We'll Let The Fires Just Bathe Us

Jack hadn’t spoken to me since we got in the car. He seemed very determined and I was reasonably nervous considering the last time he drove like this was on the way to the party where I got the shit beaten out of me.

“Where are we going?” I asked.
“Shut up or I’ll rip your tongue out.” He snarled.
“No you won’t” I scoffed.
“Don’t think so?” He asked.
“No because if you did, who’d give you blowjobs?” I asked.
“Oh I’d find one of the other staff to do it. They’re used to it after all the years.” He replied making me clench my teeth.

Now I had to shut up because the repercussions of my actions could harm others. He pulled into a driveway and jumped out. He rang the doorbell and I shifted behind Jack.

“Hey Jacko!” He grinned.
“Good to see you, man” Jack greeted.

I continued to hide behind him.

“To what do I owe the pleasure?” He asked.
“I’ve got a slave here,” He said, grabbing the scruff of my neck and pulled be forward, “Who likes to be difficult and I want to show Alex here how a behaved slave should act.”

Jack’s words angered me. I may be a slave but that doesn’t mean I deserve to be treated this way. I draw my back up straight and looked this ‘Tony’ in the eye. All the tattoos and piercings he had which made him look quite intimidating.

“Of course.” He smiled, then he turned to face the rest of the house “COME!” He screamed.

The sound of running filled my ears and someone bolted down the stairs and sat on the floor before Tony’s feet.

“Alex, this is Vic.” He introduced us.

My eyes couldn’t leave the poor boy on the floor. He was small and skinny, his hair was kind of long but it suited him. He had olive skin but it seemed fragile and transparent. His eyes though… His eyes broke my heart. They just held so much pain and fear.

“Vic was quite hard to train. He put up a lot of fight. It took me six months to break him.” Tony patted Vic’s head and he looked up at him like a child looks at their abusive parent, almost admiring in a way but being completely scared shitless.
“Did you get him from a camp?” I asked.

Tony glared at me and Vic looked as if I’d just done something outrageous.

“I see what you mean, Jack.” He said, ignoring my question.
“Oh believe me, that’s not even half of it.” Jack replied, rolling his eyes.
“Really?” Tony looked at me as if I were a piece of meat he was going to devour.
"Yes and my problem isn't so much that I don't know how to punish him, you and I both know I'm good at that, I just need help punishing him without fatalities."
"I see. We'll I'll demonstrate to Alex here how he should behave and then I'll get in touch with you later and send you a list which might be useful. Now Vic, fetch me a lighter.”

Vic jumped up and sprinted off, returning a few seconds later.

“Hold out your hand.” He said.

Vic obeyed without a second thought.

No.

Tony lit it and placed the flame under Vic’s palm. He winced and stiffened but he didn’t make a sound and he didn’t retract his hand. I watched his skin begin to blister and sizzle and finally I couldn’t take it.

“Fucking stop it!” I cried.
“That right there, is what is going to get you punished.” Tony said, clicking the lighter and extinguishing the flame.

Vic visibly relaxed and pulled his arm back, inspecting the burn.

“Vic, what do you call me?” He asked.
“Master.” He replied in a small voice.
“What do I call you?” He asked, not taking his eyes off me.
“Anything you like.”
“What can I do to you?”
“Anything you like.”
“What can I say to you?”
“Anything you like.”
“See Alex, this is what you are. This, is what you will always be. You are nothing more than a doll for us to play with and the sooner you learn that, the better.”

I glared at him with all the hatred I could muster.

“No.”

Vic’s eyes went wide as moons.

“No?” He looked up at Jack as if he were asking a question.

Out of the corner of my eye I saw him nod. Tony grinned and in one swift motion yanked his belt off. He made a loop with the buckle and before I could move away, he brought it around my neck, tightening it so I almost couldn’t breath.

“Do you know what we do to slaves who don’t obey?” He asked, forcing me to my knees.
“Let me guess, kill them?” I glared.
“Oh no, no, no.” He scolded, “We just make them wish they were dead.”

He pulled the belt off my neck and ripped my shirt off. He raised his arm and brought the belt down on my skin. I cried out and tried to get away but Jack pounced and pinned my wrists down. I looked up into his face, hoping to see some form of kindness or compassion but who was I kidding?

He held it at the end so that not just the leather struck me, but also the buckle. The belt was brought down again and again. A few tears trickled down my face but I refused to let anymore slip. My back stung so much I felt like I’d die. The cruel crack of the belt followed it’s cutting force. Normally a belt won’t make you bleed but when you add superhuman strength…Yeah it wasn’t pretty. Once I thought my lungs would fail me, he stopped. I heaved and pulled myself up, stumbling slightly as my legs shook and threatened to give out.

“Alex, from now on, you will wash dishes,” Tony said before he punched me in the jaw and I fell to the floor, blood pouring out of my mouth and onto the hardwood, “do laundry,” He kicked my side and I felt my rips splinter slightly.

I knew I’d heal but it still didn’t feel good.

“Clean the house.” This time he grabbed my hair and slammed my face down onto the floor.

I’d been doing my best to keep quiet and not let them know they were hurting me but this time I couldn’t help but let out a whimper.

“And you will do anything else Jack tells you to do.” He snarled, slapping me before releasing my hair, letting me to fall to the floor.

“Thank you, Tony.” Jack smiled.

“Anytime.” He grinned back.

“Come.” Jack barked.

I tried to stand but it was useless. My exhausted body was broken, battered, bruised, and bloody. There was no way I could stand.

“I-“ I started but my throat scratched and I coughed up more blood, a string of bloody spit falling from my mouth to the floor.

“Can’t” I rasped.

“Sure you can, you’re just not trying hard enough and besides, you did this to yourself.” Tony snapped, kicking me.

I groaned and my eyes caught Vic’s. I saw the pity and the fear in his eyes. At this moment, more than anything, I wanted to give him hope and the only way I knew how to do that was to be strong. I moved my arm forward and slowly moved my legs as I crawled slowly closer to Jack.

“There you go, Alex. You’re getting it.” Tony laughed.

I gritted my teeth but I didn’t stop until I was at Jack’s feet. Then I glowered up at him.

“Don’t fucking look at me like that.” He said before kicking me in the face making me roll over.

Oh well, what’s another bruise?

I turned back and Jack was standing by the door.

“Open it for me.” He ordered.

I heard Tony laugh and it just fueled my anger and hate, thus fueling my determination. I slowly and painfully crawled over to the door and it took every ounce of strength I had to reach up and turn the knob. Once it was cracked, my arm dropped to the floor with a ‘thud’ and I was able to push it open. Jack nodded in goodbye to Tony and stepped over me and onto the porch as I crawled through the door. He walked beside me as I made my way down the steps, through the driveway and to the car. By the time I reached the door, I barely had the strength to breath, never mind reach up and open a car door.

“Can’t-“ I coughed.

“Worthless shit.” Jack snapped, grabbing my arm and yanking me up before throwing me in the trunk and slamming it shut.

I welcomed the darkness. I was able to let silent tears stream down my face as I felt the car drive us back to his house.

Notes

Title cred: Bruised and Scarred by Mayday Parade

if you don't like Jack, just you wait. Also I might update again tonight if given the proper motivation (comments)