Let There Be Darkness

Chapter 20: Maybe the Little Chick Does Fly

A moment passed, two, and my friend was still underwater. My heart was sinking lower and lower into my hills, as I looked my friend's grip became tighter and the skin on his fingers became red.

"Should I?" I looked at Bellatrix, but she shook her head quietly.

All that remained was watching my friend slowly suffocate underwater, I was leaning in closer and closer to see what was happening. The water was bubbly and Drake was trying to fight, hitting his legs against the other side of the tub. They let go of him so suddenly that he got up from the water and started to grasp air greedily.

"You, son of a bitch!" He yelled, but his mouth was covered by the palm of one of the men. My friend would never act so sharp and bitter like that unless he was scared. Even more scared than when he faced the monster on his own.

His words didn't awaken even a droplet of emotion in the audience's hearts. They all were sitting with a still, stone-like face, which made me wonder if they were alive people at all. Didn't they have hearts? Empathy? Anything behind those pitch-black robes and hidden souls? I felt that my eyes started to become watery unintentionally. I was glad that the shadow of my hood could hide my pain, at least the visible aspect of it. I felt that Bellatrix squeezed my hand again, trying to calm me, and even though her hand made warmth spread around my body, it wasn't enough to calm my mind.

"Welcome, my son!" Laughed the man on the pedestal. His voice was so disgusting, and the way he called Drake his son made me gag in the worst manner. "Now, you are one of us, now you are truly God's son. As He accepts you in His heart, you shall accept Him in your life!"

The crowd yelled out "Amen!" and started applauding to Drake, while he was fighting between biting off the man's hand or stay calm, I could see it in his movements. We didn't cheer with the rest, there was no reason to. This whole situation was a crime, they were holding him hostage, hoping for God knows what. Drake is now the type of person who would accept the enemy, no matter how much time you give him. I knew him the best, and I knew for sure that you couldn't force him to anything like they were forcing him.

They made him get up, pulling him up by his arms, to the point when he bit his lip to endure the pain. They brought a black jacket and put it on him right on the wet, white robe. Cheers became even louder which I couldn't understand. I couldn't understand why people support violence as the symbol of unity? Next, they put a chain with wooden cross on it and put it around his neck. I've never seen Drake more down than right now, all his essence was screaming about his embarrassment and pain. 

The white-haired man put on a hood and walked away, like his duty for today was over. The two men beside my friend chained his hands and pushed him to walk out of the temple, going by every single person and taking every single angered or interested stare at himself. 

"C'mon, this is our chance." Whispered Bellatrix and pulled me up to follow them. We were walking so close to them and so damn close to Drake. I could just pull him by the arm and take him with me, run away from everything, go somewhere where we would be safe. I wish he could forgive me, but there was no forgiveness to the consequences that my actions and choices before caused. I would do anything to safe him, unless he tells me that he doesn't need my help. 

We follow them quietly, they didn't suspect anything about our presence. They went down the stairs that we had previously set on fire, but right now they smelled like fresh wood. They led us through the line of cells, making me remember how it felt being locked up here, even if it was just for a few minutes. 

They opened one of the cells and pushed Drake inside, not daring to set his hands free, so he fell down on his side and growled. The two laughed and then turned to leave and nodded to us.