Despond

Four

"What is it?" Grobin asked as the two brothers stared at the golden egg.

"It's a-" Brogin started, then turned to stare at Hopper.

They'd tied him to another chair beside the already capture man, and he'd fought and thrashed against the ropes none stop.

Grobin back handed him, and not for the first time, yet once his eyes rolled back to their correct position within his skull he stared directly at his egg once more.

"He just wont quit," Grobin said.

"I'm not surprised," said his brother, "Look at this thing, it must be worth a fortune."

"Should we take it to Barren?" Grobin asked nervously.

"Fuck Barren!" Brogin snapped, winced, then continued more quietly, "What Barren doesn't know, wont hurt him."

Grobin paused, then allowed a wide, greedy smile to spread across his clean-shaven face.

"But if we're going to cut out the boss, we can't leave any witnesses," Brogin finally pulled his attention away from the egg to look at Hopper and his companion.

"It's just not your day," he continued, "You were just gunna lose a hand, send a message, that sort of thing. But, thanks to Hopper here I'm afraid..."

He let his voice trail off as the poor man glanced sideways at Hopper, giving Brogin a clear shot at his exposed neck as he burrowed a knife into it until only the hilt remained. The man's body convulsed, yet he didn't break eye contact with Hopper until his chin finally flopped on his shoulder and his head rocked forward to his blood soaked chest.

Hopper was white, and was thankful his bladder was already empty.

When Brogin stepped towards him banishing the dripping dagger, sheer panic washed over his entire being and he did everything in his power to get as far away as possible. He began to rock the chair beneath him and it squealed inch by inch as it jolted backwards. The two brothers laughed at the pathetic attempt, and didn't see the now-loosened knot around Hopper's ankle come undone.

"That's far enough," Brogin grinned, "I'll make this quick, since you brought us such a-"

The wind left his lungs as Hopper head butted him in the ribs. It was like hitting a door-frame with his face, but it gave him the precious second he needed. With one free foot, and the element of surprise, he managed to awkwardly waddle passed Brogin whilst the confused Grobin was trapped in the corner behind his brothers doubled-over form.

The beads rattled against Hopper's face as he broke the threshold of the store and appeared behind the counter. He came face to face with crates of junk and jars of questionable liquids as he hurried as much as his hunched position would allow him. The loop around his other ankle fell from the table leg and he found himself able to walk as long as he only moved the legs beneath his knees.

He rounded the counter as the two brothers scrabbled to get through the small doorway, and Hopper's vision tunnelled onto the front door of the shop. It was locked, but his desperate mind had chosen to forget that somewhat dilapidating thorn in his escape.

The satchel still lay on the floor where Brogin had dropped it once he'd removed the egg. Hopper didn't see it as he stared at the door so hard it was as if he was expecting it to explode into splinters with his very thoughts alone.

The glass sphere lay within the ring of the bag's looping strap, and it made a near-silent crunching sound when Hopper stepped on it. He was promptly thrown against the ceiling of the store, shattering the chair as the store erupted into pandemonium.