‹ Prequel: Going Bush
Going Bush 2: Suburbia
09
Taylor groaned slightly as he came to, rolling his head as it throbbed. He strained to open his eyes so that he could look up at what was holding his wrists above his head in such an awkward position.
It took him a moment to realise that he was standing, being held up by his wrists which appeared to be chained to some sort of meat hook. The gag still tied tightly around his head. Once he found his feet and was able to steady himself, he tried to get a better look at the chains. But he couldn’t see a lock from where he was.
He blinked as he tried to focus on the room he was in. It was small, that was for sure. There was a single fluorescent tube on the ceiling that provided the only light, and the door was in front of him about three metres away. Aside from the dirt and stains covering the floor and walls, there really was nothing else to look at.
He closed his eyes again as he tried to remember what had happened. He remembered the van, and he remembered grabbing Zac’s hand… he didn’t get far with the memories before he could hear footsteps outside the door. One a set of heavy steps, the other appeared to be… heels?
“This one should be awake by now,” he heard a man’s voice, followed by what sounded like a heavy bolt being undone.
The door swung open and Taylor cringed as a harsh light penetrated what he hadn’t realised had actually been a rather dark room.
“And he is!”
Taylor’s eyes fell on the man who wore a light grey suit, looking very out of place for his surroundings. He was indicating for the second person to enter, and she did so. Taylor could barely believe how out of place she looked in her black heels, stockings, and formal black skirt suit.
“Don’t get too close to this one, he’s a new addition,” the man checked his clipboard as she stopped midway between Taylor and the door, “came in a few hours ago, in fact. Hasn’t even been debriefed yet. It’s unusual, but it happens. Someone’s put a rush on this one.”
“He’s dirty,” Taylor couldn’t put his finger on the woman’s thick accent.
“Like I said, someone was in a rush to get him through. The details we have are sketchy. He was a musician, from a large family and a father of five… so good with kids. His tests came out clean so if you’d like to ever breed from him the children he has so far are mainly blonde hair brown eyed…”
Taylor’s brow furrowed as his breathing quickened, while he started to get a handle on what seemed to be happening here. The woman gave him a curious look.
“Musician, you said?” she asked.
“Ah…” the man checked his papers, “yes. Pianist, I believe.”
“Do you have any of his work?” she asked, looking as if she wanted to step closer.
“I’m sure we could find something. Is the sale going to depend on it?”
“Maybe,” she tilted her head, “may I hear him speak?”
The man hesitated as Taylor made eye contact with him.
“It’s very unorthodox to try with a new entrant,” he cautioned, “but if you think you could handle it…”
She nodded, and the man sighed. He stepped around to Taylor’s back and fiddled with the knots in the gag, grimacing a little as he pulled it away.
Taylor immediately took a deep breath.
“Where’s Zac?” he asked first, eyes on the man who’d returned to his line of vision.
“Who?” the woman turned to him also.
It took him a moment to realise that he was standing, being held up by his wrists which appeared to be chained to some sort of meat hook. The gag still tied tightly around his head. Once he found his feet and was able to steady himself, he tried to get a better look at the chains. But he couldn’t see a lock from where he was.
He blinked as he tried to focus on the room he was in. It was small, that was for sure. There was a single fluorescent tube on the ceiling that provided the only light, and the door was in front of him about three metres away. Aside from the dirt and stains covering the floor and walls, there really was nothing else to look at.
He closed his eyes again as he tried to remember what had happened. He remembered the van, and he remembered grabbing Zac’s hand… he didn’t get far with the memories before he could hear footsteps outside the door. One a set of heavy steps, the other appeared to be… heels?
“This one should be awake by now,” he heard a man’s voice, followed by what sounded like a heavy bolt being undone.
The door swung open and Taylor cringed as a harsh light penetrated what he hadn’t realised had actually been a rather dark room.
“And he is!”
Taylor’s eyes fell on the man who wore a light grey suit, looking very out of place for his surroundings. He was indicating for the second person to enter, and she did so. Taylor could barely believe how out of place she looked in her black heels, stockings, and formal black skirt suit.
“Don’t get too close to this one, he’s a new addition,” the man checked his clipboard as she stopped midway between Taylor and the door, “came in a few hours ago, in fact. Hasn’t even been debriefed yet. It’s unusual, but it happens. Someone’s put a rush on this one.”
“He’s dirty,” Taylor couldn’t put his finger on the woman’s thick accent.
“Like I said, someone was in a rush to get him through. The details we have are sketchy. He was a musician, from a large family and a father of five… so good with kids. His tests came out clean so if you’d like to ever breed from him the children he has so far are mainly blonde hair brown eyed…”
Taylor’s brow furrowed as his breathing quickened, while he started to get a handle on what seemed to be happening here. The woman gave him a curious look.
“Musician, you said?” she asked.
“Ah…” the man checked his papers, “yes. Pianist, I believe.”
“Do you have any of his work?” she asked, looking as if she wanted to step closer.
“I’m sure we could find something. Is the sale going to depend on it?”
“Maybe,” she tilted her head, “may I hear him speak?”
The man hesitated as Taylor made eye contact with him.
“It’s very unorthodox to try with a new entrant,” he cautioned, “but if you think you could handle it…”
She nodded, and the man sighed. He stepped around to Taylor’s back and fiddled with the knots in the gag, grimacing a little as he pulled it away.
Taylor immediately took a deep breath.
“Where’s Zac?” he asked first, eyes on the man who’d returned to his line of vision.
“Who?” the woman turned to him also.