Smash!

•F O R T Y T W O•

Riley's POV

Whoever said the phrase, weight on my shoulders, was inaccurate. Heaps of guilt, tons of self hatred, masses of defeat along with white hot anger weigh down on my chest, as if it'll cave it in. The intensity of my fault is burdensome, leaving me short of breath as if I'm being suffocated. Still held against my will under my restraints, I start to hyperventilate as the walls begin to feel as if they're coming down on me.

"Jamie?!" Spitting out a mouthful blood from my broken nose, I call out for her, but I sound like I'm begging. "Jamie?! Jamie?! Jamie, are you okay?" Writhing helplessly against my binds, I twist my sore neck to get a look at her in the pitch dark tattoo parlor. I feel stupid asking if she's okay, because of course she's obviously not okay. She's just been forced down, and held against her will to be tortured by tattoo gun, resulting permanent scarring.

"I'm still breathing." Her voice is barely above a whisper. I make out her small body trembling under her restraints, her freckled face turned away. I'd do anything to see those green eyes to check for tears, despite never actually seeing Jamie ever cry. All I can do is just stare at the back of her head, her red hair a bright contrast against the dark.

"Just stay with me, Jamie." With a sudden surge of panic, I thrash against the blood soaked ropes that won't give, ignoring the shredded skin at my wrists. "Hold on for a bit longer. I'm getting us out of here." Jamie's silence makes me uneasy. I desperately pry at the bondages, the need to free us worsening so much the wounds on my writs reopen, making blood trickle out.

"I'll free us," I hoarsely shout over to Jamie as I fight the ropes.

"Then I'll unite you." My muscles burn with strain as I push myself harder.

"Then I'll save Robin too." Between the struggles, I make out the helplessness in my voice, despite yelling my head off.

"I'll get us out of here!" I can hear the tears I'm holding back in my shaking voice. Using all of what's left of my strength, I give it my all in one vigorous, almost violent tug. Hot tears wrench themselves past my bruised eyes, taunting me as they trail down to my chin. My throat closes up as I let out a roar like scream at the top of my lungs as my body convulses as I fight to sit up. "I'LL GET US OUT OF HERE!"

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I barely notice the throb of my broken nose or the seared skin of my arm. At this point, I don't really anything. Not the sensation of my empty stomach cramping up with every low growl, or the chaffed skin at my wrists that bleed in irritation from the ropes, not even the split lip Nate gave me. Still tied down in the tattoo chair, Jamie and I lay unmovingly as the morning light slowly fills up the tattoo parlor. Not able to break free, I watched Jamie while she fell in and out of consciousness all night. Me on the other hand, I couldn't manage to shut my eyes for more than a five minutes.

"Riley?" Jamie's soft voice makes all the pain ebb away for the briefest of moments.

"Yeah?"

"No, I-" Jamie turns her head to meet my gaze. I swear, just now her green eyes landing on me feel as if her hand actually brushed my cheek, a comforting touch so life like that truly feels there. "I just wanted to make sure you were still with me."

"I'm still here." Who knows how long I can keep running on fumes? Once the adrenaline fades, the exhaustion, the trauma, the blood loss, the dehydration will all hit at once. I have to get us out of here before I black out, or Jamie will be by on her own.

"Are we going to die here?" I have to do a double take at Jamie.

"No," I shake my head with so much urgency, my vision blurs in and out of focus. "No! No, we won't die here. I'll get us out of here!"