Hell Raiser

Meagre Beginnings

"Come on, stand up. Fight." The voice echoed out of the shadows onto the young woman sitting in the middle of "The Arena" as it was called by self named Dr. V. He was a large man both in height and girth. He had black spiked hair with bleached tips. His voice was as deep as to be expected and with it came the fear he instated in others

"I don't want to fight you, I just want to go home." He had acquired Jamie from outside her home, leaving a ransom note for her return. He knew she wouldn't be returned for the outrageous price he demanded. She was a small girl of about 17 or 18. Not particularly strong. She lucked out of her first fight with the girl she was going against falling ill and passing out on her own. Dr. V. disposed of the girl without a word congratulating Jamie on her first win.

"Well if your parents cared you wouldn't be here right now little girl. But, you are, and since your here, you listen to me, and I'm saying fight." His words stung and he knew they would. Playing on her emotions he hoped would encourage her to do well in the next fight.

"My parents do love me! You don't know what your talking about!" Tears streamed down her face as she screamed at the man. "I want to go home! My parents love me and they're coming to get me very soon!"

"If they love you they would have payed to get you back by now. No one lets their beloved daughter be sold to a fighting ring and have to fight for her way out."

"Maybe they just wanted to strengthen you up a bit." The new voice rang from far above the girl, and even above Dr. V. it seemed. It flowed down over them and stuck in their ears.

"Who was that?!?" Dr. V. had never sounded nervous as he does now. Jamie smiled slightly at this sound.

"Why would you keep a girl here against her will? She clearly doesn't want to be here. Why should you control her life?" The voice sounded like a young man, but also sounded foreign, more loving and caring. "She doesn't deserve to be here."

"What do you know?!? I-if her parents wanted her back they'd pay!" His voice cracked as he spoke. Jamie's confidence was building as the new voice seemed to be unnerving Dr. V. more and more as he spoke.

"If you had any plan of setting her free you wouldn't have put the ransom so high." The voice was right behind the doctor now and he jumped almost falling in the pit next to him.

He blindly swung at the disembodied voice in front of him. His fist sailing through the air with an empty whipping sound. He stumbled forward and hit against the railing.

"Now now, no need for violence. I only came to talk, to persuade you, if you will." There was a soft thud as a young boy landed on the ground behind him. "My name is Hyde. It's a pleasure to meet your acquaintance. Now, why don't we agree that you'll let this young lady leave with me and all of this can be over right now." He held out his hand and motioned for a shake

The doctor slapped Hyde's hand away and reached into his pocket. "You will not, come into my building, and tell me what to do with my girls." As he spoke he pulled a small handgun from his pocket. Hyde's head twisted to the side as he produced the weapon, it seemed foreign to him.

"Now you should leave."

"I don't think that thing will help you force me to do anything." Hyde started to walk forward towards him. The man backed up as he did so and cocked his weapon, pointing it at Hyde.

He aimed at the young man's head and pulled the trigger. His mind working faster than anyone could see Hyde noticed something moving very quickly towards his face. He tilted his head to the side to let it fly past. It was small and rounded, spiralling as it went past. He moved his head back where it originated. All of this happened in less than a second. As his head returned he heard the thing hit the wall behind him.

The doctors face was nothing short of pure confusion. He pulled the trigger as many times as it would. This time he could see the boy move his head to the side as each bullet passed by without so much as a scratch to the strange child.

"What are you?!?" The doctor was shaking visibly and his gun was completely out of bullets. "Stay back! Don't come near me! You're a monster!!"

Jamie was also scared at this point, she couldn't see what was happening but she heard the gunfire and screams from the doctor.

There was a flash of red, almost like like an explosion. The doctor fell silent, there was no sound whatsoever. Jamie started to walk towards the wall of the pit and pressed her ear against it to listen for the footsteps above. She heard nothing

"What are you listening for." A short whisper came from behind her. She jumped and turned fist outstretched trying to hit whoever was behind her. Her hand was caught effortlessly, "That's not very nice, I just beat that guy so you could leave. You're going to repay me by hitting me?"

She let her arm fall limp by her side. Her other arm flew to cover her rapidly blushing face. "D-d-did he hit you....? I wouldn't want you to be hurt just for me.."

"There's no way he could have landed a hand on me. Not even his automatic slingshot had a chance against me." He let out a brilliant smile as wide as she had ever seen. "Besides, for you it'd be worth getting hurt. When I first got here, I promised myself I'd never let anyone get hurt that I could have helped."

"Automatic slingshot? You mean the gun?" She smiled slightly and looked up at him. seeing closely for the first time, he was taller than her probably about 6'1", he had dirty blonde disheveled hair, brilliant blue eyes, and curiously pointed fangs jutting out of his lips where anyone else would have canine teeth.

"Well? We're leaving aren't we?"

"I don't have anywhere to go...."

"Well I planned on you coming with me, you'll always have a place as long as you'll stick with me!" His smile made her blush again, she turned from him so he couldn't see her. He started to walk away and she followed, running behind him to catch up she grabbed his hand tight and smiled with him.

"I-I-I'll stay with you!!"