The Ruins Part 2 (Sequel to The Ruins)

Chapter 47

When Benny woke up the first time, he thought he was in hell.

When he woke up the second time, he knew he was.

The first thing was he aware of was pain. The bones of his face ached so deeply that his gums hurt. When he tried to move his head, the strained muscles in his neck flared with darts of searing pain that lanced through him. He tried to touch his face, to see how bad he was hurt, but his hands would not move. Which was when he felt the pain in his wrists and ankles.

"W-what?" He asked. Except that he could not speak. A thick and noxious rag was tied around his head, knot of it shoved between his teeth. All he could do was groan. Like a Infected.

He blinked his eyes, trying to clear them. Vision returned very slowly. At first all he saw was dirt and some clumps of crooked grass. At least that helped him orient himself. He was on his side, on the ground, and Lalon was beside him on the ground.

He and Lalon are bound and gagged. Panic was trembling thing that fluttered inside the walls of his chest. He wanted to scream out, to attract attention to Lalon, to wake him up and able to say something. He wanted to apologize for running away.

Pain rolled up and down him like a ride, never pausing, missing nothing. He could not believe that he was capable of hurting in so many places at once.

"Benny?" A weak moan spoke out Lalon's mouth, muffled from the gag.

"Lalon? I'm so sorry." He said through the gag, making his voice a whisper.

"It's okay."

"Well, well," said a voice. "Look who's awake." A booted foot stepped down inches from Lalon's nose. "Long time, no see, half breed."

Calvin stood over Lalon, grinning like a mad man. Lalon haven't seen him for a long time; the Calvary Boys changed their looks, let their shaved head grow to stubbled hair, but their attitudes and arrogance never changed. Lalon stared at him with fury in his eyes. "Aww, c'mon. That's no way to greet an old friend."

Lalon so wanted to jump out of these bounds and beat the grinning teen. Suddenly Calvin kicks his nose, Benny screamed through his gag, pleading for Calvin to stop this.

Before Calvin was about to take another taste at Lalon, someone stops him. "Now, now. That's not how to play nice."

He scoffs, shrugging his shoulders. "Wanted to see if he's still strong."

"But I rather not have him beaten."

"I understand, boss." He bends down and sinisterly whispers right in his ear, and he was smiling very devilishly. "You wish you begged me to kill you." He disappears into the forest.

"You was out so long I thought I was going to have to leave you." The man had a deep voice that was strangely familiar to Lalon and at the same time alien.

Lalon tried to crane his neck to look up, but he couldn't move his head far a bough. It felt as if the gag was tied in some way to whatever had been used to bind his ankles and wrists.

He growled at the man. Benny pleaded. "Please..." It was just noise, but the man chuckled as if he understood.

"You trying to say something, little man?"

There was a flash of silver and then the pressure of cold steel against his cheek... and then the ends of the gag dropped away, the tough cloth parting like gossamer as the wicked blade slashed through them.

Free from the pressure, Benny coughed and spat to force the dirty rag of his mouth. The corners of his mouth felt stretched, his cheeks were raw and abraded. His arms and legs were still firmly tied and he wriggled around, trying to work free of them, but the knots were too tight.