Survival

•Six•

Fear was instantly evident in her eyes. She reached her hands up and tried to pry his hand away, "Help!" She yelled, trying to bring in someone.

Arlo tightened his squeeze a little more, and lowered his voice. "I wouldn't do that again. Tell me what you were going to say, or I'll break your neck." Arlo cocked his head to one side, then said louder, "If anyone walks through that door, I'll break your neck," he told Evelynn icily, maintaining the pressure on her spine. "So you can either tell me what you were going to say I shouldn't do, or I'll kill you."

Evelynne gasped as the pressure became worse, she gripped tightly at his strong hand, "P-pleasedon't...le-et...me go..."

Arlo lessened the pressure a little. "Tell me what you were going to say, or I'll increase the pressure."

She squeezed her eyes shut, "I-can't..."

"I don't care if you're not supposed to tell me. You are gonna tell me, or die slowly." Arlo increased the pressure to the point where it hurt, but she could still talk.

"Okay...okay! I'll tell...you." She gasped.

Arlo released the pressure completely. He pulled his hand out from behind her head, and said, "What were you going to say?" Then added, "If you don't tell me, I can still kill you."

"I-just...don't think you should..." She slowly scooted away from him on the floor. Suddenly, she screamed for help. She scrambled to her feet and ran for the door.

Arlo jumped after her and pulled her down to the ground before she reached the door. He quickly put his hand on the back of her neck and said, "I will give you one last chance to tell me, and if you refuse, I will break it." he applied pressure gradually.

She swung her leg around and planted a kick to his stomach as hard as she could, "No! Leave me alone!" She yelled, hoping desperately that someone would come.

Arlo was stunned for a split second, then grabbed her throat and threw her across the room. He stormed after her. "Tell me now!" he yelled.

Evelynne smacked her head on the corner of the table as she fell. Her body skidded to a stop and she went limp.

Arlo roared in frustration. He stalked over to her, then a grin spread over his face. He picked her up and placed her on the bed that had once retained him. He tied her down, and double checked to make sure they were secure. Then walked over to the door to see if there was a way to keep it shut.

A groan slipped past Evelynne's lips as she became conscious. At first, she kept her eyes scrunched shut in pain, but finally they opened.

Startled, she jerked, trying to pull off the restraints. Incredibly alarmed now, she cried out, "What's going on? Hello?" She craned her neck around and her eyes widened when she noticed Arlo by the door.

He turned his head, and glared at her. Then, turned his attention back to the handle of the door. Without looking at her, Arlo asked threateningly, "Ready to tell me?"

"Arlo, you have no idea what you are doing. Untie me." Evelynne brought back her nerve and ordered, "Now."

"Let me think about that." He turned around and looked at her. "No. Not until you tell me what you were going to say I shouldn't do." Arlo looked at the handle one last time, then sighed when he found that there was no way for him to bar the door from the inside. He walked over to her and, arms crossed, repeated his question coldly. "What were you going to tell me. If you don't tell me, I will torture you until you beg for mercy and tell me."

"You are sick!" She ground out. Blood began oozing from her forehead and bathing her in its crimson color.

Arlo tilted his head back thoughtfully, then looked at her, "Yes, I am. And no thanks to your friends, who still haven't stitched me up again." He uncrossed his arms, and grabbed the scalpel from the nearby table.  Arlo placed the point at her throat, "I'm only gonna ask this one more time. What were you going to tell me?"

"It's nothing important. Really." She spoke hurriedly, her gaze fixed on his arm holding the blade.

He pushed the knife just far enough into the skin so that blood trickled down her neck. "So. You want to be tortured. That's fine with me."

"Okay...I'll tell you." She sighed, "But what I don't understand is one minute you refused to kill me and now you are willing to torture me over nothing important. What came over you?"

"The reason I didn't kill you, was because you didn't deserve to die. You still don't, but I want something that you have, and that would be information. So, what were you going to say?"

"You were just my threatening to break my neck! I don't know if you realized this, but that would kill me, genius."

"Oh, I know. I don't care about you anymore. I thought you were a nice person at first, yah, but now, I'm not so sure. Tell me what I want to know, and I will release you from the bed."

"Okay then...I was just going to say that you shouldn't...go on the mission until you are healed because it would...well...it would be foolish."

"You're lying to me!" Arlo shouted.

"No...I-I'm not."

Arlo took a deep breath in. "I will decide if I want to do it or not. I don't care what you think about my choice." He pulled the knife away and put it in his pocket. He untied her and walked over to the door. He looked at it for a minute, then broke the handle off. Satisfied with his work, he walked over to the opposite corner of the bed, and sat down, still watching the door

"What are you going to do?" Evelynne asked cautiously as she sat up.

Arlo snorted. "Why should I tell you? You don't deserve to know."

"Fair enough." She casually stood up and walked over to the wall where the used medical items still laid.

"Don't pick anything up or I'll kill you." Arlo warned as he pulled his pocket knife out of his pocket and switched the knife out. He stood up and watched her carefully.

"I'm just going to clean up my head." She snapped, "Chill."

Arlo raised an eyebrow, then lowered it as a smile started to creep over his face. He quickly smothered it so that Evelynn didn't see it.

Evelynne picked up a couple of things and quietly slipped one into her pocket. Then, she spread some liquid on a rag and pressed it to her forehead, wincing slightly when it stung.

Arlo got up and walked over to the tools. He picked up the sharpest one and went to sit down in his original spot.

When Evelynne was done cleaning her forehead, she put down the rag and walked over to Arlo, "Are you still going to do the mission?" She asked, careful to keep her distance.

"I don't know. I don't even know what it is yet, but I probably will." Arlo looked at her from his sitting position. "Why?"

Evelynne glanced at the door, hoping the men would be back soon, "Because you don't seem to even trust me. And I am more trustworthy than Jarret."

"I don't care." Arlo replied shortly.

"Well it's not like I care either." Evelynne answered dismissively, "I just think you're an idiot."

Arlo glanced at her and shrugged. "And I don't care what you think about me."

"Good."
S