The City - PewdieCry

12: Battle Scars

 The sounds of something or someone screaming jolted me from my sleep, making me bolt upright in fear. I glanced around my immediate location, and found that there was nothing there. In fact, all was fine around me and the noise had died. Yet, it was brought up seconds later, and it sounded like the sound of metal scraping against itself. Gritting my teeth, I decided that if there were some big metal project Michael was conducting, then it wasn't my place to say anything.

I told myself this every morning.

Who knows where all the shouting and metal works was truly originating from? No one seemed to want to talk about it, and those who were asking were silenced like it was a secret, or we simply weren't allowed to speak of it. Despite Covert's high ranking in the gang, even he didn't know what was going on.

"Its some big project they're conducting that they didn't want anyone else to be a part of," he would say each time I asked, flicking the ashen part of his cigar away. "They wanted as few people to know about it as possible, even I'm in the dark here." I could only nod and accept this as everyone else had.

I was glad that Covert was choosing to stick at my side now, especially since that Ethan boy was stirring up trouble. Most people of my ranking simply avoided me, and if they didn't do that, they would push me out of the way and make sure that I hit the ground at least once a day. Their attacks were growing more vicious, but they soon learned only to pick at me when Covert wasn't around. One of Ethan's followers still had a scar from Covert sticking his burning cigar into his hand as punishment. The only problem with that was that Covert was a much higher rank, and usually was stuck with important jobs throughout the day, leaving me on my own not only with nothing to do but nowhere to go.

I tried staying in my room, but my own curiosity was killing me to go and explore the city. It was fairly obvious that walking around the city wasn't an option unless I was doing something useful out there. Not only had I nothing to do but run from those attacking me, but Cry's strange connection to me had finally gotten under Michael's skin, and he kept a careful eye on me for anything traitorous activities. Covert warned me that Michael was no longer on my side thanks to Ethan, and while he was gone I'd have to learn to stay strong on my own. The only problem was that I've never fought anyone in my life; I'd always been able to flee.

So when Ethan dragged me outside and behind HQ after curfew, I knew I was in trouble.

"What's wrong, Pewdie? You look scared." Ethan taunted as two of his friends held each of my arms, restraining me in place. I thought back to Cry at this moment, the man's stoic face and selfless, courageous behavior. If he were stuck here, he definitely wouldn't give these boys the satisfaction of his fear. I curled my lip, spitting at the ground.

"Its Pewdiepie to you, if you knew what respect was." I told him, and the glint of anger in his gaze told me I'd struck a nerve. He reared back and punched me in the jaw, enough to leave a sting so rough that tears formed in my eyes, and my jaw felt disconnected from my face.

"You know what? No, wait." Ethan said, shaking his wrist and pushing his friends from me, fanning them in a circle from us. "Let's go, Pewdiepie. You and me, a proper one on one." My eyes widened, and I swallowed. A beating would have been preferred, that at least was something that Covert could scold them for. A fight, one seemingly induced, ends the way it ends, no questions asked. I began to shake, and that was when Ethan grinned. "What, scared now, Pewdiepie?" I swallowed, and he reared back once more, and I simply waited for the pain this time.

I couldn't fight, I couldn't block any attacks for I didn't have the strength to do it. Ethan simply hit me onto the ground, and from there it was a mixture of kicking me and pushing me around. Every time I stood to try and defend myself, I was only pushed off balance by someone outside the group to keep Ethan on the winning end. I wasn't sure how long I stayed there, but I didn't move for several minutes after Ethan left.