Tethered

Chapter Twenty-two

1

Dale tried the door but it couldn't open. "It's locked", he said, looking at them with fear in his eyes. "How..."

"How dare you?" A hoarse, dry voice spoke. Another door they didn't notice before opened, and man walked out. He was, perhaps in his sixties or seventies, with light grey hair, white glasses and a dirty white apron. He held a knife in his right hand.

"What are you doing in my house?" He barked, clenching the knife tighter.

"Well, perhaps, you sir, should tell us what you know about us", Dale said, stepping forward. Sarah shivered. She was scared nothing productive could come out of this but death. That sharp blade in the man's hand screamed someone is going to die today.

"What are you talking about?" The man yelled angrily.

"This?" Ariana yelled, yanking one of the cloths off the wall. "I saw it just now! Now, start talking, old man!"

Sarah's eyes widened, and terror momentarily paralyzed her. On the wall were photographs of her and everyone else on that little list. She glared at Ariana. Ariana had tears in her eyes, and she was breathing really fast.

Dale and Philip stared, frowning.

"Start talking, old sack!" Ariana yelled, clenching her fists. "The cops are on their way."

"Cops!" The man yelled, and instantly charged at Dale. He knocked him down, and stabbed him in the thigh. Dale screamed. Philip ran to the rescue. He grabbed the man and yanked him off of Dale. Dale crawled backwards, holding his bloody thigh.

Ariana started searching through the things for anything that could be of use—anything that could help them solve their problem.

"Do the same!" She yelled at Sarah, and Sarah jolted. She couldn't. She couldn't do anything. She was scared. She was scared.

2

The man yelled furiously, hit Philip on the back. He fell, and the man clutched him around the neck. Philip kicked him in the stomach. The man rolled on his back, and Philip climbed on top of him. He pushed him in the face. The man's nose bled.

"Tells us what you know!" He yelled.

"Beat him good!" Ariana shouted. "Kill him, even, I don't care!"

"Snap out of it, goddamn it, Sarah!" Dale yelled, and Sarah jolted again but this time, she went to him and helped put pressure on the wound.

The man's hand searched for the fallen knife, felt it, grabbed it and swung at him. Philip drew back but the knife made contact with his neck, and cut a tiny section there. Philip snatched the blade away and put it on the man's neck.

"Start talking or I cut you open", he muttered.

"They're on their way here!" The man yelled. "They know you're here!"

Dale sprung to his feet. He stepped on the man's right wrist, making him hard enough to make it hurt. He searched his pockets for his pocket knife, found it and speared the man in the shoulder. The man screamed. Blood spilled out.

"Who?" Philip asked. "Who's coming?"

"I told them it was insane but they made me to do anyway!" He yelled again. "To all of you!"

"Do what?" Dale asked. "Fucking speak, old man or I fill your body with holes!"

The man struggled, trying to break free. Philip grabbed the collar of the man's sweater, lifted him midair and slammed his head back on the dusty floor. Dale pierced the man's shoulder again.