The Alpha and Omega

Chapter 4

Chapter 4

I pull into the driveway in my old truck. It's mid-November, but I'm still burning up. The drive way is long and the house hidden behind a wide, long line of trees. Finally I turn the bend and the house comes into view. It's not a big house. Just large enough to fit two adults and four kids.

I stop in front of the house. My fathers car is gone, probably to pick up my younger siblings. I grab my bag slowly getting out. I hear someone running around inside. I think to myself Must be my mother.I head towards the steps and take them two at a time before hustling into the door.

I hear my mother singing along to an old song. No one else is home so I throw my bag onto the couch and walk quickly into the kitchen. She is cooking and when I try to stick my finger into the pot she smacks me on the back of the hand with her cooking utensils saying "You stay out of there mister! Go do your homework! Your siblings and father will be home soon!"

I sigh dramatically and mutter something she points her spoon at me and asks "What did you say Nashoba?"

I cross my arms making a face answering "Nothing ishki..."

She nods and then shoos me away. I head down the hall quickly and grab my bag. I rush upstairs to my room leaving the door open as I sit at my desk. I lay my bag open on top of the wooden desk pulling out binders. I pull out a pencil and then get to work listening to my mother downstairs.

After about 30 minutes of homework my mother stops making noises. She doesn't do that very often, but I don't give it much thought. Well that is until I hear something headed down to the basement. I narrow my eyes and then push away from my desk. I poke my head out of my door and holler down the stairs "Mom!"

She doesn't answer. My body freezes for a second and then I slowly walk down the stairs. But, when I hear a door slam from down the hall I yell again "Mom! Are you ok?"

Again she doesn't answer. But, before I can even think to go and check on her I feel something heavy slam across the back of my head. I fall to the floor with a thud and groan. My eyes are barely staying open. I don't know what's going on. Then my eyes shut. I can't hear anything. All I can feel is someone dragging me.

My eyes fly open and I look around wildly. My mother lays on the ground out cold. We are in the basement. I try to jump up and run to her, but I'm stopped quickly. I feel the burning ropes on my skin as I try to break free. Then something slams into my stomach. I gasp for air spitting out blood.

I look up into cold eyes. A man looks down at me, and without any remorse hits me once more with his metal bat. I cough and sputter trying to get my breath back. He just watches me and when I finally get my breath back he says "Krane...I hope he's soft enough now."

A man walks into my view. He's average height with an average build. He has dark brown hair and pale blue eyes. His nose is long and crooked, probably from being broken. He looks up at the man who just nods saying "I hope so too Grave...For his own good."

I blink and when my eyes open back up Krane is standing in front of me. He smiles and saying "So kid, Nashoba is it? I want to know something...Where's your dad?"

I spit blood out on his face answering "Go to hell. I aint telling you nothing." Krane looks taken aback for a second before he becoms serious once more.

Krane wipes the blood away slowly and then whips his hand around quickly. My head snaps to the side and then I feel the bat drive into my elbow. I yell out in pain, but Krane grabs me by the hair "Where's your dad, kid!? Quit trying to be a tough guy before I show you how tough guys are made!"

I just stare at him with anger flared up in my eyes. When I don't answer the second time the bat is whacked once more into both of my elbows then my knees. I hold my screams in the pain driving me insane. Krane asks once more "Where is your dad?" I spit into his face and he punches me square in the nose.

Krane growls and says "Mantis, Sleet, Hail...Get his mom..."

I watch three men appear. One is small, short, and wiry with thick blonde hair and deep amber eyes. Another is tall and packed with lean muscle. His hair is gray and he is obviously older than the others. His eyes are storm gray. The last one has light brown hair with pale blue eyes. He is average height, but his muscles are lean and he is obviously strong.

My eyes widen as they head towards my mother. I struggle against the ropes again yelling "No!!! Quit!" As I struggle and twist the bat hits me in the spine. I fall forward moaning the restrainst keeping me from hitting the floor. As Grave lifts me back up slamming me back against the pole I see a tatoo on his arm. It's a G. Krane has a tatoo as well on the same arm in the same place. Though his is a K. Mantis, Sleet, and Hail all have one on th same arm in the same place. Their tatoos are the first letters of their name as well. Then I notice Hail has blue stripe on his wrist right above the letter. Krane has one as well. I guess that it means they are both siblings, because they look a lot alike.

I watch Sleet and Hail grab my mother up holding her while the short, wiry one, Mantis, ties her wrists together in a complicated fashion. Krane looks at me and says "So kid. Wanna start talking now?"

I look at my mom as they stand her up. Hail and Sleet watch me expressionless. Mantis has an evil smile on his face as if waiting for the chance to torture my mother. I look back at Krane and say "I don't know where he is."

Krane growls and says "Yes you do." He looks at Sleet and says "Let the show begin boys." Krane watches my horrified expression for a second then pulls out a knife walking slowly towards my mother who is expressionless herself. She doesn't even care. Krane runs a hand through his hair and says "Ok Nashoba, here are the rules. Everytime I ask you a question and you get it wrong, don't answer, or don't answer truthfully I cut your mother. But, the weapons will change. Anything I want to use to get information from you I can and will. Do you understand?"

I grimace in anger, but do not say a word. This angers him and he pulls the knife down my mothers arm leaving a deep jagged laceration along the top of her arm. He turns back to me yelling "I asked you if you understood! Do you understand now or do you need another example!?"

I quickly nod saying "Yes. I understand. Please stop!"

Krane smiles "Good." He paces slowly in front of my mom and asks "What kind of Native American are you?"

"Choctaw."

"Where do you go to school?"

"Millsap High."

"How old are you?"

"17."

"What is your mothers' name?"

"Nita Chishke."(Litterally mean Bear Mother)

"Do you have any siblings?"

I hesitate, but before I can say anything he once more slashes my mother angrily across the arm. I quickly recover before he can cut her again "Yes! One brother and two sisters."

Krane nods and continues "Where is your dad?"

"I don't know."

Krane yells "Quit lieing!!!" He drags the knife across my mothers leg this time ripping her long dress in half.

"I don't know! Please don't hurt her!"

Krane is in front of me within seconds and points the knife right at my face "Quit lieing...You do know where he is." I shake my head and then Krane says "So what's the point of playing this game? Why not just do whatever I please?"

I shake my head wildly and Krane smirks saying "Mantis...Go ahead. Do whatever you want. Kid doesn't know anyway."

Mantis rushes forward as if he couldn't wait. Grave swings the bat hitting me in the stomach once more before walking over to Sleet, Hail, and Krane. Mantis is smiling as he pushes my mother down. I yell at him saying "No! Quit!" But, it doesn't even phase him.