Bound by Hellfire

Chapter 5

"Hey!" I shouted as I pushed my way closer to the opening.

There were too many people. Most of the football team was at the front, cynically cheering their friend on as he beat on Andrew. I could see his face tensing in pain under the weight of the boy's fists as his cries for help rang across the courtyard.

My jaw began to ache. Like that feeling right before you throw up. I tried to squeeze through the wall of people again, but everyone was frozen. Most were laughing or taking videos. The others were just as disgusted as I was, but still locked in place.

I look up from the beating at the people on the other side to see Diana. Her mouth was propped open much like it was during her introduction. She had a horrified look on her face and I'm sure if I had a mirror, I would have looked the same.

Then like a rampaging rhino, Marcus blew past the crowd stepping his way into the clearing.

He shouted at his teammate telling him to let him go, but the crowd was too loud as the boy continued to wail on Andrew's stomach. When it became clear that he wasn't going to stop Marcus finally began sprinting toward the boy. He lifted him up with one arm by the back of his jersey and up to his feet.

The boy pushed Marcus away from him. His fists were still clenched as he stared into Marcus's scowl.

"C'mon Marcus where's your sense of hu---"

Marcus didn't let him finish his sentence. The boy's feet which had been planted so firmly onto the ground were now high in the air as Marcus's fist slammed into his teammate's face. His guttural yelp bounced off the brick walls of the school as the crowd went silent.

Marcus turned to look at his teammates whose faces only showed disgust at the result of the fight. They scoffed as they walked away leaving their friend who was writhing in pain on the grass. The crowd quickly dissipated after that, giving room for Mason, Ethan, and me to tend to Andrew who was still surprisingly conscious.

His nose was bleeding and his face and body were bruised pretty badly, but from the surface, nothing looked broken. But I'm no doctor.

We helped him to his feet, his balance unsteady and weak. Like a newborn deer using its legs for the first time.

"Let's take him to my place before the teachers get here. I have all sorts of supplies in our medicine cabinet!" Mason urged.

Ethan and I nodded in agreement as we hoisted Andrew up and toward the front parking lot of the school.

"Hey, where are you guys going?!" Marcus shouted.

None of us turned to answer Marcus. I'm sure all of us heard him, but still we walked. Everyone was a threat as students watched on, while we helped Andrew off the ground. My eyes darted around wildly with paranoia making sure that no football players--- or anyone had followed. 

But there was someone following. Two people to be exact.

We rushed Andrew down the street following Mason's lead to his house. Marcus followed a few strides behind and Diana lingered hesitantly behind him.

I expected the house to look worse than it did. The grass seemed to be freshly cut, and even the windows seemed to sparkle as if they had been scrubbed of pollen that morning. Nothing like my house had been when I lost everything.

Ethan opened the door as Mason and I laid Andrew onto Mason's couch. Andrew squirmed in pain as a drop of blood trailed from his nose down to his chin. Mason ran into the back and quickly returned with armfuls of supplies.

Marcus and Diana let themselves in just as Mason touched Andrew's cheek with an alcohol pad. He let out a loud gasp as Mason's hand pushed harder, the white pad turning crimson as he pressed.