The Silence That Surrounds: Screams of the Damned

Narrator’s POV:

“What are you lads doing here? Damien specifically told you two to stay in the confines of the Playhouse.” Broker chastised, his arm in a dark blue sling.

“We got hungry.” Louis shrugged but gave a sly smile at the end, making Broker frown deeper.

“Lad? I was born but I wasn’t born yesterday, if Damien finds you out here he’ll have MY balls on a stick. They moved you all to the playhouse for safety reasons go home, Tomlinson.” Broker shoed but all Louis did was steal a bucket of fish and chips from the cart.

“Actually, I’m not kidding. We’ve been starving the past week as Damien is punishing us for losing Harry.” Louis frowned, reaching for another basket and handing it to Zayn. He grabbed it from him with eagerness and began to scarf it down.

Broker sighed and began to slowly fill a few more baskets of fish, which, he might add was difficult to do with one hand.

“Lads? Why are you here exactly? Damien is going to lose his shit when he finds you gone and if this is only about my food, why aren’t Liam and Niall here?” Broker asked with curiosity.

“Who do you think was distracting the numpties while we made our escape? Santa Clause and the tooth fairy?” Louis sassed back sardonically, tossing his food carton in the trash and grabbing another basket.

“Louis? I care for you boys like my own children but damn it all if you don’t all give me gray hair. See that? It’s balding in places, you’re making me old before my time.” Banker pointed to his receding hairline.

Louis swallowed the piece of fish before responding, chuckling a little.

“I’ll get you a mullet wig for Christmas, Broker. Help you relieve your younger days at Woodstock.” He joked but Zayn spoke up.

“As much as I enjoy our conversations here,, we have bigger problems.”

Louis shoved another basket of fish at him.

“Shut up and eat. I’m getting to that story.” Louis grumbled, taking a third basket from the cart and shoving it to his face.

“Steady easy there you two, you’re going to get a tummy ache.” Broker warned but filled four more containers up.

Louis grunted in response, throwing another container away and grabbing his fourth.

Broker set his good hand gently on Louis’s shoulder.

“Lou, what’s happening mate?” He tried, seeing Zayn reach over for his third basket.

“Aside from Damien unable to locate Harry and Sophia because their trackers aren’t working? Not a hell of a lot. Oh, well, there is the whole walking down the hall and seeing mutilated little girls and boys hanging from the walls with no arms or feet or teeth or voices, just poles for limbs and sixty plus year olds fucking them senseless. It’s what happens when a child doesn’t get sold within a couple of months to a year. They’re hung up on the wall around the playhouse and the highest bidder gets them for a few hours to do what they want with them. I told myself I’d die before going back to that place. I mean, I’ve killed kids when Harry couldn’t but I did it quickly. Fuck, every time I close my eyes to sleep it’s all I’ve seen lately.” Louis glowered, his mood souring.

Broker felt a pang of sorrow for the younger lad.

“I’m sorry, Lou. Truly I am.” Broker said, squeezing his shoulder.

Louis shrugged it off.

“I killed them.” He replied casually, taking another basket and throwing the other out.

“Killed who?” Broker pressed but had a bad feeling in his stomach.

“The children. I spared them anymore pain because even if they were rescued, what good does that fucking do them? Dr. Sadistic started severing their spinal cords so they couldn’t struggle at all. They were his ‘perfect dolls’. I mean – who the fuck does that to kids? I’m sick but even I can’t fathom this cruelty…I…well, let’s just say as of yesterday when each men was done with them and walked away; I went over and snapped their necks. I killed about twenty alone and about five today but it doesn’t matter, Damien and Dr. Sadistic have hundreds in the playhouse at any given time.”

Broker could see the torment in Louis’s eyes and that was unsettling, especially since he was on his six basket of fish and chips.

Zayn reached for his fourth, his eyes just as troubled.

“I saw my Perrie there,” Zayn spoke up softly, a tear slipping out. ”Damien showed her to me personally but not before having me held down and making me watch a man force himself on her for an hour. My beautiful girl, she… –“He couldn’t continue, his voice was cracking too much.

“We need to get Harry and Sophia back, we need our leader and pain in the arse flower.” Louis sighed, finishing off his six basket, watching Zayn start on his fifth. There were two more baskets left, one for each and Louis wasted no time grabbing his seventh.

“Lou? Go back to the playhouse and let Damien work with what he has.” Broker reasoned, shaking his head when Zayn grabbed the last basket from his cart.

“We’re hungry, Broker. Keep them coming.” Louis demanded, reaching into his pocket and taking out a few notes, placing them on the cart. It was over two hundred pounds.

Broker’s jaw dropped but he quickly fisted the cash and shoved it back into Louis’s hands with force.

“Let us get one thing straight, Tomlinson, I have never charged you or the other boys for anything. I don’t want your money, just your company. Understand? You, Harry, Zayn, Niall and Liam are the sons I never had. I had children but that was long ago and I failed them. I won’t again, not with you all because I want to give you lads what you need and right now, you’re hungry and need to eat. I understand that. Which leaves me to conclude that if you ever try to hand me money again I will shove my foot so far up your ass that my shoe will need to be surgically removed. Am I clear?” He demanded, seeing Louis shrink away a little but nodded in understanding.

“Perfectly, mate. Trust me, after your speech I will never hand you a pence if your life depended on it.”

Broker laughed and slapped his back, preparing more baskets of the delicious food.

It took fifteen baskets for each of them before they felt a satisfaction in their stomachs. It finally felt good to be full.

Louis belched, leaning over to give an arm hug by wrapping his arm over Broker’s shoulders.

“You’re the best, B.” Louis joked, though Broker could detect sincerity in his voice.

“Thank you for your kindness.” Zayn murmured, rubbing his greasy fingers on his jeans and tossing his last basket away.

Broker reached out with his good arm and pulled Zayn into a comforting hug.

“You don’t need to act tough, Zayn. We all have a weakness and yours is having the ability to care for someone. That is respectable, not a curse and I’m proud of you for it.” Broker told him but Zayn shook his head and stepped away.

“You don’t understand, she’s suffering and I can’t end it. I looked down at her and I tried. Damien handed me a knife, told me to slit her throat and I couldn’t. I – I failed her because all I saw when I looked down at her was my Perrie. MY girlfriend. She can’t move or talk, she has no teeth, no arms or feet and I left her in that room to be stared at like the piece of meat she’s become. I’m not human, Broker. No moral human being lets the person they love suffer like that! I just walked away.” Zayn finally let his feelings out, his hands going to his face as a sob escaped.

Louis took his arm off Broker’s shoulder and grabbed Zayn from Broker’s embrace, pulling him into his own chest.

“Come on, Z, keep it together. We got to remain strong because we need to get Harry back.” Louis rationalized, rubbing his back.

“I couldn’t do it, man. I couldn’t –“He tried but Louis shushed him continuing to rub his back.

“I know, Z. I saw and Broker’s right, you are a far better human being for having the courage to love and care about someone other than yourself. That’s not a bad thing.” He comforted.

“I let her suffer though, Lou. I should have ended it. She’s in pain! I failed Perrie because I couldn’t take her life. I couldn’t let Liam or you do it either because I don’t want to let her go.” Zayn admitted, his hand curling into a fist around Louis’s shirt.

Louis gently pried him off, his cold blue eyes glancing into Zayn’s honey browns.

“I know and I don’t judge you for it. Hell, Z, I wish I had the capacity to feel love but I don’t. I mimic it. Sophia? I am kind for her benefit only and a part of me wishes I could have someone like her but we all know I never will. I have had no one, not since Eleanor at least and even some days I regret breaking it off. I know what you’re going through, that decision to end it or not to –“He paused, trying to speak his thoughts more coherently but not go overboard. “Look at it from her point of view; she has no voice, her voice was taken – cut from her throat violently so she couldn’t scream for help as she was being raped and tortured. Her spinal cord was snapped so she couldn’t struggle, her teeth were removed so she couldn’t bite or defend herself from being violated. How many dicks were forced into her mouth, Zayn? Huh? How much has she been forced to endure while hanging on that wall by rods that once were hands – hands that caressed and loved you? How many years has this gone on, Z?”

Zayn was breathing erratically.

“Please, stop –“He tried but Louis shook his head.

“It’s up to you and you alone, Z. If you truly want her to be free, you’ll let her go. You’ll let her die with dignity, you’ll let her die in your arms – the way she would want it to be.” Louis reasoned.

Zayn opened his mouth to reply but a dark chuckle erupted his thoughts.

He looked over to see a young girl, no older than sixteen with a guy that looked like…Razor…

“Fuck me to Hell and back up the ass on a pogo stick. It’s Eli, Elliott’s daughter and Blade.” Louis muttered, releasing Zayn and stepping beside him.

Broker turned around to see Eli with a pistol in her hand, a smirk on her face as it was aimed at him.

“Not again…” Broker trailed off before Eli pulled the trigger, a bullet landing in the exact same place it had hit him before, right in the shoulder.

Broker yelled as his body hit the earth once more in agony, his hand going over the bleeding entry wound.

Eli aimed it at Zayn’s head a second after.

“Don’t you dare move a muscle or it will be the last thing you two do.” Eli promised, her eyes darkening in contrast with her personality. She was excited, hell, luck was on her side when it came to running into the Styles gang in London.

“Little girl with a big gun – scary.” Louis cooed sardonically, receiving a look from Zayn.

“Don’t provoke her, Lou.” Zayn hissed hoarsely, wiping his eyes clear of tear streaks.

“Why? It’s fun poking kittens. I mean look at her she’s so cute and cuddly with her badass looking gun.” He continued on.

“Shut up, Louis.” Zayn and Broker growled at the same time.

Louis chuckled but kept his eyes glued to Blade as princess with the gun wasn’t his concern, Blade however was.

His hair was scalped off his head completely, giving him a permanent baldness that could never grow back.

That was one of his descript features but the thing that stood out even more was his eyes. They were completely dyed red. Deep crimson red that gave him a demonic look that any Satanist would be proud of but what Louis noticed the most was the long scar that went from the corner of his eye to leading straight down and curving to the edge of his lip.

“Nice eyes, mate.” Louis observed, earning him a smirk from Blade.

“Want some to match mine? I’d have no problems stabbing you in the eyes and making you bleed from them.” He offered with a smirk.

Louis saw his teeth filed up – just like Razor only sharper.

This gave him the incentive to take a step back.

“Mommy,” He murmured, seeing Broker crawling away discreetly. “Hey B?” He whispered, knowing the elder man could hear him. “Get help, call Damien – he can help us get –“

BANG

Eli fired another bullet from her gun, this time into Broker’s head.

“No!” Zayn and Louis exclaimed at the same time, brain matter flying out everywhere from the small metal piece that pierced through the man’s skull at a high velocity.

“Broker!” Louis went forward to subconsciously help the older man but Blade took out a small yellow gun.

“I wouldn’t move pretty boy.” He warned with a smirk.

Louis froze, his eyes reflecting the look of murder.

“He did NOTHING to you.” Louis hissed, his body starting to shake in rage.

“He got in my way. I gave him a warning shot last time and he instructed your little prince and princess to run, that’s obstructing my justice and I will have it, you killed Razor. You killed the only friend I had in this God fucking place.” Eli responded calmly, loving the rising tension.

“You’re a little girl with a wild trigger finger. Sixteen is considered an adult here so grow the fuck up, open your eyes. Razor was no less of an animal as Shrek here and that’s what we snuff out. You think we’re monsters but at least we didn’t rape and violently eat out a seven year old!” Louis yelled, taking a step forward making Blade raise his gun.

“If you know what’s good for you, Tomlinson – you won’t make any stupid movements. I have no qualms shooting you, believe me.” Blade warned.

Zayn grabbed Louis’s arm to stop him from doing something stupid.

“No! Lou, listen to me, we aren’t going to win. There’s nothing we can do.” Zayn reasoned making Louis’s attention go to him.

Upon further inspection he caught the silent words in Zayn’s eyes, his tense body slightly relaxing but his emotions with Broker’s death was going haywire. He was like a father to them and if he hadn’t of been so enraged he might have actually cried for the older man. The only one to ever show them any kindness.

Louis nodded and turned toward Eli.

“You know what, sugar? Let me put something into perspective for you – life? All bullshit. It’s all bullocks to something far bigger planned then you or me and hurting innocent people destroys that humanity, take it from us,” Louis seethed but tried to remain a façade of outer calmness, he took a breath to steady his erratic heart.

“This vendetta you’re going about is not going to make daddy proud of you. It’s going to make things far worse for him because Damien will seek revenge against your daddy for Harry’s abduction or our death. It won’t matter if daddy didn’t do it personally because we are responsible for the actions of our offspring. You are going to regret your actions soon enough and I only hope I’m alive to see the moment daddy gets his throat slit wide open – and I hope Damien forces you to watch before snapping your neck.” Louis seethed, his hands clenching at his sides, fingernails indenting into his skin enough to make them bleed.

Eli just laughed.

“Are you quite finished?” She asked in a bored tone, glancing at her bare wrist like she was looking at a watch.

“No. In fact, let me finish by adding a big huge FUCK YOU!” He screamed out the last part, his foot stomping on the ground in a way that looked painful.

Zayn put his hand on his shoulder to calm him.

“Lou, she’s trying to get this reaction. Calm down!” Zayn ordered rationally but Louis threw his hand off and began to walk away.

Eli cleared her throat and Blade stepped forward briskly, his finger on the plastic yellow gun.

He raised it while Eli ran forward – right at Zayn, her shoes clicking against the pavement in a flurried motion, gun raised.

Zayn didn’t even have time to defend himself while Blade pulled the trigger on the gun, electric probes shooting from it – right into Louis’s butt.

Louis convulsed violently, silent screams living his lips while Zayn’s body hit the ground with violent force when the tip of the gun met his temple. The action alone dazed him leaving plenty of time for Eli to wrap her fingers around his throat, squeezing.

Zayn choked, gagging from the lack of air being forced from him.

“Dad WILL be proud of me, whether he realizes it or not. He’s weak, I’m not. If Lily just fucking DIED at birth like she was supposed to mum would be alive and he would still be as ruthless as the dad I remember him as. So guess what, Malik? You and Tomlinson are coming with me because whether he realizes this or not you two are going to be the cause that makes him snap out of his weak stupor. You think Damien can protect you?” She taunted, laughing manically. “Think again, gorgeous.”

She threw the gun away from them and reached into her pocket, a white flash of cloth appearing in front of Zayn’s face.

Another second and his mouth and nose was covered.

“You two will be his salvation and he will love me. He will love me and not Lily because I will have helped him and you will to.” Eli smiled, Zayn’s vision blurring together in front of him.

He let out a small muffled whimper but Eli shushed him quietly, her hand now releasing his throat to pet the long wisps from his hair. “Breath it in, everything will all be better when you wake up.” She promised but couldn’t help but laugh at the end of it.

Zayn’s eyes closed slowly as tears slipping from the corner of his eyes from being choked.

“That’s it, go to sleep.” She encouraged as he finally slipped away.

When she was sure he was out she threw the cloth from Zayn’s face and placed a kiss to his lips in a cruel display of dominance.

“Louis is incapacitated, Mistress. Should I get them to the van, tie them up?” He looked around seeing the few witnesses scatter apart and run like cowards. They avoided that side of the street at all costs.

“Is he still conscious?” Eli asked, looking over to see Louis twitching uncontrollably while tears spilled from his eyes and down his cheeks.

“Yeah, just paralyzed. I’m going to remove the prongs from his arse and get him in the van.” Blade announced, his hand on the prongs that stuck out of poor Louis’s arse.

“No, don’t. Leave them in for the duration of the trip back home. Instead, I want you to hog tie, gag and blindfold him. Make sure to stuff their signal with the tracking device. Tomlinson gets the true prisoner treatment. I want him as uncomfortable as possible and if that includes four prongs sticking out of his ass like Peter Cotton tail, so be it.” Eli ordered, helping Blade pick up Louis and walk him to the van before loading up Zayn with even less problem.

“Make sure when you gag him to use the muzzle. Lock it on him I want his silence extended – lose the key if you have to.” Eli ordered, throwing her hair back from her face as she climbed into the driver’s seat, starting up the van as the doors shut in the back to signal that the two prisoners had been loaded.

“Dad WILL be proud of me.” She insisted.

“Pardon my saying so little miss but when Elliott finds out you went out for coffee and came back with a human version of a mocha and crème latte – he might either yell in shock, scream or cry. I’m picturing more the latter two.” Blade hissed out a loud laugh, the s’s in his hiss sounding like a snake.

Eli chuckled.

“He’ll get over it. I’m starting a war for his own good and the good of this gang. He’s gone soft; you and I both know it and once he realizes he has to fight, his attention will be on me only and not Lily. She will be fucking dead because I’m going to do it with my bare hands when the time is right. Daddy will be upset at first but it gives him more of a need for blood. That’s where it stems from, loss. He needs to feel grief to feel rage and I’m going to help him like he helped me become the amazing person I have.” Eli gushed proudly.

For a sixteen year old she sure was a replica of Satan’s daughter.

She looked into the rearview mirror and chuckled when she saw Louis was still twitching from the electric shock that was given to him from the stun gun.

Blade cuffed Louis’s hands behind him with his feet following the same fate. From there he was able to meticulously place them together behind, wrapping all four limbs together in a mess of painful twists.

This made Eli laugh harder, especially the prongs that were still stuck in his arse and very visible for the world to see because of how long they were.

“Haha, oh my God, that is hilarious.” She howled while slamming her hand on the wheel but soon had to look at the road again as they hit some traffic down the road, sirens blaring and screaming through.

If Louis would have been able to call her something, there is no doubt in reasoning to assume it would have been the least bit appropriate to call a sixteen year old but due to his nervous system still paralyzed he could only lay there in misery.

Not pausing too long in his task Blade forced the familiar thick mold of leather over Louis’s jaw, the straps tightening to the last hole to insure maximum silence.

Louis felt his teeth forced against one another painfully, the muzzle effectively sealing over his mouth and keep his jaw locked.

He tried opening his mouth but he couldn’t even move that. He was helpless and in pain – those two are never a good combination. Not even his voice worked.

“I hope you’re comfy back there, dearie, because we have a four hour trip ahead of us.” Eli smiled in mock pleasantness.

Louis heard the click of the lock behind him with Blade speaking up to the front after.

“His muzzle is locked,” Blade announced, the back door opening and the sound of metal clinging on pavement. “And the key is now lost. He won’t be talking to a bit.” Blade laughed, pounding his hand on Louis’s head like roughing up a dog.

Eli squealed in amusement. She loved Blade he was her new favorite.

“Daddy is going to be so happy!” She seemed sure of it.

“Once he gets through crying.” Blade laughed to himself before taking a piece of cloth and finishing up with blindfolding Louis so he couldn’t make out where they were going.

“You want mocha boy tied up and gagged too?” Blade called but began to tie Zayn up anyhow.

“Yeah, just tie his hands behind him and his feet together. No use for fancy knots. Make sure he’s gagged in case he wakes up before we get home.” Eli ordered gleefully. She truly couldn’t believe her luck. Two more Styles gang members and all she went out for was a coffee.

Blade made quick work, tying a piece of cloth over Zayn’s mouth and securing him with tight ropes.

In the end the two gang members were secured and Eli was heading back home to show Elliott her new catch, imagining his excited praise. Unfortunately, the events about to play out weren’t exactly what either of them hoped for.

Notes