The Silence That Surrounds: Screams of the Damned

Narrator’s POV:

Andros pulled Sophia into the room swiftly, shutting the door behind him to minimize the risk of getting caught. Inside Harry sat at the wall, his gag already removed. The other two sitting where they were left back to back on the mattress, their gags still in but loosened.

“Sophia.” Harry rasped, managing a worried smile.

Sophia went to him without being prompted and fell to her knees beside him, hugging her good arm around Harry tightly.

“Harry.” She breathed, concern etched in her tone like a beside herself mother.

Harry chuckled before shifting slightly to relieve the stiffness from his muscles.

“I missed you too, luv but are you alright? Did anyone hurt you?” He asked, looking her over carefully to see if there were any new marks.

“I’m fine but I’m scared. No one will tell me what The Cage is, Harry. No one will tell me how you are. I asked but Elliott threatened to lock me in the basement.” Sophia replied, disengaging her hug and settling her good hand on his cheek while roaming her eyes down his body – noticing a wet spot on the front of his gray stretch pants he had been wearing that morning.

“Oh, Harry –“ She trailed off sadly, her thumb swiping the soft flesh of his cheek.

“I know, I don’t smell like cupcakes but –“ He murmured but she shushed him.

“That doesn’t matter. Just tell me you’re going to be okay when you leave, tell me you’ll come back for me.” She demanded but it wasn’t even forceful. It was sad because the way Andros talked, it seemed nearly impossible to come back from.

Harry moved his head gingerly from Sophia’s touch and turning away, remaining silent for a few tense moments.

“Did I ever tell you how beautiful you are, Nightshade?” He smiled, trying to change the subject.

Sophia frowned deeper.

“Harry? Why won’t you promise? Why can’t you just lie to me then? Promise me you’ll come back even if you don’t. Tell me you’re going to be fine, guarantee me something!” Sophia begged.

Andros shushed her softly, walking over and kneeling down next to her.

“Harry? Just tell her.” Andros encouraged, his hand going to her shoulder to calm the upset girl.

Harry looked down at his lap with a sigh.

“Sophie? I can’t tell you I’m going to be okay. I can’t promise you anything and I won’t lie – I can’t lie to you because the truth is, angel, I’m not coming back,” Harry closed his eyes, a small tear escaping from the corner of his left eye. “The Cage is a place where people go to die. It’s an underground fighting ring to the death. Prisoners are pitted against one another. Two go in, one comes out. My father took me to The Cage as a boy to watch the fights. He would place bets or he would send other people there and watch them fight, sometimes they would have a mass execution of fighters under the order of the ones who sent them there,” Harry closed his eyes, remembering the place and what he saw as a teenager.

“They keep the prisoners chained to beds and pretty well sedated when not in the ring, so escape is nearly impossible. No one has ever escaped The Cage and no one ever will. So I can’t promise you that I’ll come back because I’m not a hero – I’m nobody. Just a weak leader who can’t even keep his gang members safe. I mean, Louis and Zayn got dragged into this and you…I can’t even protect you. I couldn’t stop Elliott from dragging you out and I saw how scared you were.”

Sophia shook her head.

“No, you have to come back for me. You’re Harry – Damien’s son. You’ll find a way.” Sophia tried to encourage but Harry’s eyes reddened more from the tears gathering underneath his closed eyelids.

“I’m sorry. I’m so sorry I failed you, flower. I should have been stronger – I should have made you stronger.” Harry looked down, reaching his shackled hand out to touch Sophia’s face but they only moved an inch before the cuffs pulled his wrists back.

Andros noticed and froze, his mind reeling.

In the end he pulled out a key, sticking it in the lock of one of the cuffs and looking Harry dead in the eyes.

“Don’t make me regret this.” He warned, watching Harry nod.

He reacted with a nod himself, releasing his hand.

Harry forced a smile and reached out, preening one of her hairs behind her ear.

“No matter what happens to me, I know here is where you will be the most looked after. Elliott wants to give you a good life. I know this because I heard it in his voice and saw it in his eyes. So I know that if I live or if I die, you will be alright.” Harry soothed, his voice gentle.

Sophia let a few tears slip from her own blue eyes, bringing the back of his hand to her lips in a soft kiss.

“I don’t want you to die. I don’t want to be the reason –“ He quieted her with a gently shh.

“Don’t you dare think this is your fault. None of this is your fault, Sophia.”

Sophia let out a small sob.

“I don’t want you to die, don’t die, Harry. Please don’t die” She cried, leaning forward to hug him again to her tightly.

Harry closed his eyes a little more tightly, his strong arm wrapping around her frail body.

“I don’t want to die, Sophia. Truly if there is a God above I don’t but I cannot help what happens to me. I cannot stop them from killing me or being bested by another fighter but I can promise to fight and keep fighting. I swear that every moment I am there that I will think of you. You will be my reason to survive because truly, I have nothing else left to lose,” He looked her in the eyes then, leaning forward as best he could, their lips sealing together in a kiss.

“I seal that vow to you with a kiss; one that can never be broken. You have that promise until my last dying breath because you changed so much around the cabin – you changed me and made me see the other side to you. I was wrong and for once, I’m glad.” He smiled, leaning in again to deepen his kiss.

Louis made gagging noises and Andros looked uncomfortable as he still had a comforting hand on her shoulder.

“What even changed? What made you change your mind that you cared about me in the first place?” Sophia asked, using her free hand to touch his cheek again to savor his touch and he did the same, their faces still close, lost in their own world.

“At the lodge, when your father said all that stuff, I realized we weren’t so different. That we were both in a situation we were forced to be in. The only difference is, I’m a monster and you aren’t. I’ve done so many bad things that I don’t think God himself would forgive me for but I know you will. Because now you understand why I did what I did. It doesn’t excuse my treatment toward you but if I get another chance, if by some miracle I get out of this alive – I’d like to start over and get to know you, Sophia. I’d like to teach you what I know.”

Sophia listened to him speak in volumes of truth. He did care about her, she could tell by his tone.

“I would fancy that.” She smiled, wiping her tears but still letting little gasps of air escape her mouth from crying.

“Good,” Harry nodded, his forehead meeting hers while his one hand steadied on her cheek. “Thank you, flower. Thank you for bringing out the one thing I thought had died years ago. Thank you for showing me my way through the darkness when I was lost, you have a light that will always burn bright if you let it. Never lose that glow you have, angel. Never let it die.”

Sophia felt comfort in his arms but knew she would have to leave t soon, so she pulled away and leaned forward to kiss his cheek.

“I won’t let it die. I’ll keep it lit for you so that you can find your way back to me – so all three of you find your way back.” She promised, breaking away from his touch.

Andros looked at his watch.

“Sophie? I don’t want to risk anyone coming in, I need to get you back to Lily’s room because if she wakes up, she’s going to go tell Elliott she can’t find you and that won’t be good,” Andros warned, rubbing her back when her face fell in disappointment. “I know but at least you get to say goodbye.”

She nodded in agreement and bent forward, kissing his cheek, her tears slowing slightly.

“Goodbye, Harry.” Sophia whispered, her finger going under the piece of cloth hanging from his neck, their eyes meeting.

“Goodbye, my Nightshade.” Harry ended, his mouth parted slightly to accept the cloth.

Sophia pulled it up into his mouth, adjusting the fabric so it wasn’t tight.

She leant forward one last time and placed a kiss on his cheek.

“I love you, come back to me – my light and I will be waiting to guide you home.” She whispered, looking over to Louis.

She got up and walked to him, kneeling down again. Her hand going to the piece of cloth and pulling it down.

“Hi.” She whispered softly, her hand going to brush a piece of hair from Louis’s eyes.

“Hey yourself, Flower. How have you been holding up?” Louis asked, his eyes traveling over her to see if there was any new scars.

“Better than you it would seem, Lou.” She forced a weak laugh and gestured to his anchored feet that were tied bone crushingly secure to the weight.

Louis snorted.

“Yeah, this’s noth –“ He paused when she reached down and began to loosen the ropes, his feet coming apart.

Andros cleared his throat, his hands going to the back to adjust Harry’s gag to make sure it was comfortable.

“I have no right to ask this of you but I need a favor.” Andros whispered, his lips coming close to Harry’s ear. “My brother was sent to The Cage seven years ago. His name is Aiden Hunter Deprave. I don’t know if he’s even still alive but if you see him or ask the other prisoners, tell him that Andros Michael Deprave is still alive, tell him I’m still here and if he gets out that I’ll be waiting for him. I still look out the window every night, sometimes I think I see him. Tomorrow –“ He swallowed, trying to hold his emotions in check. He felt bad for the younger lads and he couldn’t even help them for fear of retribution.

“Tomorrow, when we prepare you for deliverance to The Cage, Elliott forces us to put a black band on the prisoners, this stuffs the signal to your trackers, making you unfindable. When you get to there, they remove the trackers automatically. I will make sure to oversee your care personally as you will not be wearing one. In exchange for that though, you will have to wear the body straitjacket to hide not having the band. The other two will have their bands as my order was to oversee you personally. Do you understand?” Andros asked, looking him in the eyes.

“Yem.” Harry nodded, closing his eyes.

“Okay, good lad.” He smiled and patted the younger bloke’s shoulder.

“Wham bon Sophm?” He tried, slamming his head against the wall in frustration, his hand reaching over and yanking the gag off. “Sophia, promise me – promise me that you’ll protect her while I’m gone.”

He kept his voice low so no one else could hear their conversation.

Andros nodded.

“On my life I will protect her until death, Harry. I will honor her,” He promised, his hand going into Harry’s, shaking it. “You have my word.”

Harry nodded, swallowing.

“I just want her to be happy. I want her to find peace.” He murmured, watching Sophia untie Louis’s feet and Louis moaning in relief. Harry let a smile escape, though it was a rather bleak one.

He felt Andros move his hand back up to the cuff, shackling him as he had been.

He glanced Andros in the eye as he watched the older man take hold of the gag again but he shook his head moving back to prevent it from being put in his mouth.

“I’ll look for your brother, let him know if I see him. I promise. Though, what does he look like?” Harry asked, taking in Andros face.

“Like me. He was my older twin by an hour.” He chuckled, earning a smile from Harry.

“I’ll look. You’re taking care of my Nightshade, even if I don’t make it out alive, I can at least know she will be cared for. I maybe a monster but – she has a light that can light the whole room. She’s my concern, fuck all what happens to me, you know?” Harry rambled but swallowed, Andros moving the cloth up until it slipped back into his mouth.

“She will be okay, Harry. I promise you she will,” Andros replied with sincerity as he pulled the cloth taunt but made sure it didn’t choke him. “Can you breath okay?”

Harry nodded.

“Good. Try and get some sleep, mate because you’re going to need it for tomorrow.” Andros advised, taking a shot from his pocket and opening the cap.

He squirted some of the drug out, testing the plunger before injecting it into his arm.

“This will help you fall asleep, it’s a mild sedative,” He let Harry, rubbing his shoulder when the lad let out a muffled moan. “I know but this will help you in the grand scheme of things. Just sleep, everything will make more sense in the morning.”

Harry didn’t fight the effects of the drugs, he simply let them take him away.

“What did you give him?” Louis hissed in a demanding tone, being shushed by Sophia.

“Don’t shush me!” Louis growled, making Sophia wrap her arm around him in a hug and whisper into his ear franticly, a small cry coming from her mouth.

Louis’s eyes softened.

“Okay.” He calmed, nodding.

Sophia used her hand to cover her face and cry, making it Louis’s turn to ‘shh’ her.

Andros moved the fallen hair from Harry’s eyes and stood up, coming to kneel down next to Louis with another shot in his hand.

“Do you want to stay awake all night or do you want to sleep?” Andros asked Louis, giving him a choice.

“I –“ Louis started but didn’t get to finish as the door was opened.

“Mummy?” Lily rubbed her eyes, half asleep.

“Shit.” Sophia murmured, getting up and guiding Lily into the room while Andros shut the door.

“Mummy? Why did you leave?” Lily whined, her arms wrapping around Sophia tightly.

Sophia dropped beside Louis again and wrapped her good arm around the small girl.

“I didn’t leave, baby. I just wanted to see my friends before they left tomorrow. That’s all I was doing, honey.” Sophia spoke truthfully, looking at Louis who was looking at Lily.

Lily looked at Louis, rubbing her eyes with her small little fist.

“But daddy says they’re bad men. He said you couldn’t see him, he’s going to be mad and take you away from me.” Lily started to cry, making Sophia look at Andros.

Andros kneeled down, sticking the needle into Louis’s arm.

“Sorry mate, we just got a situation. I think it’s better if you were all asleep.” Andros decided, flinching when Louis called him an undesired name.

“Mummy? What is a chicken arse rapis –“ Sophia covered Lily’s mouth.

“That’s swearing, Lily. Never say that again.” She glared at Louis but softened her features and leaned forward and gave him a hug, her mouth lingering by his ear, whispering. “My light will always shine for you gents. Please find me, if I mean anything at all, bring me back.”

Louis leaned forward, his lips grazing her cheek.

“We will come back for –“ He shook his head suddenly overcome with dizziness. Andros already injected Zayn.

“Help me get these two laid down, make them comfortable.” Andros instructed while Lily let small tears streak down her cheeks. She looked scared, wanting to hug her mum.

Sophia gently helped position the two back to back gang members, their backs straightening out.

With her help they were stretched out comfortably, the two pillows Sophia and Harry had used under their heads.

With one last kiss to Louis’s forehead she went to Zayn, seeing him fight the drug.

Her hand gently removed the wisps of hair from Zayn’s eyes.

“I’m sorry you got dragged into this, Z. You’re an amazing guy…kindhearted to boot. I’m going to miss you,” Sophia cried, bending down gently to place a kiss on his temple. “Thank you – if my help comes too late…I just want you to know that I appreciate everything you’ve done for me.”

Zayn couldn’t reply but a small tear escaped from his eye as he found himself losing the fight with consciousness.

Andros stood up.

“Talk to Lily, I’m going to hit the loo real quick. I have to pee and then we’ll get her tucked in and have a talk.

Sophia nodded, watching Andros walk out the door.

Lily hugged back onto Sophia.

“I don’t want daddy to hurt you.” She cried.

“Lily, it’s okay cause he won’t find out, alright? Come on, let’s sneak back into your room – we’ll make a really fun game out of it, okay?” Sophia forced a smile, her own eyes red.

Lily nodded unsurely.

“Okay, well, you know how you’re really excited during Christmas and you sneak down the hall to see what Santa left? We’re going to tip toe down the hall as quietly as possible. Like sneaking a peek at the presents under the tree.” Sophia beamed, her eyes forcing excitement to shone through but Lily only looked confused.

“Whose Santa? What’s a tree?” She asked innocently, making Sophia’s heart shatter into a thousand pieces.

“You don’t know what Christmas is?” Sophia asked in shock, making Lily smile.

“Well– Daddy gives me a ton of stuff in December but it’s not wrapped or under a tree or anything. We only get wrapped stuff for our birthdays.” She explained.

Sophia swallowed but nodded.

“Alright, how about I give you a ride on my shoulders back to the room? It will be really fun, I promise.” She asked, kneeling down and hunching over. “Just crawl on my back and put your legs on either side of my shoulders, just be really careful of my hand.” She instructed.

Lily frowned but did as she was told.

“Alright, you ready?” Sophia asked, standing up with all the strength she had.

Lily put her fingers through Sophia’s hair and held on tightly, making sure not to pull too hard.

Sophia smiled, lifting her shoulder’s up and bouncing her slightly, turning around at the door to glance at Harry one final time.

His eyes were in a peaceful sleep, head hanging down to his chest. His hands hung slackly from the chains and his feet stuck out, parting a little in their cuffs. He looked serene, not uncomfortable like he had.

“Mummy? Do you love them, too?” Lily whispered, noticing the way the older woman stopped and took in the people before her.

“I do, baby. I’m going to miss them.” She said, trying to keep herself from crying.

She turned and went out the door, closing it behind them.

Sophia tip toed down the hall and snuck back into Lily’s room, depositing the little girl on her bed and closing in the space with a one handed hug.

“Come on, darling – bedtime. It’s really late and we don’t want you to be cranky tomorrow.” Sophia smiled bravely, the little girl frowning.

“You’re sad.” She accused, making Sophia force out a small laugh.

“I am but sometimes baby, we got to smile when we don’t feel like it. That way other people don’t know you’re sad.” Sophia explained, looking up when the door opened.

“All’s still quiet on the Northern front.” He smiled and swooped in, lifting Lily up, spinning her around and settling her back on top of the silk sheets.

Sophia chuckled again and pulled the baby pink comforter across Lily’s lap before sitting next to her.

“Lily, you don’t want me to go away, right?” Sophia asked, reaching over to preen a hair behind her ear.

“No mummy, I don’t want you to ever go away,” She replied with big eyes – glancing at Andros. “Andros, does she have to?”

Andros sat beside Sophia, looking serious.

“Lily, what I did for Sophia is something your daddy would hurt me for doing and he would hurt Sophia too. I disobeyed your daddy and brought Sophia in to say goodbye to her friends. It was really important to her because she will never see them again.” Andros explained, keeping his words simple.

“No more Mr. Bear?” Lily asked, looking at Sophia. It was hard to remain brave when all she wanted to do was cry. Instead she shook her head and answered the question.

“No more Mr. Bear. He’ll be going someplace else tomorrow morning and because your daddy cares so much about me, he didn’t want me to say goodbye and have hurt feelings but I had to say goodbye because they are the only friends I have – aside from you and Andros. They’re…my special friends.” Sophia simplified, looking at Andros, reaching her hand out and taking hold of his.

“Sophia needs you to keep this a secret, a secret only between the three of us or Sophia will have to go away. I know you wouldn’t want that, so do you think you can keep a secret? If daddy asks, tell her you had fun watching the Lion King and Gremlins and I’m going to tell him you two went to bed early and I stood watch all night cause I don’t think daddy would appreciate his little princess up this late, would he? You wouldn’t want to make him upset, right?” Andros smiled, seeing he whip her head back and forth.

“Okay so we won’t tell daddy about you being up this late and you won’t say anything about Sophia seeing Mr. Bear and his friends. That way daddy is happy and Sophia can stay and play with us.” Andros told her excitedly, making the little girl smile.

“So she’s going to stay?!” She asked excitedly, earning a small shh from Sophia as she tried hard to contain her laugh but it failed. This little girl was a light of her own.

“Yeah, pumpkin. If you don’t tell daddy about our secret, I can stay.” She smiled, receiving the little girl’s excited hug.

“I won’t, I promise,” She yawned. “Goodnight, mum.” She murmured, laying her head down on her pillow and closing her eyes.

Sophia watched her for a few moments before looking at Andros.

“It’s amazing how much a child understands.” Sophia noted, feeling Andros hand slip from hers, a small sigh plaguing his tone.

“It truly is. Speaking of children and bed – “ He gestured to the child’s couch that already had a sheet, pillow and blanket placed on it. “I did it before I went to the bathroom to save some time, it’s awaiting you My lady for tomorrow brings about a new day. You must be well rested to conquer it.” Andros laughed, not able to hold the accent for long.

Sophia bopped him on the nose and stood up.

“That may work on Lily but I’m twenty-two. Not two. However, for the sake of arguing we’ll say I’m not able to keep my eyes open anyhow and want to sleep.” She let Andros win, walking to the child size couch and sitting down, curling her body into the small piece of furniture.

Andros made his way over as well, picking up the blanket and throwing it over Sophia’s small body, leaning down next to her ear.

“Goodnight, Sophia. May your dreams be pleasant.” He whispered, looking over her once to be sure she was comfortable but by that time, she was already asleep.

Notes