The Silenced Drummer

Chapter 26: Encounter

George leaned himself up against a tree, breath heavy as the thin blanket around him swayed in the breeze.

He had been out for a while now, quite longer than he had intended, for he had forgot about the possibility that Harold could return to the house before he did.

The house was barely visible through the trees, the road in front of it seeming to be as just as empty as George had ever seen it.

"Oh please, don't let him be there already..."

George had not found anyone in the time he was out, and he knew that if he wasn't back in time, Harold would get angry.

Not only that, but also...

"I'd hate to think about that right now Paul..."

John's distant voice reached George's ears, and he stood up straight.

Oh, anytime but now would have been perfect, he thought.

"Me too, but I just can't stop thinking about it..."

Steadying his breathing, George walked towards the road, hiding himself behind a bush and peaking out through it.

John and Paul were walking up the road, both of their heads hung low.

They would pass George long before they would reach the house, so...

George looked back at the house, and the sight made his breath run cold.

Harold was stepping up onto the porch, carrying two large red containers.

The sight made him gasp a little, and John and Paul stopped in their tracks.

"J-John... did you hear something?"

Taking in a breath, George stepped out of his cover, shaking.

"L-lads? It's m-me..."

"George!?"

Paul ran towards him, leaving John to stand by himself.

"George! Oh thank goodness!"

"Uh, Paul..."

Quickly, John went up to Paul and placed a hand on his shoulder, making the bassist stop in his tracks.

"G-George... what... what happened to you?"

George stared at John, body shivering.

"And... why do you have that on?"

The guitarist's gaze turned back to the house in the distance, and he barely made out a face through one of the side windows.

A face he recognized all to well.

"I... I d-don't have m-much time..."

"What? What do you mean!?" Paul exclaimed.

George took in a shaky breath and turned back towards the pair, letting the blanket loosen around him a little.

"He... he had us... t-trapped in that house over there..."

John's eyes widened.

"Wait... R-Ringo's still there?"

George gulped.

"H-he is... I... I escaped to go g-get help... but..."

Paul reached out and placed a hand on his shoulder.

"W-what happened?"

"H-Harold... he... I..."

George's voice was shaky as he was forced to dig up the memories.

"He t-tried to... um... h-hurt Ringo t-the first day he had us... so... I h-had to... to..."

"T-to what? And... what was he g-going to do!?"

"P-Paul... y-you wouldn't believe me if I t-told you..."

That statement made John step forward as well, and he motioned for Paul to pull his arm back.

"George?"

George gulped and tried to calm himself as tears started to form in his eyes.

"He... He t-tried to... t-to..."

"To what?"

"...R-r... r-rape him..."

Paul's face went white.

"W-WHAT!?"

"He d-didn't... I... I... I h-had him... t-take me instead..."

George's voice went quiet as he lowered his head.

"G-George..."

Even John's voice sounded shaky.

"W-we made a d-deal that if I c-comply with h-his demands t-that he wouldn't h-hurt Ringo... but... h-he j-just went back inside a m-minute a-ago..."

Paul's eyes went wide.

"T-that was him!?"

"George, listen, we can go i-"

"Y-you can't!"

George didn't want to say it, but he knew he had to.

"B-but why!?"

"He... he has a gun. I... L-listen... I d-don't want either of y-you t-to get hurt..."

George took in a breath and raised his head.

"P-please... please just g-go get help..."

"George-"

"Paul, listen to me! It's not s-safe! Y-you two h-have nothing!"

Paul took a step back, going up next to John.

"J-just go and call f-for help! Please. Please, I can't h-have him hurt a-again..."

George's chest heaved with sobs, for he was barely able to keep himself composed.

"W-wait... so... Y-you don't h-have your shirt b-because..."

John's voice trailed off.

"...Y-y... yes... he... H-he did it t-twice..."

George began to turn around.

"Don't follow me. I-it's too dangerous!"

He began to run in the direction of the house.

Paul made to follow George, but John stopped him.

"Paul... I t-think we should listen..."

"B-but John-"

"J-just go!" George exclaimed as tears fell from his eyes.

"L-listen to me please! G-go g-get help, now!"

Paul's body shook as John turned him around.

"Come o-on. W-we need to call the a-authorities..."

"O-oh... m-my...god..."

The pair began running up the street, away from the house.