Waters Edge

Chapter twelve: Dark and Twisted Metal

I don't remember the walk home, but I wake up with the shirt Patrick was wearing and an ache in my heart that I makes me want to crawl in a hole and never come back. My lips still feel like they are buzzing and my clothes are stiff and stink of salt. I lay there for a long time and I can't move because the bed still smells like Patrick. This is all I will ever have of him.

Patrick's words buzzing around in my mind. How is it that he only got two days? Does he have to ask someone for permission? If so could they make him human forever? How does one barter to become human for 48 hours? I sigh loudly and it must be around four am when there is a knock on my door.

Who in the hell could that be? I stumble over to the door and open it. My eyes take in too many things at once I notice the guys from Brendon's shop except this time they have rope and a rag that is dripping something. I slam the door as hard as I can but the wood is weathered and weak and they break it down easily. I try to run but one of them tackles me down and the last feeling I have is a rag over my mouth.

"Petey, Hey Psst Petey, come on wake up you can't stay in bed all day silly bear. WAKE UP." Patrick's voice fades away when I regain consciousness. I groan I wish I could have stayed asleep. The first feeling I have is the pain. My whole back aches and my arms are twisted behind me and are tied together. Probably by rope, judging by the burning feeling in my wrists. The taste of dirty metal is in my mouth and I must be on the floor somewhere because it is cold and smells metallic. I can't see anything and there is cloth in my mouth.

Panic surges through me and I struggle to roll onto my side noting that my feet are also bound together. I hear something mechanical startup and I try to turn toward the sound. I remember the Titan goonies breaking into my house. I must be on the ship I cringe and try to work the gag out of my mouth to no avail. I still when I hear footsteps echo down the metal floor and suddenly the blindfold is ripped away. I blink rapidly at the sudden bright blinding light. I make eye contact with someone just as two men grab me under the arms and haul me up and into a chair. I try not to scream in pain as it feels like they almost dislocated one of my shoulders.

"Finally awake." I look up to see Andy Biersack. That bastard I glare at him. "So Pete I did not want to do this way, but it seems to be the only way to make you confess. Since you clearly fucking lied to me before. You see that bullshit story you told me about just 'finding it'" He uses air quotes and begins pacing back and forth in front of me, "I have been searching for years for anything remotely near the value of that necklace. I have had men die to get pebbles off the ocean floor and you just saunter into some cheap souvenir shop without so much as a scratch on you. How do you explain that? Hmm? TELL ME HOW!" He yells gripping the chair behind my shoulder and I wince away ducking my head. He rips the gag from my mouth and I rotate my jaw.

"I didn't lie that is what happened," I state firmly. That earns me a kick to the gut by a heavy boot sending my chair backward to the ground I scream when I land on my arms on the metal of the chair. "Goddammit, I think you broke my arm," I grunt as the two men pick the chair back up with me in it.

"My men also found this in your house," He pulls something out of his back pocket and dread fills me when I realize what he is holding.

Patrick's blue scale. I gulp.

"So now Peter care to tell me how you got this? Tell me did you find this too while walking on the beach? It is obviously from no fish around here. No, no, it clearly resembles something else I hold close in my own personal collection." He snaps his fingers and someone runs up with a small box he opens it and pulls out the item inside. He squats in front of me and holds them both up to my face. He holds Patrick's scale in one hand and in the other he has a dark green one almost twice the size. I gulp as I realize I'm screwed.

"So, tell me, Pete, how did you get this," he stares at me a long time but I refuse to talk he stands and places both the scales back into the case. "You know how I got that scale, Pete? I am sure you do consider how you probably got the one you have." He walks closer and leans into my space. "Perhaps you will be more willing to tell me about it when you have had time to think about it." He snaps his fingers and the gag is put back into my mouth and I am tossed onto the ground. I hear the footsteps echo away followed by the scrape of the chair. My eyes widen when the last man leaves and hits the light switch plunging me into pure darkness.

...

I can no longer keep track of the time. I feel lost in the darkness, no clocks, no sunshine, just darkness. My body aches from not being able to stretch properly and hunger gnaws at my insides my mouth is dry as a bone and my lips are cracked my breath ragged. I don't know what is real any more consciousness is lost on me, I no longer know what is a dream and what is reality.

I think it is a dream when Andy comes back talking over and over again about mermaids and how I should confess. I don't know anymore but the dreams with Patrick see those I know are not real because he is always sweet and caring. Even his imaginary touch brings me comfort in this place. The lights flicker and then burn with such intensity that I have to look away down at the ground. I groan thinking maybe this time it isn't a dream.

"Ready to confess Pete?" It is Andy I squint to see him squatting next to me. He holds a bottle of water in his hands and I try to shuffle forward for it. He chuckles and leans back slightly. He pulls the gag down so it sits around my neck and my jaw burns he pours some of the water into my mouth and I drink it down greedily hating that he has broken me down like this. I whine when he pulls it away.

"It really did not have to be like this Pete, just tell us where you got the scale and the necklace and I can let you go, I have another boat and someone can escort you right back to your house." He smiles and I glare at him.

"Never I would rather die." I snarl and Andy sighs loudly,

"Well that is a shame, I was hoping you would just tell me and I could let you go," He stands and uses his foot to roll me over, "But you dying, now that is something I can make happen." He drops the bottle and I watch the liquid drain out and onto the floor next to my head.

"By the way, you don't happen to know a Patrick, do you?" Andy asks and I freeze he sees my reaction and laughs before walking out of the room shutting the lights off. Sending me into darkness yet again.