Noah stirred awake, his gaze fixed on the ceiling, struggling to piece together the events of the previous incident. A faint throbbing in his head attempted to bring back memories, but his mind remained shrouded in a fog of confusion. Lying still for what felt like an eternity, he hesitated to encourage his body into movement. In this suspended state, he found solace — a fleeting moment where his mind was blank, only absorbing sensations and emotions.
The tranquility was disrupted when Vincent walked into the room, an unwelcome intrusion that threatened to unravel the fragile peace Noah had momentarily found.
"Oh," Vincent said, his voice breaking the silence in the room. The single word hung in the air, pregnant with unspoken questions and the weight of the recent events that Noah struggled to recall. Then he turned around exiting the room only to return with Dhakirah.
Noah finally made a movement, he sat up gently ignoring the pain that shut through his battered body like wildfire. Gently he brushed a hand over his tired face.
Dhakirah stood a few meters away from him not uttering a word until he dismissed Vincent who reluctantly left. His hands crossed over his chest he breathed out before furrowing his brows, "What is this mess?" He finally uttered and he didn't sound pleased.
Noah shook his head lightly, hoping Dhakirah would understand his nonverbal language, but he was having none of it.
"Speak up, Noah! You better start speaking! Because I have no freaking idea what got into you! Trying to escape again!" He half yelled.
Noah finally made eye contact with him, "No, no," He said above a whisper, "I was going about my day on the farm.." He started fumbling to pick the memories. Dhakirah drew closer.
"Then I felt a heavy and sharp pain on the back of my head and the sound of bottles shattering, then, then..." Noah paused as if restraining back his words, then in a whisper, he uttered, "I don't know. I don't remember."
Dhakirah clenched his jaw. "Think harder, Avgustin is about to reap your throat. Man, thinks you were trying to escape and he was mad at us for endangering our lives for yours. Rafael got injured badly on the foot, which would put him off labor and training for weeks." Dhakirah explained.
Noah sighed, "You should have just allowed me to die." Noah confessed feeling the frustration build in his chest.
Dhakirah finally covered the distance left, towering over Noah's slim and frail frame. "I swear I don't remember." Noah repeated.
"Has anyone ever threatened you here in the shelter, Rafael, Browne? Anyone that took a violent action towards you?" Dhakirah asked.
Noah shook his head not wanting to spill any information.
"You're lying, dude! Better speak up, let's start from the huge fall by the bank of the river the other time, anyone shoved you?" Dhakirah pressed, looking more serious than ever.
Noah shuddered, unable to lie, "I–, N-Not seriously, Evan and his twin, whacked me with an iron bucket, and that was all. Nothing serious." His words fell like glasses on a tiled floor in an empty mansion.
Dhakirah grabbed his shoulder ignoring his grimace, "WHACKED YOU WITH A METAL BUCKET! AND THAT'S NOT SERIOUS?!" He hollered.
"WHO CARES!" Noah yelled back, causing Dhakirah to let go.
"What do you mean?" He frowned as his gaze traveled down the bruises on Noah's neck.
"Avgustin doesn't give a damn and it will surely backfire! It always does! Why make it worse? It was just a minor bruise. After all, I get lots of injuries every day." Noah tried to reassure himself but failed miserably.
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...
