“Stupid bitch, do you not know the difference between the liver and the kidneys? And you completely missed the lungs. My god, you’re pathetic.” I sneered.

“Lizz, shhh.” Nick whispered weakly, knowing what was coming next.

“DON’T PUSH ME! I swear to you, you are going to get it good. Just wait, you’ll be sorry you ever met me.” Terri screamed at me.

“Oh don’t worry, I already am.” I shot back.

“Lizz!“ Nick urged.

Marcus laid a hand on his sister’s shoulder. “Not now. Later.”

Terri sighed and stormed out of the room. Marcus turned to me, his eyes daggers.

“Your smartass mouth is going to get you in trouble. Next time I hear anything out of your mouth that I don’t like, I am going to personally beat the shit out of you, do you hear me?” His voice was ominous.

I felt the color drain from my face. He wasn’t kidding. I had no doubts that he really would beat me to a pulp.

“DO YOU HEAR ME?!” He bellowed.

“Yes.” I whispered. He nodded, satisfied, and followed after his sister.

“Well, I’m out.” I stated as soon as Marcus left. I was shaking. It was useless to hide it because with Nick leaning on me, he could feel it too. I tried to push it away and focus on the matter at hand.

Nick looked up at me with raised eyebrows.

“What do you mean you’re out?” Brian called warily.

“I mean just that. Don’t pick me to get my pills.” I said flatly.

Nick started to shake his head just as Brian started protesting. I cut them both off.

“Look you two, at the present time I am in better shape than either one of you. Let’s be logical here. We know for a fact what is going to happen if you don’t take your meds, Brian. And Nick, you’ve already had one seizure. If you don’t get your meds, then you will more than likely have another one. At least with me there is a chance that my body won’t start rejecting stuff. You guys don’t really have much of a choice at this point.” I explained. I didn’t want to even think about rejection factors.

“Lizz, no.” Brian continued to argue. I knew he was going to be stubborn about this and I tried to think of a way to reason with him.

“Look Bri, I haven’t missed my meds as long as you guys have either. You both are in a more serious situation right now and you know it. It just makes sense. With me it is only a risk and there is more time, but with you both it is a definite thing.” I stressed.

“It’s pretty definite with you too.” Nick whispered. God, it killed me to seem him like that. I don’t know who I was more worried about at the moment.

I narrowed my eyes at Brian. “If you pick me, I’ll never forgive you.”

Brian glared back at me. “Lizz, you are so damned stubborn. I hate that what you said makes sense in a way, but what if something happens and you do reject your lungs or your kidneys? That would be my fault!”

“No it wouldn’t! I am telling you to not pick me. A real gentleman would respect my wishes.” I wasn’t going to give this up. I could hold my own for now, but these two weren’t doing so hot. They both needed their meds.

Brian hung his head in defeat. “Nick, I am going to tell them to give the meds to you. But Lizz, if anything happens...” He trailed off.

“It won’t.” I assured him.

“No, Brian! No!” Nick cried. He tried to sit up, but it was clear he didn’t have the strength. His whole body trembled from the exertion. I rested my hands on his shoulders and gently pushed him back down.

“Nick, don’t argue with me cause you aren’t gonna win.” Brian stated quietly, setting his jaw.

“Brian, please.” Nick wouldn’t give up.

“Drop it Nick, I’ve made up my mind.”

“Then give them to Lizz! Don’t waste them on me.” He pleaded. He was getting worked up, yet he didn’t have the strength to get worked up. My heart started beating faster. I leaned close to Nick and whispered softly. “Hey, you gotta calm down. The last thing either one of us needs is to panic. You need to conserve your energy for tomorrow okay? Don’t worry about Brian. I’ll think of something.”

He shut his eyes and I could tell he was struggling. He was beyond upset and he was also having a hard time staying awake. The effects of the seizure would hopefully be gone by the morning. Upon glancing over at Brian, I saw that he was out too. I didn’t know whether to be worried or relieved. He still looked awful. He needed his meds. And soon. Kyung was awake, but still in that trance. “Kyung?” I called softly. I didn’t want to wake up either of the guys. She remained unresponsive. “Damn it.” I whispered. This was probably something similar to Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. I wondered how long she would be like this. I was emotionally exhausted and wanted to be able to sleep more than anything, but I knew that sleep wouldn’t come. Kyung wasn’t in any immediate danger, but I had to watch over Nick and Brian, the best I could.

I don’t know many hours passed. I knew what I had to do, but I was scared. My eyes were heavy, but every time I heard a moan from Brian’s cage or Nick stirred against me, I was jarred awake. The longer it went on, the more sure of my decision I was. That was when I finally fell into a fitful sleep.

“Rise and shine!!!”

For the umpteenth time I jolted awake. I knew I wouldn’t be going back to sleep this time though. Terri was standing in the middle of the room. Kurt stood in the doorway next to Marcus.

“Sleep well?” She grinned at us. Brian rubbed his eyes and looked around, confused. He looked even worse and that only strengthened my resolve to stick with my plan. Nick started to wake up and I groaned. He needed to not be awake yet. He was not going to like my plan. Neither would Brian, but I had planned on explaining it to Terri very quietly so Brian wouldn’t hear what I was saying.

I motioned to Terri to come towards me. She glared in return, but complied.

“What, bitch?” She snarled.

“I have an idea.” I started, pushing the lump in my throat back.

“Yeah?”

“I know more than anything right now you want to just tear into me huh? Well, if you give both Nick and Brian their meds, you can do whatever you want with me. Come on, you know you want to.” My voice betrayed me. I wanted to come off cool and calm, but my voice was trembling.

A smile played on her lips.

Terri turned and whispered something to her brother. He nodded and left
the room. I looked up at Lizz, she must have sat up all night long inside my
crate, holding my head in her lap. I was still a little out of it from the
seizure, but I was sure that once I was able to get up and move around, I
would be fine.

Terri’s mother came into the room carrying some cups. She stopped at
Brian’s crate first and handed him a small cup of what I was guessing was
water and another cup.

“Take these and I’ll let you get up and go use the bathroom,” she growled at
Brian.

Brian looked into the cup and then he looked at Lizz questionably. “I thought
we said the meds go to Nick.”

“Don’t worry, he’s getting his next. Hurry up, I’m gonna miss the Today
show,” the old woman barked. “Marcus, this one’s ready to go!”

The woman moved over to me next. She opened the door and ordered Lizz
out of the cage. She shoved a cup at me and it was filled with all the meds I
needed to take. “I don’t need them, make sure Lizz takes her meds.”

“But the deal is that you’re to get them boy,” the old woman snarled.

“I don’t give a shit what the deal was, I told you, Lizz and Brian need the
meds, you give them their meds, I will be fine.”

“Nick!” Brian growled from his cage.

“Bullshit Brian, I don’t want your deaths on my hands! Give Lizz her meds,” I
said as I picked up the cup full of medications and threw them across the
room.

I suddenly felt a sharp stab at my back making me jerk around too see
where it was coming from. Marcus stood on the giving end, a sick smile on his
face.

“Good going there Nicky, now neither one of you get your medicine!”

I could tell by the looks on their faces that Lizz and Brian were just a
little upset with me. I shrugged my shoulders.

“Okay hero, I need you out of here, NOW!” Marcus hissed as he uncuffed my
ankle from the cage.

After Marcus put the chains around my ankles, he went over to Brian’s cage
and ordered him out as well. I was thankful that he at least got his meds
after being off them for two days. His skin was looking pale and his face
looked a little fuller to me, which I knew was the effects of the fluid slowly
building up because of his heart.

“What are you doing!? That’s not what the plan was!” Lizz cried out from her
cell.

Marcus slapped the bar across the front of her cage sending Lizz shrinking
towards the back. “Well, Nicky here ruined your little deal by refusing his
stuff, but don’t worry, Terri will be here in a few minutes to deal with your
ass.”

As if almost on cue, Terri appeared in the room and walked over towards
Kyung’s cage.

“God, I swear she is so damned worthless. I knew that from the first day I
started working at that god forsaken hole of a hospital.”

“What are you doing with Nick and Brian? You know what the deal was!” Lizz
shouted at Terri.

“What deal?” Brian snapped. “Lizz, you better not have done something you
weren’t supposed to!” Brian looked at her with fear in his eyes.

“What are you doing with Nick and Brian? Can’t you see that both of them
are too sick to be doing anything?”

“That’s none of your concern missy,” Marcus snapped.

“If you need to know, I have a rock garden that I want built,” Terri smiled.

“A rock garden? Are you that crazy? You nearly killed Brian the other day in
that heat! Take me and leave them!”

“LIZZ!” Both Brian and I shouted at the same time.

“Bitch, I have my own plans for you, simmer down!”

I was worried about both Brian and Lizz. I was also hoping that I had the
strength in me to pull off moving around rocks in the sun. Every misstep that
either Brian or I made the other day, the other person paid for the mistake.
I didn’t want Brian to have to pay for my weaknesses, he was took sick to
have anything happen to him.

I watched helplessly as Marcus herded Nick and Brian out the door. Terri’s mom had already left and I had no idea where Kurt was. Terri kept tossing irritated looks towards Kyung. I was getting more and more concerned about her, the longer this catatonic state lasted. And now Nick and Brian were being forced back out into the heat.

“Do you have any idea what you are doing?!” I narrowed my eyes at Terri. “Do you have any idea the danger you are putting Brian in? And Nick’s already had one seizure and this could provoke another one!”

“That’s his own damned fault. He had the chance to get his meds.” Terri glared back at me. She walked over to my cage.

I didn’t know what to say to that. I was a little more than upset that he refused them. I realized it was out of good intentions, but I had it all set up. He was going to get the pills! “Then try again damn it. You aren’t doing jack with me until he gets his meds.” I folded my arms defiantly. I bet the dumbass didn’t even realize that no one bothered to put the shackles back on my wrists.

“Oh no, I’ve got plans for you.” Terri smiled. She opened my cage and undid the shackles on my ankles. I fought with everything in me not to try anything, but I needed to gather my thoughts first.

She grabbed my arm and yanked me out. “Go.” She pointed towards the door, holding one of those metal bars. I glanced helplessly at Kyung, but she didn’t return the look of concern. Terri pushed me out the door and into a hallway. It was long and only one dim light lit it. The paint on the walls was peeling and it smelled much like the room we had been held captive in. She walked behind me.

“Where are we going?” I asked. My legs felt rubbery from the lack of movement and I was weak from the lack of food.

“Bitch, if I wanted you to know I would tell you. Maybe I’ll show you how much your friends are suffering out there. Maybe Nick had another seizure huh? Or maybe Brian kicked the bucket.” She laughed as she said it.

That was it, really. That was all I needed to hear. I got a sudden rush of adrenaline, angered solely by her words. I whirled around, catching her off guard. Without thinking, throwing all caution to the wind, my fist shot forward. It made a sick crunch and she reeled backwards, her hand over her nose. Blood oozed through her fingers.

I barely had time to get over my shock. Never in my life had I hit someone, but never in my life had I felt such anger, fear, desperation, hatred, and vengeance all at once. It threatened to take me out of control. Before I knew it, she had recovered and I felt her fist connect just under my eye. If at all possible, my rage doubled. With that same unfathomable adrenaline, I shoved her into the wall with everything in me. It shouldn’t have been, but it was enough. Terri was a good several inches taller than me and she definitely out-weighed me. But right now my anger was greater. She hit her head against the wall and sank onto the floor. Without a moment’s hesitation I took off running. The first door I opened, led outside.

“HEY!” Kurt’s voice rang out.

I ran outside and around the side of the house. It was the first time I had seen sunlight in I don’t know how long. My eyes have always been light sensitive so this was blinding. It was hot outside and all I could make out in my blurred vision were trees.

“BITCH! GET BACK HERE!” Kurt screamed after me.

In the distance I could make out three blurry figures. As I got closer I could see that it was Brian, Nick, and Marcus. Nick and Brian were hauling rocks. I couldn’t seem them very well, but it was obvious that they were struggling.

Then, a lot happened all at once. Nick and Brian both saw me and shouted my name. A loud noise was heard. Then, with a fiery pain in my arm, I stumbled forward and fell into the ground. I looked down in shock and sure enough, my upper left arm was bleeding. I was shot. The bullet looked like it had barely grazed me, but you’d never know it with the pain. I tried to pull myself back up to my feet, to no avail. All my strength had left me. I was too woozy now. Nick and Brian were both running towards me. Both of them were still yelling, but I couldn’t make out their words anymore. There was also yelling behind me, but that too, seemed all jumbled up. Everything was happening in slow motion, but yet it was all going too fast. Nick reached me first and immediately closed his hand over my arm. I winced, but before I could say anything I felt someone grab me from behind and pull me up. With his other hand, Kurt shoved Nick away. Brian started to react, but Marcus seemed to appear out of thin air.

“Now you’ve done it.” Kurt hissed in my ear.

I could do nothing but watch as Marcus literally dragged Lizz back into the building. Kurt
forced Brian and I back towards the rock pile, forcing us to continue to work in the
unbearable heat. I was feeling sick to my stomach and getting that funny feeling again, but
there was no way in hell I was going to mention it to Brian or anyone for that matter.

I glanced over at Brian to see how he was holding up during all of this. Sweat poured off
his face and his shirt was soaked. The only color his skin had was chalky white. I knew he
had suffered heat stroke the other day and here they were sending him back out in this
heat. Water to drink was pretty much non-existent to Marcus, although he drank it freely
in front of us.

Just when I thought we had reached our breaking point, Kurt called out to Marcus that
Terri needed us back inside.

“You heard him, move it,” Marcus hissed.

Brian walked ahead of me. He swayed once in the hallway, the wall breaking his fall.

“Brian, are you alright?”

“Just move it Carter, worry about yourself,” Marcus spat as he shoved something into my
back.

Upon entering the basement, I immediately saw Lizz sitting in a chair, a white bandage
around her upper arm, tinted with a small circle of blood. She smiled weakly at me. I was
guessing it was her way of silently letting me know she was okay.

“Okay Lizz,” Terri began as she paced the floor in front of the three of us. “Because of
your decision to try and leave, you have to be punished. You know we’ve tried everything
to teach you a lesson, withholding your medications just doesn’t seem to bother any one
of you. I think the best way to prove my point and teach you is to take something that is
near and dear to you.”

I narrowed my eyes at Terri wondering where this was going. I was ready to kill Terr or
any of them for that matter if they tried to harm Lizz.

Terri walked over towards me and smiled.

“Since you thought Nick here was good enough for you to die along with him a few
months ago, I’m guessing that he means something to you. I want to teach you a lesson
not to screw with me----”

“How the hell will doing something to Nick teach me a lesson? Leave him alone!” Lizz
yelled.

“Lizz!” I glared at her, trying to convey that she was treading on thin ice with Terri.

“Listen to your friend here Lizz, you’ve already got yourself into hot water by trying to
run away. Now, as I was saying before I was so rudely interrupted. I want to teach you a
lesson not to screw with me. Kurt, you know what to do.”

I wasn’t sure what to expect as I was led over to the opposite side of the room. There was
a long metal bar suspended from the ceiling. A handcuff was placed around each of my
wrists and the opposite ends of the cuffs were attached to the bar. Brian and Lizz were led
over to a bench that faced me. I heard a crack of what sounded like a whip behind me and
I suddenly realized what Terri had planned for me.

I stared in horror at the scene that was unfolding before my eyes.

Kurt cracked the whip again and grinned sadistically.

"NO!" I screamed, jumping up. Marcus grabbed my
shoulder and forced me back onto the bench.

"You're going to kill him!" Brian cried, his eyeswide with fear.

"You should't have tried to escape.
And you definitely shoulndt have messed with my sister." Marucs growled.

Tears were flowing freely down my face. This was all
my fault. If I hadn't tried to escape, then Nick
wouldn't be going through this. Terri stood just out
of reach. She turned around and grinned at me. Her
nose was all bruised up from when I hit it. "Bet you
wish you hadn't done that huh?" She sneered.

"Oh god, please Terri. Dont do this." I sobbed. It
killed me to knowing I was causing this to happen to
Nick. I struggled against Marucs again.

"Let me guess, you want to run up
there and stand in the way dont you? You stupid
bitch. Fine, your next." Terri threw her hands up in the air.

"No! Lizz! Damn it if you..." Nick was cut off when
Kurt snapped the whip. It hit Nick with the worst
sound I have ever heard in my life.

"Lizz don't say anymore!" Brian said, horrified.

"SHUT UP BOTH OF YOU!" Terri
screamed. "You want to go to?!" She snarled at Brian.

I sucked in my breath. Before Brian could reply Kurt
cracked it again. Nick shut is eyes and ground his
teeth to keep from crying out. Thin stripes of blood
started to appear through his shirt.

"Please, stop this. God, I'm sooo
sorry. I won't try anything again. Please don't hit
him again." I begged. My left eye was so swollen I
could barely see out of it. I almost wished Terri
wouldpunch the other oene so I didn't have to see this.

"It's your fault Lizz. You shoulnd't
have tried to leave. You fucking near broke my nose.
You think I am going to lket you get away with
that?!" Terri started pacing back and forth.

Kurt grinned and snapped the whip
again. Every time Nick flinched and it was getting
harder and harder not to make a sound. I turned away,
unable to watch the blood soaking through the back of his shirt.

"Please, stop this before you kill him." Brian pleaded. His voice cracked and I could tell he was having a hard time controlling his emotions.

I felt sick. He had to blame me for this. I had
caused this. I would never forgive myself. Never.

Kurt snapped it a few more times and then looked over
at Marcus. "You want a go?" He nodded.

Nick's face was completely drained of
color and his jaw was still clenched. A single tear
slipped out and I felt my heart shatter.

Marucs nodded. "Sure. Maybe this will shut Loudmouth up huh?" He glanced at me. "She's not getting away with attacking my sister. Her next or Brian?" Terri beamed at her older brother.

Nick's eyes flew open. "No." His
voice was barely a whisper, but the agony showed through as clear as day.

Kurt strode over to where the bench
that Brian and I were sitting on. He looked at both
of us in turn, smiling like it was Christmas.

"You sick bastard." I whispered, my voice dripped with hate.

"Dig yourself in deeper, girl. That's it.
You'll be lucky if you survive this one." Kurt glowered at me.

Marcus poised his arm over his head
and cracked the whip with more strength than Kurt had.
Unable to keep it in any longer, Nick cried out.

Simultaneously Brian and I yelled out.

"No more. No more. Please." I
sobbed brokenly.

Terri turned around and looked at
me, then Brian. Both of us had tears streaming down
our faces. She glanced at Nick thoughtfully, then her her eyes lit up.
"Okay Nick, your turn for the hard
decision. You get to choose who gets to follow after
you. I will let one of them off the hook. One! If
you don't choose, they both get it. Think real hard
Carter. Brian here is in terrible shape. It could
likely kill him. But Lizz here, she's a girl. What's it gonna be?"

It took everything I had in me to remain halfway standing. Terri’s face was
blurry and I couldn’t understand what she had said to me. I wound up just
staring at her, I could see the anger slowly build in her face.

“I said make a choice here Carter, Lizz or Brian, who gets it now?”

I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. She wanted me to make a choice
between the two people I cared about. She also wanted me to pick someone
that was either very sick or having a girl step in my place.

“Take me again,” I mumbled.

“Oh, so we have a martyr here huh?” Terri laughed.

“Nick! NO!” Brian shouted.

“Don’t be crazy Nick,” Lizz argued.

Brian stood up, holding his hands out. “Take me instead, you know you want to
do this.”

Terri smiled at Brian. “Well, I do want to make Lizz suffer and watching her
two friends suffering would be the best possible way.

“Brian! No, I’ll take it, I know I can do this again,” I argued as they undid my
handcuffs. One of them placed his hand on my back and shoved me towards
the bench. I drew a sharp breath in to avoid crying out. It felt like a million
pins and needles sticking into me.

I watched helplessly as Kurt chained Brian up to the bars. I could see the
fear of anticipation in his eyes and my heart ached for him. I tried to sort
through my thoughts thinking of a way to stop them from hurting Brian, but
before I could actually act on it, the room started spinning and getting dark.

Brian tried to go to Nick to help him when he fell forward to the ground, but
was stopped quickly by the handcuffs around his wrists. He was at first
thinking that Nick was having another seizure, but was a little relieved when
he figured he was more than likely overcome by the heat and the blood loss
and lack of water.”

“God you killed him!” Terri snarled as she looked at Nick laying on the floor.
She walked over towards him and kicked him in the side, trying to make sure
that Nick wasn’t playing games to take the attention off of Brian.

“Haven’t you done enough?” Lizz hissed as she knelt down next to Nick trying
to protect him from Terri. “You realize it’s only a matter of time before he
has another seizure, dumbass. He needs his meds and Brian, he needs his as
well. Please, I’m beggin you to give them their medications. You already are
worried about them dying on you. Let me be the first to educate you that
without their meds death is inevitable.”

“Lizz, you need yours too, I can live without mine but yours has more serious
consequences,” Brian agrued.

“Oh please, let’s stop this martyr bullshit,” Terri interrupted, her gaze
shifted. “At least we haven’t heard from your friend Nurse Kyung here.”

“Leave her alone!” Lizz screamed.

Terri spun around, her gaze now fixed on Lizz. “Oh, so I struck a raw nerve?
Here I thought you cared about only Nick.”

“Terri! I’m begging you to leave Kyung alone. She has nothing to do with
this!”

“Like hell, I tried to run and she stopped me. I will never forgive her sorry
ass for that.”

Terri walked over to Kyung’s cage, her steps slow and deliberate. The look on her face was one of sick pleasure. Kyung didn’t even flinch. I jumped up.

“Terri, leave her alone. You want to blame someone here? Blame me. The entire reason that all of this happened was because of me okay? I didn’t stop Nick several months ago. If I had, you never would have gotten the opportunity to get all this money or publicity or whatever the hell you’re after.” I exploded, running towards her.

She glared at me. “How true, but ya know what? Kyung is going to pay for her part she had in this too. I never liked her. She always thought she was better than me.”

“She is.” I muttered.

Terri heard me. I thought she was going to come after me, but she was stopped by the door flying open. Her mom and that short, fat guy both rushed into the room. I had almost forgotten about him.

Terri, Marcus, Kurt, get over here!” He barked. The mom had urgency written all over her face and she was wringing her hands together again. Brian and I watched as the five of them engaged in a heated conversation over in the corner of the room. They were speaking to quietly for me to hear what they were saying. Satisfied that Kyung was momentarily safe, I darted over to Brian.

“Lizz, don’t, you’re going to get into trouble.” He whispered as I tried to find a way to get him off that damned bar.

I ignored that. “What’s going on?” I whispered.

“I don’t know, something bad.” He whispered back. I could tell that it was taking every ounce of strength he had to keep standing. Not that he had much choice, suspended from the bar.

Marcus looked up and saw what I was trying to do. “Nice try you dumb kid.” He marched over to us and shoved me roughly away from Brian. I crashed hard into the wall against my bandaged arm. The impact cause me to cry out from pain shooting all down my arm.

“Lizzie?!”

I had started to slump down the wall, but my head shot up when I heard her voice. Kyung was staring at me, her eyes wide with horror. Her gaze shifted to my arm and her eyes filled with tears. My jaw dropped. This is what broke her from the trance that had held her captive since this nightmare started? Not Nick’s seizure, Brian’s heat stroke, my attempted escape and being dragged back in to be bandaged up after being shot, not Nick’s whipping and Brian’s near whipping, but this, me being shoved into the wall.

“Kyung, sweetie, are you okay?” I exclaimed. Her eyes filled with tears and as looked at Brian, chained to the bar, Nick unconscious on the floor, then back at me, slumped against the wall.

“Welcome back to the land of the living. Too bad it won’t last.” The mom said brusquely as she hurried over to Kyung’s cage.

“NO!” I howled. Before I could go anywhere, Marcus yanked me up and held me tight.

“We’re running out of time here! Drug them.” The fat man snapped.

“Wait! What’s going on?” Brian looked around as everyone flew into action. Kurt undid the handcuffs around Brian’s wrists and Brian nearly collapsed. Kurt shoved him into the cage and before Brian could react, he slammed it shut.

I watched as the mother pulled out a syringe and injected something into Kyung’s arm. Kyung tried to fight her, but in the end she lost and the drug started to take effect.

“Shit, I don’t want his blood all over...” Terri’s mom glared down at Nick. She looked at me. “Clean him up.”

Marcus released me, left the room, and returned with a couple washcloths, some water, some gauze bandages, and a roll of medical tape. He dumped it in my arms and then the fat man whispered something in his ear and they both left the room. I knelt down by Nick, but looked back up when I heard the mom say, “you’re turn,” to Brian.

“What are you doing?” I cried. Why were they suddenly in a frenzy and drugging us? I was terrified about what was going to happen.

“Shut up and take care of what we told you too before I knock the shit out of you.” Kurt snapped, turning around to me.

I started to say something back, but the look on Brian’s face told me to keep my mouth shut. Saying anything else at this point was useless. The mom pulled out the syringe, but suddenly swore under her breath. “We need to give them their meds first. We don’t need anything happening while we’re...”

“Mo-om!” Terri yelled, cutting her off.

“Shut up Terri. We knew this could happen so be a good girl and get the pills.” The mother returned.

Terri huffed and snatched the pills off the table. As she walked by I couldn’t help but smile in relief. She glared at me in return.

The mom saw me. “Don’t look so happy. You think this is bad now? Wait until you wake up again. This is nothing.” She snapped.

After the pills were given to Brian, he was given the knockout drug. I busied myself with my task. Slowly I peeled up the back of Nick’s shirt, cringing when it stuck to his skin. There was blood everywhere. Not only was my own blood all over me from before, but now I was covered in Nick’s. God, there was so much of it. I poured some of the water on one of the washcloths and gently started to wipe some of the blood away. The stripes across his back were raw and deep.

“Bet you feel like shit huh?” Terri smirked at me. Both she and her mom were watching me now that Brian was knocked out. Kyung had long since been out.

My eyes filled with tears. Once again, Nick was hurting because of me. I would never be able to forgive myself for this. He was still unconscious and I was worried. How much blood had he lost? As carefully as I could, I taped the gauze over the marks. I felt like I had no fight in me left. Trying to escape was the stupidest thing I had ever done. What the hell was I thinking? Was I going to get away and go free Brian and Nick? Please! And what about Kyung? How had I planned on getting her out? I had to face it, my plan was desperate and foolish. My sole thought was to stop these bastards from hurting my friends any longer. I didn’t even have a plan. Now this had happened to Nick and Brian had almost gotten the same punishment. I didn’t deserve to live.

“That’s good enough.” Terri’s mom said as she walked over and pulled me away from Nick. I didn’t even fight her mother as she jabbed me with the needle. It didn’t take long before the blackness took me away.

A tremendous amount of noise brought me out of my drug-induced sleep. The jerks and rocking motions played a part in it also. I opened my eyes are slowly moved them around my new surroundings. The first thing I saw was a chair back. I looked around and saw that I was in a plane. Actually a jet, guessing by the size. It looked to be about the size of a Concord. Only enough room for one seat on each side of the aircraft and about 5 rows deep. Nick sat to my left, Brian in front of him, and I guessed Kyung to be in front of me. There was a homemade curtain hanging one extra seat in front of Kyung and Brian. I was shocked to think these people had enough money for their own jet. I could hear talking on the other side of the curtain and I recognized our kidnapper’s voices, but I couldn’t hear what they were saying.

The turbulence was pretty strong since the jet was so small. I hoped Nick and Brian would stay asleep until we reached our destination. My hopes were shattered when I heard my name a moment later. It was Nick. I looked down, unable to face him. How could I?

Crash landing?! I risked a glance over at Nick. He was trying to hide it, but I knew better. He was terrified. Hell, I was too. Not for myself because I didn’t deserve to live anymore, but for Nick, Brian, and Kyung. Lightning flashed again, illuminating the whole sky. It was immediately followed by thunder so fierce that I swore it cracked the sky wide open. The plane shook violently. Kyung and Brian had woken up by now and were putting their pillows between their faces and knees. Terri was already sitting down in her seat.

The plane took another dive and Nick gasped. He was fighting the panic that was in him. I wanted to reach out to him, but my handcuffs wouldn’t let me. “Nick! We’re going to be okay!” I hollered, straining to be heard over the racket.

He didn’t get a chance because the plane made one last dive. At least that was the last one that I was conscious for. I think I hit my head or something because I felt a sharp pain and that was it.