Max watched all of this in silent horror, wondering where his father and Uncle Angus could possibly be.
At first he couldn’t bear to watch, but felt great shame in turning away as he remembered what his mother had told him about facing life head-on. He would honor Ron’s bravery. Though scared to death of Slash, he was alarmed to find his rage burning against her; he looked down to see his hands clenched into shaking fists.
A steadily growing part of him wanted to help, and though his outrage was beginning to outweigh his fear, still he held back. He kept telling himself that Dad and the others would come soon and rescue Ron. He quietly reminded himself of the promise he made to Cleo.
But in his heart he began to wonder if he had done exactly what Mom had always told him not to, and made a promise he couldn’t keep.
He could see only one way to honor Ron’s courage. For with every blow they dealt him, a fire inside Max burned brighter. Never had he felt anything like it. He could feel the man’s pain, and the sheer wrongness of what he was watching awakened a righteous outrage that threatened to consume him.
Still Max watched, until he could watch no more.
Author's Chapter Notes:
savage beating
