The Truth

Chapter 10

-Cindy-

     "Wake up, beautiful." Blake kisses me awake and I stir, blocking my face from the rays of light that feel like they're burning my eyes. Standing up, I feel disgusted with myself for being to so snobby about sleeping here. It's really quite beautiful when you take a second glance.

      We stand up and Blake holds up a finger and smiles mischievously. Picking up an old, worn out lamp, he hurls it across the room. It crashed into the wall inches from Jack's face who jumps up. His eyes show nothing but pure terror and my hands fly to my lips. Blake falls on the floor laughing and Jack leans against the wall, breathing hard. When Blake looks at him he scowls, looking scarily angry, but I can still see the fear in his eyes and the way he's trying to slow his breathing.

     "That was so mean." I say pathetically and Blake laughs harder.

     "Let's get going." I say, picking up my stuff. Blake's laughing slows until he's frowning at me.

     "What's your problem?" he asks. I shake my head as my phone goes off.

     "Hold on."

     Cindy, Jason's been kidnapped. It's Zarathos, it has to be. As soon as I read the text, my heart stops and I fall to my knees. I feel Jack pull me up and I lean against him for support. Jason. My big, tough, kind older brother.

     "What is it, Cindy?" Blake asks and I hand him the phone with shaking hands, unable to talk. He gasps and hands it to Jack.

     "This isn't good." Jack mutters. "Who's Jason?"

     "My older brother." I say. His face drains of color and I begin to wonder if he's had experience with Zarathos.

     "Jack, you need to tell us anything you might know about Zarathos." Blake says forcefully and Jack looks at me in alarm. Even with my brother being gone, I know I had to be strong for Jack. Beneath his tough mask is a broken boy who's never been loved or taken care of in his whole life.

     "Go ahead and tell us Jack. It's important." I say softly and he nods.

     "All I have to say is that you don't want to be his prisoner. No matter how strong or brave you are, he'll break you." he avoids our eyes and again I find myself wondering what he's keeping from me.

-Jack-

     The night Zarathos found me haunts me every day. I was only fourteen years old.

     The 25 year old girl I slept with that night was just leaving. The older girls loved young bodies, I remember that clearly. She left four bags full of food and three outfits for me. I was lying on the old dusty bed crying when I heard a scream outside. I immediately go quiet and pull on one of my new outfits. Now that I think back, I was a brave little kid. Sneaking through the broken door, I cover my mouth to stifle a scream. Three huge, burly men were walking around and burning the front lawns of the houses. The homeless screamed and ran as the fire reached the buildings. Looking down I realized the flames were about to reach me and there was no where for me to run. I gritted my teeth, hating to use magic, but I put out the fire with a heavy spray of water.

     There! the men scream and run after me. I try to get away but I was weak with hunger and didn't get very far. They jumped on top of me and pulled me up. Something hit me hard in the head and I blacked out.

     I refuse to remember what spending a week in Zarathos's prison cell did to me, or what they did to me there. It broke me, just like it's going to break Cindy's older brother if we don't save him. I know I have to help now because I know true torture and I'll save Jason, if not for Cindy, then for me. Because there was no one there to save me.

     "Well?" Blake breaks train of thoughts and I bite my lip.

     "We need to save him. That's all I'm saying." I cross my arms and Cindy sighs, knowing not to push me.

     "Let me look at your arm." I tell her and she holds it out. It looks infected with pus coming out of it and the smell is enough to knock a grown man to his knees.

     "Oh god." Blake walks out and I roll my eyes.

     "Eww!!" Cindy squeaks.

     "Don't worry, I have medicine. It looks like his knife was dirty." I say angrily. The wound doesn't bother me in the slightest. Not with everything I've seen. Opening my backpack, I pull out a water bottle and pour some on her, using a paper towel to clean it. After that, I rub medicine on it and around it. She whimpers and gently rub her back with my other hand.

     "It's okay, I'm almost done." I say and she smiles a little bit, sending my heart racing. After tightly wrapping it, I gently press my lips to it. She looks startled but doesn't say anything and I help her up.

     "It feels much better. Thank you." I nod and walk outside.