"Sir. Sir." Mark called, shaking Noah gently. Noah groaned, rubbing his eyes as he blinked them open. Once fully awake, he sighed heavily, sitting up with a jolt. "The farm, the chores, staying out of trouble," he ranted, his mind still foggy with sleep.
Mark looked puzzled. "What would you like for breakfast?" he asked, trying to bring Noah back to the present moment. Noah turned to him, his gaze intense for a fleeting moment before returning to his hands. "MARK?!" he suddenly yelled, startling the man, who straightened with a serious expression, bracing himself for whatever storm was brewing.
"Sir, do not be displeased, whatever it is, it will be sorted," Mark assured him, his tone steady and reassuring.
Noah practically leaped off the bed, enveloping Mark in a bone-crushing hug. "I can't believe you're real," he blurted out in a rush of excitement.
"I have always been real, Sir," Mark replied awkwardly, slightly taken aback by Noah's exuberance.
Noah released him, his emotions still running high. "I have been away for so long, and it was terrible. God, I'm back!" he exclaimed, his breath coming in rapid bursts.
"Uh..." Mark trailed off, struggling to comprehend Noah's emotional outburst.
"MUM! Where is she?! In her garden?" Noah demanded, but was met with silence. He dashed to the door, barely making it out before Mark caught him by the bicep, guiding him back to the bed with gentle insistence.
He sighed heavily as he met Noah's eyes, "Mrs. Cordelia passed away yesterday, from an overdose of somnifers. You arrived home intoxicated, and she was worried, so she took some pills, too many. Her burial is scheduled for next week," Mark explained solemnly. Noah felt his heart skip a beat at the news, his world crumbling around him.
He began shaking his head in denial, "N-no, I was kidnapped for months, and I just got back here, and... Mum!" he choked out, the weight of the truth bearing down on him. "Mum, where is she? Where is Mum?" he cried out, his voice filled with anguish.
"She is in the mortuary," Mark replied sternly, hoping his words would penetrate Noah's shock.
Noah sat up, his mind reeling with disbelief, "MUM!" he cried out, his voice echoing down the corridor as he raced towards the stairs in his shorts. "MUM! Please, I'm sorry!" he pleaded desperately, his voice echoing through the hallway, with Mark trailing behind him while walking the hall.
As he reached the stairs, Noah was forced to a halt, his eyes widening with fear at the sight before him. "Time for judgment, Noah," Mr. Yaroslav's imposing figure loomed over him, a malevolent grin twisting his lips. Noah attempted to flee but was ensnared by a powerful grip.
"No! Let go! Mark!" he struggled against the larger man, but his efforts were in vain.
"Get your hands off him, this instant!" Mark yelled. Yaroslav moved smoothly and quickly; the sound of a gunshot reverberated through the room as Mark fell, a pool of blood forming around him. Noah collapsed, speechless, a gut-wrenching wail escaping his throat, his world shattered into a million pieces.
"You'll watch all you have dying, and you caused it," Yaroslav taunted, his form expanding grotesquely, his teeth growing sharper. Noah was enveloped in a darkness so profound, that a heavy pain gnawed at his very bones.
"MUM!!!" he cried out one last time as the light faded.
********
Noah jerked up all sweaty and panting while shaking, "Mum," He quaked in a hush. "Lay down." a man's voice urged gently, and Noah flinched, his eyes darting around the room in panic. His gaze fell on the beeping monitor, the IV drip, and the hospital bed, all unfamiliar and unsettling. It felt like a clinic, but he couldn't tell where he was.
"You have a bruised rib; you should avoid sudden movements. I've informed your instructor," the man explained, filling a syringe with medication.
Noah looked at him, desperation etched in his eyes. "Where is this place? Where am I?" he pleaded for answers, his voice tinged with fear.
The man muttered something under his breath that sounded like, "why is he awake?" Then he directed at him "If you're here, you're not a saint. Call it a penitentiary if you want, but it's all the same," the man replied, turning to reveal his aged face, his demeanor suggesting a military background.
"Please, help me get out of here. I need to see my mother," Noah implored, his voice trembling with urgency.
The man chuckled grimly. "You're new here," he said, a hint of amusement in his tone. "Only newbies would attempt such a foolish thing. If you abide by the rules, maybe you might get a reduced sentence."
"Sentence? I didn't commit any crime!" Noah protested, his voice rising before he winced in pain.
"There's no escape here, maybe if you have wings or are born of a mermaid. Either way," the man said, advancing towards Noah, who flinched away.
"I need to put you to sleep; it's been two days already. You're good to go," the man stated, preparing the syringe.
"No, please. I don't wanna go back there, Avgustin is a very horrible person, he starves and hurts me, please." Noah pleaded desperately.
The man hesitated with a pause, then his expression blended into a smirk, "deal with it." with that he stabbed the syringe in Noah's arm before he could protest further, sending him once again into darkness.
"I-i.." Noah slurred as he was thrown again into darkness.
*******
Dhakirah stood beside Noah who was staring at his lunch unable to find interest in the food with concern evident in his eyes as he observed the bandage around Noah's torso. "How do you feel?" Dhakirah finally asked, breaking the silence.
Noah paused, meeting Dhakirah's gaze, his expression weary. "Like shit," he admitted with a hint of resignation.
Dhakirah chuckled softly, feeling relieved. "Good thing I found you lifeless in the cell three days ago. Good thing I came just in time. What did they say it was?"
"Bruises on the ribs. Browne took his role too seriously, maybe a revenge thing." Noah chuckled dryly, attempting to mask his emotions.
Dhakirah averted his gaze, his thoughts drifting. "I guess," he murmured.
"Why do you care?" Noah said out of the blue while staring blankly at the wall.
Dhakirah brought his attention back to him, "I have to join the boys in finishing the roof." He said, totally dodging the question.
Noah fixed him in the eyes with his lips in a pulse, "They all hate me." He laughed, "And you don't, why? I know I'm a scum and deserve all the hate in the world, but why don't you hate me? Why?" He persisted, his voice turning darker with each word.
Dhairah frowned as he sat up, "You're just a kid, stupid, silly, all but not evil. You're just confused, and that's what they see. I see beyond the mess that you are," Dhakirah briefly stated.
Noah pressed his lips harder into a small line before scoffing, "Stop lying," his voice cracked even when he tried to mask it. Then, with no further word, he turned on his side, facing away from Dhakirah.
As Dhakirah stepped forward attempting to leave, a small voice stopped him, "It doesn't make sense," Noah almost whispered. Dhakirah turned around, meeting Noah's bloodshot eyes. "You don't make sense," he continued. "Everything doesn't make sense. I just want to get out of here," he confessed in distress.
Dhakirah frowned softly, "Stop trying to escape; it is not possible here, and avoid lying to Avgustin; he knows everything, whatever you do, so stop. This is for your good."
Noah frowned, "I didn't try to escape; I don't know how the rope got where it got, but I didn't try to escape. I swear. I had climbed a tree to get a wider view of the woods, that was how I knew about the stream, and that was why I didn't get back in time," Noah confessed in frustration. "Never mind! You don't believe me anyway," Noah huffed while turning once again on his side away from Dhakirah.
Dhakirah found it hard to believe the boy. But he needed to stop his stupid decisions and silly actions; he could end up like Rico.
A/N
What do you think about Dhakirah?
YOU ARE READING
Days Are Numbered
Teen FictionNOAH MERRIDEW is your typical popular kid who can't keep his emotions composed. Being the only child of a rich couple he is spoilt and rotten to the core with all his caprices being answered. However, thing takes a different turn when his father die...
