Antecedent 9

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A/N: I can't promise this is much cop. Not feeling so great today but hopefully it's alright. Sorry Lori!
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Everything felt wrong. Feeling my body only just beginning to calm down, I blinked away tears. If they saw me cry, it would only amuse them. It would be fueling their fire and I would like to think I had suffered enough. Feeling one escape despite protests, I wiped it away before it could leave a track down my face with the back of my hand before using the sleeve of the jacket to wipe my lips. I could still taste it, it was practically embedded in my mouth and no amount of spitting it out was enough to erase even an ounce of his taste. My stomach churned, the acidy feeling tingling in my throat as I spat out again but the sickness would not come. There was not enough sustenance in me. My body was still shaking, the thought of just how much the cowboy had gotten away with was a level of trauma that couldn't just leave.
"Breathe Lori." I instructed myself but it wasn't so easy to do that. Not between the frantic movements that reside mainly in my hands trembling and the hold of the collar. I dreaded when Tex returned, I didn't want to know what Tink was cooking up but considering Tex's determination to mess with me I knew it was borrowed time and going to happen sooner or later. Smudging the pink stain from my face again, I decided to try and reach upwards, to feel how I had been attached to the pole. Even if I couldn't get far and escape had been proven to be futile, desperation was screaming more than common sense. My hands trembled along the metal coils as I tried to turn my head but failed to see enough of it to figure out what to do.
Breathe. Stay still. Breathe. Breathe!
Despite willing my body to try its best to remain still, I failed and took instead to placing my hands over my face. They instantly became damp as I scolded myself. They would be back any moment and they would see I had been weeping. I could almost hear the laughter and taunting already and at this state of vulnerability I couldn't guarantee that I wouldn't sob more. I thought of Joel, of my friends and finally my home. While I had not been on speaking terms with my father before I left on this road trip I questioned whether he would know something had occurred. Regrets stirred in my heart and mind, to fall out over something so silly was something that would stay with me and if he did know something untoward had happened would he blame himself? Shaking my head, I bit my lip, my legs continuing to quiver as I tucked them against me. Tightening the hold of my hair I swallowed, Tex's voice was coming closer along with that of his elder sibling ready to dish out the next horror.
"Hey look Tink, the poor thing is already crying and we haven't even started yet." Tex's voice rang with amusement as Tinker replied with a small snigger himself. I shook my head trying and failing again to calm myself.
"Sure is boy but sorry little lady, you need to eat and you sure as shit need to be punished for your behaviour. We can't just have you going around beating everyone left right and centre. Well, except maybe Alfredo." He added the last part idly as I heard the grass crunch underneath their feet stepping closer.
"Come on now sweetheart, Tink worked hard on this little piece. Don't you want to see it?"
"See it, wear it, feel it.." Tink listed off idly as I shook my head. My body flinched as soon as a hand took to resting where one of mine was. The smell of smoke fanned my face and I knew which one of the brothers it was but it offered little if any comfort. "Come on now girl, you'll feel better after some dinner. Getting all emotional with nothing hearty in your belly. We can forgive this slip up, seems as you behaved on the drive with me but we can't have you causing all these problems and injuries because you're having a hunger strike." The tears only sting more in my eyes, it was clear that they were past humouring and I knew that this time it wasn't vegetables. "We're doing this for your own good."
"Get away...get away from me!"
"Don't be difficult now girl, keep still."
"Come on sweetheart" Tex coaxed, "lets see that pretty face." Tinker's fingers pressed against mine separating them to release the hold I had over the auburn locks. Prying them free, their outlines blurred into a mesh of colours. "We won't strap it that tightly if you're going to be good and cooperate. However if you want to make things difficult and twitch away I can't promise it'll be painless."
"Remember how we spoke about you being a lady with a brain?" Tink asked, sounding more like a parent pep talking to their child than anything else at this moment. Ignoring his brother, I bit my healing lip and closed my eyes, not wanting to know what was about to happen. Knowing what was coming would only increase the panic.  "You remember how I said you were a clever girl? Do the smart thing and this can be over with quickly and heck maybe even painlessly. It only hurts if you struggle and fight it. Understand?"
"Please don't." My voice breathed in reply, able to smell a scent of meat. I didn't want to know just how close it was to me when I already knew how much closer it would get.  "Don't."
"This is for your own good." Tex replied not trying to hide the glee in his tone. I shook my head with difficulty. "Heck we can forgive and forget afterwards. Even kiss and make up again seems we both enjoyed that. Even if you did smear my lipstick."
"Don't touch me!" Tink sighed as I screamed and removing my hands I glared in the direction of the blonde. "Don't you fucking touch me." Holding up a hand and a hook, Tinker looked at his brother with a somewhat tilted head. My vision cleared but I refused to look at what Tex was coyly holding behind his back as if it was a surprise on a child's birthday but I could still see black straps that dangled like belt buckles. "Get the hell away from me!"
"I did say it wasn't going to be easy Tech. She seems pretty emotional today."
"That's for damn sure, pass me that and I'll get it on her. Otherwise you'll just set her off more and Mama is trying to sleep." The elder brother said gruffly scratching his head as he remained just inches above me. At the very least I could trust him not to put his hands on with the same intentions as his younger brother but it didn't prevent me from diverting my attention in the direction of Junior's shed. The light was flickering, a clear sign he was in there and I told myself to focus on what I presumed to be candlelight. Nothing that the elder Sawyer created could be in any way or form a positive experience. Something clinked gently and whipped in the atmosphere as I kept my gaze adamantly ahead. Don't look. Don't look and stop crying.
"Best be sure to get it on as tight as it goes." Tex instructed. "Each time we trust her to behave, she does the opposite. So may as well be prepared instead of giving her the chance to keep doing what she does best."
"Noted."
"And better keep fingers away from her mouth Tink, she bites pretty damn hard when she wants to. You can trust me on that."
"Have a feeling she's got a few screams left in her as well boy, you sure she's not...well you know?"
"Nope, panties are still white as a sheet. Just hungry I guess." The younger of the two answered his elder brother's awkward question. I grimaced at the sheer stupidity and inappropriate question. To imply I was being hysterical was one thing but the thought I was on my period due to having genuine and human emotions was something that was just a topic I wasn't prepared to have with either of them. "Other than breakfast, she's not had much else. Maybe our little lady here is just getting a little cranky thanks to her little empty stomach."
"Or maybe she's due." Tink suggested offhandedly. "Best pick something up just in case next time you're out or just lay down towels in the bathroom if she starts before then. Inevitably it's gonna happen at some point anyway so best to be prepared."
"Remind me tomorrow, I will probably have to venture out by the end of the week as the meat is running low now we're going to have another mouth to feed. Speaking of which, should we get this show on the road?"
"By all means. Now you remember girl, only hurts more if you go fighting it. We'll loosen your collar if you behave yourself while I put this on."
Candle light, Junior is using candle light...Closing my eyes as I felt Tink lean on his knees at my side, I knew fighting would do no good. If worse came to worst if they got anything...anyone...inside me, I could puke it back up. Collar be damned. The thought alone cut me up, my lip trembling as a hand held onto my head to keep it still and support what Tink was about to do.
"Need some help?" Tex asked his brother as something tight strapped my hair down before loosely falling as his hook struggled to grip what he needed it to. "The buckles don't look all that easy to adjust."
"You just get the food ready, I have a feeling that this won't be easy. Of all girls for you to start liking boy, you just have to go for a fighter, not to mention a real pain in the ass."
"Don't pretend you don't like her as well, Tink." Tex teased as I twinged and recoiled as much as the leash would let me when the metal of his brother's hook pulled at the side of my lips trying to pry my mouth open. "Makes a change for you but then you always wanted a little sister."
"Doesn't make the situation any easier. This shouldn't be my problem. Even Heather wasn't this difficult when she was teething and she screamed the house down for nights on end." The elder of the two stated. "Alright girl, need you to open your mouth for me nice and wide now, it's going to pull slightly but bare with it." I didn't and he sighed clearly, having expected that very reaction. I couldn't face what was coming my way. I didn't want to. I didn't know who this person was before and even if I did it did not take away the fact that it had been a person and for all I knew it could be Joel, Sherri or Troy. "Lori, Lori you really don't want me to have to choke you into opening up now, do you? I'll take back what I said about loosening the collar and make it a really unpleasant experience for you."
"Told you she wasn't going to make things easy." Tex pointed out. "Rarely does things without a fuss."
"Yeah, well you chose her." Tink despaired irritable.
"Want me to take over?"
"You think you can make this bitch open wide?"
"I have my ways." Inhaling loudly through his nose, Tink's hook edge remained against my lower lip, the metal soothing the throbbing sore that remained on it.
"You hear that girl? Me or Tex, who's it gonna be because you know either way, it'll have to be done." Pushing the metal edge closer to slither seamlessly between my lips, I breathed in through my nose as he pushed the flat part into my mouth stopping as it hit my teeth. "Good girl, remember big and wide now." Raising a hand, I tried weakly to push off the elder Sawyer who just exhaled. "Came prepared for this too, boy get her hands behind there now."
"Yes sir." Tex wasted no time making his presence known. My body was pulled back against the pole, hands being held by the wrists as he managed to quickly keep them together with more brushing of metal. Against my will, my eyes opened as the collar tightened and clenched making any form of fighting back near impossible. Despite getting impatient with me, Tinker was grinning almost as amused as his brother. This was nothing to them, probably wasn't on the list of the worst things they had ever imposed on anyone.
"Get me the gag and all, I know what the missy will be scheming once we're back inside."
"Can't have her wasting good food now, worked hard on it."
"City folks are all restaurants. Nothing beats a good home meal."
"LIke Drayton always said, it's in the meat." Tink agreed as I glared at him. "Well look who wants to see now, that's a good little girl but it's access to your mouth I'm actually in need of." Shaking my head, I gritted my teeth as he straightened back on his knees. "I was hoping you'd pick the hard way, means I can test it out some more. Make improvements, modify it."
"Tink is real good at what he does." Tex informed me by clapping his brother on the shoulder as he leant beside him. "You actually make things easier by being so difficult." Shaking my head again, I kept firm, tightened my jaw and bit down fiercely. I knew it wouldn't end in my favour but I knew I also wouldn't be able to live with myself if I didn't try to prevent what was happening despite the threats of more pain. "Last chance before you make me get all hands on." Glowering in his direction, his teeth flashed dangerously under the light of the moon and kitchen beams from the window. "No? Well here it goes." He shrugged, pushing away from his elder sibling. I braced myself as he brought himself closer to me with a raised hand, fingers knotting into a clenched fist before pain erupted in the corner of my face. Against my will, my lips parted and mouth opened as the searing heat of his hit beside my eyes affected my balance. The collar choked, my face burned and seared agonisingly and Tinker moved.
More pain seared this time radiating from my mouth, Tex pulled my head back to ensure I would get no further foolish ideas. Like a horses bit something pressed cold and hard against my cheeks and into my mouth where the taste of metal and hints of blood at whatever was sharp and hooked under my teeth and into my gums stretched the lower and upper jaw. Fresh tears leaked as I struggled to make and kind of noise, the pulling of hair being replaced by the fastening of something behind my head. I tried to move, to thrash in some form of protest. My gums began to bleed more as a result as Tink continued to push the gadget in further cutting off my air supply and forcing my mouth open wider. It was like some kind of fucked up Dentist contraption only focusing more on opening my mouth than focusing on teeth.
"Breathe in through your nose now." He instructed as my vision blurred and turned white before adjusting again. Panic and pain rippled throughout my core but with every laboured breath only came more discomfort. "Breathe dammit stupid!" My heart raced as I felt the need to catch on to any escaping breath, it was like drowning without the hope of it being over soon. The buckle clicked from behind my head as Tex informed his brother it was on. Giving a relieved sound, Tink withdrew from my mouth as I moaned in pain, unable to move and no longer aiming to scream. The reverse mouth guard pushed upwards against the roof of soft skin, the feeling of the scratching still present as I struggled to make any movement at all.
"Looks painful." Tex commented, giving a small chuckle. "Always responds more to pain, don't she Tink?"
"Well, she was never going to make it easy. Right, funnel next boy."
"Here you go." Through blurred vision and tears, I was unable to prevent the movement that once again withdrew to where I was restrained, barely able to twitch. Another taste joined the metallic combination, something hard that made me gag, my throat now being on the receiving end of agony. Rubber. There was more than a funnel. It forced me to recall history lessons, how the hunger strikes were 'countered' by forced fed proceedings that made the fact there was a tube in me as well. Coughing couldn't even be achieved.
"Right, think that's it." Tink commented simply, "all yours."
"Does this count as my Christmas or birthday?"
"Both. Want me to stay put?"
"Better to be safe than sorry."
"If I try sleep, you'll come get me if you fuck up won't you?" Tinker questioned and agitated, getting a small hum in response. "Damnit, fine. Just get a move on boy, I'll ensure she doesn't choke. Then plug her up afterwards."
"Open wide sweetheart." Tex mocked playfully as I clasped my hands from where they were bound entwining my fingers together at the one form of comfort I had left. "Here comes Joel."

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