Kickdrum Beating in My Chest Again (Alternate Version)

Chapter 24

*******Trigger Warning for Drug Use, Graphic Violence, and Rape*******

In the meantime, Joe is slowing starting to regain consciousness. Off in the distance he hears Patrick say something to him, but it sounds like his voice is underwater and Joe can't understand him. His arms and legs feel very heavy however, he is starting to regain feeling in them. The next step is to try to open his eyes, but they don't react. He's suddenly very aware that the back of his head really fucking hurts. In fact, it is pounding to the point that it feels like his brain is exploding. Oh my God! My head! What the fuck happened? I remember Patrick and I walking out of the mess hall and someone grabbing me from behind, and then nothing. Joe tries to open his eyes again and is successful this time. He immediately feels blinded by the light above him and feels very nauseous. He hears Patrick screaming in the background. He must be in trouble. I need to help him! He tries to roll over onto his side so that he can push himself up. He is welcomed with a hard wave of nausea and his mouth fills with vomit, which comes spewing out. Fuck! I must have a concussion. He takes a deep breath and pushes himself to a sitting position. He is welcomed with more nausea and vomit. He feels incredibly dizzy as well. I have to stand up and help Patrick. I can do this. Come on Joe, push through the pain and nausea. Patrick needs you! He manages to get on his knees and stand up. Once the dizziness subsides a bit, he is walking very slowly toward Patrick's voice. He also hears Shane's voice too, which is weird. As he gets closer, he watches Shane stab a needle into Patrick's side and he goes quiet. Shane and the rest of Gabe's goons leave him there, lying on the floor. After they leave, Joe makes his way to where Patrick is laying on the ground. His skin is warm and flushed. He's mumbling something that Joe can't understand, and he appears to be drifting in and out of consciousness. He sits there with Patrick for a few minutes. It appears that he is experiencing the "high" of whatever drug they gave him. Joe is just sitting there wiping his hair out of his face, when Patrick opens his eyes and smiles. He is definitely still high because his pupils are huge, but for the moment he seems to be lucid.

He looks up at Joe and says "hey Joe! They drugged me again. Please help get me somewhere safe."

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His words are slow and somewhat slurred. After that, Joe watches as Patrick's eyes roll back in his head, and he passes out. Joe looks around to where exactly they are at. He would usually pick Patrick up, bring him back to their cell and lay him in his bed until he wakes up, but his head hurts so bad that there is no way he can pick him up and walk that far right now. He can barely stand and walk on his own. Luckily, he sees a friendly guard walking this way so he flags the guy down.

"Guard!" Joe yells. The guard sees Joe and Patrick and walks over to them.

"What happened to the two of you?" the guard asks.

When Joe looks up at him, he has trouble focusing. He sees the guard but the image is spinning.

"My friend and I were attacked on our way back to our cell. Someone jumped me and hit me very hard on the back of my head and I passed out. I'm not exactly sure what happened to my friend, but when I came to, he was screaming. As I got closer to him, I saw another inmate stab him with a needle with some kind of drug in it. Now he is unconscious. I would usually pick him up and take him back to our cell, but I'm pretty sure I have a concussion and I can barely stand." Joe says.

"This has happened to him before?" the guard asks.

"Yes, but I'm not going to snitch on anyone. Could you please take us back to our cell and call Dr. Smith?" Joe asks.