The Value

Chapter Nine

       "Maps, get up."

 I rolled over, my eyes still shut. 

  "Maps, get up before I make you."

 I grunted, not fully aware of what was happening. Suddenly I was gasping for air, and bolted upright. 

 I panted, taking in as much oxygen as I could. My head pounded so hard I could hear it echoing. I pressed my head into my hands, rubbing my face as hard as I could. 

 "That's right buddy. Feels like a hangover, doesn't it?" I opened my eyes, meeting a pair of green ones that stared right back at me. I flinched back.

 I tried to say something, but my mouth was so dry that only a gasp came out. 

 Before I could protest, Rex shoved a bottle into my mouth. I chocked it  out, spewing water all over myself. 

 Water soaked my clothes, but drove me to full consciousness. 

 The floor was cheaply carpeted, and had left a rash of red bumps all over my arms and face. Fluorescent lights lit up the room, showing fake leather chairs, a fridge and an empty coffee table. 

 Jesse was finger combing his blonde hair, sitting upright in one of the chairs. He looked fine, defiantly better than I did. 

 Rex snapped in front of my face until I batted his hand away. I was about to get up, when I felt a tug on my shirt.

 I turned around, not prepared for what I was about to see.

 It was James, but not the one I was familiar with. He looked thinner, and much younger. Like a five-year-old almost. His lip was busted open, and swollen twice it's original size. Dried blood was smeared on his face, and his right cheek was bruised a sick shade of purple. 

 My eyes burned. I wanted to cry, but my body was too dehydrated. Instead I pulled him towards me, and hugged him closely.

 His thin body was cold as ice. "What happened to you?" 

 James didn't answer. 

 "They knocked him out.  It's a miracle they didn't beat him up longer, sick bastards." Rex shook his head. 

 I wiped the tears from James face. He looked up at me, his nose running. "Come on, I'll clean you up."

 I looked through the fridge. There was nothing in it except bottled water. I took one, and drunk half of it. 

 I had no jacket, only Rex and Jesse did. I was about to ask Rex for his shirt, but the look he gave me said he wouldn't give anything up. To my surprise, Jesse came over, and handed me his jacket.

 " Use his shirt, it's not worth much anyways."  I pulled the originally white shirt up over his head, trying not to think about how so much blood could get onto it. I poured water on it, and wiped his face off the best I could. By the time I was done, the shirt was dark red.

 I wrapped him up in Jesse's jacket. It came down to his knees, making him look even smaller.

  I sat down on the floor, cross legged, and sipped more water. James sat next to me, his legs pulled into his chest, and was completely silent. 

  "Rex?" He glanced up. 'What happenes next?"

 He cracked his knuckles. "Well, they probably looked over us while we were unconscious. Now we wait until they come back and, you know, tell us the results."

 " What happened last time?" I asked. Rex had been put up for valuing once before, but he rarely spoke about it. He was the only one in the group of six that wasn't chosen.