My Name Is Crow

67

Matt wiped a cool cloth over my forehead, moving back quickly as I retched again. "Nate, you tell that bastard that he has no right to hurt you," he said.

You've told me many times, and look what it's gotten you, Cole said, each syllable sending another wave of discomfort through my skull. I grit my teeth, shutting my eyes tight.

"Can he hear me?" Matt said. I nodded tensely.

Matt settled down, moving over next to me. "I know you hear me, Cole, so listen up," he said. "I don't know what you want with Nate, and I don't give a damn. All I care about is that you leave him the hell alone. If I see any sign that you're bothering him, I swear to God I will find you and I will make you pay for everything you've done to all of us."

Cole's only response was to send a tremor through me, and I fell back, sobbing. Matt caught me, pulling me into his arms.

"This is not gonna work," he said under his breath, rocking me gently. "There's gotta be someone here who's not messed up."

We spent the night at the TV tower, seeing as I didn't trust myself to fly.

-----

I am in a chair. My wrists and ankles are tied down, and I'm wearing nothing but a pair of underwear.

I strained at the straps, scraping the skin off my wrists.

"You're going to hurt yourself if you keep that up," Cole said, putting a hand on my shoulder. He kissed my cheek, trailing his tongue along the edge of my ear. He tapped one of my gauges with a perfectly manicured fingernail. "When did this happen?"

I snapped at him, my teeth grazing his finger. He didn't flinch, only pulling his hand away. A line of blood ran down the back of his hand, disappearing in seconds.

My head whipped to the side as he slapped me, leaving red marks on my face.

"You need to learn respect," he said, crouching in front of me. He took out a knife, sliding the blade under the straps and cutting them with a quick tug. I darted away, but Cole grabbed my arm, throwing me to the ground.

He pinned me down, biting my shoulder. I cried out as the pain hit me, the blood running down my shoulder and chest. But that small pain was nothing compared to what came next.