t . Implant it in me. But my body won’t make it over the border in this condition. Implant Ryan , he can’t hold it down as long as me. Kill Ryan , and torture me . kill me and torture him. kill is both and the game ends . But there’s only one thing-“ . Valen’s eyes lit up , pyromania dancing wildly in his pupils, “you’re getting warmer, Liam. I think you may already be … burning. Shall I throw you into the ocean yet or would you like a moment?” Liam’s blood , screeching to a halt in his veins, choked as he whispered “You need me-alive-because you don’t have anyone else left to hide the drug inside of - you were never trying to preserve it , you need -to display it, showcase its fucking beauty , in the middle of nowhere . Have someone , at the right , opportune moment , but what doesn’t add up is -why hide it inside me . If I’m not a vessel of transportation , why not just give the damn substance to -why implant it? “ Liam’s thoughts , blurred together by sheer panic , had him screaming , “Ryan , I’m sorry !” . Preserving his silence, Valen produced a gleaming sac from his pocket , and crouched by Liam’s temple , placing and unlacing his boot as he hummed. “I want the world to see , how this drug , this vile responsibility to traffic something so resistant to ingestion , can be hidden inside even the weakest, most unsaleable , adverse body. And there’s a place , a place deep inside you Liam , that it can be retained . But also , there’s a place inside you that I can visit along the way. I won’t overstay my welcome, I promise . You’re right about me not getting your deteriorated meat suit over any borders but. business calls . And I take walks in the park . I stop to smell the roses . I admire the architecture and I never pass up a stroll through the Sistine Chapel after dark…”

In Liam’s resounding screams, his voice begged Ryan to hear what he could muster . “Don’t … you …ever… let my broken body… be your mistake. I’m thanking you, and there’s nothing to for-“ His mouth, slamming closed with the brutal mercy of the concrete , bleed through his teeth. “Oh , Ryan , he says you’re welcome , and there’s plenty he can’t forget, nor forgive, nor forgo not even forbid. He’s bound, and he’s listening and oh his heart’s beating-so thank him for being alive. thank him for being too pristine to make an exhibition that can illuminate a thousand skies. Thank good ‘ol Ryan for not embodying the toxic playground you breathe to life…”
In a flinching movement , Liam turned his cheek away, a tear streaking it, unseen . Only the metal walls could witness his release . With an even voice he said, “His promise…when he executes it… he can stand on the edge of the universe, and smile for us both. There’s a place neither of us can ever visit. Except him. So send him there, Valen. But know that to win, you lose. I’m dying , it’s not a secret, that even without you, I could never survive without freedom, without water , and soon. Without vital nutrients. I’m already gone . But Ryan-“ Valen , resting a hand on the back of a Liam’s head, countered with a sliver of mock empathy. “Oh , Ryan will smile , when he-goes to a place where you die . And he lives? Or-is his heaven a place you think you can’t go ? But what if, you knew Ryan’s purpose? Why Liam , do you think, I have retained his bones for so long. He’s had no purpose. And yet, he’s far more valuable to my operation than you. He can’t see it. But ponder , for a moment, where he might be heading , for you… “ . As Liam felt the insidious surreality impaling his senses, he was alone in his depraved pyche, and his own screams would fall to a deaf grave. His whisper laced the air. “Ryan is silent , is he not ? And somehow , he’s been a bystander . Watching it all, hearing it all. With glass caged eyes. And you need -a witness. To see your exhibition. To be the embodiment of wonderment. But consider this. What if Ryan was that sightless traveller I reserve my landmark for?” Liam began to sing, in perfect key, 

"'cause there’s a place deep inside, where dreams have a hold on me, and it’s only a matter of time, before my soul stars to bleed, but if fall beneath the cracks , will darkness welcome me, brother if I find you there , will you still have the heart to see .: cause when I close my eyes , and my memories fade , when I’m bleeding dry , will the filter fall away, will you have the strength to stay…“.  
 
His rasping lullaby was eerie in the silence , and his heartbeat twisted as he heard a guttural heave from the distance. Ryan’s response was entrenched in a watery curse, spoken through a sodden barrier. “Liam, don’t you dare start giving in-Not you”. Valen was gone from Liam’s side , and a sickening groan permeated the air . “It would seem, his gag needed a little readjusting…”Looking upward Liam delivered a direct gaze to Valen , one filled with challenge , “now ask, and then know , what Ryan promised me and then ask the depths of your twisted soul , can you live with failure so profound , it could encompass your soul and -“ . Valen’s eyes , staring back with a devoid expression, mirrored and ocean of tar as he drawled his words. “.He can’t fulfil that promise in binds. We both know that. “ Liam smiled , a slow, almost manic smile , his teeth saturated in blood. “But Valen, how do we know , for sure , he hasn’t already - has he been lying here this whole , grandiose time , watching me , and watching you, through a filter of handicapped brilliance? Is what he sees , far more beautiful than what either of us can imagine?” There was a chill in the air that may have escaped the gates of a hell  frozen as Valen stepped back and whispered, “He’s physically …. The damned song. My witness is…? Has always been? ”I would love the pleasure of exploring your suggestion , Liam. That our Ryan , is blind?”  As Liam basked in the palpable terror flowing through Valen’s mind he nodded against the concrete .” He lost one of his senses , I suppose the one that strengthened him the most in the end. And he’ll be free. No matter what you do , he’ll be free . He embraced the literal darkness long ago. My body will never be his memory, burning bright in any sky, in any universe, anywhere…Ponder that. “ 


Valen , almost erased by his innate silence, whispered in a cold, flat , and utterly soul destroying tone “Business , Liam. Can my audience feel? Can my audience imagine? Can the dark corners of Ryan’s mind fathom , where I will hide the Vanderine? And what of that, a firework display , far brighter than any I could illustrate. One of his own creation. Listen carefully Ryan , oh listen with the senses you have left: I may have felt my heart drop just a fraction when I learned of your, misfortune but, I have tourism to attend to-you have both served me too kindly , and it’s not over yet. “ 

As Liam closed his eyes , the blow to his nostrils was more than he could bear. “Liam; your sinus cavities . Then , Ryan , I’ll sever your binds. As you have earned . Game well played , gentlemen. For keeping your darkest spaces wide open, just for me. “ Liam , feeling Valen caress his cheek, pausing his finger at his eyelid , he hummed without tone. “I suspect Ryan can see shadows on a wall .. after all . What is one thing , Liam , that a deaf man can hear, that a quadriplegic can feel, that a man without his tongue can taste .. what is something tangible , real , more set in this world than fear or any emotion that exists. Liam, can you be the thing he can see .. oh tell me? Or keep it inside. I find it flattering in the ..highest sense..that you would call my bluff in the night..”  
 Valen’s calm humming hung in the air . “ I will be back , when he proves his universal feelings , his love for my exhibition. Take a moment to embrace the tangibly of his senses. Valen was absent in a dying moment, as Liam heard Ryan’s distressed groan. “Ah , Ryan, the wall , in which shadows reflect themselves , it gleams with a rise so delicate. Your corneas, do they welcome my presence, can I touch the wall without your sweet hazel irises tracing my arrival. Liam’s heart collapsed against the velocity of its pulse , as Ryan’s shadow revolted, and his scream echoed chilling and with ambiguity. “Now , what of that, your games may lead you those corners. But, Well , he can see .. sweet Ry’ can see it all . Or can he ? Now that I touched upon his lying eyes , I may have done some damage on my out. How can one tell . I am the master of a drug operation, not a gauger of eyeballs. My caress is .. gentle . Subtle . A professional never resorts to gratuitous measures . Your insanity is too..precious. “ 

Ryan's voice , slated with grey, came in a hoarse whisper, but filled with clarity . "Liam... the sunlight.. when we found that bench.. got drunk, and you fell asleep in the park. What did I say to you-" Then the muffled screams followed as Valen secured Ryan's gag over his tongue. Liam lay with the echoes of Ryan's voice in his skull. 

It had been warm, yet pleasant , embalming them both in a magenta twilight. In the moments before Liam had succumbed to the inebriation in his veins , Ryan's hazel stare, were alight with flecks of tranquil silence, as he said "it’s the nights that are the longest, but dust always falls, it’s not quite red, it’s not purple, but it always returns . That’s thing I’ve notice about this damned place.  Even if they rip my eyes out, so I can’t even watch anymore, they’ll never rip out my actual heart  Li’. They’d never think it could matter. It’s the one organ they’ll never touch and it’s the only one a human truly needs to survive. Even if they choke me, burn me , there’s nothing those bastards will strip from the ‘ol ticker right?I’ll always have my humanity , they can try but-“Liam laughed as the sun bathed Ryan’s profile and he felt the warmth of the alcohol taking him under. “Is that a promise Ry’ . Are you getting all sentimental on me now. Hold me Ryan oh hold me-“ Ryan , slapping a firm hand against Liam’s shoulder replied “Ah shut the hell up and pass out “ Liam’s dimples punctured the crimson bleed of the light “Will do, brother” he said as he returned a solid arm to Ryan’s back. “But before I do I just want to make sure, you never forget what we have here. Whatever they take , this is untouchable .” 


Here’s a scene based on a prompt to put my character in a graveyard in the snow: “Liam’s hair, laden with splinters of ice and snow, stuck out from his low-slung cap. His words framed the brittle air as he spoke, the chill unrelenting, ‘I never meant to return here. I know I—I promised I’d never look back. That I’d keep living with you as some memory on the edge of glory, but the world is round, after all, right? I ended up back here anyway.’” He dug his stiffened hands into his jeans, his boot striking a rock as his own murmur haunted him. ‘Can’t stay long, but I still remember what real sunsets looked like, the way the colors just bled for miles. I hope you haven’t seen this magenta sky. I hope you never know it.’ His acuity, melting into the atmosphere, left him with no other thoughts. ‘You rest well, because I know that while I’m standing here talking to the silence, its better that hen facing it alone—’ He laughed in spite of his raw sense of sorrow and turned away from the plot, dusting his knuckles across the slot of cremated ashes in a lingering fist bump. ‘Again, sometime, brother.’ Falling leaves swirled in his mind as he was transported to an autumn gone. ‘But before I go, there’s something I know you’ve heard me singing in my sleep,’ he said in a low tone. ”I came here to leave it with you, along with something of yours I’ve been carrying around. Keeping you close, but—if I lost it, well, you know I couldn’t live with that.” An entire moment passed before Liam fumbled a thin, metal guitar fret from his pocket, a perfect fit between his index finger and thumb. He then unrolled a small piece of paper with a scrawled transcription and wrapped it around the fret. In a swift gesture, he drove it deep into a crack between two bricks in the wall. “The ninth fret was always the richest, no harmonies sounded as perfect without it.” Liam’s faint smile rested on the glimmer of the fret , visible in the crevice beside Mason’s ashes, along with his notes. “I… still… I. Just. You can’t imagine the things… or the times I’ve wanted to say. Mace could have played you that one while I ruined the lyrics. Still have the rest of your rosewood, too, with all of your fingerprints intact. Damned if I had known you’d find me where you did—or when, and yet I wasn’t there to—but hell, you’d never let me take it all on my own shoulders. And I won’t—for you. It’s never gonna be… all right, but—I’ll try to fill a void or two with your songs. You’ll never know this damn world but, its gonna be changed by what you left in me. You walked into the darkest corner of my life and you -”

Without raising his eyes from his fist, his memories hid between his fingers, slipping away as he flexed his palm. “I only hope you can’t see me now, with all this all this hell in my eyes, with the shadows. I still remember the light in yours, don’t you worry. 'Cause I keep my promises, and you’re still my oldest friend. First, and the last. Don’t you forget it. Just… don’t ever forget that.”

As Liam turned away, trudging along the icy path that wound through the cemetery, it could have been hours. Days. Months. Or just a few seconds. And it could have been anywhere. Grief only changed shape as he confronted the infused December sky, its witness the only one in sight.

As Liam slid down onto the curb, only a few miles from where he’d last seen Ethan, he glanced up at the approaching figure. “Hey, Lara, I haven’t seen Eth since… maybe three hours ago.” She dropped to his side, grasping his freezing hand in her own. “Liam, it’s cold out here; you’re like ice… wait, did you visit Mas—” Her eyes, filled with a silent understanding, flitted to his and back to his hand as she placed it in his lap. “We’ve both been looking for you, Ethan and I—but I’ll tell him you’re alright, okay?” Liam, his eyes reddened but dried out from the temperature, nodded. “Yeah, I-it’s… Well, you know how long it’s been,” he said, his gaze finding solace somewhere in Lara’s dark hair, averting her gaze. “Yeah, too long. Ethan was worried you’d freeze, so you’d better get back to civilization soon…” she said, offering a smile and a hand on his jacketed shoulder. “Thanks, you’ve both been feeding me way too long as it is—and I’m not the most stable guest.” She laughed as she let her hand slide from his shoulder. “Ethan could out-eat us all, so don’t worry about that. Just take care out here.” And as she walked away, he rested his head against the flesh of his palm, the solitude granting him a moment of clarity—one that he could never share. A melody in the corner of his mind, one that he could hum, roughly, in the back of his dry throat. “Yeah, Mason, you’re everywhere, and nowhere, buddy. How many years has it been and you’ll always be omnipresent. But at least I can live with that.”

—

Liam glared into the darkness, the dust in his eyes unforgiving. The melody sank in a haunting tune through the night. “Cause there’s a place deep inside of me where my dreams have a hold of me…and soon my soul will start to bleed…” Liam’s voice broke off as he raked a tremor through his hair. “I still miss him,” Liam said, uncertain if Ryan could hear his musings.

“Hey, Ry…how long have we been lying in this hell hole?” He asked, the silence torn by Ryan’s answer, “Too long. And yeah, I heard you saying something about ‘if you play Wonderwall, you’ll look like a total tool’ in your sleep, presumably to someone who could play music.”

Ryan smiled, but it never reached his eyes as he added, “He really was a brother to you, huh? And don’t lie because I’ll know…and then I’ll feel bad about giving ya this.” As Liam dismissed a tear at the corner of his eye, he reached over to where Ryan lay, holding a piece of paper.

“Music? You wrote music. What is this, Ry? You never told me you could—” Liam said, his eyes adjusting to the dark with a vulnerability that settled between them. Ryan, smiling with a broadness that reached his eyes, glanced at the paper with a nod. “Ah, I might have written down that song you insist on humming in your damned sleep. I knew it had some meaning, although I don’t know what…least I could do for you, Li’.”

As his irises shone with another sheen of tears, Liam said quietly, “Mason could have played this—while I ruined the lyrics.” Looking up from his boots, Ryan held a somber smile. “If I’d have known you way back then, I’m damned sure I’d have held you both to that.”

As Liam returned the nod, he folded the paper and tucked it into his duffel bag, magenta particles stirring in the air. “I know…He really was a huge chunk of my adolescence just…gone like…well, anyway, the music, when we get our hands on a guitar…”

Ryan shook his head, angling his jaw in his hand. “Nah, we’re in the middle of nowhere, and it’ll never happen. But you got me, brother.” Liam, smiling faintly, replied, “I know. We’ve seen so much that , well , does it make me an asshole for being happy that Mason died young, unaffected by the trauma that has screwed us up?. I mean he could’ve lived a different life from us -and maybe I’m wrong to hope he’s in a better -“ As Ryan leaned back against the filth-stained wall , his voice contemplated the environment . “It’s not wrong to want him to have a peace we may never find. It’s human. “ As Liam gazed back, conflict in his eyes as he said “Y’know , there’s something I had back home. And it’s likely I’ll never see it again, I was carrying a part of it with me for years , but just knowing I kept it safe…I chose to leave it with him and—”. Words eluded Liam in the darkness, as Ryan’s features , found by the moonlight, left him unable to deflect his gaze . “I feel as though, he wasn’t a friend-he wasn’t a comrade-he was a sibling, blood was all we didn’t share . And even then when he needed a transfusion… I was the first to roll up my damned sleeve. And I wasnt the Ab neg he was-“ In a hushed tone Ryan asked , “You think not being compatible was somehow a fault -but Li’ , have you heard-well yourself? He could play better than Van Halen I’m guessing’, and you could’ve ruined more than just his lyrics with those pipes . Don’t make me say it again.”

Liam fell silent, and Ryan flopped backwards onto his makeshift bed. “It’s alright Li’. Just get some sleep, and don’t—” It was almost automatic as Liam replied, “Yeah, yeah, don’t ‘thank you.’ I know, I’m welcome, huh? Yeah, goodnight, Ry.”

As Ryan’s muttering hit the wall, Liam’s mind sifted through the catalog of melodies Mason had played. And, amongst the static, a distinct composition of chords found their way back to him. “And if I fall beneath the cracks, if I find you in the darkness, brother, will you still have the heart to see? When I close my eyes and my memories start to fade, when the filter falls away, will you find the strength to stay?”

Drown

Maybe it amounted to nothing-after hours of rotting in the daylight , night had fallen over his helpless frame, bathing him in solitude. Maybe it could only ever be nothing, and he was nowhere, as a thousand stars danced across his vision. Blood pulsed in his throat , chasing the burn of rope that encircled his wrists . It was useless to seek solace amongst the dazzling constellation, his pupils shone with the terror of his demise.
His spine , bound against the metallic surface of the black Mustang , refused to elevate as restraints held it captive . In a thrash of despair , his pelvis rose upwards , only to be scorned with the grind of further entrapment . Victor’s helpless screams punctured the air , sending a reverberation to his core. “Please-help me -please-“

With the wheels of the car submerged under  water , the underpass flooding, his pulse was counting his moments away . Time pirouetted in tight circles, casting shadows that piqued over and over as he screamed. “Please-help me-“. Victor could almost taste the hollow voices that had taunted him , whispering his fate against his flesh.

He thrashed, despite the protest of his limbs , resisting the suffocation of his bindings. As the menace of frigid water encroached the edges of his mind , his demise was closing in.

And while the car’s wheels were against the ground, his captors had left him unable to escape as he lay infused with the car’s roof. Binds had been wound over his torso and hips, securing his fate atop the dormant shell of freedom and open roads . Victor had been fleeing his ill choice , until the day had taken a twist toward hell, with his beloved Mustang now on the floor of the highway’s underpass, and the ocean’s water set to flood the channel . Entering his peripheral vision , a now buoyant can of soda that had been embedded in the mud hours earlier sent a wave of nausea to the pit of his guts. Victor had resisted the implantation of the contraband , and as a consequence, he awaited the flowing seawater’s embrace. It had been a mistake to resist. To misinterpret an ultimatum for an option. Had he been too blind to see with the clarity his eyes did now , as they gazed in terror at the clear , taunting glow of the stars , his heartbeat striking against his shivers of revulsion . With his boots soaked in freezing saline and his clothing sodden with his autonomy; it was ending. His delusion of agency, of his earlier liberation as the steering wheel had laid under his hands, was running dry. It seemed the very essence of his humanity was seeping into the air as he closed his eyes. “Don’t worry Vic, someone will notice you’re gone , right?” , the voice had sneered against his neck. “Before we rope you to the roof of your vehicle, here , take the keys , so you can drive it on out of the middle of who knows where, you pathetic fool.” The flashback lingered on the edges of his psyche , as he flinched at the recollection. His eyes refocused on the sky, and he struggled to hold back another futile scream, his ears ringing from the sound of his own pleas. And as his tears bled into the void atmosphere, he convulsed in reactive horror, the sensation of his captor’s breath still travelling across his flesh, draining his insides. Twisting his head away from the rising soda can , another scream wrought itself from his chest, albeit his better instincts . “Help me-“ , his own voice echoed against the underpass , surrounding him. As he thrashed against his binds , throwing his head back against the roof of the drowning car, the frigid water bit at his flesh as it rushed over the gleaming surface of the Mustang’s roof.
The same one he had driven to the side of the highway earlier that day. Now with his hands placed on his chest, and clasped around its keys , his teeth clenched with the irony of control being buried in his own grip. “Those bastards -“ he muttered, his energy dying , the stars seeming closer yet further away as water lapped over the car’s bonnet. As his eyes slid closed , the silence mocked him. With its clinical , resounding illusion, rushing water creeping closer , he cursed. Poised to spit at how his existence was unheard in the lucidity, he heard the voices of drunken strangers . “Yeah Ryan, I don’t understand where this Hennessy came from but , damn I’ll take what I get.” Laughter followed , and the air was filled by the oncoming revelry. . “Nah , Liam, it was abandoned , which is why I’m thinking these roads aren’t so safe-who would leave a bottle of decent-“ Victor elicited another scream, his chest encompassed by the unyielding binds. “Please-Oh God-please-“

————- Ryan halted in his tracks, gripping Liam’s forearm and steering him toward the overpass , as the wrenching voice curdled through his eardrums. “Bloody hell, Li , I’m sobering up damn quick-“ he said, his voice skirting a whisper. Liam dropped the bottle , splinters of glass raining over the pavement , along with the remains of their alcohol .”Ah, shit. Well fun’s over Ry-but what the hell was that ?”. As Ryan surveyed the scene below ; a dark figure strapped strategically to the roof of a car , he identified the nylon ropes with a hint of distress occupying the rasp in his voice . “It seems like those bastards -namely Valen-are getting into more intricate tactics. I’m guessin’ the poor guy is no older than us, and he made the same mistake I did -“ Ryan stumbled back into Liam’s shoulder , his face consumed with pallor. “I think if that underpass could flood it’d take hours but- cutting through those damn ropes would take just as long- but I can tolerate the cold at least-“ Liam was already stripping his shirt as he nodded “Well, it’s not as if  we can keep walking now, and this place is only bearable after dark anyways-“ . Ryan levelled his gaze at Liam as e inspected a rock and other various debris in his hand as he crouched by the roadside. “Are you sure you’re alright to  -after , well…“ Liam, dropping to his knees beside Ryan, scooped up a handful of stones.”I’m -lost in  the middle of nowhere-I’ll deal with it-that poor guy has gotta be freezing-and if I’m honest, after finding Logan’s dog..this whole area is just a dumping ground right?” . A low whistle escaped Ryan’s teeth as he replied, “seems like the body count will only rise at this rate , but if he survives this, it kinda proves that while these bastards can try-we can’t even walk a mile without finding another victim, or the traces of one, and they will fail at this bust. “ As Liam hauled himself onto his feet he said, a strain in his words “It’s all get-out of hell or die trying right? , let’s get down there-“ Another of Victor’s screams ripped through Ryan’s core as he followed Liam down into the underpass and waded through the shallow water , his boots lending him traction . “Hey , buddy , it’s alright, we know Valen , you coukd say-“ Ryan called out as he reached the roof of the ruined Mustang, and his hazel eyes met Victor’s grey stare. “What’s your name , I’m Ryan, but just call me Ry’-he does-“ . As he gestured towards Liam , who was already hauling himself onto the trunk , offered up a lopsided grin. “Liam also survived a similar set up, he broke out of his own binds , then he severed mine. We’re gonna get you out of here. Looks like we’ve got a few hours to damn well try anyway-“ Victor’s eyes glassed over as he chuckled darkly, “In a body bag right-coz I’m gonna drown. That asshole knew the tide would flow in here eventually but he planned to kill me soft and slow and all that-“ Ryan reached over Victor’s body smoothing a finger along the trademark nylon texture of the rope binding his wrists. “Good thing I’ve done this before , huh? “ Victor , waggling a thumb, introduced himself , “Victor, I’d shake your hand but-I’m trying not to jump out if my skin here.” Ryan inspected the proximity of the rope against Victor’s flesh, cursing at his failure . “Damnit, I can’t even slip a finger underneath-“ . An ease , amalgamated with caution, laced Liam’s response as he dug a stone from his pocket. “Well there’s enough assorted debris around here , a damn sight more than what we had at our disposal, I’d imagine these rocks will erode the nylon without cutting his ribcage when when get down close-“ Ryan , elevating himself onto the roof of the car, knelt beside Victor’s head, and held his concern on Victor’s terrified gaze. “Not that we wont use broken glass if we have to, as long as it ain’t fatal, it’s a variable I’ll deal with, but buddy , I need you to work on slowing the breathing down ‘cause those binds ‘round your chest seem tight. You’re gonna need those ribs for drinking when we get some booze onto you later , huh?” . As the levity quelled Victor’s panic breaths, the shallow reach of his breaths encompassing depth, he laughed. “Well, if you two escaped Va-that bastard-I’d be buying you the drinks. I won’t go into specifics but, I may have committed a serious crime if it weren’t for my stubborn resistance-and now, here I am.” Ryan’s hazel aspect shone with flecks of illumination as he said “you never actually had a choice , so don’t beat yourself into insanity-none of us ever had a choice. Liam can tell you for himself . It was an ultimatum, say no ..you get this ..say yes , well…” Liam interjected, his blue irises averted into the distance ,”You wind up in the centre of a different hell. But either way, it felt like agency but-define that. I nearly died.” Victor lifted his head to confront Liam’s expression . “And I’d take your own advice there. You look like hell talkin’-“ . Ryan , angling a stone with meticulous precision, exhaled another low whistle through his teeth. “I’ve been telling him that myself . But that’s Li’” . As Ryan tackled the fibres of rope , with hours of the same repetitive motion staring him in the face he watched Victor in his peripheral vision , noticing the steadying of his respiration. “I gotta admit , I’d be out of my skin by now if I had ropes hugging me-I’ll give you kudos for that-“ Victor shifted under the hold of his confinement, his eyes weathered and betraying his composure. “This isn’t the hardest part. It’s -well , I believed I’d escaped , I was driving her, and then-well , I had so much nothing .. I was lost , my face is probably on flyers back home -and here I was picturing my face staring back through a plastic sleeve when they find my drivers licence at the bottom of -“ Liam finally opted for a razor edged stone, one that sat in his palm with a smoothness and lent the binds around Victors chest a glance. “Well you better keep that breathing steady for me , I can’t stall this any longer. It’s gonna hurt but it beats the alternative . I suppose when you think about the realties of being captive , you start dissecting the disturbing shit , but right now we need you clear minded .” Liam’s subsequent smile was laced with a sober empathy, as he slithered the sharp edge of the rock into the thick tethers , the motion grinding Victor’s chest. “Damn, yeah that hurts but, somehow I don’t half mind it-“ . Ryan was quick to slap a hand down over Victors forearm, “that’s the spirit , cause this ain’t exactly easy-but hey we have nowhere else to be. And you’re more that a mugshot under plastic. I’m gonna see to that.”  As Ryan worked on the rope , his fingertips abrading and his sweat intermingling with blood , the cool air skimmed across the rising water . “Hey Liam, at what rate do you figure that’s rising? I’m guessin’ we’ve been at this half an hour , and it’s only just submerged the bottom rim of the passenger door. It’s not rapid , but then , neither are we-my fingers are-“ Liam nodded , shaking his fingers and running a hand over his bruised eye sockets, wincing. “Yeah, we have time , but we need it. I’m struggling not to pass out. “ Liam’s earlier brush with the concrete caused his temples ache with exertion, his expression exposing his effort. “But I can do this for as long I have to-“ he muttered, more to himself as his voice trailed into an internalised musing. Victor rolled his head to the side with unease , “if this goes south, I -well-please don’t leave me when-y’know-“ . Ryan’s voice , filled with metallic resolve , stated calmly as he said “It doesn’t matter what they made you believe you deserve, to lose your dignity is not one of those things. I told him, and I’ll tell you . Ain’t nobody getting left behind, now let ol’ Ry severe this damn bind-it’s getting weaker.” He grunted,  his muscles gleaming against the moonlight as he edged on Victors wrists, applying a mixture of calculated pressure and measured dexterity. Controlling his own strength left his fingers trembling as the binds neared their limits. And then , with a satisfying snap, the rope sprung from Victor’s skin and Ryan uncoiled the rope , freeing Victor’s arms . Liam ceased his rhythmic efforts on Victor’s torso as he gazed up, his crooked grin beaming in the moonlight. “Hell yeah , Ry, he’s able bodied from the waist up”. Victor was quick to raise his cramped hands to his face, running his palms over his bloodshot eyes. The jangle of his keys hitting his sternum cut through the air, and he clutched at them, his knuckles shaking. “Thanks-I-“ he whispered, and Ryan grabbed his free hand. “It was nothing, that I wouldn’t do for ya Victor . Now lie back down , conserve the energy for thanking Liam, he’s burning himself out like a candle with no wick” . A laugh replied , as Liam’s arms shook with the smattering of his amusement ringing through the air. “Ah Ryan, deflecting gratitude , has its downsides, because I’m basting in it because I’m too exhausted to resist sweet nothings , you’ll be down here finishing this off-“  Ryan’s warm smile , not leaving his worn features , faded as he noticed the keys wedged between Victor’s fingers. “Damn, I’m sorry -“ Victor diverted his irises in the darkness, laying his head back down and dropping the keys into the water below . “It’s not as if I’d drive her again after-“ . A silence consumed them , its thickness distilled only by Liam’s hacking at the thick rope in his grasp. The splash caught Ryan’s broader attention, as he noticed the water was lapping at the handles of the car doors. “Its halfway to the roof Li’ , tell me you’re halfway through those damn things -“ As Victor writhed under the subtle movements against his chest, Liam mouth to Ryan , his fingers covered in blood “I’m not even half-way-“ . It was a sinking pull, gnawing at Ryan’s instincts , as he leaned forward and grasped Victors hand. “Try to keep still , I know it’s gotta hurt like hell but, the sting of cold water on a laceration-I admit I have some medical training, nothin a first aid course couldn’t take care of but, I don’t want you suffering more than you have to-“ . His voice slaved Victirs raging nerves , the short circuiting of his scattered thoughts coming together .” You guys are both-I’m just , so glad you found me-“ Ryan ran his tongue his teeth, as he gestured toward Liam, “Well , this guy here , I was trying to get us both a bit of relief from the trauma we escaped ourselves two days ago.  We found a pair of boots further up the street. And a malnourished dog. The boots were sock-less , straight and perfect. And the dogs tag -had a phone number . I called it and Logan grey’s recorded voice answered me. We’re gonna find him, most likely alive and tortured in the usual way. Finding you was no accident , Vic, we’re just lucky to have found you alive -“ As the moon hit Liam’s profile , he turned his face away and rasped a quiet string of words. “The way his boots were , like some sick calling card. Nauseates me. And I don’t have to explain why I have a weak stomach after what they-I mean I said yes after all.” As Victor nodded with a grave expression he replied. “It’s alright. I know the alternative and I couldn’t bear it. Why did you?” Liam directed his blue stare at Ryan, answering without a beat. “Thought if ai said yes I’d spare him. But we’ll, I’m not so sure that what he had to watch was any better-“ . As Liam’s breaths grew laboured he threw a glance to the rising water , now covering the car’s windows. “Not to alarm ya both-but I’m just halfway on this rope now . . Ryan you’d better get down here and help me. “I should , but/Ive gotta stay close to his neck because if the air irritates his airways he’s spasm right into your rock, and secondly, if the water gets to high , he’ll need mental preparation-“ Liam’s face drained of colour, and he nestled the heel of his palm against his temple. “oh God Ry’ , I can’t -maybe I’m too raw for this after all-“ Ryan leaned in closer to Liam, muttering close to his ear “It’s not gonna be easy for him to hold his breath , but I have to get him through if he goes -“ . Victor, clenching his jaw as he felt the lap of water just below his head stared straight upward . “It’s getting higher, it will spill onto the roof soon and then” Ryan held Victors sternum in place as he felt him start to spasm into a cough. “Easy buddy , I really need you to focus on the breathing for me ok. I’m gonna help you practice holding your breath , and controlling those spasms when and if they happen. It might all go out the window in the moment but we can work on it over the next few hours..” Victor twisted his head towards Ryan, fear lacing his voice as it cracked in the cold air. “Oh god-this is really-“ . Ryan , quick to disperse his own concern into the atmosphere gave a steady reply .” Not if we can help it. it’s more of a worst case scenario, because you’re gonna pull the hell through this . And you won’t be be alone. I’m right here to help you stay warm alright” Ryan said as he dragged Victors head into his lap, the friction of his jeans heating up the cool skin on  Victor’s throat. “The air is gonna get abrasive as all hell but we can do what we can to keep you breathing strong and even. Now , tell me Victor , do you have a dog? “ Victor shook his head against Ryan’s thighs, incredulous at the question . “What on earth does that matter , although hes probably peed on every damn surface he can find , and my neighbors will have broken my front windows to get him out,  feed him-ah shit the poor thing won’t know what he did to deserve total abandonment-“ Ryan maintained his hold over Ryan’s sternum as he responded with an insightful tone. “You realise that, now that you have two people , and an animal , that even if you put one foot in the grave , we own your other damn leg-“ a wry grin twisted Victors lips “Yeah, I’m beginning to realise that. Oh shit , this hurts though. The air , the binds , It’s been hours-“ Ryan, not shying away from Victors faltering resolve , wound his fingers through Victirs , “if you do convulse I’ve got you. At least , while being cold out here, it’s not hypothermic or anything. Your have decent color in that mug. But holding water in your mouth while you fight your own urge to inhale won’t be easy. And I won’t sugarcoat this. All I can do is let you feel that I’m here , and you’ll feel Liam, don’t worry about that. Remember , you got three lives counting on you to stay strong.” Victor cracked his darkest smile yet , “but the likelihood of me lasting long underwater is as slim as finding any actual booze to drink if I were to live-“ . Liam interjected , his through hoarse from the lack of use -“actually me and Ry-found Henny earlier. So at this stage I’ll bet on you living-“ as Liam’s comment elicited a chuckle from Victors throat he lamented as he said”Well , it’s true, I owe you both my hands , just to have some autonomy as I go under is-and I owe it to you both to fight , even as my lungs are filling up with -oh-g-“ . Victors eyes, widening with the realism of the impending fate, albeit interwoven with a newfound empathy and humanity, slapped him cold. “I-I’m not gonna live through this-“ Ryan fought to contain his instinct to flinch, countering as he said “Well Victor if we lost you , you know that, you’d die a fucking hero- also , not under my watch. I won’t let Liam check out so easy and the same goes for you. You’d better stay with me and that’s a threat. “ a smirk stole Victors panicked demeanour as he grinned “or what? You’ll kill me?.”  “Ah shut up-“Ryan smirked , jest in his voice before returning to his metal tone. “Block off your nose and give it some run throughs of holding your breath  . It’s not some skill to be mastered but you’ll have the subconscious knowledge that you can do it . Maybe that’ll help. We can focus just holding it longer and longer. Or will we just let you do what you gotta if this goes -“ Victor held a look of resilience in his eyes as he nodded . “No , I should practice being’ calm , embracing my demise is not gonna happen anyhow but I’ll do anything to fight it. I mean, I’ll probably inhale a lungful of water as soon as I go under but I’ll do my best” Ryan held Victors collarbones as Victor ran through holding his breath, lasting a full minute before gasping . “That’s one minute you’ve bought yourself” Victor stared with dread into the distance. “Is that really long enough. One lousy minute.” Liam piped up “if I’m still hacking away by then, yeah every minute will count. I’m over halfway through -“ 


Ah Ryan, you’re a good-lookin’ bastard , from the collarbone up, that is. But for a rude shock , all a woman needs to do is—” . Ryan snatched up a fistful of fries, tossing one into his mouth and assailing another at Liam’s unkempt hair. “You just drink the alcohol I shouted you, alright.” Liam’s smirk enlivened his features with electricity as the grease-laden fry embedded itself in his gritty strands. Midnight had come and went and the bruises under Liam’s eyes collected the darkness of the bar, Ryan’s fatigue glowering in his eyes as he yawned.

“Oh, I’ll enjoy every drop, but seriously, the blonde at three o’clock …has her eyes all over you. You’re already naked at this point, in her head anyway.” As Ryan’s head turned with wry inquisition , Liam emptied his glass, swilling the final mouthful as amusement danced across his unshaven face.

Ryan cursed under his breath, winking into the sea of bodies and forgetting Liam’s existence as he rose from his stool. “Finish my Hennessy Li’…” he trailed off as he disappeared under the dim filter of light, abandoning the counter with distraction.

“Yeah, you won’t be back,” Liam muttered, tracing the rim of his glass in a dwindling circle as Ryan’s voice faded under the din of chatter and a vague Red Hot Chili Pepper song. As traces of cigarette smoke filtered through the air, perspiration and the fatigue of two am weighed on his posture as he countered, “And I’ll just be finishing this…” Then, as his hand gravitated towards the abandoned Hennessy, the tepid feel of the glass caused him to reconsider. As he found himself staring at the basket of remaining bar fries, his stomach churned with revulsion.
His eye sockets ached with the impact of his earlier scuffle, and the fleeting solitude left him recounting his brush with the concrete. “Well here’s to drinkin’ alone” , he muttered to no one in particular, the dank atmosphere receiving his one-sided toast .
“What do we have over here, a sight for sore eyes , busy talking to himself?” As the smoke infused lilt of a female voice wove through his moment of introspection, her eyes caught him off guard and he paused. “I was not talking to myself,” he replied with a weary grin. “It seems I was talking to you too-”

Her green irises held his gaze with a hint of unmatched humour as she claimed the space Ryan had abandoned, swinging around on his vacant stool . “And he thinks he’s funny, huh?” Liam’s broad grin, lopsided and drunken, propped up a dimple on his right cheek as he asked, “Well, he made you laugh, I suppose that’s something goin’ in my favour?”

She was already reaching out and rearranging his grime-infused hair as her laughter interspersed the closing space between them. Her weathered jacket, a khaki, vintage leather, contrasted against the counter’s dulled wooden surface. “Yeah, maybe he got a laugh , but can he talk me out of leaving here with my friends…he has twenty seconds starting from now”. As her finger grazed his earlobe , he raised an eyebrow, taking on a lesser challenge than his night had endured. “Oh, twenty seconds huh? Gimme ten. My friend up and left his drink, and now, you’re gonna let me finish it ? I’ll end up rotten ya know…” She smirked as she finished her toying with his light strands , and roughed his hairline as he leaned forward , resting his chin on his elbow. “You look like you haven’t slept in a week, and I know the feeling to be honest “ she said with a casualty in her voice, ensnaring a fry from the basket and helping herself to a sodium hit.

As she engaged with his bloodshot eyes, her own gaze shone with flecks of amber, hidden amongst a distinct green hue. “So you’re telling me you haven’t slept , I’d say you don’t look half bad for it. Here I am looking like shit on toast-and hell, maybe I haven’t slept either,” he admitted, his fingers tracing circles on the counter between them.

She offered a smile laced with jest, the fatigue in her own eyes betraying her tease of his time running away. “Well, you had more than twenty seconds, but the question is, will I stay?”

As her dark hair cascaded over her shoulders in loose ringlets , she turned away, and Liam asked, only half joking, “Oh, I failed huh? There may just be a dark corner over there, where you could tell me your name…” Her eyes, flickering with a challenge, confronted him as she smoothed her palm over the collar of his Henley. “If I drag you over there, how long could you stay awake, soldier?”

She gestured towards his fatigues, the dust imbued in the fibers, as he managed a grin. “We could always fall asleep together…”

She broke into a smile, her laughter intoxicating as she twisted around to face him. “So you are in the force? You’re deployed?” His eyes held on hers as he shook his head, reaching for a dilapidated fry and rotating it between his knuckles. “No, but I did spend a hell of a time in the middle of nowhere-but what I want to know is, why haven’t you slept huh?”

Her softened gaze almost answered for her as she leaned in on one elbow. “I was - in fact you know what- let’s just start with the basics. I’m Emma.”

As he absorbed her striking features, his own name, already off his tongue, struck him whilst his facade maintained its forefront. “Liam. Not deployed , but hey I’ll take it. Beats the alternative at this stage. “ Her smile was gentle as she tucked a strand of hair from her vision . “The alternative huh -a stint in the middle of nowhere , sounds intriguing to me .” He averted his gaze, caught off guard yet again by her raw nonchalance. “So, you’re still here huh? And I bet you’re thinking, how the hell did get this-’ he asked , gesturing to the indentations above his cheekbones, still screaming with pain , the dark circles prominent . “Well, you were probably rough-housing , acting dumb-“ she said, amused yet unfazed. He only offered a smirk, before shaking his head and eyeing the basket of fries with reconsideration. “Damn it’s been a hell of a night. Rough-housing, that sounds a lot better than what happened-good thing I can handle myself I spose’ “ . After almost succumbing to a fry despite his churning stomach, he noticed her smoky, metallic scent, its overtones of embers and warmth infiltrating his lungs. He missed a breath, savouring its contrast to the sweat and alcohol clinging to his flesh. “I might have lost my drivers license , lucky I didn’t have a wallet to fleece, kept my credit card in my other pocket thank God for that- But I’ll live-let’s talk about you” he said, as his wits drowned in the encroaching lull of her presence, as her fingers hovered near his hairline in concern. “Yeah, still I’m sorry you’ve had a rough night. “ She traced a finger through his hair, the pain easing under her cool skin as his resolve finally broke and he picked up a fry, snagging it in his teeth. “Thanks, but I’ve had worse nights-the company ain’t half bad. “ he said, ingesting the food and reaching for a napkin . As Emma grazed her hand against his , gathering a few more of the limp fries into her hand , as she moved her other hand toward his eyebrow. “As for me, well, I guess it’s been awhile since I’ve set foot in a place like this , and I haven’t been home in even longer. But I don’t want to bore you with the details. There’s too many , and you look as though you’ve lived through a fair amount of details already . I’m surprised that blow to your right eye didn’t clear you out cold .” The memory , causing him to flinch and chuckle at the same time had him musing in silence. “Well , that was before I sank a few. And I don’t wanna press ya for details , green eyes, tonight can be for tonight huh? “ as her finger roamed across the scar in his brow, she smiled , “Sure, tonight is just for us-So tell me, how did we get this ? You’re gonna play it off but, it looks like it was painful-hasn’t even faded” . With a shrug, his tone lost the encompassing energy that had laced it and he answered in one breath. “That scar , I wasn’t conscious when they-. “ As if expecting the deflection but not retreating, she asked , as her finger remained in the etched line , rough with stitches . “So what’s the story ? Just an honest truth…for tonight…I’m still here right? So hit me” . He offered a crooked smirk, and replied “ah cmon now , I would never hit a woman with …this ugly incident. Ryan was unfortunate enough to have had to play surgeon on that . Hell of a wound but, he don’t flinch easy. And yeah that was only a few months ago.” As his eyes darkened , she reached forward and buttoned his crooked Henley, and then unbuttoned it again, as he gazed into his lap. “Yeah , it was a long month, and I feel like if you don’t leave, I might tell you things you don’t wanna hear. Talking to you is too easy -“ His eyelids sank with inebriation and fatigue as his ran a hand over his face, groaning at the touch of his own skin. “But on the other hand , I might just pass out if you keep talking with that voice of yours-“ Emma laughed as she reached for the last fry, absentminded in doing so, and sighed as she admitted “It’s a weapon, right? But I wouldn’t dream of having you all messy and ass-down on a greasy counter at four am. I assume Ryan is that dark haired stranger whose stool I claimed? I can hear him from over here.” Ryan’s laugh rang through the air as he strode toward the exit, leading an unfamiliar woman through the crowd behind him. “Ah that’s the guy, sometimes the back of him is a nice view because it means I can think”, Liam smirked , tilting his eyes under the fluorescent light. “Oh , think about what? “ she asked , catching his gaze with inquisition. “Well, I’ve long overstepped my twenty seconds and I still don’t know a thing about you. And I’ve got all night. “ With her chin propped between both elbows , the dim light flickered across her cheeks, and she eyed the empty basket . “How about I shout us some fries , and I’ll tell you about my dog , zeppelin, I left him to be on the road and I bet he’s peed on every carpet by now…” . Liam , rearranging his own hair as he followed the lilt of her voice into a micro sleep, and woke to her holding him upright. “Hey , he’s slipping away , am I that boring I suppose” she said, but still laughing . “Oh God I’m sorry -“ he said, the rusted shadow of his unshaven jaw masking his drawn appearance. “Ah , it’s your fault anyway , I told ya that voice is -well anyway, you’d better get home to your dog, maybe not yet but , y’know… before the poor ol’ boy has to move in with the neighbours. ” All she said was a resolute “Yeah. “ And silence fell between them.
——//// As an hour elapsed , the fresh heat of the fries deteriorated into cold remains . Several rounds of drinks slaved their nerves as Liam spun his credit card under his thumb. “Those bastards had me in both eyes, and they were this close to my temporal-y’know -thing up here somewhere” He stabbed , albeit messily, at his forehead, and swung his arm back down on the counter. “Looks like we’re shutting this place down …” she noted, as her own awareness grew hazy. “I guess, you’ve earned this , soldier “ As she nodded toward his pocket, sliding a napkin with traces of matte orange lipstick and a scrawled number into his hand, she pulled her jacket tightly around her frame. Then as he accepted the stained remnant of their night into his fatigues , he dodged the yellow lights and their spasmodic flickering . “I want to tell you… the reason you might not-“ . Liam’s hand hesitated as he continued , almost drawling with the alcohol catching up to his accent. “You ain’t gonna hear from me again because…that operation that went south, it was illegal , and I wasn’t there because I wanted to be-“ Her face, draining of its warmth, mirrored her paling eyes. “Tell me, you weren’t jumped earlier, when your listener was beaten out of you, it was more than that?”. His gaze trailed back to his lap as he cursed out of ear shot. “I was nearly dragged back to that middle of nowhere-nearly pissed myself right there in the street and well, Ryan’s shout of drinks was as much for himself as it was for me. I know I have more history than anyone else here, and you should probably be-“ . There was a long silence, his eyes disengaged from hers as she finally found words. “That’s true, that I shouldn’t be sitting here wasting my time with you-but you have a few things that come with the dark past, that I happen to notice. Half of these guys dont have the depth …” He laughed , more to himself , his voice hollow. “They don’t have the guts , but then , what makes me so special , I’m a mess but-“ She smiled , and answered with a deft swipe at his hair . “Oh deal with it, I can see through it y’know, you’ve already lost the argument before you started.” He stared at his lap , incredulous, as he drained his glass and said, flatly. “No , I’m outright telling you, I’m a ghost.” As Emma’s rose from her stool she said a few words he had to strain to hear. “But, soldier , you’re not dead.”

As Emma disappeared into the sparse bodies , the bar lights flickering out around him, Liam dragged himself from his stool . “Maybe not yet… “ he said, swiping his card from the counter and staring at his reflection in the plastic. In a few hours he was back on the floor , lying being a stained green sofa in a pay by night hostel. “So Ryan , what happened to “three o’clock last night?” Liam teased from his makeshift bed on the stained carpet of the hostel floor. Ryan’s gruff and strained reply wafted through the morning rays,”Long gone, my friend. But I can’t say it wasn’t what I expected…might have been ever better …” Liam’s silence drifted through his response, “yeah I had an interesting night myself , though you know that already I suppose.” Ryan, rising from the dank sofa , upheaving crumbs and lint, ran a hand through his disheveled hair. “She was your type , and hell, you would never have noticed her honing in on you , I was forced to intervene-“Liam only scoffed at the notion as it fell away into the grim monotony of the hostels decor. “Well she’s long gone too, it might have given me a taste of what I can never-“ Ryan’s sigh was filled with fatigue. “Yeah. Another day, maybe in an alternate reality…”

Ryan hauled his torso through the splinters of glass, blood saturating his shirt as he crawled on his elbows, his bound legs dragging behind. Finally , as his ankle was freed by the sharp jag of a split window pane beneath him , he kicked away the rope from his feet. As he scanned the horizon, his eyes raw and throbbing with his pulse , the distinct sound haunted him. It rained through the air from a thousand directions , its distress weaving through his clenching jaw. Willing the noise to anchor itself , he grabbed at his searing temple , its faint persistence causing his head to ache. An unrelenting glare marred his vision, striking his eyes with scintillating hues of green and white as he rested his gaze behind his hand. “Liam, I can’t see , I don’t know how long we’ve been out here or why I can’t pinpoint the crying-“ . .Then , as the deep magenta particles cleared, his heartbeat screamed to a halt. As his eyes froze on the distant figure, her outline framed with the fading daylight, his disgust burned across his tongue as cursed into his forearm . “Liam … I thought I’d seen my share of hell but …those bastards don’t-the things I’m guessing’ she’s seen-“ Liam , catching up to Ryan in the haze of desolation, ran a hand over his eyes , his weathered stare haunted as she stood crying into blackened hands. “God , I don’t know what I expected , but she can’t be older than say, five? Assuming she had parents , the father , A, Dead, or B, pleading for the status through his teeth. And the mother-I can’t even visit that twisted scenario-And in front of her- is there nothing those bastards won’t pervert- ” he said, the anger seeping through his teeth as his curse trailed into the heat of the arid air. “We need to move fast, if she moves-“ Liam said, his hand finding its way to his nape as he balanced his stiffened neck, unable to find a space uncovered by shattered windows to rest his chin. Ryan braced a hand over Liam’s chest, as he said “It’s ok Li’ … I’ve got this.” As her face emerged from the heavy clouds of dust, Ryan pulled himself to feet and approached her , his bloodied elbows behind his back as he winced in the dusk, as her crying ceased and she lifted her eyes. “ Hey, where’s your mom and dad , huh? “ Ryan asked, the girl’s tiny amber irises , with her large pupils -loaded with trauma , gazed into his… “I -I don’t know. I miss them. But why did they-why-why they m-make Daddy take off his shoes . He-says you-get-cut without your shoes. And then they told him to s-say Good-by-goodbye? “ Ryan dropped to his knees , her face peering up into his unwavering gaze as he said evenly . “We’re gonna find him , ok, but you’ll be safe with me and uncle Liam for now. What’s your name ? You can call me Ry’” Clutching the remains of a stuffed bear, albeit its left eye handing by a thread , she offered a stammered reply “I-m I’m Lily” . She then brandished four fingers in Ryan’s smiling face as she announced , “ I’m four years old…how old are you?” . Liam’s laugh came from somewhere behind Ryan’s head as he answered her. “He’s a big number , hold up both hands Ry, “ Ryan’s smile broadened for the first time in days as he laughed , offering his hand to the child as she entrusted her hand to his grasp. “Uncle Ry’ is -ah it doesn’t matter. You’re gorgeous ain’t ya?” She blushed with a crystalline laugh, as her eyes darted and she wound her shoe into the dust. “That’s what Daddy always says-but he told not to move no matter what-“ she said, her eyes glistening with tears. “But I don’t know why Daddy is gone , to the -um -other heaven?” The magenta skies bled behind her fragile silhouette , as Liam bent down beside her. “We think we know-about this other heaven , and we are gonna find mommy too huh?” Her face lit up , the pink hues melting into her glassy stare as she said “Yeah, I wanna see mommy , too .” Liam , smiling despite the uncertain twist of agony in his chest, gestured towards the dilapidated toy in her hand. “Who’s this , huh, I bet he’s pretty special? We have to make sure that no matter what, we don’t lose him. “ As he winked , she held up the dust infested bear as it were an earned prize . “He’s Sam, he’s smaller now… but I still love him .” Liam leaned behind Ryan’s head as he said, in a low tone. “Are you thinking what I’m thinking?” . As Liam’s eyes landed on a pair of boots , placed eerily close together , perfect and stripped of their laces , Ryan’s gaze followed. “Yeah Li’ , I’m guessin’ those are the father’s . It’s a calling card if I ever saw it. I don’t know what she means by this other heaven but, yeah I’m not liking anything about this picture…“ The sky echoed the sentiment of despair infused with a faint hope as Lily’s hand fluted Ryan’s thumb and forefinger with a shaking inquisition. “Uncle Ry-I-I-I don’t know where I am….i got left behind … it’s cause I let go of mommy’s hand . I’m -I’m sorry-“ Liam , deftly grasping her wrist , pulled her into the crux of his elbow. “No , Lily, it’s not you fault. You keep Sam safe , so he’s lucky you were hanging on tight to him huh?” The light flew back to her eyes as she nodded. “Yeah-but Uncle…um” she said , already disoriented by the encounter., and the dust streaked faces of two men kneeling in the remains of suburbia. “You can call me Uncle Li’- you’ve made two new friends today huh? How about that?”Her eyes faltered a moment, then she gazed directly into Liam’s blue stare, as she lowered her voice to a whisper . “Uncle Li” , don’t tell anybody , but I have a secret. I -it’s -um-“ She leaned closer, whispering into Liam’s ear as she said “I found this and I wanted to give it to Daddy but-it’s the same color as your eyes”. As she produced a wilted morning glory from her pocket , she perched it on Liam’s grease laden hair, behind his earlobe. “Oh , you’re too -“ he said , the gesture unbalancing his compose as he encircled his arm around her waist . “I bet you’re tired huh, if you can’t walk , do you think you can fit up here?” Liam, patting his shoulders , watched as she nodded , dust falling in her light hair. Hoisting her up , her knees falling either side of his jaw , he guided her hands to his hair. “Hold on tight , I got you. And up we go”. Liam rose to his feet , with the aid of Ryan’s firm grip hauling him off the ground. Lily was quick to reach out Ryan’s hand, grabbing his pinky and swaying it back and forth as he walked alongside Liam. “You’re so high up there , is the sky pretty? “He asked, as their footsteps fell in line with the jagged lashings of debris. Through a yawn she said, “yeah, it’s red, I like it…but I’m so tired…I can’t sleep till mommy and daddy-umm -I’m scared now …” Her fingers twisted against Liam’s scalp and her chest shook with oncoming tears. He quickly halted , assuring her she could sleep. “You can take a nap up there , we will keep walking so even while you sleep we’ll be getting closer to your parents, it’s gonna be ok-“ . Ryan , reaching up to stroke her hair said quietly “when you wake up we’ll still be here , because that’s what uncles are for right? And you are stuck with two of us so you’re double safe …but you’d better hug Sam tight so he doesn’t fall huh?” . Lily stuffed the bear down her oversized shirt, and rested her chin in Liam’s unkept bed of hair. “He’s safe now…” she said , her voice travelling over Liam’s head as her eyes slid closed. Ryan glanced out at the horizon, the sun slipping lower, and he nudged Liam. “I’m guessin’ that it’s been about two miles , and we still don’t have an iota of a clue where to start lookin’ , and you know the pattern up to this point has been , traffic with the men…torture and kill the women for pure sadistic pleasure. Maybe he even trafficked a few of them two… but I don’t know how we tell this kid she might not see either of her folks again-” . As his expression flickered with worry and a foreboding guilt, Liam sighed , pulling the small of Lily’s back closer to his neck, her stomach flush against his skin. “I don’t think we do- I think she’s gonna put two and two together -kids just know this shit right? And we might have to ask ourselves something worse, for instance, how do we deal with her total sense of abandonment, the survivors guilt, she’s us in a smaller , vulnerable body-” . Ryan slowed his gait, the wear in his voice as he said “Well, not in the sense that she can understand it. We might find them alive yet, and I suspect that the boots mean they want us to find these people. Lily herself is a calling card. I know better than to assume they were disposed of so fast.” Liam’s eyes were dark with the notion , as the concrete pavement wound its way into an unpromising nowhere. As the night carried a soothing breeze , taking the searing edge from the heat out of the arid air, Lily began to stir. “Daddy-it’s cold-I don’t wanna sleep yet, I wanna play with Kai-no, I -“ . Her shoes kicked against Liam’s collarbones as her fists coiled in his strands of textured hair. “Daddy? “ Her voice was met by the silence of Ryan’s downcast stare as he placed a palm against the back of Lily’s head. “You remember me? Uncle Ry’ . We found you and Sam, because you got lost , yeah? But you’re safe now-“ he said, her hair gritty against his skin. Liam , adjusting his neck as she twisted around in his hands yawning , loosened his protective grip. As Lily registered the flower behind his ear, she plucked it out with sleep in her voice. “Oh , I gave this to you, Uncle Li’ , I’m gonna pick another one for Daddy coz his eyes are …orange -like mine-“ Ryan , as he smiled at her profile muttered to himself , noting the detail of her fathers appearance. “Hazel eyes…y’know, this doesn’t sit right with me because, that mechanism I had when I was seven or eight, where my bladder would drop and-The worst fear I had wasn’t crying , it was having to sit in my own urine while it went cold . That was degradation. “ Ryan said, as Liam manoeuvred himself over a crack in the pavement, missing the point in his concentration on the labyrinth of annihilation. “Where you going with this Ry’? “
As Ryan wrapped his index finger around Lily’s neck as she leaned in his hand, her eyes sliding closed again , he gazed out into the horizon. “What Im saying is , the things we can control, that we don’t even consider, like pissin’ ourselves, when you’re her age , they are your worst enemy, they give you away. And when we figure out what she’s afraid to do in front of us and does it anyway, that’s when all hell will -“ Liam’s jaw, its bite realigning, bore the realisation as he removed the flower from behind his ear . As he twisted it in his fingers he said , “Yeah, but that’s not what scares me, somehow it’s giving me this, thinking she’ll see another flower out here , kids got some immense disappointment coming and I’m still processing my own -“ . Ryan muttered a few words out of ear shot, his faded voice lost in the impending nightfall. “Well , I hate to say Liam , but we’re still no closer to finding this guy. I’m sure he would’ve been around our age-and in reasonable psychical condition, and I can’t sleep thinking about how close he is likely to be, but we gotta give Lily a proper eight hours sleep. If she’s tired , that will exacerbate our problem real quick . “ With a groan , Liam came to a stop and eased Lily down from his shoulders , and collapsed onto the concrete footpath beside her as she awoke from a micro -slumber. “I -I -Uncle Liam? I remembered you. And Uncle Ry’ . She said , , pride in her eyes and recognition in her smile. “You didn’t leave me? I fell asleep… I’m sorry…” As Liam seated her on his thigh , and Ryan clamoured down beside them, he slid the morning glory into her hair . “We told you that’s what Uncles are for right ? And you have to let Sam get some rest huh? We’ve been walking so long it’s dark now-“ Ryan was already coercing some flattened jerky from his pocket as he said “are you hungry , Lily , it’s salty but it will help your body keep the water in so you don’t get thirsty. But I need you to drink some water for me okay? “ . Liam slid his duffel bag off his shoulder and uncapped a metal flask , “well not zero hydration, I forgot about this - here ya go , drink up now and you’ll feel better. All that crying you did earlier means you must be thirsty huh?” . bewildered , she grasped the only water she’d consumed that day, drinking without question. “Thanks , Uncle Liam. Daddy always made me and mommy dinner-“ as she stared into the sleeve of his jacket, her eyes were haunted and confused. “There’s no dinner anymore , and no bedtime -and no more stories -“ As Ryan handed her the jerky , he said , a calmness in his voice. “Ah, I’m sure your Dad… and your Mom… are missing you too right now. I bet they’d wish they could have made you dinner , so you better eat all of this huh? So they don’t have to worry about you being hungry -“ . As she reached for the strip of low grade nutrition, Ryan’s stomach protested as it bound with his own starvation. “Aren’t you hungry Uncle Rt’ you sound hungry…” she said, her laugh returning with its octave of youth contrasting in the night. “Adults can be hungry longer than kids , it’s like when you scrape your knee , it heals up fast right, and the more times it happens the less it hurts , so me and uncle Liam are better at being hungry.” While she finished the jerky, she nodded , seeming to understand as she placed a hand on Ryan’s bloodstained elbow. “It doesn’t hurt anymore?” She asked , her pupils widening as the dried blood flaked into Ryan’s lap and he grinned . “Nah , but I’m a big number, you’re only four so don’t worry, we won’t let you get any scrapes. We’re gonna keep you super protected , yeah? “ As Lily leaned her head against Liam’s abdomen, his jacket enveloping sides of her head, he smirked. “But does Uncle Ryan ever get tired of talking in the third person, or does he always do that when he’s driving and the poor guy in front ain’t indicating…” . Ryan’s snort punctured the air as he answered, “Uncke Liam need to find his cork, and cram it back -“ They both laughed as Lily watched them both , a lack of comprehension bringing a smile to her face. “You are both so silly. But don’t worry, I won’t tell anybody-“ she said, before tears welled in her eyes. “I -I -didn’t say goodbye to Kai … he … was my best-maybe he’s lost too -and and” No this is the continuation I had in mind : As she voice broke away to her tears , Liam rearranged a stray strand of her hair as he said “And Kai will always be your best friend , no matter what, we don’t know where he is but we know he’s alive. It’s gonna be ok, there’s a lot of kids out there who got left behind but they have people looking for them , just like we were looking for you-“ Liam said, his voice rough with his own dehydration, as he balanced his fatigue on the runs of his eyes . Ryan lowered his voice as he said “it seems they just leave the children, all part of the calling card bull-I mean , I’d be betting a winning horse that Kai is stranded but deliberately unharmed , I’d feel sick if my stomach lining wasn’t tearing itself out-“ Liam placed his index finger over Lily’s chest as he said , “You can sleep, it’s alright, Uncle Ry used to have a friend like Kai , his name was-well let’s call him Jack, he used to play guitar and well-he wrote a song. You wanna hear it? now I can’t sing very well but ah you’ll just have to go easy on uncle Liam tonight huh? . Lily’s laughter peppered the clarity in the air as she said “Daddy always says he can’t sing but-that means he knows all the words” she clung to the opening of Liam’s jacket, the rigid denim sitting heavy around the frame of her face, offering her a semblance of structure as she said “I’m listening, Uncle Li’” . As thoughts of his long deceased friend Mason flooded through his mind , he hummed the melody in the back of his throat, the words caught with no articulation. “She laughed as she said “it doesn’t matter if you forgot the words , its just like mommy’s songs-she forgets the words too but it doesn’t matter. I just hope her and daddy wait for me - do you think they will ?” Liam’s eyes flickered with the discolouration of imploring deception as he said “They will, I just know it” . Ryan’s voice, a lulled whisper from behind , pulled him out of forging promises . “Don’t go there , Li-“ . There was an impregnated silence as she answered , her eyes hollow with an imperceptible emotion. “But , the…man that made Daddy say-goodbye-he-“ as the words departed her tiny body , she shivered, and pulled Liam’s jacket against her ears “No -I don’t remember anymore-“ she said, and was consumed in a silence that inhabited Liam’s concave lap. As he started down at her, the moonlight caught in her shining eyes , as he sighed into the encroaching midnight. “When you do remember Lily, you can tell us, no matter how tweeting what you saw might have been, we have seen worse things. We won’t be afraid. But for now sleep huh? No more scary thoughts till the morning.” The next moment , just as Ryan shook his head, she said the words already edging in his brain. “The other heaven….Daddy said it wasn’t hell, cause that’s a bad place and it was the other heaven . But -where is the other heaven? Have you been there?” 
Grappling with the question , Liam gazed at Ryan’s lament as he answered without hesitation . “I’m pretty sure I have, and if that’s where your father is , I’m as sure as I’ve been he’s coming back , soon , kiddo. Now you get some rest huh? Tomorrow will be a long day”





His eyes burnt with the heat radiating through his vision , as he was forced into the crotch of his jeans , his screams escaping his clenched teeth. Next, his shirt was yanked over his shoulders and he screams pierced his skull . “Sienna , no , don’t follow me , please” he yelled, his voice entwined with flames of pleading as his captors dragged him across the glass, his skin slashed and erupting with his warm blood . A hand held his jaw close as an arm formed a noose as his body dragged across shards of debris , and the screams of his wife ran down his spine, No Carter , we have to stay together . Lily , hold on to my hand , don’t move , sweetheart -I love you baby girl“ , she said through tears as her own fate was executed with brutal force. “We have … intentions for you Sienna , but say goodbye to Carter , he’s never coming back from hell” . Sienna, still holding her daughter’s hand , broke down , her palms splaying in the shattered windows , their house now blown to smithereens and her husband being removed from the remains of their life. “She’s a witness , and she keeps on watching, if she doesn’t serve as a vessel she has some pretty eyes . Landon can deal with her…fate.” Lily’s hand was dropped into the air as Carter screamed at his child , the terror insurmountable. “Don’t move Lily , stay by my boots, just don’t you leave them , alright? “ In an instant, faster than any fire could spread , Siena was gagged and a hessian sack enveloped her screaming body as Carter cursed into the air . “Don’t touch her,-Sienna , it’ll be alright-” he whispered , his voice strained with agony. 

The voice was calm, devoid of emotion as it promised . “We won’t -touch her-oh you’d only wish that we had the time , or the care , for such pleasures -but, Landon is a busy man. Business is-business.” Lily’s silence haunted the skies as their magenta hues fell in rays around her stance, shaking by her father’s boots and clutching the only possession she had left. “Why are you taking Daddy to hell? “ her voice hit the open air, and Carter choked out in response to her pleading question , “it’s not hell , Lily , it’s the other heaven , and I’ll be alright, you hear me?” Another voice pierced into his skull as he felt Siena’s unmoving body fall atop his back as he was flipped over, as his face slammed the unforgiving pane of a door. “Say goodbye Carter, you’re going to die after all , you’ll be in heaven , or perhaps hell , rotting forever, now won’t you? Because men like you don’t belong in heaven now do they , Carter…“ a twisted smile crept across Carters face as he said , coldly, “I’m not dying anytime soon”. As he wrestled his head upwards , leaning in his forearms, he established eye contact with Lily one final time. “I’ll be in the other heaven , Lily and it’s not Goodbye alright? I love you, you never forget that” he said, a feigned calmness in his voice as her amber irises held the matching flames of hazel and gold of his own as he stared at his four year old daughter . Sliding down by his boots , she buried her face in her hands , and cried, as his screams rang out into the noon sunlight, and he was gone . ////::::: “ Morning , Lily , you must be wondering where Daddy went, or where Mommy is hiding … and you must be sad that they both left you here huh? And I guess uncle Liam … and uncle Ryan didn’t want you anymore either, now you’re alone in the other heaven, and Daddy lied didn’t he. He’s not here. Isn’t that sad that no body cares about you at all. Even your bear is …gone . did you lose him? Why would you let go of him? “ The voice, suctioning around a tooth as it deposited saliva at her face , was cold and devoid of care. As she felt the deep burn of rope against her hands she heard a familiar voice whisper near her ear. “Lily, don’t cry, it’ll be alright, this is the other heaven, and you’re alive, you’re ok. You listen to me , I’m here with you and this is a place where good people have to go when bad people try to take them away from each other. But you’re safe cause we can escape the bad people and go home together now” , Carter said, his voice a rasp against the concrete as he struggled to vocally reach his daughter who lay beside him, blindfolded and bound . As Lily turned her head, all she was met with was darkness , as she whispered “Daddy?” . Carter, with his heart containing his racing pulse as he watched Sienna in his peripheral vision, was stung by his own tears. The ice of the initial voice crept around her as it taunted “Did you just hear Daddy? No… he’s gone. You must like to play pretend , imagine things? like all kids do….”, the voice said, flat yet menacing . As Carter bucked his locked jaw against the ground, he immediately sensed his gag inching tighter into his mouth. “You’re just a dream, Carter, so best act like one, if you want her to remain…well you don’t need a paraphrase .” , Landon said , as he slammed a palm over Carters nape. “Valen, you know Liam is starting to grate on my nerves…he drones right into my temporal lobe. “ As another deposit of saliva hit the concrete Valen said, “Ah yes, Liam …bearer of my recurring nightmares… or are they dreams … I find him brilliant…and fascinating . His psyche has an intricacy that is ,  enthralling … and Ryan, ah he’s the magic number in the grand lotto of psychological thrill . But Carter here, and Sienna…now I’ve seen some light shows with scintillating colors but… none so vibrant … so enriched with potential. Let’s see how bright they both shine in the cavities of their own-”

Liam’s voice tore through his gag as he snarled .”Getting you bent would satisfy me in ways I can’t straddle, so by all means leave my legs tied together for a moment longer , oh dark traveller .” Carter’s eyes glistened with the moonlight as he bit back his emerging laughter, and closed his eyes as his binds ensnared him. 

“Sienna” Carter growled, his throat closing in around his breath . “Sienna, if you can hear me , it’s not Lily, it’s a sick ploy to terrify you-”


Liam , as if pre-meditatively catching Carter’s desperation, he whispered into the air , a moment before Carter could speak. . “Kid is silent for a reason…. Because think , mull over the consequences of child pornography, my sweet Valen, serenity now. Is my lover in the night going to dance with his morals in the darkest place. Would he have no sanctity . Oh maybe he doesn’t care-or maybe your daughter is just a sack and he’s romancing her like she could scream. “ . Liam’s proceeding groan tore a grunt from Carter . “Sienna he’s right, the kid is  just a burlap sack.A ploy …Lily’s still out there somewhere …and we have to believe she’s alive -“ he said, a violent blow to his tailbone catching his tongue in his teeth. As tears escaped his eyes, Lily’s terrified eyes barred, and her mouth gagged , it was a fire in his bound hands. As she started crying , through her gag her voice was almost inaudible, and Liam kept her voice covered with his commentary. “Oh sing on the breeze, sailor , your lover-buoy is floating a little far from the ship-“ Ryan finally dislodged his gag, his saliva hitting the ground. “It’s alright Lily , don’t cry, uncle Liam is..silly huh, but you’ll be ok , Uncle Ry knows about the flower you picked for Daddy, the blue one? You remember that?” As the moonlight outlined her features , her voice faded into silence as she mumbled “yeah, it was just like Uncle Liam’s eyes , but prettier , I want to pick one for Daddy , an orange one , I remembered , cause daddy’s eyes are orange …and Mommy’s eyes are green so, I don’t know a green flower .. do you know a green one Uncle Ryan, because ..Because maybe mommy is sad and I want her to be happy. “ As tears crept into her voice , Ryan maintained his even tone. “Hey Lily, do you know what is green? Leaves , and if you pick all the flowers you can imagine , they will all have green leaves , and they’ll be colorful too. How about that , huh? Mommy will be so happy. But you can sleep if you’re tired , Uncle Liam is kind of funny huh? “ She offered a faint smile as her head shook ,” yeah hes funny, but he’s not the handsome uncle, you are Ry’ .  But not as handsome as Daddy-“ 
————////


Carter’s voice was strained against the clouds of dust , filtering through drawn shutters . A cruel sun rose as he lay bound in the darkness of a new day, his daughter still frozen in the blanket of pale magenta daylight. “Lily, Daddy is still here, and Mommy too… you picked some flowers with uncle Ryan , a blue one? I think that flower is called a morning glory and you know why? Because the sky is bluest in the morning . “ For a fleeting moment, the ropes against his flesh were salved by her faint whisper “I told Uncle Ry’ that the sky was pretty because it was red. But sometimes it’s blue too… is it still out there? “ Carter’s eyes , bloodshot with his lack of sleep, trailed to the broken fragments of harsh glare as he said “I promise you , it’s still out there , and we will pick mommy some flowers , just you and me. Do you miss her? It’s ok , Lily , I miss her too but uncle Liam is gonna save her too. If he keeps talking long enough, we’ll all be home soon. Uncle Liam is clever , even though we can’t really understand what he’s saying.“ Ryan’s voice cut through the stillness , as his gag was reigned in. A muffled curse followed. Liam released a low sneer , his voice venomous as he drawled his words . “Oh , virgin Statue of Liberty, that the French bestowed upon my heart , shall she have entry to my American channel. Say,  can you see - .“ Valen , flexing his knuckles in a deliberate movement, grazed Liam’s cheek as he said “Oh he never stops , it’s two measures futile, one measure spirit I intend to break. But not this passing in the night . Ah, Liam has a role on the chessboard , he can only dream of what it might be …but today, is your moment Carter, to dance like a bear on hot coals. And I don’t expect a performance, I may be only too aware of the beauty in your humanity breaking . That when I see you coming undone for your wife, your sweet child ‘o mine. “ As Carter’s ribcage flinched inside his chest, he stifled a pained growl as his throat closed in around his breath, his airways restricted . “You.. won’t..touch-my daughter-“ . As Valens boots rested aside Carter’s shuttered vision, slats of light cursing his eyelids , he felt a cold hand trace his neck. “Oh , Carter, my hands aren’t to be feared if you’re psyche is be ..conserved . Never mistake my intentions. I am if nothing else,  a professional. I do have a drug to implant. Business to attend to. But. I can enjoy the fluctuations in the stock market. The retention is dependent on the success . Or to that effect. But scream if you undervalue your reserves. By all means, scream those lungs inside out.“ Liam’s voice was a warm , yet defiant interjection , “Oh he always says shit like that, indulgent bastard who adores the sound of his own voice almost as much as the color of my baby blues, but none of us are breaking ..or dancing . You touch the kid and we will light your wick and the whole damn-“.