The Broken Date

{18{

Jack’s POV:

“What’s going on?” Mark whispered. His left eye was swollen nearly shut. Blood trickled from his nose and from a cut on his right cheek.

“It’s long story,” I whispered, looking at Dark and Anti as they discussed things on the other side of the tiny, one-room cabin.

Mark and I were side by side on low wooden chairs, tied with the our hands behind our backs. We had struggled to free themselves at first, but the ropes wouldn’t budge. We gave up, sat quietly, each trapped in fear of what would happen next, watching Dark pace the cabin.

“It’s bath time,” Dark was saying, pointing to the rusted metal bathtub in the far corner of the room. “What choice do we have, Anti? I’ve got no other choice,”

Bath time?

Dark started to massage his temples. He lowered his head and stood still, trying to calm his mind. “You’re so sensitive, Dark,” Anti said. “That’s your whole problem, ya know?”

Dark rubbed the back of his neck, sighing.

Mark and I silently worked at loosening our ropes. But it was hopeless. “What do we do know?” I whispered.

Mark shrugged, grimacing in pain. “We’ll have to wait for him to untie us,” he whispered. “Then try to get out the door and into the woods.” He didn’t sound very hopeful.

“I’m so sorry,” I whispered. “So sorry.”

Dark walked across the room to the tub in the corner, leaned over, resting one hand on the wall, and turned on both faucets full force. “Gotta do this fast,” He said. “Someone may have seen the van at his school. We’ve gotta make tracks.”

“I’m all packed up, Darky,” Anti said. He picked up a battered yellow suitcase by its broken handle. “Shall I put this in the van?”

“No. Later. I might need your help with these two.”

“Aw, Dark, you know I can’t stand to watch.” He said, pouting.

“Tub’s full,” he muttered, turning off the faucets. “You don’t have to watch, Anti. but I may need you to help hold ‘em down. They’re both pretty frisky when they want to be.” He rubbed his jaw, which was cut and swollen from one of Mark’s punches.

“Let’s do him first,” Dark said, closing his red eyes and stretching his arms as if preparing for some kind of gymnastic event.

I wasn’t sure if Mark knew what Dark planned to do. “He’s going to drown us,” I whispered.

“No!” Mark’s swollen face contorted in fear. “No! Please!” (Ahhh Mark’s fear...I’m so sorry..)

Dark, wiping off his hands with a dirty dish towel, grinned at us. “It don’t take long,” He said. “Unless you put up a struggle.”

“But this is all unnecessary,” I pleaded, my voice high and shrill. “You can just let us go. We’ll never tell anyone about this. Never!”

“I know you won’t,” Dark said, tossing the towel to Anti.

“Don’t toy with ‘em, Darky. Just do it and let’s get out of here,” Anti said, sounding nervous, even afraid.

“Can’t you reason with him?” I begged Anti. “Can’t you convince him that he doesn’t have to do this?”

Anti looked at me with real sadness. “Dark’s real sensitive.” he said softly. “He knows what he’s got to do. I never tell Dark what to do.”

“That’s right, Kitten.” Dark looked at Anti with pride.

“I know where you can get some money,” Mark interrupted, unable to hide the fear and desperation from his trembling voice. “Lots of money. Let us go and I’ll take you there.”

Dark shook his head. “Don’t ever try to kid a kidder, boy,” he said quietly. Then his face filled with anger. “I told you it doesn’t take long!”

He took a knife from the wooden table beside the sink, walked up behind Mark and cut the ropes. He kept the knife against Mark’s back, and pulled Mark up by the hair with the other hand.

“Hey---” Mark shouted weakly.

“No! No!” I cried at the top of my lungs.

Anti rushed over and jammed the wet dish towel into my mouth.

My cries continued, muffled by the towel, as I watched Dark shove Mark over the bathtub. Pressing the knife against Mark’s back, Dark forced Mark to get on his knees beside the metal tub.

Frozen in horror, I wanted to turn away. But I couldn’t. I had to keep watching until. . .until Mark broke free and escaped. Until Dark changed his mind. . . .until a miracle happened. . . .

“No! Wait!” Mark cried. But Dark pulled him up by his hair, pressing the knife against his back.

Mark frailed out his arms.

But he only hit air.

“No! You can’t! Please! No!”

Dark slid his hand down the back of Mark’s head---and pushed.

Mark’s head went into the water with a loud splash. He tried to to kick Dark. He tried to push him away. He squirmed and wiggled and tossed his whole body. But Dark held tight and pushed Mark’s head farther underwater.

Mark struggled for a while longer. Then his body seemed to deflate.

He slumped over the side of the tub. His arms dropped to his sides.

Dark dropped the knife and raised his wrist so he could see his watch. Holding Mark’s head under the water with one hand, he stared at the watch on his other arm, his face blank, expressionless, unconcerned.

I lowered my head and closed my eyes. I couldn’t bear to watch Mark’s limp, unmoving body any longer. Tears poured down my face. My loud sobs were muffled by the wet towel in my mouth.

“There. That should do it,” I heard Dark say finally. “Exactly three minutes.”

He sounded almost cheerful.

Word count: 953. Two more chapter to go!!