‹ Prequel: Going Bush
Going Bush 2: Suburbia
80
“That’s it,” Nate snapped his fingers in Taylor’s face before taking a step back, “that’s something I haven’t seen in a while.”
“What?” Taylor’s voice was suddenly lower.
“That,” Nate was pointing into his eyes, “you know, kicking a beaten dog is only fun for so long. You want the ones with a fighting spirit. One little mention of your daughter and you suddenly think you have something to fight for again.”
He stepped back into Taylor’s personal space.
“You know what they’ll do to her, don’t you?” he grinned.
“If you lay one finger on her-“ Taylor’s threat was cut off by Nate slipping a hand around his throat and squeezing slightly.
Taylor clenched his fists as he struggled to breathe for a moment.
“I’d love to know what you think you’re capable of doing, really,” he said in a bored tone, “but once again, I don’t really care what you think.”
He pulled the necklace from his pocket and held it up in front of Taylor’s face, before letting it fall into the hay at their feet. Taylor couldn’t look down if he’d wanted to, the collar making him keep his chin up.
“Now,” Nate made sure he had his attention before letting go of his throat, “I’m even going to do you a favour. I’m going to go back to your Mistress and openly admit that I have upset you. I’ll even apologise for it. That should give you at least a day or two off from regular duties, right?”
Taylor frowned as Nate turned away, realising the subtle hint behind his words.
“You can’t leave me like this,” he pulled on his wrists again, “I can’t stay like this for a whole day!”
“You’re a survivor, aren’t you Taylor?” Nate looked puzzled as he picked up the tape from where he’d discarded it.
Taylor eyed it, knowing that if he needed to call for help this would be his last opportunity. He wished he had at least one hand free so he could let off a wolf whistle.
“So survive,” Nate shrugged, snapping the tape open.
“IBBY!” Taylor suddenly yelled before Nate closed the tape over his mouth.
“You’ll be fine,” Nate assured, ripping the end of the tape and patting it against Taylor’s cheek.
He replaced the roll in his jacket as Taylor squeezed his eyes shut, trying not to hyperventilate. He heard Nate’s footsteps leave the stall, closing the gate before heading down toward the house.
He opened his eyes again once he was sure he was gone, desperately starting to twist his wrists again. He knew he couldn’t stay standing for much longer – his knees already felt like they were going to give way. Then he’d be left hanging to choke by the collar.
He had no idea how long he’d been there when his mind began telling him that this could really be it. If they’d been told to stay away from him for up to two days, there was no way he’d still be alive by the time they found him.
Just when he felt his legs start shaking alarmingly, his eyes shot open as he heard the gate rattle. Ibby opened it.
He tried to cry out, muffled by the gag. Ibby saw the desperation in his eyes and immediately bolted for the chain, unhooking it from where Nate had coiled it and finally letting Taylor’s legs collapse from under him. He pulled the tape off and gave him a pat on the shoulder as Taylor coughed.
“Thank you,” Taylor gave him a grateful glance, leaning forward as he caught his breath.
Ibby checked his arms, soon seeing the cable ties, and sat back helplessly but still in support.
“What?” Taylor’s voice was suddenly lower.
“That,” Nate was pointing into his eyes, “you know, kicking a beaten dog is only fun for so long. You want the ones with a fighting spirit. One little mention of your daughter and you suddenly think you have something to fight for again.”
He stepped back into Taylor’s personal space.
“You know what they’ll do to her, don’t you?” he grinned.
“If you lay one finger on her-“ Taylor’s threat was cut off by Nate slipping a hand around his throat and squeezing slightly.
Taylor clenched his fists as he struggled to breathe for a moment.
“I’d love to know what you think you’re capable of doing, really,” he said in a bored tone, “but once again, I don’t really care what you think.”
He pulled the necklace from his pocket and held it up in front of Taylor’s face, before letting it fall into the hay at their feet. Taylor couldn’t look down if he’d wanted to, the collar making him keep his chin up.
“Now,” Nate made sure he had his attention before letting go of his throat, “I’m even going to do you a favour. I’m going to go back to your Mistress and openly admit that I have upset you. I’ll even apologise for it. That should give you at least a day or two off from regular duties, right?”
Taylor frowned as Nate turned away, realising the subtle hint behind his words.
“You can’t leave me like this,” he pulled on his wrists again, “I can’t stay like this for a whole day!”
“You’re a survivor, aren’t you Taylor?” Nate looked puzzled as he picked up the tape from where he’d discarded it.
Taylor eyed it, knowing that if he needed to call for help this would be his last opportunity. He wished he had at least one hand free so he could let off a wolf whistle.
“So survive,” Nate shrugged, snapping the tape open.
“IBBY!” Taylor suddenly yelled before Nate closed the tape over his mouth.
“You’ll be fine,” Nate assured, ripping the end of the tape and patting it against Taylor’s cheek.
He replaced the roll in his jacket as Taylor squeezed his eyes shut, trying not to hyperventilate. He heard Nate’s footsteps leave the stall, closing the gate before heading down toward the house.
He opened his eyes again once he was sure he was gone, desperately starting to twist his wrists again. He knew he couldn’t stay standing for much longer – his knees already felt like they were going to give way. Then he’d be left hanging to choke by the collar.
He had no idea how long he’d been there when his mind began telling him that this could really be it. If they’d been told to stay away from him for up to two days, there was no way he’d still be alive by the time they found him.
Just when he felt his legs start shaking alarmingly, his eyes shot open as he heard the gate rattle. Ibby opened it.
He tried to cry out, muffled by the gag. Ibby saw the desperation in his eyes and immediately bolted for the chain, unhooking it from where Nate had coiled it and finally letting Taylor’s legs collapse from under him. He pulled the tape off and gave him a pat on the shoulder as Taylor coughed.
“Thank you,” Taylor gave him a grateful glance, leaning forward as he caught his breath.
Ibby checked his arms, soon seeing the cable ties, and sat back helplessly but still in support.