'Black and White' - The White Bridge Crime Series 2 - LGBT, manXman

4

(Three Weeks Later)

He opened his eyes slowly, giving his eyes time to adjust to the darkness.

He felt groggy, like he had the flu.

As his eyes adjusted, he realised he could see no further away than about a foot above his head.

He reached out tentatively and felt roughly hewn wood graze his fingertips.

He could feel separate planks as he dragged his fingers across the wood. As he moved between the fifth and sixth plank, a soft powder fell onto his face, making him sneeze.

His whacked his head against the planks as he sneezed.

With a surge of horror, he realised he could taste dirt in his mouth, dry soil.

With a soft whimper, he pressed against the planks as hard as he could.

They didn't budge.

He started scrabbling desperately against the wood, feeling his fingertips start to bleed as splinters cut into his flesh.

He brought his knees up to push as well, to no effect.

As he scrabbled around, he felt something cylindrical press into his back.

Frantically, he reached underneath himself and pulled out a long, thin rod; a neon glow-stick, he realised.

He snapped the stick, thankful for a little light, and waited for the stick to fill the space he was in with a greenish glow.

Able to see more with the light, he carefully looked around.

He was in a make-shift coffin, he already knew.

Buried somewhere; he didn't know how deep.

Perhaps he should scream; someone might hear him.

He imaged the coffin buried eight feet underground, where no-one would ever hear him, and felt a shiver or fear flash down his spine.

Sweat beaded on his forehead as panic threatened to overwhelm him.

Calm down! He ordered himself firmly. Think.

He waited for an idea to spring to mind, but none came.

As he contemplated what to do, he heard something land on top of the coffin.

He listened hard, straining his ears, and realised someone had walked across the soil above him.

His heart picked up its pace as he sighed with relief.

Thank God.

As he listened, he heard something land with a heavy 'flump' on top of the coffin.

Frowning, he wondered what it could be.

When he realised whoever was above him was throwing more soil on top of the coffin, he opened his mouth and began to scream-

And found himself on his bed.

He was panting, his chest heaving.

His hair was matted with sweat.

Just a dream. He told himself gladly. It was just a dream.

With a sigh of relief, he let his head rest back onto his pillow, feeling the damp cotton beneath his cheek.

He tried to roll over, and found he couldn't move.

He tugged his wrist, and lifted his head to see.

He was horrified to see his wrists were secured tightly to the bedposts with what he recognised as two of his own belts. He tried to move his legs, and couldn't.

He was trapped, face down on his bed.

"Very good." A deep, low voice purred behind him. "Even better than Alan."

The voice chuckled.

"Claustrophobic, huh? Pathetic."

James Hancock felt a surge of rage run through his body.

It's not pathetic. He thought angrily. I can't help it.

"Who are you? What do you want?" He demanded, dismayed to hear his voice tremble as he spoke.

"You'll find out soon enough." The voice said.

James watched as a gloved hand reached across him, and laid a red rose on his pillow.

"Now for the fun part." The voice whispered in James' ear.

Horror built as James felt the man straddle his hips.

"You made it easy for me." The voice laughed softly. "Sleeping au naturel, as it were."

James growled angrily as he tried to buck the man off.

He felt a pair of strong thighs tighten around his hips and yelped in pain when a hard punch to his ribs knocked the air from his lungs.

He couldn't even muster the air to scream when the man pushed into him.

He tried to wriggle free as the man adjusted himself, but another punch had him limp on the mattress, barely able to breath.

He felt thick fingers twist into his hair and pull his head up.

He saw the gleam of shining stainless steel from the corner of his eye.

James Hancock drew a breath, but was dead before he could scream.