A/N: sorry for the delay. Chronic illness likes to make staying awake difficult let alone writing. Apologies for any spelling mistakes or repetition, currently running on Redbull and metal music.
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Hearing the pained sobs from behind me, I focused on trying to free my wrists and arms. The metal caught and refused to budge, the pain continuing to press and push against my neck and back. It was hopeless. It was another one of Tinker's inventions I presumed and having the keen and tactical mind he had I was sure he had made it while being a few steps ahead. Grunting as I tugged and pulled I didn't want to accept that this was it and I was certain that Roger was no different. Now he didn't bother trying to speak, just cried and I would be lying if I said I didn't blame him. With each desperate and failed attempt to have any room to move I was coming close to it, it was becoming a frequent habit and one which the mass of killers embraced and took in good humour. Nothing good would happen when they returned but at this point it was becoming a waiting game as I gritted my teeth and strained to keep myself quiet which was something that was becoming more difficult with every passing second. I stopped and allowed my head to rest onto my arm. I want to apologise to Roger but it was just the beginning, Tex had made that clear. I wanted to give him some reassurance that we would be free and escape but he wasn't an idiot. He had had a taste of the suffering which the family prided themselves in and I had warned him, I was sure that between being in a state of shock and dread was the realisation they would be back and could be at any moment.
"Fuck..." It was all I could manage to whimper as I hit my head against the wood of the table. "Fuck, fuck fuck." From behind me the sobs stifled, the wet and hesitant noise showing it was taking a lot of effort to do so. I didn't know what state Roger was in but I knew the kind of person he was from the moment I had met him, no matter how fleeting it was. He was concerned, not just because we were trapped with no way out but because I was giving up. There were no options though, he couldn't move and all of my attempts failed. It was a matter of waiting. I hit my head again trying to get a hold of myself, the need to scream becoming overwhelming but even if I wanted to after the strangulation from Tex I knew it would be more exhausting than effective. Each word already took energy, the taste of blood still raw and fresh in my mouth along with the dryness of the roof of my mouth. My fingers tensed as I allowed my hands to form fists trying to tell myself to pull it together once more. "There's no preventing it..." I whispered to myself. "Either way we're fucked..."
"L...L..." Again a letter was all that was audible as I inhaled sharply, it sounded weaker than his attempt before the torture and that itself had already been a chore for him.
"They'll be back any minute, you know that don't you?" I breathed trying to see if we were on the same page. There was no pleasant way this could go and I wanted to be under no illusion and any form of false hope by this point only seemed cruel. From behind a single knock came after a stressful few seconds of silence. "I can't get free and neither can you. So there's only two ways to go with this." Breathing in, I closed my eyes before slowly opening them.
"Lo..." Roger started as I squeezed my eyes shut tightly trying to be brave and faltering with every pain and tremble of my voice.
"One we wait." I started breathing deeply." We just sit here and wait for them and I can honestly say it isn't going to be nice either way we go...two, we get this over with on our terms and I get their attention." The end was inevitable no matter how long we could try and bid each second of our time. I couldn't believe I was even suggesting it and he too was quietly soaking in my words. "It's up to you. Option one or two. I realise they really aren't ideal options-"
"Lor..."
"But I'm sure there's something you'd like to say to them. Even if it's just one word, I'll be your voice." Lifting my head as far as I could manage, he knocked twice after a moment of deliberating. "Option two?" One knock. I swallowed and nodded, my auburn locks caressing the tender bruises on my face. My heartrate racing and breaths becoming more hitched and caught. "I agree unfortunately. What lovely word would you like me to use?" Despite the pain, I heard a snigger, he was finding amusement in the small piece of power we possibly could grasp onto. It was fleeting, they would easily snuff out any positivity we could gain in such a bleak situation but it was something no matter how temporary. "Or phrase, I don't mind which so long as there's intent."
"C-C..."
"Oh a guessing game." I mused dryly feeling my lips form a weak and sad smile. It was a shame that what would follow would be agony as he was gently lifting my spirits. It wasn't much but it was something in this bleak situation. "Four letters?" One knock. "Cock?" Two knocks.
"C..Cu..." The smile turned into a forced grin as I understood in seconds.
"What a foul word Roger, I am appalled. Any others?" Two knocks. "Open to interpretation?" Another knock. Biting against my lip, I nodded once more to myself trying to gather what I could of breath and voice. There were plenty of things we could call them. Some I already had in the past and never had it ended well. This would be no different. I mustered my courage knowing it was about to get a lot more awful. "No matter what happens, I'm right here okay, I'm right beside you." Breathing in, I lifted my head as far as it would go finding strength in knowing I wouldn't be alone in this and this time I could be there for someone else. Sherri quite literally hadn't known what hit her, Troy was taken to be skinned and Joel. My knuckles whitened through my fierce clench. He was practically dead when I had been allowed to see him again. The pain this family had caused, the bloodshed they were so adamant to keep going. I gritted my teeth. This was nothing, not even a scratch on them but if I was to die or Roger I wanted it to be with no regrets. Or as little as possible, to have some was only natural especially when it was done through the act of trying to be a good person and decent human being.
"L.." Through the fear it was clear that Roger wanted to just get it over with and I didn't blame him at all.
"I know." I replied gently. "Let's get this show on the road...let's do this" Once more I breathed in trying to calm the rapid beating of my heart. "You fucking inbred cunts!" The insult once more brought a smile to my face, regardless of what pain was about to come there was some miniscule part of me it brought glee too as I insulted them. From down the hall, I heard voices immediately after and closed my eyes. They were coming. Mentally I tried to prepare myself for another hit. A second choke or even the child who was as sadistic as her family slicing at me with a knife. It was going to happen sooner or later even without having the last word but as the handle pulled down I realised it did very little to in any way reassure me. Being prepared was nothing because as Tex had warned, the family hadn't even started. Tink sighed loudly as he walked in with his head cocked to the side to give me a despairing look. His boots thumped gently against the floor as he took in the sight of me fully.
"You really are a real pain in the ass." He grumbled, "here I was thinking you would start to keep your nose clean but no. Here we are again having to teach you another lesson. Do you enjoy a little humiliation girl?"
"Not really." I replied bitterly as he shook his head displeased.
"I expected more from you."
"I'm happy to disappoint you." I responded immediately. Tink exhaled loudly once more but came over and pulled the chair at the opposite end of the table with his hook and slowly sat down ignoring the pained noises behind me. Roger was of no concern or threat to him.
"I thought I got it through that brain of yours."
"Not today."
"How far did you expect to get?" Tink questioned raising a thick and dark eyebrow ignoring the sarcastic reply he got. Pursing my lips I resigned myself to the fact there was always going to be more of a chance of failure than success but still I couldn't let myself regret my actions so bitterly. Each time an opportunity arose I had to be rearing to take it.
"Further than I did." I admitted. "Even if just by a few minutes extra." Against his better judgement, a wry smile formed against Tinker's tanned face. Nodding to himself he gave another sigh, his reading glasses gently raising and falling as he did on his chest.
"That doesn't surprise me at all. Either way looks like you had a little mishap on your adventures. Bet you're feeling pretty sorry for yourself right now."
"I have no intention of apologising for it or saying I won't try again." It was the truth and Tinker knew it. I doubted he was surprised at all to hear me verbalise it. He was clever and I didn't try to tell myself otherwise. No matter how many collars they put on me and horror filled sights I was made to watch I had to keep my resolve. It was all I had left no matter how many times they attempted to stamp out my determination through their own means and methods. "You are all maniacs. You're killers, torturers and you treat a festering body as if it was still alive."
"Just because you're not sorry now doesn't mean you won't be in a few minutes." He informed me slowly, ignoring the insults I aimed in his direction. I was sure they had been called worse and multiple times. "Tex has ideas on what he wants to do with you. Mama wants to be part of an audience for when he starts and as for myself, well suppose you can just call me the babysitter to make sure you do as you are told."
"That hasn't worked out for you yet."
"Third times a charm and I like a challenge." Tink shrugged idly, leaning back in his seat and giving a low whistle. "Getting that boy to scream after Charlie's dental treatment is something in itself." I bit my tongue at the mention of the man behind me who was still moaning from the agonising pain they had put him through. Dental work certainly wasn't the words for the brutalising brunt he took to the jaw.
"Are you sure it's you that doesn't like a bit of humiliation? I've proved you wrong several times now. What's one more?"
"You know sometimes when you want to fix something, you have to completely take it apart. Piece by piece. Only then can you meld it in a way which is satisfying." Tink's humoured tone changed into a darker one, brown eyes slitting as he looked at me and slowly got to his feet. "You're going to learn little girl, a pretty face isn't going to get you off the hook this time. You'll see what's in store soon enough, you'll be wishing you stayed on that leash in no time." Raising his metal appendage at me, I tried to keep eye contact with him until he moved into a possession the chair would not allow me to see past. As it pressed into my back and neck I kept in the pained noises to prevent the older Sawyer from getting a sick kick. "Just you sit tight until we're ready to deal with you. We don't play by your rules missy." White hot hatred filled me as I heard Tink's boots tap against the floor and leave the room. I cursed as he did, only hearing an amused chortle in reply. He had known what we had intended to do in insulting them and being the sadistic brutes that they were, they wouldn't even let us have the last words. Roger gave a whimper from behind me from both pain and realisation that the relief of death would not come sooner and there was no rescue in sight. Against my will a dry laugh left my lips, the incredulous notion of having some form of last laugh over them now seeming comical and unrealistic.
"You bastards." I breathed, rattling against the chains pulling at them with balled up fists and ignoring as Roger tried to say my name in an effort to calm me. There was nothing that could be said. "You fucking bastards!" It was a waiting game.
...
The second whip of the belt came harder than the first. Crying out as the pain seared into my bare back, I could hear Tex give a pant of glee. Clearly the family hadn't taken it too kindly to be insulted in such a way but then maybe they did. It gave them an actual reason to discipline us. My forehead pressed into the table, my nails pressing into the palm of my hand as the feeling of red, raw pain and blood ripped at the wounds. It seemed when it came to using his belt, Tex had more than the conventional way in mind. Between choking and whipping it as a weapon it was more than a fashion accessory. From behind me, Roger moaned in anguish and fury but Tink told him to shut the hell up because they hadn't started. Tears stained my face and I was unable to keep the noises which only added to the rowdiness of the Sawyers present.
"Again." Mama's wiry voice instructed eagerly as Tex obliged. My body ached, flinched and bled more. My fingers trembled and tapped on the wood of the table.
"Again." Tinker agreed eagerly, his voice lapping over any attempts Roger made to be heard. Another hit another scream.
"Didn't know you were into such things." Tex said breathlessly, the sound of the belt rushing in the air echoing in my ear drums as I braced for the next shot which this time he didn't take and opted for an amused laugh at the hoax he had played. "Or maybe you just didn't want to wait much longer to see me." Gritting my teeth as he took his free hand into its faithful stance of gripping my hair, I gave another cry as Mama laughed from the corner she had positioned herself to watch. My back protested against Tinker's device as the wet hot breath of Tex moistened my ear. "Is that It Lori, you just wanted some attention? Well eyes are all on you now sweetheart. Does it feel good?" Through trembling lips I stifled a groan of pain feeling each throb of the open wounds. "Say it feels good and I'll stop." Sitting my eyelids as more hot tears seeped out I refused. I doubted for a second it would make him desist when he was enjoying inflicting the pain so much. "Come on sweetheart, say you like it and it stops."
"Fuck you." I choked weakly as Tex sighed and leaned his face more against my cheek. I grimaced as I felt his lips against the wet flesh, his grin spreading only more as he left a small peck. His laughter fanned my face as I tried to find any amount of strength to fight back but only ended in the same two pathetic words which were like music to his ears. "Fuck you..."
"Don't make promises you can't keep honey, it only ends in disappointment for me when you pass out later."
"Again." Mama repeated. "Harder this time the bitch still thinks she's above us."
"That true Lori?" Tex taunted trying to sound hurt by the accusation. His fingers gripped tighter in my hair as he turned my head as far as he could manage against the device as he tutted his smug facade not slipping for a second. "Still think you're all high and mighty? Think Joel pandered to your sweet ass a bit too much."
"Doubt her daddy was much better." Tinker interjected as I only glowered more. "Pampered princess. You Know what they say about a city uprising, don't you boy?"
"Can take the girl out of the city." Tex despaired mockingly.
"Can't take the city out of the girl." Tink finished as Tex nodded before tilting his head over his shoulder to where his sibling was located. "Well not without a little bit more than a push."
"Or choke." Feeling my back bleed and the sweat beading against my flesh I cried out furiously behind gritted teeth. The fact they could be so idle, so uncaring was the height of evil. Tex however just tutted and placed the belt down on the table beside my hands, I wanted to try and grab it but the weakness and pain blended into me to the point that even breathing was a heavy duty movement and I was sure he knew it and was using it against me as a form of sick pleasure. "To be continued." Leaning down at my side I saw his playful pout as I glared back at him. "Now I think I've made my point we can move on, Tinker." Mama's chuckle continued to vibrate against her mechanical piece nestled on her throat and only increased in volume as Roger's cries of agonised pain once again sounded as Tink told him to stop being such a baby. I broke my gaze from the demented cowboy to once again focus on my fumbling hands. They were bringing the poor man to me and all I knew was that somehow things were about to get much worse. "You know, I would understand if you ran off with Joel but where did you pick up this crybaby?" The table thudded against my chest as I gasped wanting to answer but unable to talk back further. Tink shoved the poor dark haired man on a seat before me. "First guy you see and you're running for the hills."
"Would say little girl but that's insulting to Heather." Tinker laughed as I peeked up and winced only more at the sight of Roger's face wondering how he could even be conscious. One half of his face was smashed as if he collided against a brick wall and swelled up to his forehead, partially closing his eye. The other half had letters carved deeply to spell out the little girl's name which had stained him with blood. "Carving a pumpkin will be a piece of cake for her this year."
"Plenty of flesh to practise on." Mama agreed proudly. "She should be here any minute now."
"Just picking up a few things." Tex stated simply as I felt his finger slide down on an open wound. Roger tried to make a comment, his tongue refusing to allow him too and instead only sending out an agitated mumble as the blonde licked his now red coated fingers. "Sorry fella, I don't understand you. Can you try repeating yourself?" Roger went to do exactly that as I hummed in warning. They were fishing for a reaction and the more he relented, the more enjoyment they would take. With a low growl he struggled to nod, Tinker pressing down on his shoulders to keep him sitting still. "Can see who wears the trousers." Tex remarked before flicking his eyes down at me smugly "so to speak."
"Dogs don't need clothes." Mama said simply her face lighting up as a familiar small blonde entered the room, a wrapped up bundle in her arms. "What an angel you are."
Angel of death.
"Just in time, I was about to go look for you. Now lets see what we have here hm?" Tex took the bundle out for Heather's eager hands and rolled it along the table between me and Roger. He gave a horrified breath at the sight of knives ranging in size and blade which lead up to a cleaver, a mallet and even a small saw. I turned my head knowing that the pain on the back was soon to be the least of my problem. "Don't be getting shy now sweetheart, you wanted attention and here it is."
"Now we're talking." Tink chuckled. "How do you want to place this Tex?"
"Still thinking on that."
"Make them choose." Mama said as Heather sat in her lap receiving a kiss to the head as she nodded in agreement. Tex grinned and repeated her words.
"I like the sound of that, let's see how much fun we can have here. Hey sweetheart." fingers linked around my chin turning my head as he kicked out a chair beside me. "Now because you like this loser so much, you can have the joys of looking at him. In fact if you look away at all, there's going to be punishment. Do you doubt that?" No, I didn't. Nodding as if reading my mind Tex beamed at Tinker, "okay then, same for you handsome." Roger growled behind his fractured teeth. "You're going to look at our pretty gal here and again if you look away, someone is going to get hurt. So now we know the rules, let's start small." Having my head positioned slowly back in Roger's direction I tried to keep eye contact with him. My body continued to quake and tremble. "Didn't even know there was a peeler in here, now we're talking. Now then, we'll let you two lovebirds pick. Who wants to get the first little dose of pain." His eyes trembled in their sockets as I sucked in a breath. I could tell what he wanted to say but was unable to do so. He had no choice and knowing he had suffered enough I tried to have him see what I was doing as my fingers tapped once more against the table. This was my fault.
"...Me." I whispered as I bit on my lip ignoring the struggle which came from the shaking ahead in front of me. I wanted to tell Roger that it would be okay but I knew it wouldn't be. This was scratching on the surface.
"Alrighty then." Tex chimed.
"Chivalry ain't dead." Tinker said, sounding disappointed. The blade of Tex's choosing pierced and cut against my shoulder scraping downwards. It was the peeler. I could feel the blood leak down my arm as he shaved against a few centimetres of flesh. Again I cried out struggling to keep my sight on the person they had instructed me to keep my attention on. "Looks like someone isn't wanting to watch."
"Well then, looks like it's your turn as well, pretty boy." Tex giggled as I flinched feeling my head pound and spin. Wasting no time the crimson stained peeler touched down on a finger of Roger's and stretched it quickly. The room erupted in laughter as he screamed and cried some more, his nail hanging off the tip of his index finger which gushed profusely the bone glinting against the dim light.