Forty Abel

Iwished my life were different; more hopeful and less fucked up than the constant tragedy we faced day by day, night by night in this prison. The Creed trapped not only our bodies but also our souls, extinguishing our hope. There were very few things I could do to change the situation. Our chances of escaping had taken another blow with the disappearance of my friends. And to make matters worse, tomorrow we had to fight for our lives. Orcus would stream our struggle for survival to his world; a spectacle to demonstrate his power. I wondered how much our lives were worth to him.

I banged my head with my fist, my body quivering from the rage brewing inside me. I longed for the day when we would walk out of the cult and reclaim our freedom, but not until Orcus had paid for his crimes. We deserved justice. This was no longer about escaping; this was about revenge. I would not stop until Orcus was dead, even if I had to risk my life to end his.

The guys were awakened by the obnoxious alarm. There was something different about these deafening sirens. For starters, it was coming from outside, instead of the rusted speakers in our room. Maybe the warning was never intended for us, but for the guards whose shadows were rushing past the small crack beneath the door. The noise was louder and longer than usual.

I hadn't slept at all after Tobias dropped me off last night. I spent the past few hours consumed with sorrow. Thank goodness for Tobias's strength grounding me, because I'd be lost without his presence.

***

"I'm so sorry about your dad," Tobias whispered. His voice was heavy with remorse. "I truly am. I wish I'd come here sooner, then maybe all of this would've never happened." Tobias's eyes glistened under the lights. The weight of his guilt mirrored back at me. He blamed himself for not being here when we needed him most; for not arriving sooner to prevent the tragedy that had struck my family. But I couldn't allow him to shoulder that burden alone.

"It's not your fault, Tobias." My voice cracked as tears streamed down my cheeks once again. My heart felt like it was shattering into a million irreparable pieces. I'd tried to remain strong in front of my family, but now that it was just me and Tobias, I couldn't hold back any longer. I allowed myself to crumble, knowing he would be there to catch me.

"Come here." Tobias pulled me into a tight embrace. His strong arms were comforting. "I'm here for you," he whispered into my ear, his words a balm to my wounded spirit. "I'll never let anyone hurt you ever again."

I lost track of time as we stood there, entwined in each other's arms. I didn't care. I could stay there forever.

Tobias released me when the sounds of footsteps and radio chatter neared. With his quick reflexes, he pulled me behind the nearest wall, steering us away from the approaching guard.

Tobias's body was pressed against mine. I could smell his sweet breath, his skin, his sweat. His mismatched eyes burned. I could feel his heartbeat, each pulse mending a small piece of my broken soul.

He cupped my cheeks with his rough hands and brought our faces together. His lips found mine.

I opened my mouth to give him full access. I was expecting the kiss to be rough, but he surprised me with his tenderness.

Tobias took his time, like he was cherishing each moment. His lips momentarily left mine and traveled to the tip of my nose, my cheeks—both sides—then back to my lips. I moaned when his pierced tongue found mine. I never knew that a small orb and a gentle kiss could be so erotic.

My body hummed as we explored each other's mouths. I gasped when his hard cock pressed against mine. My hunger for Tobias would never be satisfied. He pulled away and I couldn't miss the war battling in his eyes. He closed them before shaking his head.

"What's going on?" I asked. "Tobias, open your eyes." I reached for his face and caressed his cheek.

He leaned into my touch. Then placed his hand over mine.

"Talk to me," I urged.

He didn't utter any words, but his stare was doing all the talking.

"Please?"

His breathing quickened, and, for a moment, I thought he'd walk away, but he didn't. Instead, he leaned his forehead against mine, took another deep breath, and finally spoke. "I'm scared."

"You are?" I was stunned by his admission. I didn't think he got scared. He was an assassin and the bravest person I knew. "Scared of what?" We were so close our breaths mingled into one.

"I'm scared of you and what you're doing to me." Tobias caged me with his arms. "It scares me that I don't think of Aurora and my past when I'm with you."

"You'd never have to forget your past to have a future. I'd never make you choose. I'll always be here for you," I said, planting a chaste kiss on his supple red lips.

He closed his eyes. "I know, and that's the problem." He pushed his body off me and turned away. "Get some rest. We need to figure out a plan in the morning," he said before walking away.

I remained planted where he left me for the longest time.

***

I peeked into the empty hallway. The commotion seemed to have subsided; it was finally safe to talk without looking over our shoulders. Around me were Two, Four, Seven, Twelve, and Nineteen, all eyes on me.

"So, when can we leave?" Twelve asked. "Did you tell them the fight was tomorrow?" His face was drawn with dread and trepidation. I couldn't blame him. I didn't know how many of us would survive once we stepped into the arena. "What did Five say?" Five was Joshua, our leader. He was the one organizing our escape from the inside while working with our connection outside. There was no easy way to let them know what we discovered last night.

I sighed. "The guys are gone."

"What do you mean gone?" Seven asked, frowning.

"The barracks were empty when we got there. No guards either." I strode to my bunk bed to grab the phone under my pillow. "They must've left in a hurry because their room was a mess and they left this." I showed them the old cell phone.

Their mouths dropped simultaneously.

"Do you think they left without us?" Two asked.

"I don't think so. They would never leave without us, and especially without this phone," I replied. This was our lifeline; without it, we'd be lost.

The guys exchanged concerned glances. "Let's turn it on, maybe they left clues for us or something."

I was grieving last night and checking the messages didn't even cross my mind. I turned on the device, my hands shaking with anticipation. We held our breath as the screen lit up. I entered the passcode and we waited a few seconds for the phone to connect to the network, but, to our dismay, there were no new messages since last week.

We delved into reading the old messages on the off chance we'd find something that could help us determine where the guys had gone. Every now and then, one of us would mutter a curse under their breath or let out a frustrated sigh.

"And Orcus killed my dad." Just mentioning that my dad was gone made me see red.

"What?" Two asked.

"How?" Seven followed up with another question.

Suddenly, the door opened and a guard stormed into the room. "What is that?" he demanded, his voice sharp as he fixed us with a piercing glare.

I ignored his question, tucking the cell into my back pocket. I would no longer be intimidated by them. My jaw tightened and I balled my hands. I wondered if this fucker had something to do with killing my father.

"What are you glaring at?" He grabbed at my arm, but I yanked it back from him.

I stood my ground, my head high.

"You wanna disobey me?" He jabbed my chest with his baton. "Give it!"

"Make. Me."

"You think you're tough, huh?" He thrusted his baton forward and I staggered back. Centering myself, I swatted his arm and stepped closer to him. Then Seven and Two stood behind me and, seconds later, the rest of my friends followed.

"Back away!" the guard ordered, but we didn't budge. The coward swallowed hard, pressing the button of his radio. "Back up to the trainees' room, NOW!" He retreated when we stepped forward.

I couldn't explain the glee I felt knowing that we'd rattled him. For just a moment had had experienced how we lived our lives under constant fear.

Five guards rushed into our room, their hands drawn to their pistols. "What's going on here?" one of the fools asked. He joined the coward, who let out a shaky breath.

"Nothing." I shrugged. "We're just hanging out. Aren't we, boys?" I turned to face the guys. I winked and nodded toward their bunks. They took the hint and dispersed. I might've found new courage to stand up for myself, but I wasn't stupid.

"He has a fucking phone," the first guard said, picking the phone from my pocket.

"Where did you get this?" one of the new guards asked. He forced me to face him. His nostrils flared when he waved the phone in front of my face. "Are you deaf? Someone better fess up or y'all are gonna see Orcus, and that won't be pretty." He swiped the screen and frowned when it asked for the password. "Whose is it?"

The guys looked at each other, probably confused about my rebellion and at a loss for the next move.

"I'll count to three," he barked. "If no one comes forward, y'all are gonna be punished. One."

We didn't move a muscle. Betrayal in The Creed came with a hefty consequence. He might kill all of us.

"Two."

"It's mine," I confessed. "They didn't know about it. The phone's mine."

The guard's eyes narrowed. He pocketed the cell and yanked on my tank top. "You're coming with me," he spat. He grabbed me by the neck and pushed me into the hall. "The rest of you, stay here."

I stole a quick glance back at my friends and forced a reassuring smile. "I'll be okay," I mouthed.

Another guard pressed his radio, filling the room with static noise until someone from the other end answered. "Go ahead," the man on the receiver said.

"One of the trainees has a phone. We're bringing him to the interrogation room."

"Idiot!" The guard on the other line chuckled. "Which one?"

"Oliver's kid."

"Don't you fucking say his name." I thrusted forward but the two men dragging me to the corridor snatched me back.

"Knock it off," one of them demanded.

"We'll let Orcus know," the guard on the other end said.

I searched the hallways for Tobias. Should I scream his name? Should I make a scene? I opted to remain quiet, given the situation had already escalated. We cornered a hallway, away from Tobias's quarters. Where are you, Tobias?

We passed through multiple posts until we reached the room with the bright lights. It was the same room we were taken to during our first day at the Restricted Zone, the one with the giant mirrored wall. My suspicion that people could see through the other side was confirmed when the guards nodded toward their reflections.

They yanked me down, forcing me to sit on a cold metal chair before they zip-tied my wrists behind my back.

"Where did this come from?" the guard holding the phone asked. He leaned forward and pressed it against my face, causing the broken glass to scratch my skin.

My silence was met with a slap across my face. I winced as the force of his unexpected blow caused me to see black spots. My eyelids fluttered trying to regain focus. A salty metallic taste hit the roof of my mouth.

"What's the code?" He swiped the cracked screen, waiting for me to give him the numbers.

They would find out what we'd been planning for a year once he got hold of those messages. We were so close to freedom, we might not get another chance to escape.

"Answer me!"

He punched my stomach. I coughed up a mixture of saliva and blood, and before I could recover, he followed up with another blow.

The metal chair skidded back as my body folded from the pain. The guard tugged my tank top to keep me upright. "I can do this all day," he warned. "We can do this the easy way or the hard way. You choose."

"Go fuck yourself," I said, spitting in his face, sealing my fate.

The guards' blows rained down on me, each taking their turn at my flesh. But with each punishing strike, my defiance burned stronger. I refused to be broken. I gritted my teeth in agony and stood my ground.

"What're you hiding in here?" someone asked. I couldn't tell who; my consciousness was teetering on the edge of blacking out. A door I hadn't noticed before because it blended with the sterile white wall swung open.

Like a dark omen, Orcus emerged, clad in his military uniform adorned with medals that held no significance in The Creed. Maybe for his people, but not for me. He strode toward us; my awareness sharpening again with the break from the beating. His expression shifted from puzzled curiosity to simmering anger as his attention landed on my battered face. "I can't say I'm disappointed," he sneered. He gestured to his men, and one of the guards pulled over a chair and placed it in front of me. "I'm actually surprised your little rebellion took this long." Orcus's tone was laced with disdain. "Guess the apples don't fall far from the tree, after all." He settled into the seat, basking. "Just like your father."

I wiggled my arms. What I wouldn't give to pin him to the ground and strangle him until his eyes went dark. I fantasized about my face being the last thing he saw when he took his final breath. "We'll make you pay," I growled.

Orcus shook his head and outstretched his palm. The guard dropped the phone into it. "Where did you get this?"

I remained silent and veered my face to the side. Orcus hated it when we didn't acknowledge him.

"Answer the question." The guard grabbed my chin and forced my head back to the object of my hatred.

I didn't budge; my determination was unshakable.

With a subtle nod, Orcus signaled to his minion. He waved a cattle prod, its menacing crackle reverberating through the room.

"The passcode?" Orcus asked.

I ignored his presence once more. "Ahhhhh!" I screamed. Searing pain jolted through my body, clamping my jaw. I would not rat out my friends. I endured the pain and remained resolute.

"What's in here that you're willing to die for?"

He would never know.

The torment continued and Orcus's face began to crack. He started to lose his ever-loving shit; his face contorted with frustration. He wasn't used to anyone defying him. In The Creed, Orcus was God and his word was the law. He scooted his chair forward, his face looming in front of mine. "Listen to me, you little shit. Unlock this or you'll pay."

"Go to hell," I barked. I hacked up phlegm and spat the load at him.

Shocked and disgusted, Orcus stood and kicked the chair behind him. "Take care of this." He pulled a white handkerchief from his pocket and wiped his face.

Two men snagged my arms to prop me up.

"Get your hands off me!" I yelled.

One of the guys muffled my mouth with duct tape.

"Take him to the quarry where his dad was." Orcus let out a sinister laugh before exiting.

They yanked me outside through the door we came in, but instead of heading in the direction of my friends, the guards proceeded to drag me to the back door near Tobias's quarters. My muffled protests sounded like grunts. I kicked and thrashed against their grasp, fear and fury fueling my movements. Because of my strength and size, three guards were required to restrain me, and they still struggled due to my resistance.

With a sudden burst of energy, as we turned a corner I slammed their bodies against the metal door, the clang echoing through the corridor. One of the men toppled over, and triumph surged through me when I was freed from their pathetic hold. I made a break for Tobias's room, but my victory was short-lived. The guard on the floor seized my leg, sending me crashing to the ground with a resounding thud. He pulled me close and wrapped his arms around my legs in a desperate effort to regain control.

The wind was knocked out of me. I lay sprawled on the cold concrete, momentarily stunned by the impact. I grimaced when the zip-tie binding my hands dug into my skin as I attempted to free myself. I tried to make a noise, but nothing came out of my sealed mouth.

Then I caught sight of someone familiar: Sterling. Though I couldn't speak, my eyes pleaded with him, silently begging for help, hoping he'd let Tobias know where I was.

"What are you looking at?" the guard asked Sterling.

Sterling shook his head, his sight bouncing between me and the three men.

"Get the hell outta here," the guy restraining my legs ordered.

Sterling followed the order and scurried away until he was out of view.

Please let Tobias know about me.

"Pull that stunt again and we'll see what happens," the guard warned.

Once the three idiots regained their bearings, they herded me into the woods. One of them finally showed some intelligence and used a gun to nudge me forward. I might have been hasty earlier, but I wasn't stupid.

I slowed my pace, hoping to buy more time. Sterling would have told Tobias what they'd done to me by now. Damn it! He didn't know where these fools were taking me. I stopped and studied my surroundings, noticing a clearing up ahead.

"Keep going." The guard pressed the barrel of the gun against my neck, the cold metal sending shivers down my spine. "Now!"

Every step I took felt like a march toward my end. As we neared the clearing, the realization of our destination seized my lungs. What lay ahead wasn't a clearing, it was a drop-off. I halted when only five feet of ground separated me from the edge. From here I could see the blue water in the quarry pit below. I frantically shook my head as overwhelming fear set in.

"Look who's afraid now," the man with the gun taunted. "Keep going."

I tried to plead, but no one could hear me. My life couldn't end like this.

"You wanna be saved?" one guard asked.

I nodded.

"Kneel," the other man ordered.

I dropped to my knees, desperate for more time with my family and friends. More time with Tobias.

The three men laughed, their taunts like barbs. "Just like his father," one mocked. "You should've seen his face before—"

Anger surged through me like a raging river, memories of Dad igniting my fury. I lunged forward, nostrils flaring, every muscle tensed for vengeance.

The two men scrambled to pry me away from the third, but the idiot was knocked unconscious when he fell back and hit his head on a rock in the underbrush. I fought against them with all my strength, but with my hands bound, my struggle was over before it began.

I staggered toward the cliff's edge, my heart pounding. The world around me stopped turning and the distant roar of the quarry pit below was all I could hear. Tears of defeat cascaded down my cheeks.

The two guards closed in on me, their faces twisted. They were enjoying this. I braced myself for what would come next. One guard drew his gun from his holster and aimed at me. "Any final words?"

I jumped before he had a chance to fire his shot.

The water was cold, but I didn't shiver when the murky depths swallowed me whole. No light could penetrate the darkness that surrounded me, leaving me disoriented and helpless. I kicked and kicked to propel myself to the surface, but without the use of my arms, I felt like I was sinking deeper into the pit. Each kick drained my strength, consuming every ounce of oxygen in my body. Time seemed to stretch endlessly as I fought to find the surface.

I struggled to hold my breath. The burning ache in my lungs intensified with each passing moment, a cruel reminder of my dwindling chances of survival. I panicked when water filled my nose, choking me. My vision blurred. A few happy moments flashed through my mind. I clung to them desperately, seeking peace before I succumbed.

Memories of my mom and dad's laughter came rushing in. I smiled behind the tape when I remembered Maddy riding on my back. And then there was Tobias, with his mismatched eyes that seemed to hold all the answers to my questions. His touch and kiss had made me feel alive, even in the darkest of moments. I clung to the vision of his handsome face as my consciousness began to slip away, the darkness closing in around me like a suffocating blanket.

It was said drowning was a peaceful way to go.

Now I understand.