The Silence That Surrounds: Screams of the Damned

Narrator’s POV:

Loud yelling was only an echo in Harry’s ears. He was so used to Louis yelling about something or other in the mornings as of late – something he rarely did before Sophia – unless one of the other boys used up the last of the soap and didn’t put a new bottle out. Whatever wasn’t his prob –

A bucket of luke wet met his face in a wave, the loudness coming back to meet his ears and it was only then he realized he wasn’t in his nice warm cabin or under his safe sheets…or was that supposed to be the other way around? His brain was still trying to get its baring.

“Wakey, wakey sunshine. Up an atom.” Someone above him sneered, making Harry glare. Both with keeping his eyes forced open and to show his annoyance.

“Do you have any idea who I am?” Harry forced out as groans of protest could be heard across from him; indicating it was Louis and he was in his not so subtle way telling Harry that may not have been the right question to start with.

The guard’s dark face only seemed to grow in a smile.

“Queen Elizabeth?” He cocked back to Harry, indicating to the lad that he really didn’t give a dog’s ass who he THOUGHT he was.

“No. I am Harry fucking Styles, son of Damien Crow Styles, you fucking ork!” Harry seethed, making Louis sit in an upright position, his foot moving to bend his knee.

The only thing that sounded then were the tinker of his chains while everyone else in the cell was dead still.

“Well, Harry fucking Styles, my name’s Ouch. Want to know why they call me that?” He asked the rhetorical question before his fist flew to Harry’s face without a pause for the prisoner to answer.

“Ouch.” Louis muttered sarcastically, seeing Harry put his hand across his cheek and groan.

“Shut up, Louis.” Zayn muttered, the tall guard setting his sights on Louis who calmly sat there, never loosing eye contact with their antagonist. They had a short silent stare down before Ouch took the bucket he held in his hand and dumped the rest of the toilet water on Louis.

“Enjoy the shower, pretty boy?” He laughed, turning his back to leave but Louis was on his feet, the short tether stopping him from reaching the door but he was quick enough to ball his fists and land one to the back of his tormentor’s head before he was out of reach.

“Quite refreshing thanks for asking, fuckass.” Louis replied smartly, his lip curling up only slightly as Ouch turned back, his fist clenched.

Louis defused the guard’s predictable punch, using his one hand to grab the fisted limb and bringing the dull point of his elbow to Ouch’s shoulder blade, pushing him out of the cell.

“Go fuck yourself.” Louis growled, getting in a defensive stance as he saw the guard come back for more but was only grabbed by a fellow tormentor.

“Hey, hey! Oi! Can it, Ouch.” The one commanded, holding tight to his fellow guard’s shoulder to stop him from attacking while Louis let out a smartass chuckle.

“Aww, is mummy stopping Ouchy from getting into fights?” Louis taunted, earning him a groan from both Zayn and Harry.

“I learned my lesson. I’m staying out of it.” Harry decided, sitting up from his now soaked cot. The water had a stale smell to it – one he didn’t even want to know where it’s source had come from.

“Kiss my ass!” Ouch growled darkly, making Louis turn around and pat his own.

“You first, mummy’s boy.” He challenged, seeing Ouch take a step forward again but the other guard didn’t let up.

“Oi! Ouch, you want written up? You can’t hurt him. He’s scheduled for a fight later today. Sawdust, man. He’ll be gone tonight, anyhow. You know the bloke never loses.” The other guard pacified.

Ouch stopped his attack and quickly calmed with a laugh.

“Sawdust? The dude is two point four meters tall and thirty fucking stone. This twerp here is only, what? Ten and a half stone and one point eight? What’s the punchline? Because that’s an absolute fucking joke.” Ouch asked tonelessly.

“Eli Dawson.” Was the other’s only reply before Ouch simply shrugged and slammed the cell shut, his eyes now lighting with a sadistic smile.

“Bye, bye pretty boy. Nice knowing you.” Ouch laughed and walked away, the souls of his shoes clicking against the metal grates below him.

“WAS NICE KNOWING YOUR MAMA FOR A NIGHT TOO, PIG FUCKER!” Louis yelled back but noticed there was no retort to keep exchanging words so he calmed again to let the adrenaline pass.

When it was seemingly quiet again, Louis went and sat back down on his cot with a glaring expression, folding his arms over his chest.

“Clever, Louis. Exceedingly so in fact. You two need to learn to shut the fuck up once in a while. Mr. Do you know who the fuck I am Styles and cocky mouth fucks animals, Tomlinson.” Zayn stepped in, standing from his own bed to work out his sore joints.

“Shut up, Achmed.” Louis and Harry hissed at the same time, their moods soured by the rude awakening and the unneeded antagonizing.

“All three of you need to shut the fuck up. The Cage has regulated quiet time in the mornings you three have un-doubtfully managed to disturb. The guards will come back and if you think that shower you got with the toilet water was bad – there’s worse things they’ll do to you,” Aiden warned from where he was standing, having witnessed everything with a disapproving look on his face. Dropping his voice to a hollowed whisper he began to speak again. “Take it from someone who has been in your position. You need one another to survive here, so get close – because the only people you’re going to have in this place is the ones they pair you with. Don’t expect a comforting arm from anyone here. We tend to our own.”

“Thanks for the warning, now fuck off, hippy boy.” Louis told Aiden in mock kindness, hitting the back of his head against the bars of their cage.

“Louis? Don’t – “Harry warned but Aiden cut him off.

“No, It’s fine, Styles. It’ll hit him sooner or later. It all eventually does,” Aiden shrugged, looking over to a sullen looking Sophie. He went and sat down next to her, his arm going protectively across her shoulders. “I’m sorry, hun.” He whispered, kissing her cheek as she glanced her beautiful eyes to him, te silence lingering for minutes.

“I wish I could let him go like you did.” She spoke, her tone a slither of softness that seemed to calm the tense air.

Aiden paused to find the right words but when he did, they didn’t seem to be enough to fill the void of conversation that was desperately trying to free itself from its own prison.

“I didn’t, Soph,” He shook his head sadly, not really knowing how to continue but he swallowed and brought his other arm over her chest so their bodies touched close, his lips straying to her ear. “He was my blood brother. He was my friend, Soph. We been at this for a long time, we have to keep surviving. Please don’t lose hope my darling. It will all be okay; you will always have me.” He promised, his head moving to her lips and kissing it with the same attentive softness as his voice.

“Gag me with one of Niall’s used socks.” Louis muttered.

“Trust me, I would if I had one with me.” Harry bitched back grumpily.

Sophie pushed against Aiden’s chest, their lips parting.

“You can’t promise me that, A. You know you can’t promise me that because my brother said the same thing and he left me. He left me! And you have to except the fact that you won’t always have me either. You know there will come a day where I – “Aiden cut her off with a gentle shhh but she continued, her voice growing louder, the guard’s shoes outside the only thing sounding.

“No! Aiden, there will come a day where I’m not good enough to beat the best. Aiden, I’m going to die here – we’re all going to die here. What are we even holding on for? Why do we keep marching on, what’s the bloody fucking point?! I want to go! I want to go home; I want to see my brother again.” She sobbed, slumping her head against Aiden’s slim, broad chest.

Aiden took in a breath, calming his heightened breathing.

“Because, we have each other.”

His answer was so simple that it should have been the most satisfying for her but it wasn’t. It left so much more to be said.

She shook her head back and forth but she couldn’t stop crying enough to tell him anything vocal so she didn’t try. She hugged him and prayed their heartbeats could do the rest but she was tired. She was so tired and she honestly didn’t know how much longer she could hang on.

Harry turned around to watch the two apparent lovers and wondered if Sophie had a point. If there really was a point to surviving if you’re just stuck in one cell or another day in and day out. The only reason he would hold on was the promising aspect of rescue but it had been over a week at Dawson’s and not even a day here. Nighttime would have been the perfect time to attack.

“Fuck off, green eyes! You fucking rude gi – “Aiden shushed here again, looking behind him.

“No offense mate but we’re not going to snog, so go watch another sex channel. This one’s personal.” Aiden spoke calmly, making Harry turn back around without a retort and got a glance at Zayn. He was calmly staring back.

“Harry? We need to get out of here. This is the green mile, mate. I can fucking smell death!” Zayn whispered, his words worried.

“Nah, that ain’t death, lad. That’s the toilet bowl water they showered us with.” Louis uttered sarcastically immediately after, which made Zayn hit his hand against the bar.

“No! It’s death. Someone is going to fucking die today, Louis. Get fucking serious!” Zayn pleaded in a tone that was more demanding than they had been witness to in a while.

“SSSHHHHHH!” A few prisoners around them shushed, the echo of the guard’s shoes approaching again.

“Way to go big mouth McMae. Bring the unwanted attention to us.” Louis muttered, standing up in a fighting stance to protect his friend.

Though he didn’t expect what happened in the next few seconds as a few guards turned up with a high powered hose and released it into the cell they had been trapped in.

“FUCK MY GREAT GRANDMOTHER SALLY! HOLY -GGRRGHGML -” Louis gasped in spirts as freezing cold water was sprayed at him first, eventually dousing all three boys to the bone.

“SHUT UP!” Ouch shouted, standing next to jackass who had the hose.

“Fuck – “Louis started in anger but Aiden was next to the sidebars before any of them could blink.

“Ouch? Hey, man? They’re new. I’ll explain the rules – get them straightened out.” Aiden promised, his hand gripping the pole with almost crushing strength.

“Fuck off, hipster. No one asked for your help! Mind your own bloody buis -” Louis started to snap but was doused with the hose again.

“Quiet! Before I bring the bitch’s bridle.” Ouch hushed, glancing right at Aiden before looking to jackass.

Jackass nodded and took the hose back to where it was, leaving Ouch to deal with the newbies.

Again for the second time that day there was silence.

“Alright, explain the rules. If they disobey them then you get punished.” Ouch shrugged.

Aiden groaned but he tore his shirt over his head, his scarred toned chest glinting with deep gaping holes. They were healed over in damaged tissue.

“I’m already ruined, mate. More scars, more holes – wouldn’t make much of a difference now, yeah? So go on.” Aiden challenged, sitting down at the side of his cot so he could still face in.

Ouch rubbed his head in frustration before gesturing out.

“Go on then, explain the rules. If we hear another peep out of them, you will wish those scars were all you had.” Ouch threatened and walked away.

Aiden sighed, leaning his head against the cool metal.

“I told you, I’ve been where you are. You three need to calm down or it’s not going to end well for any of us. The rules are simple. Morning silence is reserved for prayer or quiet thinking. It’s a respectful thing that the guards and owner allow us. You three have managed to disrespect every fighter in this place. We’re letting it go because you three are new. Now that you know, you need to be mindful of it. Another rule that might help you three particularly dim witted gits out would be compliance. Do as the guards say. Do not think you’re macho, don’t think you’re the cow’s utter because you’re the asshole. You mean NOTHING to them. Do you hear me, Tomlinson? You, Styles, and Achmed –“

“Zayn.” Zayn corrected with a murderous look in his eye but he was listening and kept his voice level in check.

“I don’t fucking CARE! Listen to me! Okay? I’m trying to tell you how to survive but if you’re going to piss it away – fuck you.” Aiden gritted his teeth, slamming his fist into the bars, denting them a little.

For once, Louis was quiet and Harry had nothing to say. Actually, Aiden’s words had shocked them all into a tense and quiet balloon.

“Aiden? They’re just boys, really. Have patience with them my darling. Like you did with me and Jake.” Sophie pleaded softly, her voice horse and tears spilling down her face.

Aiden made a small grumble but nodded reluctantly.

“You’re right,” He agreed, eyeing the three wet lads inside the cage next to them. “Listen to the guards, don’t fight them because they will subdue you. There is no escape and I can attest to that because I’ve tried it. Just -lay low, lay quiet and you will make it here.” He finished, figuring that telling them they were shit on someone’s shoe wasn’t the best way to go about it.

“My father will come though. He’s Damien Styles and he knows the owner, maybe -” Harry trailed off, trying to think logical.

“Doesn’t matter, lad. You were bought by Jinx, he owns you. He owns all of us. Daddies have come through those doors to save their little boys or girls and they end up dead or joining them.” Aiden spat bitterly, popping Harry’s hope bubble.

“You don’t know Damien. He’s different.” Harry insisted, standing up to let the excess water drip off him, his hand going to his forehead to dry his face.

Aiden let out a small laugh.

“Sure, lad. I’ll believe it when cows wear tutu’s and perform in the opera.”

Sophie cleared her throat subtly.

“Let him have something to calm his mind, Aiden. Come here, I want to spend time before the fights.” She coaxed, watching the man she adored come to and kneel before her like the queen she was too him.

“Forever and always, my darling.” Aiden whispered, his lips going to hers.

She forced a small smile and wrapped her arms around him, knowing it was the very last time they would see one another.

Louis watched the happenings but this time with a closed mouth. Zayn just looked defeated, his head bowed with wet locks hanging over the side as water dripped from them. He was praying, unable to know what lied next but pessimistically hopeless with the same thoughts as before.

*

Louis, Harry and Zayn were taken off their chained tethers and forced from the cell by the same guards that accosted them with water. Not that Harry and Louis were really complaining. It wasn’t like the stale water they were doused with before but it was a far cry from bottled and their parched throats could use one.

One by one they were taken down a small metal grate trail, cells on one side, some on the other, scattered further on the other side in rows as they tampered off with a large dome coming into view with horse track type cages. These ones were similar to the one in Dawson’s basement only wider with one door to go in and another that opened to enter into the ring.

“Zip tie their hands until the matches.” Jackass ordered Ouch as he pulled Louis’s hands behind and zipped them together tightly. Jackass followed in with his own command for Harry and the unknown guard followed up with Zayn.

“Isn’t Louis Tomlinson fighting first?” Ouch asked, pushing Louis through the cage door while the other two followed, each unable to track their footing and winding up slamming Louis into the far corner.

“Louis Tomlinson is right here, Louis Tomlinson can hear you and TOMISLOUISON HAS A COMPLAINT!” Louis growled as the cage door slammed in his face, realizing he said his name wrong. “Fuck a feather pen, does no one care about MY concerns?” He asked the guards as they ignored him and walked away.

“Told ya rookie, you’re the asshole. They don’t care about you or what you may want, Tomlinson.” Aiden spoke up beside them, a smirk adorning his lips. His hand was gently grasping Sophie’s.

Louis ignored him and went to stand by Harry and Zayn.

“So, anyone got any ideas before I meet certain death?” Louis asked his fellow prisoners.

Harry’s brows were furrowed, he did have an idea before turning to the door and kicking it with his feet.

“I want to speak to Jinx Kaiser!” Harry boomed so his voice was challenging and heard by the guards in case they were going to ignore him.

“Trust me, lad, you don – “Aiden started but Harry turned toward him, eyes menacing.

“I’m pretty fucking sure I do. Jinx Kaiser has been a friend of my father’s for years. He knows him and I have met him once or twice when I was a lad.” Harry defended, stupidly hitting himself for not demanding it sooner.

“Uhuh – alright, well, good luck Mr. Important.” Aiden let sleeping dogs lie and went to hold Sophie, his eyes out to the ring. They were etched with worry as he held the woman he loved. It was her day to fight and God willing the person she battles was a crappy fighter.

It’s not that he didn’t have faith in his beloved but rather, he was scared there would come a day that she wouldn’t leave the ring alive. Jake promised he would and it got him as far as it could.

“JINX!” Harry yelled above the now chaotic crowd, the lights dimming and an announcer’s voice somewhere above the ring.

“GOOD AFTERNOON LADIES, GENTLEMEN, BOYS AND GIRLS OF ALL AGES! WELCOME TOOOOO, THE CAAAAAAAAAAGE! I’m your announcer for today, Manic Strout, give some noise, you lot!” He directed excitedly as the crowd around them went wild.

“Fuck me over a table, what the hell is going on?! This isn’t a circus and we aren’t entertainment!” Louis shouted in Zayn’s ear as he looked around himself, the lights up ahead flashing different colors while music started to blare before a main ring light came on, encircling the whole ground in a bright white.

“Ladies and gentleman, lads, lasses? Are you ready for an exciting day?!” He got the crowd going again while Harry kicked the cage door to get Jinx’s attention. He was coming his way and Harry desperately needed a word.

“MR. KAISER! JINX KAISER!” He yelled over the noise, catching the older man’s attention.

Jinx smiled politely and stopped in front of Harry’s cage, his arm moving upwards to rest against the metal structure.

“Harry Styles! My lad, it’s been too long. Good luck on your fight. From what I hear, it won’t be much of a challenge.” He winked, his voice raising so Harry could hear him.

“That’s what I want to talk to you about, Jinx. I don’t want to fight, there’s been a huge misunderstanding! You know my father Damien is a very powerful man in the underground. If you talk to him, something can be arranged!” He yelled leaning his mouth close to the direction of Jinx’s ear.

“He’s actually here today! He tried to make the same deal. Offered me forty million for you and your gang but I make that in a day so – until an agreement is made; you, Achmed and Loui – well, you and Achmed are stuck here. Louis is about to die! Anyhow, lad – I got to pop, take care and remember! Fight like your life depended on it; because it does. Todaloo!” He offered a cheeky wave with his fingers like he was waving at a toddler before zipping past him and scurrying away.

“WAIT! Wait…” Harry trailed off, looking at the spotlight that hit their cage.

“In this corner, weight 10 and a half stone reaching a height of one point eight meters or for you Americans in the audience, that’s one hundred and fifty pounds and five foot eight inches tall, Louis Tomlinson!”

The crowd instantly stopped cheering – except for one person.

“Wow, tough crowd you got there, eh Tommo?” Zayn murmured, Harry still at the cage door but now came the part he was worried about – especially when an opposite spotlight hit a rather large figure, the cage already half bent out.

“In this corner, weighing in at thirty stone and reaching two point four meter in height or if you prefer – eight feet tall, weighing four hundred and twenty pounds, making up ninety percent of his body weight, SAWDUUUUUUUUST!”

The crowd goes wild, drinks knocking, feet stomping and cheers all around.

Harry migrates towards Louis and puts his shoulder to his to try and calm him somehow.

Needless to say it doesn’t work.

Louis is shaking his head with vicious conviction.

“Fuck that, nope, Louis is leaving the building. Goodnight everyone!” He made for the opposite door but before he could get two steps to it he was grabbed and thrown into the ring, sand and dried blood littering the dusty brown arena. Almost like fighting outside in the dirt itself.

“Mummy!” Louis panicked, struggling against his restraints that were still securely attached to him. “If you want me to have a chance in hell, take these off!” He demanded but the guard who drug him into the arena only sneered.

“You will fight with your hands bound behind you. Boss’s orders.” He chuckled, making Louis’s eyes go wide while he went to release Sawdust.

Louis backed up into the side of the cage he had entered from, his feet scrapping against the ground.

“H-Harry?” Louis stuttered, his eyes fixated unblinking at the other cage.

“Yeah, Lou?” Harry murmured back while Zayn and Harry also eyed the other cage.

“You think if I play dead, he’ll sniff me and ya know, walk away?” Louis stammered, his fingers going white as they gripped one another behind him.

Harry gave a sigh.

“Lou, get serious. Now is not the time for sass,” Harry warned but let out a breath. “Deep breaths Lou, in and out.”

Louis started hyperventilating.

Zayn rolled his eyes.

“Harry means take in a breath, hold your breath and then breathe it out. You’re going to pass – holy fucktoads…he’s huge!” Zayn exclaimed as Louis gave out a slight high pitched scream.

“DON’T EAT ME!” Louis panicked, his eyes flashing his life before his eyes – three times. It was a rather short life according to the continuous flashes of Esmerelda and her beautiful big tits…or Louis was thinking at the most inappropriate moments. He didn’t know.

“H-Harry, I’m going to die – aren’t I?” Louis shook, his shoulders pressed so hard into the metal that they started to indent into his skin.

“Yup, the probability is most likely – if not most certain.” Zayn didn’t miss a beat, figuring it was better to rip the Band-Aid off quick.

“NOT HELPING!” Louis yelled as the thunderous sound of heavy feet stomped out of their cage, the guard running for cover.

“Don’t listen to Zayn. Of course you’re not going to die.” Harry said, glaring at Zayn who shrugged.

“If he didn’t want the truth, he shouldn’t have asked.” Zayn defended but even he looked worried of the tall giant who was looking over at Louis but what was surprising was he started to laugh.

“Is this a joke? I take bigger shits than him, even on my most constipated days. Holy shit, this has to be a joke.” He laughed, his voice booming all while pointing to Louis cowering against the gate.

“Such a frightened little puppy. Come here puppy, I’ll pet you.” Sawdust antagonized, taking a step forward.

“No! You’ll eat me!” Louis panicked, his knees stiffening. “Harry? Can we substitute fighters? I’ll fight the dude you got. How’s that sound? You’re mad and look! The bigger they are, the bigger they fall! See? You’re Harry Styles, fighter!” He inspired, making Harry raise an eye brow.

“I thought I was supposed to be the one inspiring you? Any case, Sawdust isn’t in my fighting range and he kinda scares the piss out of me.” Harry muttered, flinching when the giant started coming at them.

“He scares the piss out of you?! Are you fucking kidding me!? I just laid a chocolate egg in my shorts!” He yelled in panic while running opposite way Sawdust wasn’t coming.

Aiden watched the events with baited breath.

Sawdust saw Aiden and Sophie, smiling and nodding at them. His adversary was running across the arena for his life, he had a few moments to spare.

“Lady Sophie, Sir Aiden – a pleasure to finally see you both again.” Sawdust greeted, making Aiden and Sophie return it. They weren’t his opponents, there was no reason to be rude.

“Sir Matthew. Take it easy on Louis, huh? He’s a newbie…and the guards didn’t remove his ties. I think they want this to be a short– “

“OI! Less talk, more fight gigantic!” Spat one of the guards, interrupting their conversation.

Sawdust roared and the guard quickly ducked back into the safety behind a cage.

“Make the fight fair, Matthew.” Aiden bowed to him, smiling as Sawdust waved and chased after Louis.

Louis screamed and ran around the huge arena twice, Sawdust chasing after him effortlessly.

“Louis, stop!” Sawdust demanded, stopping in his tracks as he watched the little guy keep running.

“NO! Stranger danger, someone help me!” Louis screeched, running back to the one holding place that kept his friends.

“Harry! Shrek’s gonna EAT ME! DO something!” Louis screeched, watching the man approach cautiously, though he couldn’t help but chuckle at the ridiculousness that was Louis Tomlinson.

“Lou, stay still, he’s not going to hurt you. Not what he’s trying to do.” Sophie calmed, smiling again when Sawdust returned it.

Louis was about to bolt but Aiden reached out and grabbed his arm.

“Louis! He’s going to remove your ties, mate. The fight has to be fair. It’s regulatory for the fighters to have their hands free so it can be even in odds. I’ve known Matthew as a fighter for years, Lou – he has high honor. Shhh now.” Aiden coaxed while Sophie reached out and rubbed his shoulder to comfort him, smiling gently at the tall giant.

“Go easy, Matthew. Just – “Sophie couldn’t finish as Louis broke away, brought his foot up and landing a hard kick to Sawdust’s stomach.

Sawdust wasn’t even phased. He just looked down at Louis with an unsurprised expression.

“Really? You kick like a girl. Let me teach you how to do a real kick.” He demonstrated this by dragging a screaming Louis away, pushing him from his body and landing a severely rough kick to Louis’s butt.

Louis yelled as the kick was hard enough to knock his feet up a foot in the air.

The brunette came down with a thud, landing on his stomach none too gently. He simply groaned and laid there winded.

“Now, I’m going to unstrap your hands, yeah?” He waited for Louis’s response but the shorter lad just laid there completely still. If it weren’t for his erratic breathing, Sawdust would have sworn he kicked the bloke into unconsciousness.

“Answer me, Louis. Do you understand? Once your ties are gone I am going to kill you. It’s nothing personal but it is a game of survival.” Sawdust warned.

“You’re top of the food chain then, aren’t you? I can’t even hurt you, dude. I’m a hundred and fifty pounds. I –“Louis got serious, realizing the giant’s hands were by his, searching for a way to undo the zip ties.

“If I don’t kill you, then they will kill both of us. Fighters who won’t fight – they die and I’m not ready to die.” Sawdust told him, snapping one of the ties like it were a simple piece of string.

Louis swallowed.

“Mathew, yeah?” Louis questioned, making the giant pause.

“My given name yes but in the ring we have our fighting names. I need to keep focused, so to you it’s Sawdust.” He told him swiftly, snapping the other tie.

Louis scrambled to his feet and ran away, his feet going backwards to see Sawdust easily catching up with him.

“Wonder if I click my heels three times if I can go home to Aunty Em and by Aunty Em, I mean Niall…he cooks. God, I want to go home.” Louis groaned, losing his balance when he received a hard push to his back.

“Stop being a bully!” Louis yelled, seeing Sawdust run past him waving. He was toying with Louis and Louis didn’t like being toyed with. He decided to let his mouth fly and he wasn’t holding back.

“So who’s the mum and who’s the dad?” Louis stopped, calling to his opponent.

“Oh no, Louis is about to insult his – “Harry realized before Zayn hummed a short agreement.

“Not the mama joke! Louis, don’t you dare!” Harry shouted over the now roaring crowd. Unfortunately, his voice was drowned out by the others around him.

“He doesn’t have parents. His parents were fighters here in the cage, he was born and raised here. He’s only twenty-two!” Aiden called over the crowd to Harry, a sad expression on his face.

Harry bit his lower lip knowing Louis was about to make a huge mistake and get himself hurt – not that he wasn’t already going to be dead before the end of the day but this would only serve to piss off Sawdust and Harry didn’t want to witness Louis’s blood being spilt any sooner.

“LOUIS TOMLINSON, DON’T YOU DARE!” Harry ordered but it was again drowned out by the crowd and they were the furthest cage from where the two opponents weren’t.

“Were you the love product of Shrek and Lurch? Because no offence, you’re freakishly tall. Who had the vagina? Shrek or did Lurch just get lucky? What were your first words when you came out of the swamp? Roar?” Louis heckled, a hush slowly falling over the crowd, guards and prisoners.

“They’d be proud of you, huh? Killing something living. Killing another human. I bet I know how you got here.” Louis challenges, seeing Sawdust ball his hands into firsts.

“You don’t.” He growled, stepping forward as Louis stepped back.

“No? You were born here. I recognized the fucking signs. You kicked me specifically in the arse where I wouldn’t have permanent damage. Only a trained fighter knows how to do that. You greet the fighters like old friends – only someone who has been here their entire lives would be comfortable doing that. You addressed Aiden and Sophie as a Lady and Sir. Guards teach you to address them as such so that you attract potential clients for private fights,” Louis indulged Sawdust in exactly what he did know before continuing.

“ I never had family, I fucking ran away from everyone and everything during my foster home years. It doesn’t make me special. No more or less than you, Matthew,” He gestured out to the giant. “I was trained by a man, a man before Damien. He taught me what you know. Only problem I had was the whole Lady and Sir thing…yeah I called them assholes and cunts because to me they were just another body in my fucking way. Why are you even fighting? You’ve never felt the sun on your face or the grass between your fingers. You’ve never had a kind word spoken to you, never an I love you…never a thank you. Have you?”

Sawdust growled, stalking forward in anger but his eyes were masked with something that resembled understanding and pain.

“DID YOU!” Louis demanded, making the giant stop.

A few tense moments of silence, the crowd dead as can be.

“No. I haven’t Louis.” Sawdust relented.

“We’re not that different. Do you think I received anything growing up? I learned to pickpocket to survive – just so happened that I picked the right pocket. Harry. Harry Styles. He and Damien Styles gave me what I have and I never got a thank you, never needed one but you – you bring in millions. You bring in a revenue of MILLIONS every day. I don’t know what I feel sorrier for, mate. The fact that you survive for nothing but the profit of others or that you will never get your freedom to experience something so beautiful as the sun, grass and weed.” His mind slipped, desperately needing a smoke.

“Louis!” Harry called, making his head snap behind him.

“You need to stop. You’re pissing him off.” Harry begged, seeing the giant’s body language tense from there and he practically needed glasses.

“No, he understands where I’m coming from because I’ve been through all that hell. We’re not so different.” Louis defended, stepping forward.

Sophie gasped and turned away, Aiden wrapping his arms over his beloved and flinching with what was about to come next. Everyone apparently knew but Louis.

Louis held his hands up, approaching the giant with caution.

“Do you want any of those things? Freedom? Love? I mean, you’re a product of Shrek and Lurch bu -AH!” Louis let out a surprised exclamation as Sawdust swooped down and picked Louis up by his feet, hanging him upside down like a tall bully does to a small child who he wants to rob.

Sawdust gave him a good shake that gave Louis’s brains a bit to rattle about before lifting him up so they were face to face.

“Mention my parents again and I will step on your head!” He roared, his voice booming over the entire dome.

“Relax! I was just, fuck a billigoat on a -HOLY SHIT!” Louis yelled as he was suddenly twirled around and catapulted upwards, slamming into the cages with a loud thud against the stable metal, making another thud when landing on the dirt ground.

Louis groaned and heard Sawdust’s feet, scampering onto his own he was disoriented but not out for the count.

For a moment he looked around and ran back as fast as his sore ass would let him to his gate. He opened it, went in and closed it just as the giant got to the door.

“GET OUT OF THERE AND FIGHT ME LIKE A MAN!” Sawdust howled, his breath intruding into the small space, making their faces scrunch in disgust.

“Fresh out of men, I think you scared my balls and dick away the moment I met you, mate. I have successfully grown a vagina, congratulations.” Louis counteracted, hiding behind Harry and Zayn…well Harry, Zayn was hiding behind Louis.

Sawdust growled and roared to the sky in an animalistic fashion before clawing at the gate to rip it off his hinges.

“Do you need a hug? I heard hugs are great for relieving stress and Zayn here – “

SHUT UP, LOUIS!” Harry and Zayn glared but kept their focus on big, bad and mad.

“This is getting us nowhere.” Aiden said from beside them, his voice normal since everyone was now watching to see what happened.

“No, it’s not. I’m officially a female chicken. I’m going to be laying eggs for a week stra – “Louis started but was once again interrupted by not only Harry and Zayn but Aiden and Sophie as well.

“BE QUIET, Louis.” They chorused in perfect unison.

“I’ll be in the chicken house over here if you need me.” He muttered, folding his arms over his chest.

“Matthew? Louis is right, why aren’t you fighting back? You’re so much stronger than anyone here.” Sophie reasoned, her hand reaching out delicately through the mesh.

Sawdust took it gently, her small fragile limb settling into his like a glass doll’s.

“I just do what they say, Lady Sophie.” He smiled, reaching down to place a gentle kiss on the back of her hand. It was the first time he ever got to kiss a lady.

His mind was like a child’s. A lost little child who never got to truly be a human being. From the womb to childhood to teenage years and now, twenty and two years was spent in confines and never able to see the world. Never allowed to breath fresh air or have his first kiss. Never able to have his heart broken by a lass and never able to become drunk. He was Kaiser’s property and if was confirmed by the ink markings on Matthew’s left arm.

“It’s time to stop! Matthew, there is no way I can beat you. You’re bigger than I am, you weigh more than six mules glued together. I’m a fighter but I’m not – you. I know all your tricks but you have your strength. I don’t. I have nothing useful – I may be fucking incontinent after today every timeI have to think about your fa –“

Harry interrupted with a soft ‘Louis.’

“Point is, it’s time to stop listening to those who don’t care and start listening to people who do. Like I said, we’re not that much different. I’m coming out of the chicken coop here, please let me through.” Louis requested, his hand shakenly going to the door.

Sophie cleared her throat, looking at Matthew as she did.

“For what it’s worth, Matthew. You do have family here. We’re fighters during the day, friends that reminisce at night. We are united and no one is going to bring us down.” Sophie promised, a knowing look crossing her eyes that she prayed Matthew understood.

He did and when Louis entered back into the ring, he was grabbed up again, lifted by his hands in an effortless hold.

“C-can you tell me if I pissed myself? I’m not sure right now. I feel a wet sp -FUCK A WHORE!” Louis exclaimed as he was yet again thrown to the ground.

“No! Matthew, no! Not him!” Sophie yelled wile Louis rolled away from having a foot smash into his head by mere inches.

“He has to die!” Sawdust growled, lifting his foot up to slam it down again.

“Fuck mum’s Billy goat on a rollercoaster going backwards! Jesus Mary mother of Christ!” Louis exclaimed, swaying to his feet, his muscles protesting the movement. “We don’t have to die!” Louis yelled, the crowd picking up their thunderous cheer as the decision was made.

“DAVID AND GOLIATH! LOU! DAVID AND GOLIATH!” Harry exclaimed, making Louis run over to the cage again, getting back into it.

“What?” He furrowed his eyebrows.

“David and Goliath! It’s a story of David, he beat the giant by sling shooting a rock or pebble or something at his head!” Harry said, looking to Zayn who wore the same expression as Louis. One of absolute confusion.

“So you call me over here to tell me a dead time stor -uh boy, Goliath is coming back.” Louis noted, his voice losing its confident tone as he hid behind Harry again.

Aiden rolled his eyes. Louis and Zayn were slow gits.

“Sawdust maybe my friend but what Harry is saying is, his weakness would be his skull. It’s everyone’s weakness. Hit him in the head and you’ll do damage.”

Louis clapped his hands sarcastically like an excited child.

“Yes! Thank you, Aiden! But there’s a problem. I don’t have a slingshot OR A BLOODY ROCK! What am I supposed to do? Karate chop him upside the he -AAAH!” He hid behind Harry and gave a slight wave. “Long time no see, mate where you be –“

“Get. Out. Of. There.” Sawdust hissed, his eyes going around to where the guards were moving like ants and he knew exactly to where.

“No! Stop throwing me across the arena to hear me scream like a girl. Good thing I’m not a bloody singer my voice would be fu – “Sawdust’s hand clenched into a fist.

“OUT! They’re about to start shooting at us and if you’re in there, your friends are bloody dead! GET OUT!” Sawdust spoke urgently, his hand going to the door, throwing it open and grabbing Louis by the collar before anymore could be spoken.

He used his other hand to slam the cage door and look down at the frightened Louis cowering on the floor with a hand over his face as that would help him.

Against his better judgment, Sawdust bent down on one knee. They might have only been a little over two feet in height but with his arms so freakishly strange and tall, he would have had no trouble lifting Louis up to meet his face, even upside down.

He grabbed the lad by the collar again and forced him to his knees. For a moment they said nothing and simply eyed one another.

“What does the sun feel like, Louis? The grass? I want to know.” He finally asked, his eyes watching the guards from their tall posts above the ring. They were arming their guns, the fight had not been complete and time was up.

He briefly had thoughts of crushing Louis’s skull but the guards had the guns, nothing would stop what was about to happen.

“Warm. Like working out but instead of only heat, you can feel it literally touch you. The grass is…wet on days it rains. It’s this slick strand of weed. Weed is…well, it has two meanings,” Louis smirked despite himself. His voice was so hoarse but his smile faltered when his eyes caught the guards above them as well and fear coursed through Louis as he watched them getting armed. “W-what – “

“Don’t look at them, look at me. I want to know about weed.” He demanded, his eyes straying upward to see which one would shoot first, he looked around to see which one would give the signal. He felt the tension in the air.

“Something you inhale by burning and if I ever get home, there’s a plant with my name on it. I won’t be leaving that baby for a week.” Louis gulped, now painfully aware that the crowds were no longer cheering. Some looked downright pissed.

“Sounds nice. What does a thank you feel like?” He tried to occupy Louis, keeping his voice low so they couldn’t be heard by the crowd above.

“Nice. It makes you feel like you belong somewhere, appreciated.” Louis gulped, whimpering slightly, trying to back away but Sawdust only tightened his hold on him.

“They’ll gun you down first without hesitation. Stay by me, I have an idea. What is appreciated?” He changed the subject.

“Accepted. Amongst friends who love and accept you in their own way.” Louis replied, letting out a shaky breath and turning to look at his friends that were safe in the cage – or chicken coop in Louis’s proverbial vision.

“God granted you quite the life, mate. Don’t piss it away.” Sawdust warned, seeing jackass give a small nod and the guns were aimed out. He quickly looked at Louis. “Close your eyes, just close your eyes and it will all be over.”

Louis looked above him at the ten or fifteen guns pointed just on him.

“How did they think this was going to go? Goliath and David was just a story, there’s no winner here, no one ever wins. Everyone loses.” Louis murmured sadly.

“Not everyone.” Sawdust promised, his body tensing.

In that moment the gunshots began to fly and what happened next took Louis completely by surprise. His whole body was shielded, chest muscles touching his own but in exchange he was pinned down when Sawdust lost his ability to hold himself up, bullets tearing into flesh and shaking the bloke above him, the amount of pressure above Louis was crushing but the metal ends of their weapons couldn’t penetrate four hundred and twenty pounds of pure muscle.

He was hot, the heat of another body against his face and on his chest left little room to breathe and he wanted to cry. Not because of it being the most traumatic experience of his life but because he was still alive.

The gunfire carried on for a few seconds – ten, fifteen, twenty? A minute? Louis didn’t count, he laid there and concentrated on not suffocating.

In the distance he heard a woman’s cry of anguish. Her panicked breaths that echoed around faintly until it died with the gunfire.

A minute or two passed and Louis finally saw light. The block of dead flesh was removed and allowed Louis to suck in the stale air, something he could not be more thankful for.

“THE WINNER!” The announcer yelled from somewhere above but Louis knew he won because of a sacrifice. He truly was nothing in this place.

Around him, only one guy was cheering. He supposed he had been the odd bet out. The better was incredibly lucky or just incredibly stupid. Louis didn’t do anything for survival but run and that is his instinct. Flee before fighting. He lost a lot of what he knew from his childhood but he hadn’t been lying to anyone when he said he had been trained since then. He knew how to fight but he didn’t like to.

Louis stood, his body hardly able to keep him upright. He managed but knelt down again, his hand going on Matthew’s chest.

“If you can hear me, Matthew. Thank you.” Louis spoke to the dead giant, his eyes glancing up to the souring faces of the betters. “As for the rest of you? This ‘winner’ has something to bloody fucking say to the whole bloody lot of ya,” Louis’s voice grew darker.

“Oh boy.” Zayn muttered, Harry nodding in agreement. His concerned green eyes glancing into the other cage. Aiden was listening intently, tears falling silently down his cheeks. Sophie had her head buried in his chest, crying.

“You motherfuckers are SICK!” Louis yelled, gesturing to the other fighters in the cage. “Is this what you choose to do with your money? To watch a fucking sport of human beings – no, PEOPLE. Those who can feel, bleed, cry – understand, kill each other? We’re PRISONERS and all you want to do is see a show of useless carnage and violence! I HOPE YOU’RE FUCKING HAPPY!” Louis screamed out, the whole crowd silent and still. However, guards rushed out into the arena, offering their apologies. Chalking it up to laughing nervously and downplaying the scene by explaining he was ‘new’ and it was his first ‘fight’.

Louis was all but hoisted over a guard’s shoulder while another one retied his hands behind him. Once done they gagged him and threw him back inside his chicken coop with the rest of his friends.

“Good job, mate.” Harry breathed in relief, seeing Louis’s eyes travel back inside the ring. It took four guards to remove Matthew’s body from there but they did. It was just as Aiden said, even the most important fighters were no more than dirt stuck in the crack of their shoes. They were the minority in profit. When one died, another just took his place as the sideshow attraction.

“Mate?” Zayn called gently, catching his attention.

Louis just looked at him, his eyes now worn and tied. He had no strength or energy. He was hungry but there was something else bothering him and he didn’t know what.

Without fighting it Louis landed hard on the ground and passed out from the exhaustion now that he was sure he was in no present danger. He wasn’t fed and he received no water except for the toilet and high powered hose.

“Lou!” Harry panicked and dropped down beside him, seeing his friend’s breathing evened out.

“He passed out, Harry. Leave him to rest, he’s going to be fine.” Aiden comforted the lad’s fears.

The prisoners around the cage waited as the guards cleaned the arena of bullets and excess blood before the announcer came back on again.

“GOOD AFTERNOON AGAIN LADIES AND GENTLMEN! UP NEXT IS SOMETHING EXTRA SPECIAL FOR YOU! SOMETHING NOT OFTEN ALLOWED BUT FOR TODAY ONLY, AN OPPOSITE SEX MATCH!” The announcer’s voice echoed in the dome.

Zayn tensed, his eyes scanning the other fighters. A man was always almost stronger than a woman – unless they’re pulling the same thing like with Louis. Then he felt very sorry for the bloke.

The crowd’s cheer echoed in deafening volumes. Like twenty thousand screaming women at a Backstreet Boys concert.

“ALRIGHT, ALRIGHT! THE LUCKY FIGHTERS ARE, NEWCOMER, HARRY STYLES AND LOVELY SOPHIE TRUMA!” The spotlights fell side by side in perfect timing, lighting both cages.

Notes