You're Cute When You Scream

Now I know that I can say something that most other people really can’t say…I truly do know what it feels like to be an animal, or a stalked prey. I couldn’t move my arms at all and my ability to breathe was slowly being taken from me as well. I was cornered, trapped between Synyster holding me in place, and Shadows and Rev who circled me like vultures.

“What should we do to her first, Shads?” the Rev asked, practically ready to pounce on me and slice me up with one of his knives.

“Hmm, maybe we should make her pay for always opening her big mouth,” he sneered, walking forward until he was right in front of me.

“Do you mind?” Shadows asked, looking back at Syn.

Did he mind what? Bashing my face in a few times? Oh yeah, sure. Maybe Syn won’t be such a dickhead for once and will actually, dare I say it, defend me. I glanced over my shoulder expectantly, waiting for what I hoped would be a beneficial reply.

“Shads,” he sighed, “you know that the rule is don’t mess up the face…we have to have something moderately good to look at. But seeing as that would go against Princess Myra’s demand for a fight, I suppose we make an exception. We wouldn’t want to upset our princess.” I couldn’t even believe that he just said that.

Fear began to resurface as all kinds of horrible possibilities popped into my head. No…I can’t let them get to me like this. I won’t stand a chance at accomplishing anything if I give them what they want. I have to take the pain and give it right back.

Shadows smirked at me, as if that was supposed to scare me, but it didn’t work quite the way he intended. Seeing as he didn’t get his desired reaction, he just went straight in for the action. Up until now, I hadn’t noticed that he had one of his hands hidden behind his back. I unintentionally gasped when he revealed his right hand…sporting some expensive looking black glove with metal spikes on top of each knuckle. That thing could do some serious damage.

“Congrats, Myra, you get to be my first test subject for my new toy here,” he grinned as he raised his fist back, preparing it to come down on my face.

I refused to let my eyes close. I had to face my fears and accept what was destined to happen to me. Wide-eyed, I stood frozen in place choking on short breaths until his fist finally met the left side of my face. Four of the spikes forced themselves through my skin and muscle until you heard the clink sound of the metal coming into a road block known as my cheek bone.

I screamed out as the left side of my face went numb with tingles of pain. I couldn’t breathe, I couldn’t open my eyes, I couldn’t even hear myself scream. The only thing I could do was think about all the pain I felt. The spikes were wedged deep into my flesh, and with even the slightest move the holes would be augmented. My face was soaked in warm liquid that smelled metallic, like I had gone swimming in a pool of copper.

I could feel him begin to move his fist around a little to ease his way out…but that’s not what he ended up doing. He grew frustrated with it all and decided to just yank it out without any warning. Blood squirted out of the openings and fell to the ground. Oxygen burned in my new exposed wounds and my face was still numb. I looked up at him in disbelief and honestly hoping that that was the last of that.

Before I had time to think otherwise, his fist dug into my cut up stomach, knocking the wind right out of me. Synyster suddenly let go of me and they all laughed as I fell down onto my knees while he ripped his spikes out again. My hands went right up to my stomach, trying to cover the new holes. Blood would once again just seep through my fingers.

“Now that she’s down on the ground, I say it’s my turn!” the Rev exclaimed as he pulled out a knife. He is not gonna get anywhere near me with that thing.

At this rate, if I keep getting sliced up I won’t be able to move whatsoever…actually it’s hard enough now as it is. I was down on my knees with my hands still hovering over my stomach. My entire face was numb and covered in crusted blood. There wouldn’t be much to do, but whatever the hell I could do it would have to be now. As much as I wanted to move, I felt cemented in place.

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw that Randi had passed out, not that I blame her. Her breathing was heavy and pieces of dried, fried skin peeled off her arms and legs onto the floor. Katie, on the other hand, was still in fairly good condition, but was being hidden by Zacky so I couldn’t exactly see her face.

I know she may not have meant to betray us like that…and I could tell that she was trying to steal glances at whatever was going on with worried eyes. If not for me, then I certainly have to do this for those two. I’m not letting any of us die with the weight being on my shoulders.

Light reflecting off the raised metal knife caught my attention as the Rev prepared to bring it down and slash it across my face. I stared up at him, waiting for the perfect timing, before finally rolling to the left as his knife got caught in the carpet where I had been sitting moments ago.

“Damn it, someone get a hold on the bitch!” Jimmy groaned, struggling to get the knife freed.

“I have a better idea,” Syn chimed in, stepping forward, “why doesn’t Shads hold her in place while I get my shot at some fun? Then by the time I’m done, Rev can have his turn.”

“Fair enough,” the Rev shrugged as he gave up on the knife mission and reclined on the floor with a sick smile of amusement on his face, waiting for more of the show to continue.

This time around, I didn’t escape them and next thing I know, Shads suffocates me by wrapping his inhumanly strong arms around me, purposely near the newest wounds added to my collection on my torso. His grip was so tight that he managed to keep both of my arms and entire body in place all at once. I hated him even more for that.

“So what do you think you’re going to do to me?” I asked, spitting up some blood as Synyster got within spitting range.

He laughed as he wiped the splatter off. “I don’t think I’m going to do anything to you…I know I am,” he sneered, holding my jaw in place so that I’d have no choice but to look up into his dark, evil eyes.

“Did you know that you were always my favorite of all the girls I’d been with?” he asked, easily catching me off guard.

Before I had time to ask further questions, he sealed my mouth off with his lips. He kept one of his arms behind my neck so that I couldn’t back out that way. It took me back to those days…when life was perfect, when he was perfect. Those damn feelings were resurfacing yet again and I hated myself for even considering it, but once he shoved his tongue into my mouth there was no turning back.

I opened my mouth a little more and relaxed my rigid stance. His tongue slipped around my mouth as if he were some explorer anxious to find gold…it was like he’d been waiting to do this for a long time and now he was finally given the chance. I was about ready to force my own tongue forward, but I had no time.

He bit down hard on my lower lip and pulled back, smiling and showing my blood in between his teeth. Even more blood had crawled between my teeth and down out of my mouth. I couldn’t believe the nerve of him to go and do something like thatjust as it was getting good.

“That proved all I needed to know,” he said while the others laughed.

“Proved what?” I spat, hating the taste of all this blood trying to go down my throat.

“That you still love me oh so much. You must be really desperate, Myra…loving the guy who’s gonna kill you. That’s fucked up,” he taunted.

“That’s all a lie!” I screamed.

“Not from what I just saw. Did you not realize that you not only opened up for me but were about to kiss back?” he asked me like I was stupid.

I finally caught on to what that whole little stunt of his was…it was to see whether or not I would do it back and I fucking fell for it. That incredibly familiar feeling of rage boiled up inside of me and I was left with new, alarming amounts of strength.

Both of my elbows went flying out, knocking Shadows’ arms clear off of me. I sent my right foot backwards with precision toward his package. I kicked as hard as I could and almost smiled when I heard him groan and grunt clutching himself on the floor.

The knife that had gotten caught in the carpeting was within my grasp. Using this newfound strength, I ripped it from its barrier and plunged it down through the Rev’s palm. I moved faster than he had anticipated which was why I was able to nail him down so easily. His cries of agony echoed off the walls as he glared up at me. “I’ll make you fucking pay,” he growled, trying pointlessly to free his bleeding hand.

Now all that was left was Synyster. I glanced over my shoulder at him to see that he was smirking. “You think you’ll be able to take care of me like that?”

“There’s only one way to find out,” I replied lunging forward.

He took off running toward the kitchen. “Aw, don’t be a coward, Gates!” I taunted as I followed him.

All of the sudden, just as I was about to enter, a frying pan was slammed into my face sending to the ground. I clutched my head as pain crawled across my skull. “I’m going to kill you,” I said under my breath as I forced myself up and all the way into the kitchen.

I grabbed a mallet off the cutting board and began swinging it in his direction. “Now, now Myra, violence is never the answer,” he teased as he easily avoided my swings.

“Then I guess I’ll have to make an exception,” I snarled.

I slowed my swinging down and focused more on aim. Just as I thought I was going to him square in the jaw, his arm reached forward and the mallet pounded into his palm. His fingers wrapped around the hammer and soon my hands were empty.

“My turn,” he grinned.

I dodged a few blows as he took his turn swinging, and I was slowly losing breath. I gripped the edge of the island to calm myself down, which was a huge mistake. He slammed the mallet down, completely crushing two of my five fingers. I cried out in pain as I fell to my knees. I couldn’t move those two fingers.

Despite the fact that more pain had crippled my body, my vision was still intact. There was a shovel on the ground near the back door. I reached for it quickly and used it to knock out Synyster’s knees sending him sprawling down to the ground at my level. I crawled over so that I was straddling him.

“Oh, if this is the position you wanted me in, all you had to do was ask,” he smirked.

I scoffed, “Only in your dreams.” He laughed at that, and it was enough to push me further off the edge. I was tired of his attitude.

“Shut the hell up! I am sick and tired of you thinking that everything happens the way you want it to be. You’re not God so stop pretending to be,” I yelled.

“Well, I am God to you, Myra. From here on out, you’ll do as I say. And I’ll let you live until I decide it’s your time,” he sneered.

Although outright I wanted to deny that statement and continue to tell myself that everything was going to be alright, that I was going to be alright…inside I knew he was telling the truth. What are the chances of cheating death twice anyway? Not very likely I’d imagine. Wait what am I thinking? So now after that brief display of strength I’m just going to let him have his way?

A mental battle ensued inside of me and finally I shouted out, “NO!” and I’m not quite sure whether that was meant for him or me. Regardless, the moment I screamed it out I punched Syn hard across the face busting his lip open. It’s times like these that I’m glad I still sported my class ring. A look of pure shock washed over his face as he glared back up at me.

“That was a very bad idea,” he growled, gripping both of my arms and lifting us both up, slamming me into the wall nearby.

“What are you…going to do about it?!” I challenged, trying to free myself from his grip.

He smiled that evil smile of his. “Oh Zacky, why don’t you bring Katie in here for a minute?”