little bird // r.keene

xxxix. the assault.

It was silent in the bunk room that night, it was a few days before Robby and Will were to be released and neither could really believe it.
For Robby, time had dragged itself out, even though he had only served three months- it had felt so much longer and thanks to Will and his connections, he had avoided fights all together. But still, he couldn't shake the thought that- if he felt his sentence was long- he couldn't imagine how Will was feeling.

But all that mattered at that moment for him was that he was getting out, with his friend, to see Wren. He was homesick for her arms and her touch.

In her last visit last week, after she had left, Robby found himself wishing to just hold her. Only after she was gone did he grasp he missed her more than he realised in this place.

Things kept happening and happening everyday and yet he always found himself wishing he could tell her about them.
It was at that moment, Robby found himself staring at the ceiling in the dark, he had been threading these thoughts through his mind over and over.

Sighing, he turned over in his bed, everyone else around him snoring softly and Robby cast his mind back.
He thought about how she found her on her roof all those months ago, how she sat between his legs, resting her back against his chest and looking at the stars.

He wanted to do that again.

Robby wasn't sure how his life would look after he got out, he would be on parole and he was certain everything would have changed but at least he knew- in a few days- he would hold Wren again like he did on that roof.

Robby heard footsteps.

They snapped him out of his lucid dream.

But he kept his eyes shut.

Robby listened.

But it was too late.

Hands grabbed him.

He yelled.

Will bolted upright in the dark.

Robby was on the floor, three boys towered over him.

Four boys.

Shawn held Robby by the collar.

He hit him, again and again.

Will was on his feet in a second.

Robby was hit again and again.

Each blow heavier than the last.

He couldn't see.

He could taste his blood.

Will saw them.

Only being able to make out their figures in the dark.

Will moved.

Will fist collided with bone.

The rest of the boys woke up.