Thirteen Years Old

Chapter 28 - Leo

''Where are you taking me? Let me go! LET ME GO! Help! HELP!''

Leo looked around him, terrorized. His vision was blurred. He could see vague forms where the guards were. Reddie and the almost bald one were dragging him, but Leo had no idea where. He just had to keep on hoping everything would be fine, but he wasn't so sure of that anymore.

***

Earlier that day...

The almost bald guard entered the basement and looked at his prisoners.

''Hello. What time is it? Noon? Oh, right, you're stuck here, you don't know.''

The man let out a greasy laugh. Leo cringed. People who laughed at their jokes like this never impressed the boy, especially ones so bad that they shouldn't be called jokes.

Seeing no one was laughing and that everyone  looked annoyed, the guard, that Leo decided to call Egg Head due to his lack of hair, continued to talk.

''Anyway, it's time.''

Leo looked around him, not quite understanding what was happening. Luckily for him, someone answered.

''Time for... What?''

Leo spun around, wondering who spoke. Not knowing who it was, he shrugged and focused on Egg Head. The guard looked at Gary and gave him a sly smile. Leo guessed that Gary was the one who answered the man. What Egg Head said had the effect of a cold shower.

''You'll see.''

Then, he laughed again, but, this time, it made Leo feel uneasy, as if something was about to happen. He knew he'd been right when Egg Head took a knife out of his pocket.

Leo shared a look with Jem. He gulped and looked at the guard worriedly. A few seconds later, Leo heard the door leading to the stairs open. All prisoners looked at each other, then at the door. There never  were two guards at the same time.

Something was happening.

Reddie came into the room, holding one knife in each one of his hands. Leo backed up a step. A part of him knew it would only make him look weak and hated it, but the other part of him just couldn't stay next to two crazy men with knives.

They made them line up on the floor and entered the room. Egg Head had a gun pointed at Leo's head as Reddie tied the prisonners' hands together. The only thing Leo could think of was damn, they're good!

When Reddie was finished, they grabbed Jem. Leo tried to  see where they were heading, but they were hidden by a sofa and Leo was still on the floor. He couldn't see a lot and he didn't want to see what would happen if he stood. Soon, the two men were back... Without Jem. 

Leo gulped, horrified. He could feel sweat dripping down his forehead slowly. The guards grabbed Eliot, Lara and then Gary. By the time Egg Head and Reddie came back, with no sign of the others, Leo was in tears. 

Tears of fear, but also of anger. Anger and rage. But also despair, because he had no idea what was happening and he hated it.

''Well, looks like you're left.''

Egg Head grabbed his left hand and forced him up. 

''Now, you stay a good boy, or I'll use this.''

Reddie showed him one of his knives, grinning.

''Aw, don't look so afraid! What do you think we're going to do to you?"

Both men laughed. A little more and they're going to do a high five, Leo thought.

''Listen, kid, you know too much. Who told you all this stuff, huh?''

When Reddie saw that Leo was staying silent, he screamed.

''TALK!''

Leo gasped. 

''What do you mean, talk? I don't even know what you're talking about! What stuff?"

Egg Head frowned and glared at Leo.

''Oh come on, you know it.''

Leo stayed silent, confused. What was happening?

''God! Who told you about Edwards? How have you got that info?''

Leo closed his eyes and gritted his teeth. He knew that if he told them it was Edwards's family and friends who told the cops, they would die. The cops and  Edward's acquaintances.

''I... I don't know.''

Reddie let out a cold laugh. Then, he looked at the child with a smile even colder.

''Please don't kill me.''

The men brought him in the room facing the cell. Reddie shoved a boog off an imposing bookcase, revealing a doorknob that the red-haired man turned. Soon, Leo was standing in front of a dark corridor, facing nothingness. The guards made him go through the doorway and they started walking.

Leo felt as if no minute had ever been more awkward. The guards' fury was palpable. The silence was overwhelming. The kid shook his head. He never should've told the guards about Edwards. But now was not the time to think about his past mistakes, even though now they were all he could think about. So he took a deep breath, and, improvising, took advantage of the situation. Then, he tackled Reddie and, using the guards' surprise to escape their death grip on him. 

Using all the energy and willpower he had left, he sprinted away from him, but all too fast, Reddie grabbed him by the collar, choking him.

''You had  to try it, didn't you?''

Leo whimpered and Reddie slapped him, sending the poor boy to the ground. Leo couldn't find the strength to get off the ground, so Egg Head, who finally catched up, had to drag him back up.

Leo was defeated. His last resort had failed. Terror was overwhelming him. He didn't know what else to do except wait and hope for the best. Then, he remembered that the guards had brought Gary, Eliot, Lara and Jem in the corridor too. Shaking with fear, clinging on the only bit of hope he had left, he screamed.

  ''Where are you taking me? Let me go! LET ME GO! Help! HELP!'' 

He felt tears welling up, blurring everything. The guards just tightened their grip on him. He closed his eyes, letting the tears run down his cheeks, wondering where the guards were taking him. At that moment, he felt so helpless. All the hope he had left, what was making him bear the days of silence, it was gone, sending him spiraling in an infinite abyss of despair.

*****

Gonna be a small author's note, 'cause I'm onto chapter 29! Hope you enjoyed reading Leo's pov. (The sadness in the last paragraph(s) didn't have anything to do with the fact that I'm listening to In My Blood, nope nope nope...)