Recovery

Chapter 21

Ben leads me to an especially small alley.

"This one looks cozy!" He suggests, winking suggestively. Is it just me or did it suddenly get really hard to breathe in here?

"Uh, yea, sure, whatever you say!" I force enthusiasm into my voice, trying to direct my thoughts to the romantic side of alleys. Believe me, it doesn't work all that well.

"We'll come on then!" I open my eyes to see Ben already halfway down the alley! How am I ever going to catch up?

"Coming," I whisper, and take tiny baby's reps towards him, my hand outstretched for him to catch.

Finally, I feel something catch my hand. I look up to see Ben smiling smugly at me.

"What?" I ask him, grinning impishly.

"I had to come back and get you you're so slow." Ben reach reaches over and strokes my hair. I sigh in contentment and start to make my steps larger, gaining confidence.

A crash interrupts my thoughts, and I whirl around and back into the safety of Ben's arms. I feel Ben moving behind me, and as my breathing slows, he points to a black cat with yellow eyes.

"It's just a cat, Alex." He squeezes me and then let's me go, catching hold of my hand.

"Let's keep going." I suggest, blushing at my incident with the cat. It was a black cat, if superstitions mean anything at all.

"Let's see what's on the other side of the fence." Ben is already unlatching the gate at the end of the alley. We're at the end already! Wow, that went a whole lot faster than I thought it would.

"Okay, if you insist." I step inside the dusty junkyard that was hidden by the gate.

A shove forces me to the ground, my thigh catching on a rusty piece of metal. Dirt catches in my throat, making me cough wildly. Help me.

"Well hello again." A big nose with a shrewd looking face creeps its way into my vision. I hear a scream, and look around wildly before a hand clasps itself onto my face; making me realize that I'm the one screaming.

"Shut-up little girl." Ben taunts me, flipping his black hood over his head and reaching into his pocket. "I'm sure you didn't expect this," he taunts, gesturing at all the boys in hooding, closing in on me.

I squirm, trying to get away from the hand holding me down. I think of all the sneaky tactics Brent used on me when we were younger.

Brent. If only he was here.

I finally decided to lick the hand over my mouth, knowing it always works on me. Much to my surprise, it works on whoever was holding me down too.

"Did you just...?" He looks and me in disbelief, then looks at his hand before wiping it on his pants. "C'mere you little good for nothing-"

His head swings around to the gate, which swings open to reveal Brent. Brent. Of all people, my brother. Why can't it be the police or something?

"Get him." Ben mutters under his breath, and five boys simultaneously draw knives out of their pockets and advance on Brent, who is backing away like a scared puppy.

"Brent!" I cry out, and Ben pounces on me before I could get up to help my brother.

Something cold stings my neck, and I jerk my head straight to look at my tormented, who is holding my arms down above my head, rendering me useless.

Ben holds his knife up to show me the streak of blood that is now on it. My blood, I realize. I am done for.

"Love you, Brent." I choke out, as tears fill my eyes. I roll my head over to see him on the ground in a similar position to me, the only difference is that there are five boys holding him down instead of just one.