Chapter 14 | Leo
When thirteen-year-old Leo's meek body recovered from the anesthetic, he woke up to some form of pressing weight on top of him, a little to the side.
It hurt his chest, his ribs. He coughed helplessly, eyes still blurry. Something or someone? The weight suddenly lifted and he let out a strained breath. Beside him, Jayden scurried away, face set in a stone-hard expression, hand tugging his hair like he was confused.
Leo slowly sat up, propping an elbow against the floor. The moment the muscles in his waist flexed, he cried out and slipped back down, banging his head.
His hand touched around the area, only to feel something thick and cottony. A bandage right over the stitches, stitches right over a stab wound and a scar combined.
He remembered in fragments what'd happened the night before. Or was it several nights before? A knife twisting in his waist, his father angrier than ever, then a man he'd never seen before dressed in white. He remembered shouting and don't let him die!
He pressed both palms against the floor and forced himself to move until he could lean his upper back against the wall.
When he turned his neck to glance at the door, he let out a groan. His neck hurt. But not all of it, just a small patch of skin. Leo reached up, feeling around until he went over the throbbing spot right beneath his jaw, in the area of conjunction between his neck and jawline. A bruise, purpling and sore.
A bite? Leo figured that maybe his Dad bit him as punishment to biting him back when he'd taken his crayons. Maybe he decided to get him back now.
Maybe, maybe not. Leo couldn't know.
The door creaked open. Amy peeked in at first, standing still by the threshold, then finally stalked in. She'd aged pretty bad. Not that she was too old, but mutiny and greed and underhanded cruelty had no mercy. The stress lines in her forehead looked like trenches in the street.
"Oh, you woke up," she mumbled, holding a hand to her chest. She crouched down beside him. Leo didn't seem to acknowledge her existence. She was about touch him when something caught her attention, making the relieved expression falter.
"What is that?" The tips of her fingers brushed along his chin, turning his face aside until the side of his neck was on full display. Her jaw unhinged. "Who did that to you?"
"Don't know," Leo dismissed. "Hurts. Maybe dad. Maybe he wanted to punish me."
"Why? What did you do?"
"Because I bit him. When he took my blue, remember?"
"That was three years ago! He already punished you for it— oh my God, oh my God. This is sick." She leant forwards, squinting, wishing it wasn't true. Wishing what she thought wasn't true. "That's a hickey. He- he gave you a hickey. That pedophile. That- that bastard."
Leo didn't care about what she said anymore. She was annoying, at least to him. All she'd do was either cry even though he was the one hurting or (as of recently) yell at him. Always the same thing, same mannerisms, for years.
"Jayden!" Amy screamed, pushing herself up to her feet. Just as she stood upright, the roar of an engine sounded from outside. She ran to the window. Jayden's car was a shadow speeding off the road underneath the inky night sky. "You're sick!"
The hypocrisy was tangible. Wasn't she sick too for watching it happen whilst trying to victimize herself on Leo's expense?
Leo whimpered when he felt a pang of pain in his waist. He held the bandage and looked up, unintentionally searing his eyes with the light that the choppy lamp dispersed, the only source of illumination in the room.
Amy stared at him. "Does it hurt?"
Leo nodded vehemently. "Don't want it." He gripped the edge of the bandage. "Hurts."
"Leo. Leo, no!" Amy jerked forwards, held his wrist and forced it down. "The bandage doesn't hurt, the wound does. Ripping it won't help."
"Leave me," Leo mumbled as he struggled to free his wrist. In the effort, he twisted his body and the wound throbbed and he cried out. When he looked at Amy again, caramel hair brushing over his forehead, he was frowning. Next thing she knew, he scratched her across the face.
Amy yelped and turned away. "What in the world is wrong with you!" she screamed in his face.
Dealing with Leo had become exhausting. His behavior only got worse. What he couldn't do to Jayden because he was terrified of him, he let out on Amy. Biting, scratching, hitting. He wouldn't do it out of nowhere, only when she touched him or gripped him hard.
She continued with a sharp voice, "Leo, don't do that again!" She shook her head to herself, disappointed. "God, I wish you can just go back to how you were when you were five."
So back to when he didn't know how to defend himself. Back to when he took all the pain and harbored it in his heart without lashing out on anyone. Back when life was much easier for Amy, because she didn't have to deal with Leo's aggression. She only sinned and oppressed him without having to witness backfires.
How just.
"Hate you," Leo grumbled. He returned his focus to the bandage. He didn't understand what it was. No one had ever plastered anything over his wounds. "Wanna take it off."
Amy let out a furious breath. Her patience had shortened over long years of trying to deal with his aggressive behavior. Instead of trying to explain to him what a bandage was and how it helped him, she said, "You idiot." She reached forward, gripped his bony wrist with force and roughly pulled it away, shoving him back. "Don't touch it! I said don't touch it!"
Leo stared at her. Frowned. Now, he only wanted to spite her. When he remained still for a bit, doing nothing, saying nothing, Amy tensed. She knew he was about to do something.
And she wasn't wrong. Leo leant forwards and bit her arm hard. Amy cried out, trying to push him off. His teeth sank deeper. Her flesh throbbed. She tried again and again. But the more she pushed and yelled, the more defensive Leo became.
"I've had enough of this!" Amy shouted, loud and harsh. She caught his hair, fingers curling around the very roots, and yanked him off her. "I can't deal with you anymore! Such an annoying brat." Thrusting him into the wall behind him, she didn't care about how hard he hit the back of his head.
Leo whimpered. She'd never been too violent with him, which was the main reason he allowed himself to deflate the violence Jayden had filled him with on her. But now, seeing her like this, shouting and pushing, he hated her even more.
"Hate you!" Leo narrowed his eyes at her, one hand cradling the back of his head.
Amy didn't realize how awful, how irritated, Leo felt right now. Always. She didn't understand what it felt like for his inner thighs to constantly burn because nobody potty-trained him and he still had accidents but rarely enough water to clean himself.
Leo hated every second of having to tolerate this. The blood and the pain and the filth. He wasn't a prince nor was he treated like one.
Amy purposely tried to ignore all of that because it would make sense but she desperately wanted to victimize herself.
"Annoying brat," Leo repeated and tried to kick her but Amy caught his ankle, slamming it down on the floor.
"You know what, Leo?" When he struggled to reach forwards, Amy left his ankle and gripped his hands, holding them down. She pinned him against the floor. "I shouldn't even give two shits about you! I don't know why I even bother. I shouldn't have stopped Jayden from molesting you, you ungrateful brat."
Leo didn't quite understand what that meant. And what did she consider helping him? Sneaking in water to let him wash himself then get caught and watch Jayden beat him up? That was how every time she tried to help him went. Leo didn't appreciate it.
So much hatred in his heart, so much irritation. Leo spat in her face and said, "Piece of shit."
"Okay, that's enough!" Amy let her hands glide up to his arms and grip them hard. She looked at him straight in the eyes. "No wonder your father says you're bad. That's what you are, Leo. You're a bad, bad child. And guess what?"
Leo had stopped fighting the moment he heard bad. His heart sank. He only stared, eyes suddenly soft.
"Your mom must hate you. Because you're a brat. She must be glad she's dead and doesn't have to deal with you."
Amy regretted it the moment she said it. She knew she'd gone a bit too far. She knew deep down that it wasn't his fault, she knew, but here she was, playing a game like Jayden's, blaming an innocent for the behavior they'd subconsciously nurtured in him just to justify herself.
What she said broke Leo. Something in him cracked. His ribs, then his heart, then his soul. He blinked fast a few times, tense shoulders dropping. He let out a shaky breath. Then, he started crying.
Amy removed her hands and watched him rest back against the wall, then gradually lean aside.
"I'm sorry, mom!" he sobbed, pressing the side of his face into the wall. Leaning sideways like that, the wound in his waist throbbed but he didn't care. The ache in his heart always outweighed the one in his flesh. "I'm sorry I'm a brat." He didn't even know what brat meant. "I'm sorry I'm bad. Sorry I killed you. Don't hate me, please. I- I love you. Forgive me?"
No answer. As always. He talked to her a lot but she only ignored him. He knew she wouldn't forgive him. How could she when he'd killed her himself?
"Leo—" Amy wanted to make it up for the onslaught she'd had on him, but she heard a car outside. She gingerly stood up and gave Leo a shallowly piteous look. How could she comfort him anyway? At this point, she didn't care enough to bother.
She heartlessly left to check if Jayden had come and closed the door behind.
Leo calmed down on his own again. He always had bursts like that after his aggressive behavior. Hit and shout and bite, then cry and sob and choke on timeless tears.
His bare chest still heaved slightly. He turned his head, peeking at the basement. He realized Amy had left whilst he'd been crying. The silence seemed engulfing, the only noise to be heard his breaths through his nose. He wiped the tip with the back of his hand.
Suddenly, the lights went off. Everything was drenched in black. Leo couldn't see anymore, barely anything. Only a little by the window, where the moonlight slipped in, faint and weak but there nonetheless.
Next there were thumps. Then shouting, then screaming which quickly stopped. Silence.
Leo heard footsteps come from beyond the door that connected the basement to the backyard. His heart thrummed. Had Jayden come back?
He didn't have the chance to release the breath he'd locked in his lungs when a quiet hassle echoed behind the door. Fast whispers and breaths and urgency.
Then the door opened. Leo couldn't see but he felt two people rush in and close the door behind. Two clicks. They'd locked it. Leo took in a shaky breath and squeezed himself against the wall behind him.
"Quick, open the door for Lou."
Feet brushed past Leo towards the door to the backyard. Keys rattled. Then the creak of hinges sounded. Another person entered.
Too many people. People Leo couldn't see. He started panicking, breaths heaving. A beam of light suddenly shone against his face. Leo made a distressed noise and looked away.
"There- oh my God, there's my baby. My poor little baby." A female's voice, soft and loving. Cara. "Hold him down, I'm gonna inject. There's no time, we have to hurry."
Leo wanted to scream when he felt a rough hand catch his arm but another had already pressed against his mouth. He whimpered, tried biting the flesh constricting him but came to no avail. The person wasn't even feeling it.
Cara knelt down. Leo felt her bring something close to his neck but then someone pulled her back and spoke:
"Wait." This voice sounded youthful but scandalized. A teenage boy. Lou. "What- What the hell? That's not a baby, that's a teen. What—"
Cara's voice was terrifyingly calm yet sorrowful as she responded, "What do you mean not a baby? I'm pretty sure that's my baby. Right, Dom? Tell him. Tell him that's our baby boy, our little baby boy."
Nervous silence. Dom kept holding Leo down. He looked at him, barely making out his form in the darkness. "Y-Yeah. That's our baby. Our baby boy." Words robotic, a puppet in flesh. He looked at Lou. "Don't be stupid, Lou. Let's finish this quick. We're scaring him enough right now. We need to take him home."
"No no no. Guys, tell me you're not hallucinating," Lou said, voice low and shaky. "I- I can't do this. We need to go back. That's a teenager, I'm sure—"
"Shut up." Cara seemed irritated. The words slipped through her teeth. "Help us with him." She directed the injection at Leo's neck.
"No, that's not a baby—"
Leo felt the needle retreat from him. He let out a breath that clashed with Dom's palm. The hairs on his neck bristled, hands shaking. He heard a scrape of metal. Closer, closer. Then it slammed against someone's head.
Lou groaned then dropped on the floor.
"The hell did you do to him!"
"Shh, idiot! I had to. He was gonna get us caught," Cara spoke with nonchalance. Then, without warning, she stabbed Leo's neck. He whimpered at the sudden prick and tried to fight but the hands on him were far too constricting. "You drag Lou to the car and come back for our baby. We don't have time."
"How—"
"If you mess this up, I swear to God, I'll make Lou pay for it. I don't care about anyone when it comes to my baby. Anyone."
Dom didn't seem capable of saying a word like he knew what she was like.
Through the haze starting to wrap around his head, Leo heard a body getting dragged across the planks then carried away.
The last thing Leo could remember was someone hovering above him in a haze of shadows and silhouettes. A hand crept
to his cheek and caressed it down to his jawline.
"Baby, Mommy's got you now. No one's gonna hurt you again."
When Dom came back, Leo had succumbed to the drug. His head hung aside like he was dead. Dom lifted him effortlessly and cradled him bridal-style in his arms.
"Go now. And if Lou wakes up, drug him."
"The hell were you thinking? You could've blinded him."
"I said I had to. The idiot just now decides to back out. Don't let him wake up. I don't know what he'd do if wakes. Now go. Make sure you don't leave traces. I'm gonna go back inside."
He left with Leo without another word. Cara disheveled her hair and tore her shirt like she'd been attacked. Like she was a victim when she was all but that.
She ran up the stairs again, only to find Amy just about waking up as she held the side of her head, mumbling, "What happened? Cara?"
With her voice skillfully poised at a panicky tone, Cara rambled, "The- the thief, he hit you in the head. He wanted money. He thought I lived here. And- And he broke into the basement. Maybe he thought you hide the money there? I don't know. I'm- I'm gonna call the police." Cara pulled out her phone and pretended to tap.
Police. Leo. These two couldn't go together. Amy's eyes widened. "No! Don't call the police! I need to call Jayden. He'll decide what we need to do."
Act like an innocent. Cara's expression was scandalized. "Your house just got basically broken into, we have to call the police—"
Amy pushed the phone from Cara's hand, letting it crash onto the floor. "I said no! I'm gonna call Jayden." The panic her voice made it clear there was something brewing.
Cara narrowed her eyes. She smiled internally. Everything worked implicitly like her plan. After Amy called Jayden, she asked, "Amy? Was there a kid in the basement? I think I heard a child cry or something—"
"No! There's no kid. The thief must've thought we hide the money in the basement. That's what everyone here does," Amy quickly said. "Exactly like you said. Did he hurt you? Oh my God." She eyed her. Torn shirt and unruly hair. "I'm- I'm so sorry—"
Liar lying right in Cara's face. She thought, you bitch. But then again, thank God Amy was a bitch. Otherwise, how would this have gone as smoothly?
"It's all good, I'm alive."
Jayden came busting through the front door, breath heaving and heart pounding out of his chest. He watched Amy, slumped against the wall, and Cara beside her. "What happened? Where's the light?"
"I don't know. A theif," Cara said, breathlessly, because the act was important. "He broke in. You need to call the police—"
"A thief? God, what's with people wanting to steal others' shit." Jayden was terrified and confused but he desperately wanted to get rid of Cara so he'd figure how he'd deal with this. As a person out of the game, he couldn't discuss openly in front of her. "Don't worry, it happens. It happened before. Greedy people. I'll deal with this, I know how to."
Jayden approached, offering a hand to Cara. He helped her up. "You need to go home. I'm so sorry this happened to you. You go home. I'll take care of the rest. Shit like this happens. Don't worry. Do you need a ride home? Or..."
He held his wallet. His eyes said: if money is what it takes to shut you up, I'm ready.
Amy snorted inwardly. She'd gladly welcome another pawn to the game.
Cara shook her head. She wanted to punch him across the face, shoot him in the chest. She suppressed the violence and said, "No, thank you. I'm fine. I- I just don't know what to say. I've never had to deal with a thief. How are you used to this? If you need testimony about what happened, I'll be glad to help."
"Don't worry about it. I'll look into it. You just go home."
Cara stared. At both. Sharp, pointy. Creepy. She'd strangle them now. But she had more important things to do. She blinked, then turned and left.
When Jayden made sure she left, he ran to the basement. "Oh, oh shit," he mumbled, rubbing a hand over his mouth. "Leo. Leo's not here."
Amy pushed towards him, peeking in. She gasped. "Oh no, tell me the thief didn't take him for a ransom." Jayden didn't speak. She caught his arm and shook him, voice loudening as she shouted, "Jayden! They took Leo for a ransom! They're gonna use him to force you into paying them! And- And we can't call the police because we'll get caught." She grasped her hair and tugged like an insane seventy-year-old. "What're we gonna do? Oh God, oh God, we're gonna go to jail—"
"Shut up!" Jayden snapped. He let himself muse for a minute. "If the thief wants a ransom, he'll call or something. We're gonna wait. He's gonna threaten us with Leo."
"And then?"
"We'll tell him that we can't pay and he'll kill Leo. I'll hire security or something so he doesn't try stealing again. No matter what, we can't call the police."
"What if they don't kill him? What if they use him for human trafficking?"
"Bad luck for him. I wanted to get rid of him anyway. I just couldn't kill him myself," Jayden mumbled. A recollection dawned on him. He shook his head. "It's better this way. He's been messing with my head. I've been imagining him Eliza too much. I- I can't deal with it anymore. It's killing me."
Amy's eyes widened. She looked at Jayden. "Wh-What do you mean? Tell me you didn't go too far, tell me you didn't do anything too drastic to him, please."
Jayden didn't answer.
*_*_*_*_*_*
if you're confused no worries, everything u didnt understand shall be explained in detail in a future captors chap (for example how tf cara knows them) Throw at me theories (again) if u have ones!
ALSO: you wont be seeing a leo chap for a while now bc the next one will show u his first days. This will require some important info from the captors chaps, especially to understand why they treat lou the way you will see. Point is, right now you're gonna see a shitload of captors chaps. Do u guys mind?
thank you so much for reading/voting/commenting, i love you <3