Coukd this be published work? : 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, he was overcome by a violent heave, 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 hanging by a thread 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, and he was wracked with shivers of resistance. 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 in agony. "Don’t try to answer that, just blink twice. Take it slow." As he fought to drag his eyelids upward, the pain, like a coiling wire, constricted his blood flow in brutal retaliation. "Make it stop-No I-" he choked out , his voice puncturing the air. If he expelled the violating drug from his intestines, his efforts would to amount to zero. Square one. The next moment , the substance began its rise, emanating a negative battery melting into a metal cylinder as his throat tightened.

 

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 contraband would be purged 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. A sensation of violation jolted down his spine as he screamed through his clenched teeth in helplessness . The nausea rose again, claiming his entire being, his heart continuing to pulse, counting away the seconds till he submitted.

 

"Help me—No. No," he pled through his locking jaw as he fought another potent wave. The instinctive reaction of his body gripped every fiber as he felt his fight ending. He sank his teeth into his gag, screaming against the material bound across his tongue, taunting his strength and resilience.

 

Then, in one dreaded motion, the inevitable rise built within him, futile to resistance. 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 in terror, the heat in his own voice spreading across his flesh like untamed fire . "Twice… now it’s too late." As he twisted his gaze away from the glistening pool of spilt contraband , he diverted 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 implanted substance, and it was over.

 

But the voice persisted, causing Liam to force his eyes open, gritting his teeth in determination. "No, I’m still here Liam; I’m getting the binds off—hang tight," the voice reassured. Liam shook his head in disbelief, 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 was torn from his mouth, and he gasped for fresh air, the stifling atmosphere saturating him with perspiration.

 

"Oh, God, I threw up the contraband—those bastards will kill me like a dog. Or worse-" Liam’s eyes enlarged with realization as he spoke, running a hand through his disheveled hair. . "I’ll be, well you saw right? …" Liam’s voice was filled with sickened resignation, his resolve seeping from his pores and evaporating into the arid atmosphere.

 

Ryan rested his hand on Liam’s kneecap , his grasp firm and anchoring as Liam averted his gaze. "I saw everything they did to you, yeah. And I’m still here alright?. Not about to abandon you now…"

 

Liam, reaching up and gripping Ryan’s arm firmly, smiled against the warm twilight rays of daylight that clung to his flesh. "Hell of a thing to endure, seeing all that… Damn lucky we’re both still breathing. " Liam , pulling on Ryan’s arm , found the strength to prop himself into a seated position "Shit. get over here, Ry".  With a rough jerk,  Liam hauled Ryan into a haphazard hug, slamming an open palm over his back as he pulled their shoulders together. Smiling in pain Ryan let their shoulders connect with a crash of solidarity, as he replied "Yeah, yeah . Calm down",  returning a supportive thump over Liam’s arm.  "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. "I don’t remember what happened- 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 wrapped his arm around Ryan’s shoulder, hoisting himself from the ground into a slouch, bracing his other arm behind himself, and finally standing upright "Well , it feels like they’ve killed me already.. the hell I’ve been through."

 

Ryan only whispered in reply, his voice thick with acknowledgment. "Yeah."

 

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."

 

Ryan outstretched his lean, muscular arm and hauled Liam to his feet with an exhaustive grunt, wrapping an arm around his chest in support of his weight. "I can explain to you exactly how, but later, one thing at a time. Just try to walk with me; we can get out of here."

 

However, as they made their first attempt to leave, Liam’s attention was  abruptly hijacked by the sight of his own ruined clothing, and his jaw clenched. The shock sent a wave of tension through him, rooting him to the spot; his body rebelling his next step. In a voice laced with dread he whispered "Please help me-" His eye remained fixated on his jeans, stained with fingerprints, lying crumpled on the side of the path. Noticing his distress ,  Ryan assisted him back into them, his attention careful as Liam flinched with every movement. The denim, rough against his bare skin, left his bite crooked with agony . "Gimme a minute," he said, his bloodshot eyes holding a glimmer of resistance as he forced his ankle through the second hem and buttoned the waist.

 

"They don’t care what they leave behind," he muttered, his eyes catching on an emptied bottle of lubricant and the confronting plastic surface of a turned-in glove not far from his dehumanizing undergarments.

 

Ryan, supporting Liam’s weight, uttered mere fragments of speech, his heart seized momentarily by the display that had all but paralysed Liam. "Sadistic, perverted bastards," he almost spat , his voice rising above a whisper as his eyes darkened. "Try to focus on the here and now, yeah?" he muttered , guiding Liam away from the indignity that lay strewn before them, remnants of the twisted inhumanity they’d suffered.

 

Liam’s grinding teeth betrayed his disgust and utter defamation as he nodded, shielded only by Ryan’s insistent survival instinct and camaraderie, as he managed a sullen

"Yeah."

 

They walked in shared disorientation, with Liam reduced to muteness , trauma still assaulting his perception with a harrowing grip , gnawing at the edges of his decaying composure. Finally, as their footsteps struggled to fall in sync , Liam forced the gravelled words through his teeth. "Ry’ I don’t know what’s real, and what the contraband made me believe" . his voice, echoing desperation as he countered "I only said yes because I thought-" Ryan pulled Liam in with a rough jerk. "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 , tightened his grip on Ryan’s shoulder and dragged his legs into coercion.

 

As they struggled along, footsteps not falling in sync, Liam fought to hold himself together as a flashback scorned him . "How long has it been since I was thrown down here from a helicopter? How did you get here, the same way? Please tell me you know something about this concrete hell?" Liam almost demanded answers from the barren atmosphere in an attempt to anchor himself. Ryan maintained a detached gaze as he stared beyond Liam’s eyes, resting a hand on his shoulder. "I was thrown down here after you. And I was held at gunpoint, but my mistake was to resist the contraband; I suppose yours was to accept being a plant for them." Liam, gripping Ryan’s forearm for leverage, lowered his gaze to avert the glare. "How was it a mistake to refuse…this? I’m so dehydrated I’m not sure I can keep going, Ry’. I need to find water, and shade. And soon."

 

As silence settled over them, Liam whispered, "I haven’t forgotten what you did, Ry’. It’s not your fault, and don’t you go thinking…" His voice trailed off, the effort of speaking depleting him of energy. With respect and understanding in his eyes, Ryan’s gaze drifted to the ground as he shifted his weight to maintain his upright stance and muttered, "I ain’t thinking anything. I know I failed us both back there—"

 

Gazing at Ryan’s profile, Liam sighed, "Don’t get all survivor’s guilt on me, Ry’. You untied me; you broke your own binds. Neither of us would be here if you weren’t so damn stubborn." Ryan laughed in his metallic tone, his aspect still cast downward as he deflected the heroics: "Well, I don’t go down easy, but someone had to save your ass."

 

They both laughed into the particles of unfallen dust, a smattering of dirt already smudged across Liam’s cheek as his lopsided smile overrode his agony. "Damn straight…"

 

As Ryan recalled exactly what he had done to bring them to that moment , his grip on Liam remained steady, a slideshow reeling behind his eyelids . It had been just two days earlier, and he kept dragging his limbs as the flashback intruded on his thoughts.

 

——————-//Two days Earlier//———//

 

Listening as terror flooded the membranes behind his closed lids, their voices echoed in the tepid night . "If he vomits it up… we’ll just have to get Valen to deal with it", a voice loomed in the distance. Clinging to every word , albeit with slipping clarity, his pulse raged through his chest as the voice skirted the edge of his mind , filling him with dread. "He won’t be able to keep it down though. You know he’s a useless vessel…Threw it up once already . And he can’t even purge it in one go… takes him two rounds. He’ll dehydrate before he’s any real use." Ryan inhaled the innocuous yet insidious air, the weight of eyes boring into his haze of darkness , the blindfold that barred his vision offering a faint sliver of vision as it faltered with the jolt of his head. With terror scathing his helpless position, he fought to hear. "Next, we implant him. His refusal , his stupidity in thinking we offer options ." The unfamiliar voice threatened from above , a splatter of saliva moistened his cheek as it landed against his glistening flesh. He’s the new vessel when this piece of scum finishes throwing up " A chill masticated his nerve endings as thud of s boot making rough contact with Liam’s ribcage and eliciting a wrought groan, sent horror to the pits of Ryan’s stomach as his glass -cage eyes watched helplessly. Ah, you fuckers" Liam’s voice grunted , "I’d take you all sideways , but you’d enjoy it too much " . Shaking his pounding temples at the audacity ,his lips curved into a smirk despite the unsettling discourse of watching Liam suffer in his place from just inches away. The shadows of their boots dissipating with heavy thuds , he threw forward a few strained, dry words. "Liam I’m sorry, if I’d know how they I intended to-" Unfazed, Liam only grinned in the closeness , his nonchalance offering a certain comfort to Ryan’s disarrayed nerves , "Ryan, buddy, it’s simple , I said yes, and now here we are . But I have an idea, and you’ll owe me later. I notice your blindfold is a little outta place…only cause I’m down here and I can see your pores …but yeah. You know what will happen and when it does , just have a medical emergency yeah? I’m talking the whole enchilada, spasming, coughing up your own blood-"  His  eyebrows raising above the rim of his constricting blindfold , Ryan felt the flames of desperation chase his wit , as the heat encroached on the edges of psyche. Think about this Liam, your dehydrated, and when you puke your guts, in binds , and a gag, I could t buy you enough time. But I could ingest it when you lose it , try and hold it down , that could prevent them implanting either one of us , I’ll make this work . If I can save it , and swallow it , retain it , after you fail yet again , they might just leave you alone . And if I can hold it down , they might not have to resort to-" His voice stopped in his throat as an involuntary shiver coursed down his spine. Biting out the words the panic held in chains as he pressed on , the room closing in."And at this stage I don’t really care how disgusting your insides will taste . I doubt the effects will be half as bad as-" Liam’s laughter rang out through his gritted teeth, "Ry, I like how you think …I can appreciate a man with a sick mind . But this is a choice I made, and I’m not sure I feel so sound with you doin’ that…for me" With a  glean of hopelessness slithering  across his retinas and submerging into his visual field, the tone died in Ryan’s tone . "What choice do we have, Liam . This bullshit is inhumane. Don’t thank me later, no need ." It was an unshakable expression etched in Liam’s face , his sinking realisation of what transgression truly meant . His voice was hoarse as he whispered "Theyll only use you next , but , God I -" .

 

"I said don’t thank me Liam. I’m doing this. " He insisted, a  gun metal tone perforating his voice , and hovering close in the air. All Liam managed  was a hoarse "Thanks., as he collapsed face down , his smile intercepted with a grave smirk.

Soon enough he succumbed to the acrid, unforgiving raze of the heat, as time became immeasurable to his convergent stream of consciousness.

 

Only holding fragments of the plan in his drained conscious, as Liam’s memory seemed to disperse into a tangled web of loose wires that disconnected and short circuited, his senses danced with trepidation. "Liam, stop thrashing . Just let it happen-" His pleas fell into the rancid , stale air between them, as Liam convulsed , screaming "No-please… I can’t do this anymore-please-." His voice , hoarse from the overuse , weaved through the night with a repetition, haunting Ryan as his brain rejected the beckoning lure of sleep. "Just vomit so I can do this thing" he said roughly, his eyes sliding closed behind the blindfold in remittance. Unable to withstand another of Liam’s pained movements, his outline traced by cool , eerie moonlight, its soft caress filled with disconcerting illumination. Liam’s perspiration soaked flesh radiated heat, the silvery , contrasting glow that hugged Liam’s burning skin, twisted nausea into the depths of Ryan’s gut. Desperately trying to recall anything , he repeated the only name that found its way to his tongue ."Valen". And nothing. "Cmon Ryan, you know this…" His reactive groan struck the air , as his confusion cascaded over him. "Ah shit… we know this…we’ve been lying here with nothing else to do but remember which bastard is which." His mind lapsed in a tight circle of frustration as he spat at the ground. "Ah , what good is this , it’s not like we can carry out the plan if he doesn’t vomit at the right time. … I got a bad feeling Liam" he mumbled . The lingering echo of his musings settled in the veneer of cold sweat that occupied the physical inches separating them . Then, in a moment both sickening and sudden, it happened."

 

 

Liam, screaming through his gag, purged the Valdarine, and Ryan pulled himself unnaturally close to Liam’s torso, the substance nothing but a failure on the winding pavement. "Shit," Ryan cursed at the ruptured sac of fluids, coated in Liam’s insides, and stretched his tongue out in despair, ingesting it, his throat immediately closing and a violent wrack tearing through him. Locking his mouth over Liam’s in a swift motion, the next retch that invaded his mouth; one of pure bile and potential traces of the Valdarine, filled his mouth with a repulsive tang, and his stomach lurched. As footsteps approached, he spat the lurid mixture of saliva and shared bodily fluids into the air, twisting in revulsion and retching the contents of his own stomach, his skull driven into the concrete, the blindfold that had barred his vision loose and falling. "Valen, clean this mess up," a voice interjected. "Looks like this one has a weaker stomach than our main man." The next moments were a heinous testament to Ryan’s strength, as hands yanked Liam from his sprawl of disorientation. "Embed him with the Valdarine again; he’ll bridge the gap until we find another vessel."

 

Closing his lids, and twisting his entire body away, Ryan convulsed against the cracks in the pavement, the agony reaching an insurmountable peak.

 

Valen barely spared him a glance as he assaulted Liam in silence.

 

As Ryan dragged his voice into a scrape of defeat, his limbs going limp, feigning death as he stalled his natural urge to inhale. An iced, almost metallic growl fell against Ryan’s ear as the other captors’ footsteps proceeded to fade out of earshot. "We can’t distribute your sloppy seconds, what purpose would a ruptured sac of merchandise serve? Nice try. Really nice attempt at escape, as if you had a chance. You couldn’t even hold it down, huh? You’re useless, Ryan. Can’t even use the spare. And now he’s all the way back at the start. Look at him. Take a nice hard stare at your failure." A pair of fingers sank into his jugular, and their imprint left him shaking as Valen disappeared, an uneven gait carrying his dragging boots into oblivion, along with a slow clap, mocking applause in the night. Ryan rested his eyes on the shaken Liam, knowing it was back to square one. But for the last time. "I’ll get you out of here," he rasped at Liam’s desecrated body.

 

—————

The present

 

The air was unrelenting in its suctioning nature, stripping the moisture from their skin as they navigated the bare footpath, with no roads or buildings in sight—a concrete ladder of deception that went on for hours, tracking their heavy footsteps. Liam, his gaze fixated on the maze of concrete, suddenly heard something in the distance. "Taken 'em long enough, but I think our time may be up…" Resignation consumed his drawn features as Ryan mirrored Liam’s expression

 

"You know , we could just let them gain on us, and pretend we were dropped here. Mess with their heads at the very least. " Ryan fell to the ground by Liam, out of breath , hushing his tone . "You mean?" Liam , nodding as footsteps grew closer , bore a glint in his eye. "Yeah I’m talking … you binding me back up , and then you acting like you just bust your own binds, just playin’ dumb. Just be useless as distracting as possible, like you lost your memory. Ad lib  the hell outta this. If they think I’m still bound, they’ll think I’m still a plant." Before he could elaborate further, Ryan was tearing the hems from his jeans and gesturing for Liam to lie down , planking himself low in the dirt alongside the pavement . "Here , bite down." Liam wrapped his tongue around the gag and groaned as if agony were ripping through him, thrashing his head in mock-distress. Ryan smirked , as he tore fibres of denim apart and strew them across his lap as if he’d ripped them in panic. Then , smearing dirt across his face, and running some loose soil through his teeth he grunted "How do I look?" . Liam jostled his gag aside with the turn of his head "like a fucking princess , now realign my gag and act like you’ve just seen-" Shoving Liam’s gag back into place, a gunshot rang out and Ryan dropped to the ground , his smile gone . "Shit , I hope this works-"

 

Two days  later: victim

 

As Liam accepted a night of sleep in his self imposed gag, with Ryan in his vision as his closed his eyes, the taste of water seem potent. "Glad we got our hands on these" he said, gesturing at the stockpile of plastic drink bottles, their labels faded , and falling away with the length they’d been undiscovered. "Whoever stashed these in an actual trench, I’ve gotta find that bastard and kiss him" Liam laughed, as fatigue washed over his slowed movements. "You can just sleep already" Ryan groaned and toyed with his fake gag remains in disbelief . "It actually pays to be crazy. I mean technically we are still kidnapped right, but we have a night to sleep , recover and then devise a plan to get out of here for real" Liam smiled , his eyes still closed , offered a swift taunt, perforating the silence with a chuckle. "Already on it, Ry, already cookin’ the getaway. There’ll be a Mercedes , women, dunno how many, how many would you-"

"Shut up , I thought you just couldn’t wait to lie down cause of the fatigue and the dehydration …"

 

"Aww Ry, you know my levity is jeopardy "

 

"What does that even mean?"

 

"It means I’m fatigued and dehydrated and I need sleep . night Ry, couldn’t have made it to this forsaken trench without you. This dug out hole of sheer beauty. "

 

"Yeah yeah, couldn’t have got this far without you either. Pains me to admit but back there , what you went through kept me going. "

 

"don’t get sentimental on me now, Ryan"

 

Liam was met with a placating silence, Ryan’s consciousness slipping into the malaise of exhaustion, reassuring after all the discourse they’d endured. Liam embraced the calm , his eyes glazing over as hydration salved his nerves .

 

 

The night was long, but the first rays of twilight seemed to promise a longer day, and Ryan’s eyes opened with a start. Drinking in his surroundings, a trench , dampened with fresh soil and drained water bottles , he ran over the ruse.Liam stirred at the sound of Ryan’s mumbling, and grinned through unbrushed, discoloured teeth. "Yo Ry, now that we’re free and only faking captivity , you do realise the original strategy that got us out of that concrete middle of nowhere scenario , might still be -"

 

"Yeah , yeah, you threw up in my mouth and -I deserve an Oscar for that. I executed one hell of a death rattle .. and I could die all over again if I had to. "

 

"Well you didn’t throw up-much-you’ve guts Ry’. I’ll give you that. Iron clad guts. "

 

"Yeah, thanks. " Ryan smiled in the darkness , his eyes gleaming with a raze of light, before adding "y’know , I haven’t even had a moment to think about what I left behind till just now.. and I don’t want to bore you with my meandering.."

 

"Nah, buddy, in this situation, what does it matter what you say , or don’t say. It’s all fleeting anyway. So hit me . Go on , if it’ll make you feel better. It’s not like I’m goin’ anywhere. "

 

As the road stretched bare and cold ahead of them, Liam felt an imperceptible gleam of emotion in Ryan’s gaze, as the streetlight barred his irises. A shiver ran down Liam’s spine , as he disengaged himself from Ryan’s support, standing unaided and backing away. "Ry’ what’s going on?" . liam was met with a gut wrenching silence as Ryan walked over to the side of the empty abysmal road, and reached out into the frigid air, sticking out two fingers. "I’m sorry , Liam. Don’t thank me, but please forgive me"., he muttered in a low metallic tone, his eyes torn away as he dodged Liam’s pleas. "Hey , what are you actually hailing something?. There’s nothing here to-" There’d been no traffic . No civilisation. And then there it was : A sleek black Chevrolet, with immaculate paintwork and a purring engine. Driving with a deliberate slowness . As it stopped , Ryan slipped into the passengers side, without so much as a word as the car sped away . Liam ran the back of his hand over his stunned gaze, as his heart clenched with a disembodying dread; he was alone. The color drained from his complexion , haunted at Ryan’s absence lingering in the moonlight. The chill that claimed his spine , as betrayal dragged forth stinging tears , slowly brought him to his knees as he scraped his palms through the gravel . "Don’t thank you? " Liam’s gasp was isolated in the deadened air , framed by eeirie stillness. Dragging himself off the road , he slouched on the curb and let a torrent of grief and despair rage through him.

 

—-

 

The roads were dead, lifeless , without a pulse as Ryan watched Liam’s broken figure grow smaller in the rear view mirror of Valen’s car. "Look at the miserable bastard, Ryan, and again, take a nice , soul annihilating look at him. " As Ryan felt the teeth of rage and helplessness chew his skin, he removed his gaze from the road. "Just spare him. I don’t care what this means for me . He’s fucking broken and I nailed his coffin shut. So yeah. Do what you will. With me ." Valens shrug was devoid of care as he laughed in amusement , as if delighted , but without investment. "Oh , what you need to know Ryan, is that I make your-experience-slow and you’ll be screaming obscenities out of that pretty mouth for the next month. Is he worth it. Ha. You’ll serve a purpose though , after all. " Ryan’s gunmetal inflection remained in tact as he ventured "Oh, and how do you propose to make me scream anything-for you?" . Valen , lifting his hand from the wheel and running a finger down Ryan’s cheek, answered in a flat tone. "You need to meet Jake, your new bunk buddy. He’s screamed my name every night this week." As a revulsion shot down Ryan’s spine , he stiffened against the leather of his seat, and watched the desolate streets blur past , as if the scenery could lurch forward and rescue him from the impending nightmare.

 

Ryan, breaking his visual include with the outside world, turned back to valens profile , challenging his facade. "Liam will die , we both know that. So just why do you think I really chose to serve your sick purpose. What’s my motive . You don’t even stop to think about such things. " Valen’s stare only wavered from the road as he drawled in a freezing , almost lyrical response "Oh we both know Liam will try and find you , he’s so …empathic, self sacrificing, like you. But the difference is , from my observations, is you have no sense of self preservation . Almost suicidal. Or stupid. Or both. And if your purpose was to watch me , to save Jake, to save yourself , to even breathe , it all amounts to nothing. Every inch you run away from me, is an inch closer you run towards your grave Ryan . Remember that also." . Feeling his spine revolt in pure disgust , the assualt of Liam’s implantation washed over Ryan’s resolve as he closed his eyes. There was a price for humanity, and he was only a dollar bill.

 

Valen’s voice filtered into the depths of Ryan’s pleading body as his boots were torn from his feet . "So , here we are again, only this time , even Jake's dead body won't much much of an accomplice huh?" . Ryan screamed from the bottom of his stomach, his diaphragm turned inside out with his efforts. "No-No" . Valens cold taunt was a mix of brevity and twisted enigma. "Liam says Hi, by the way ." Ryan felt the pressure of hands on this calves , and he slammed his jaw into the ground in repulsion. "Lies…you don’t have Liam , and you won’t  break me that easily. " he trailed into the pocket of stale air between his mouth and the ground . The room went dead , and within seconds  Ryan was alone, the sensation of Valens fingers still etched in his shivering flesh . Then it hit his ear drums;  Liam’s scream , a hoarse , defiant retaliation that twisted Ryan’s heart into an abstract mess. Then, Valens boots were at his head, Ryan’s bloodshot eyes accosting the sight . "You bastard, I said spare him for me- what fucking use is he to you?. He can’t hold down-" . Valen only laughed , and re-iterated his slow clap. "One step closer to your grave Ryan-did you take that look at him in the highway. I hope so-" as his guts recoiled , Ryan muttered out of earshot "please forgive me Li…". As hands travelled up his thighs , he threw his head back and let out a guttural cry "Liam , I’m sorry". His own voice striking the cold metal walls betrayed him. "Guess he can’t hear you Ryan, but you might have just stepped right into your grave."

 

Liam felt hands on his skin, roaming his body as the heat gnashing mercilessly into his skin. "No , I told you I don’t know where he is -he abandoned me." Liam’s heartbroken pleas resounded again the hollow sockets behind his eyes , bruised from the impact of a pistol . The gun , now lying near his skull , a discarded weapon, caused him to shiver in distress. "Just let me die -" But it was square one. "Not your intestines, not this time. This time , your sinus cavities" a sinister laugh reverberated through Liam’s body . Valen was swift , and unemotional. the room drowned in darkness , enveloping Liam’s screams.

 

Nah, nobody waiting for this sorry ass . Lost my family a while back , got used to getting by . Have a dog though, damn I hope my neighbours are lookin’ after him. Every day after my jog throughly central .. I’d take him for a walk through the main streets of the city. He was kind of like a wing man. " Liam’s stare drifted down to his grease-smeared palms and he lifted them from the dirt. "It’s not until you find yourself in an actual ditch you start thinking about just how good you had it" . In swift response Ryan nodded "Yeah , I have a golden named Sadie, pees herself when I get to the front gate. Ruins my damn shoes , but I don’t think it’d upset me half as much to be mauled by that big off now…"  stretching his arm out and taking a fistful of dirt , and twisting it through his fingers Ryan laughed with a hollow tinge. "I also had this "it’s complicated " kinda thing going on with someone, all I’ve done the last half hour is think about her and those emerald green eyes-" As he palms drive back into the soil , retracing the path he was creating , Liam splayed his blackened fingers. "Ah yes, I know how that goes , though all I had was ‘ol Harry to take care of . Still , I see it as a luxury not having anyone to worry about where I went. " Ryan , sighing cooly, never finished his thought. "Yeah , well , we’re stuck in a trench now with one hell of a ruse . Not as gruesome as the first one, yet but what we’ve been through , I have no doubt it’ll be gruesome… " Liam , seeming amused , cocked on eyebrow at Ryan as light streamed across his features , creating a filter of dust particles . "Oh hell yeah… but y’know… life is short and we are living. If I make it home , no , when I do , this will be one seriously messed up pile of garbage to dump on some poor shrink’s ass huh? "

 

So now comment on this addition:  Ryan’s outline was a peripheral sign of life as Liam came to, his eyes adjusting to the dark . The surroundings were immediately unfamiliar , the trench just a memory as he absorbed the return of concrete footpaths and dirt. "Shit, Ryan, wake up." He urged at the unresponsive figure that only snorted against the ground "I am awake, never slept, but I can fake it pretty well" . Liam continued muffled retorts through his gag , his lips burning . " So , they actually think we got dumped in that trench by somebody else -it’s almost hilarious if it weren’t our asses in binds "

 

It was obscene , the darkness caused by the blown out street lights , as Liam struggled with his stomach folding over instead in a growl of demand . Ripping open the plastic  packet, he devoured strips of salt laden jerky, and his hand hovered over a protein bar. "Go easy on the rations" Ryan’s voice came from somewhere on the horizon as his presence grew closer. Selectively mishearing him Liam quipped "it’s in bad fashion? What is? Here have some food , you ain’t making sense-" Ryan dropped down onto his knees and snatched up the protein bar from under Liam’s fingers. "Yeah, listen we can have a real meal once we find that diner we passed , two hours back. But until then-" Through mouthfuls , Liam grimaced , "yeah , yeah, this is all we’ve got. But Ry’ we gotta eat something if we’re gonna stay alert" Ryan finally open the sustenance in his hands , relenting. "yeah, I haven’t eaten in awhile down the hatch I ‘spose". They satiated the iceberg tips of their appetites, and Liam wandered to the roadside , an expression of contempt shadowing the light in his eyes. his jeans hit the asphalt as he undid them in haste . "I really hate digestion.." he muttered cantankerous, the rigid ground rough against his bare skin. Only a shallow laugh from Ryan covered the sounds of nature as Liam cursed ,"why did we not think of how we were gonna wipe our -oh hell never mind." A minute later, he was limping back to where Ryan sat , enthralled with his protein bar, and easing himself down . "Well I guess if that was dinner.. I’ve had it " Ryan conceded with a wry smile and gazed toward the inky sky. Liam’s eyes, following upward, matched his sharp inhale with intensity. "Never seen a sky so black. Not a star up there." A loose thread catching Ryan’s attention, he toyed with the fabric of his shirt "At least we’re out of binds , and alone, and we can stare at this void in peace ." Liam shot Ryan a knowing glance , "you gonna sleep tonight or.." Ryan proceeded to shift with unease , hooking his hand around the nape of his neck. "I don’t sleep anymore.. maybe I micro sleep , but I’m just running on empty . After what happened these last three days, I don’t think I’ll sleep again."

Ryan’s eyes glazed over with hues of gum metal grey, as he ran his tongue over his teeth. "Could really use a toothbrush" Nodding as his own teeth rubbed with grime against his tongue, Liam stared at his lap. "I’ve been sleeping here and there but…the nightmares . But they’re  just so vivid…"

 

It was a whimper , and Liam stopped dead in his unfurling path , honing in on the sound. "Ryan , do you hear that ?" . As Liam approached the ransacked dumpster, he dropped on his hands and knees , peering under the crack. Something moist grazed the side of his eyebrow , then proceeded to strike him in the eye . Then he felt the warm breath on his face , and a yelp rang through his eardrums . "What the hell-" Stumbling back on his knees he watched, stunned as mass a of sable fur launched itself at his lap , and began licking his collarbone with exuberance. "Hey , calm down buddy…" Liam ruffled the dog’s head, disarmed by the assualt. "Ryan I’m being attacked by a girl, she -Oh God Ry’ -" Liam’s echoes of laughter rang through Ryan’s core as he caught up to the pair. "Another admirer huh?" . He knelt beside the over zealous German shepherd pup, rapping his knuckle playfully over its back, and its attention was stolen by Ryan’s amused grin. "Hey , look at her ribcage though-" Ryan lamented as she twisted around to dampen his palm with her roaming tongue . "Poor thing’s malnourished, and been out here too long I bet." Liam reached out to stroke her fur , observing the dryness of her nose. "She’s got a lot of energy though , and she pounced on me, no fear. You think a dog this trusting wouldn’t have been abused…"

 

Ryan , suddenly running his hand absentmindedly through his own hair , exhaled with a heavy gleam in his eye. " yeah maybe she hasn’t eaten too well , but I’m thinking she belonged to someone , and that someone…"

 

Liam dragged his voice into an audible range his eyes devoid of light "yeah , well look at us. Our own dogs don’t know what the hell happened to us. One thing I do know ; we have to watch out for her now. Ryan simply ran his hand over the bridge of her nose as she swiped her tongue along his fingers. "Yeah. Wonder what her name is. No collar and all…" Liam , smirking as he took up a fistful of her fur as she writhed in his lap reached down to run a finger across her stomach. "Well, she’ll just have live with me calling her "Harley" now . As Ryan’s fingers tousled her hair and she nudged him with her left ear as she rolled around in Liam’s lap he sighed "You’re gonna be safe with us. I might have some leftover jerky actually-"

Ryan rummaged through his pockets, locating the stub of jerky and offering it to the newly dubbed Harley with a soft tone. "Here girl, get this into you". At first she was hesitant , sniffing the stale aroma of Ryan’s jeans infused into the snack, before wolfing it down, almost claiming a finger. "Hey , who’s hungry , huh? " he smiled as he recoiled his fingers and wiped off his hands. "Well Liam , there’s gonna be three of us for a while at least …", his mind seemed to linger on the thought as his eyes rose to the concrete footing ahead, and the dumpsters isolated existence. "You do realise , we have to -" Liam , still sitting with Harley sprawled across his thighs , trailed his eyes to the broken down building beyond. "Oh yeah, we have to search that place, because there might be traces of something -I mean , there won’t be a body or surely this girl here would be stayin’ by their side. But the way these bastards just bind and capture , there’s gotta be some sick remnants strewn in broad daylight …" With a heavy sigh, Ryan clamoured to his feet , with Harley wandering behind him ."c’mon Harley girl, let’s find out how you got here. "

 

… Ryan rummaged through his pockets, locating the stub of jerky and offering to the newly dubbed Harley with a soft tone. "Here girl, get this into you". At first she was hesitant , sniffing the stale aroma of Ryan’s jeans infused into the snack, before wolfing it down, almost claiming a finger. "Hey , who’s hungry , huh? " he smiled as he recoiled his fingers and wiped off his hands. "Well Liam , there’s gonna be three of us for a while at least ." His mind seemed to linger on the thought as his eyes rose to the concrete footing ahead, and the dumpsters isolated existence. "You do realise , we have to -" Liam , still sitting with Harley sprawled across his thighs , trailed his eyes to the broken down building beyond. "Oh yeah, we have to search that place, because there might be traces of something -I mean , there won’t be a body or surely this girl here would be stayin’ by their side. But the way this bastards just bind and capture , there’s gotta be some sick remnants-" With a heavy sigh, Ryan clamoured to his feet , with Harley wandering behind him ."c’mon Harley girl, let’s find out how you got here". "Damnit" Ryan’s groan shattered the silence as he unearthed a cracked leather wallet, and flipped through the headshots. A pair of bright green eyes and a plastered smile gleamed eerily back through the plastic sleeves . "Logan Gray, 28, Male ." As Harley sat by his boot, tugging on his lace, absorbed with the activity , he glanced down in hesitation. As he hovered the wallet above her head, she cocked as ear in sudden interest. Then his stomach flipped as she let out a distressed whine, and urinated by his feet. "It’s ok Harley" Ryan stroked the dog’s back in shock , sliding down at her side . "Liam-I think we’ve found Harley’s owner. Well , what’s left of him-" Liam appeared at Ryan’s shoulder , a grim expression passing across his features . He paused , scratching Harley’s ears as she recoiled from the pool of urine , her whimpers lining the atmosphere with dread. "I know, but we’re gonna find him, girl. " Harley , seeming to sense the loss , dropped onto her stomach as buried her head between her paws. "She’s just a pup but, damn I know the feeling" Ryan said in a hushed tone. "I don’t know where the hell he is but most likely he’s alive and suffering plenty." Liam sank down beside the shaking dog and stroked her fur, his eyes glazing over. "Yeah. But we’ll find him, or die trying."

Ryan came into focus , and his bare feet came to a nullification of movement as he collapsed to his knees, "Liam? When I told you not thank me, well -" Liam’s comatose stare barely registered Ryan’s voice as he gazed into his vast , engulfing blue eyes.. "Liam , look at me, I know I didn’t reach you in time. Blink twice if you can hear me" , Ryan whispered into the malaise of pale magenta dust that clung to the air . Liam fought with the sandpaper in his lids for co-operation as he blinked once. "Come here , Liam" Ryan’s voice cracked as it intermingled with the only other sound; Liam’s fragile breathing, that slowed with each disintegrating inhale as he pulled him into a gentle, one sided embrace. Liam dragged his pupils to the left , gritting his teeth inside his mouth , as he choked out "Ry-Ryan-it’s -it’s ok-". Initiating a second blink , his eyes reeled back out of focus , and Ryan felt Liam’s chest collapse inwards as his breathing ceased .

 

It only amounted to one.

 

Ryan clung to Liam’s emaciated biceps with a profound dread crawling through his veins , pulsating with his heartbeat, as he felt his own ribcage inch closer around his lungs and he fought to respire. "I left you that night to save you but-Oh God if I’d known it’d end like this-" . Ryan ripped his scathing retinas away from Liam’s vacant stare as he broke down in tears, interring his red eyes into Liam’s clavicle, his heaves wracking him, echoing through the room at an encompassing volume. Only the clinical metal walls could hear him grieve.

 

Twice; and it was too late