The Silence That Surrounds: Screams of the Damned

Narrator’s POV:

Harry sat quietly on his bed a few hours later and looked out at the cell across the other side. It wasn’t particularly anything to pay interest to but he was tired and his head didn’t feel like laying back on the flat of his pillow just yet.

Louis was breathing evenly and Harry assumed he was asleep or passed out again while Zayn had his hands collapsed in his lap and head pointed to the ground with a slouch to complete the ever deep thoughts going on.

“It wasn’t your fault; you know? About the girl, I mean.” He assured, lifting his neck to look at Harry. His eyes no longer filled with anger.

Harry shifted and let the silence brew between them for a moment before nodding unsurely.

“Yes it was. I could have snapped her neck and it would have been quicker than the knife. I thought that by defying them I could get out of killing her. I thought that maybe Jinx would assume I wouldn’t fight and allow the responsibility to pass to the next of his charge. It’s obvious that I was sorely mistaken.” Harry muttered, his left hand reaching up to wipe at his tired eyes.

“My body is throbbing hurt and I’ve never been so thirsty in my life,” Louis complained from his spot on the bed. “I don’t think I will have the energy to fight tomorrow, lads. I don’t think I physically can.” He finished sadly, unwilling to move for fear of stirring up more pain.

Harry got up and walked a few steps before the shackle on his feet grew taunt. He was close to Louis’s bed so he knelt down on the floor so he could reach him the rest of the way.

“Zayn? Get over here, please. Lou? Can you sit up?” Harry asked, ignoring Louis’s self-pity rant.

Zayn’s chains were a little longer so he could reach the loo but since the commode was right next to Harry’s bed, he had no reason to go far; leaving him at a disadvantage.

Zayn tiredly got up from his mattress and walked next to Harry, kneeling down onto the floor close to the leader with a raised eyebrow in silent question.

“Louis? Can you sit up?” Harry prodded again, hearing noises in the distance that sounded like food being passed around. “They’re bringing food; you need to sit up.” Harry coaxed, hearing slight movement in the cell next to him.

“I just want to sleep, Harry. Please just let me sleep.” Louis begged, swallowing the sandpaper feeling in his throat.

“You need more to drink.” Harry insisted, but Louis groaned and closed his eyes and let the settling of silence fall over him like a warm blanket. He truly did not care at that moment if he lived or died. He just wanted the pain to stop.

“Sit him on the floor, it will help alleviate some of his pain and stop blood clots from forming.” Aiden suggested softly, shuffling to turn in the bed he had been thrown in when he was brought back. That particular one happened to be Sophie’s brother’s.

Harry turned to stare at the fighter, surprised he would even bother to offer any kind of assistance to the gang. Especially after the bloody leader of it killed his girl.

“Yeah, mate? How would you know exactly?” Harry challenged, trying to eye him between the bars. All he saw in Aiden was a broken man. Nothing more and now, nothing less.

Aiden’s eyes caught Harry’s own and for a tense moment they had a silent stare down.

“Experience.” He responded simply, laying his head against the bar and turning his gaze out towards freedom.

“I find you wanting to offer any help a laughable concept, considering I – “Harry went to argue but Aiden flicked his hand in a dismissive manner.

“Then don’t listen, Styles. You seem to know everything, mate. Leave him go I don’t really give a fuck either way; was just trying to help - like Sophie would have wanted. Want to live right by her.” Aiden said, letting his voice drop but Harry could hear the quiet tears come from the hole in his bleeding heart.

“I’m sorry for your loss, for causing you the pain,” Harry halfheartedly apologized with a mutter, turning his attention to Louis. “Louis, mate? Let us help get you on the ground –“

Louis groaned and swatted the air with a tired sigh.

“Go away and leave me to die in peace, Puritan. Away with your damned self.” Louis demanded, but all that accomplished was making Zayn snort.

“So glad you find this amusing, Achmed. Now, if you’re done being a Horse’s arse – would you mind helping your fellow member to the floor so he –“

Aiden interrupted Harry.

“You know, mate? You have a sense of importance to you that you think you have, but you don’t – not truly. A leader is not measured by his power but the ability to make people want to be around them. If Achmed and Louis had a choice, they would not be fifty kilometers near you and do you know why?” Aiden challenged, his eyes reverted back to their dull state.

Harry followed with his arms across his chest.

“No, but something tells me you’re going to tell me anyhow. So on with it then, why am I so avoidable?” Harry replied back sarcastically to his rhetorical question.

Aiden smiled sadly and shook his head slightly.

“Because you don’t know how to be a leader. You know how to control, it’s no fault of your own but you hold it over everyone’s head and in here – you know you’re nothing. Your own father walked out and you couldn’t stop him. He left you to rot here, just like I was left to rot. You got your first taste of it and you don’t know how to handle it. So you don’t. You’re trying to find a common ground but you won’t find it, not until you let go of your self-righteous importance. I only tell you this because I’ve been where you are. Sophie said you were only so young – a boy, all things considered. So listen to me and approach things differently,” He paused, answering Harry’s silent question because that’s the exact same one he had asked himself all those years ago when he was first thrown in here. “Simple; be kinder - because the only people that will stick with you are already by your side. Don’t push them away because you’re going to need their shoulders when things really start to cave in for you and believe me, today was only just the start.” Aiden finished softly, using his one hand to wipe his eyes.

“I’ll love him even more if he pisses off and lets me sleep.” Louis complained, but groaned when Zayn took one of his arms while Harry grabbed the other and not so gently pulled him to the floor with them with a small thud.

“Get off me, turtle fuckers!” Louis growled, whimpering at the pain that travelled down his body. “Holy fuck spuds, you two are fucking brutes!”

Harry and Zayn set him back into a sitting position.

“My arse! Fucking kiss a slag – I hate you. I hate the bloody lot of ya! Why can’t you PISS OFF!” His voice raising, flinching when he added pressure on his hide.

“Oh, come now old man Tomlinson. You need to sit for a little bit and then we will leave you alone, mate. Scouts honor.” Zayn promised, forcing a smile.

“More like Taliban’s honor. Huh, Achmed? Piss off!” Louis gritted his teeth but looked at Harry to deliver his insult. Sadly, he couldn’t think of one.

“Hey now, that’s enough of that.” Harry sighed, reaching forward to try and make Louis a little more comfortable.

“Don’t touch me you bloody lout! Fucking bloody degenerate fiend! Go torture someone else, the both of you fuck-headed chicken breasts!” Louis exclaimed, earning a shhh from a few cages over.

“Go fuck parrots, cocksuckers! I HURT or does no one bloody care?!” Louis groaned, wishing he had some pain killers.

“Nobody cares, Lou. Get used to it.” Zayn droned, rolling his eyes.

“And nobody asked you, terrorist!” Louis counteracted, wishing he could move his hand to knock Zayn into next week. The dude had been virtually a prick to everyone the whole damn time.

“ENOUGH! Christ sakes, someone just died – people died, have a little respect the both of you, assholes!” Harry interrupted, taking his hand and smacking Louis upside the head before turning to Zayn and giving him a hard push to the shoulder. “I need you two to be adults right now. We need to stop or we’re going to end up in trouble.”

“Well, grandpa was minding his own business until you requested me to help drag him off his rocking chair – seriously, mate – we have no clue what’s going to happen and you’re trying to gain control of the situation. You can’t control this, Harry; none of us can. Just – breathe.” Zayn tried desperately to pause the rising tension.

None of them spoke for a moment but of course, Louis always had to be Louis.

“Grandpa wants help back in his rocking chair, yeah? I hurt; let me sleep.” Louis requested again, flinching when he moved his arm. It was as stiff as the rest of his body and he did not have any more strength to argue. He was giving up and letting the other two worry for the three of them.

“Not until you get something adequate into you, mate. I’m going to make sure you’re okay and so will Zayn. That’s what we need to focus on – being alright.” Harry sighed heavily, giving up on his spinning mind.

“As you command, captain positive.” Zayn saluted sarcastically and settled down onto his butt so he was sitting comfortably on the hard concrete.

Harry followed suit, using his hand to wipe at his sore face.

Louis just sat there like a dead weighted corpse and none of them spoke. It was the end to what would be many more days if not years to come and truth be told – they weren’t sure how long they were going to last through it all.

“Your friend was right, Styles. What happened to my beloved wasn’t your fault; Kaiser knew how much my Sophie meant to me and wanted to take away the one thing he knew would hurt me the most. I do not blame you.” Aiden spoke softly after a short stopped silence amongst the group.

“The past cannot be undone and the future is uncertain. That would be an accord we can all agree upon.” Harry reasoned, turning back to Louis and poking him in the chest.

“I’m going to man check you if you poke me again, Styles.” Louis threatened, making Harry smile tiredly.

“Yeah? Well, stay awake. We’re going to be fed soon.” Harry said, turning to the outside of the cage to wait for the guard.

Aiden listened to the gang banter and shook his head; Sophie would have giggled at the sight but she wasn’t with him anymore. The only place he could see her now was in his dreams and the notion left a bitter taste in his mouth.

“You three need to grow up; this isn’t army camp in the South of England. This is a place where there is no line between life and death – Harry? A leader is measured by his capabilities. You’re not completely out of commission. You don’t have the control but you do have the influence. You have their attention; you have that lead.” Aiden reasoned shutting his mouth when one of the guards stopped in front of his cage with a white plate and small plastic cup.

With no acknowledgment, he bent down and slipped the items under the slot on the cage door.

Aiden frowned, recognizing him as one of the guards from earlier that was helping to restrain them in the ring.

“You’re the bloke who – “Aiden started to accuse but the guy in front of his cell cut him off.

“I’m the bloke who stayed out of it. I was following orders, Deprave. Nothing more than that. Get your head together and realize that relationships down here don’t work well. Stick to fighting, stick to what you know and what you are good at; makes it easier on us all. Because thanks to you and Styles here, I lost my brother tonight.” The guy finished his accusation, anger flashing in his eyes.

“Yeah? Well, at least Breathless had a heart. You stood by and did nothing; you roll over and play dead when Kaiser passes by. You are worthless!” Aiden hissed, leaving Styles to look at the guard. He was slightly older than Adam had been.

“Perhaps so, Deprave. Perhaps I am but at least I know my place around here. It’s about time you start finding yours. Enjoy dinner.” He dismissed and went to the next cell – which happened to be Harry’s.

“Kaiser told me to inform you that Tomlinson will get nothing tonight for his smart mouth and – “ The guard was interrupted.

“Tomlinson don’t care; Tomlinson wants to sleep. So shove whatever it is up your arse, mate. Gooday.” Louis summed up while using his arms to attempt to get up from the ground.

Zayn and Harry weren’t having it and abruptly grabbed him to hold the barely functioning lad on the floor.

“Stay! God sakes, Louis. You’re worse than a two-year-old.” Zayn hissed while Harry’s eyes grew an intense shade of green, his nose scrunching in like a bull as he let out a breath of hot air.

“He needs water or he’s going to DIE!” Harry hissed, standing up and going until the chain pulled taunt again. It was close enough to the door to grab the food and water offered but it did not allow him the luxury of wrapping his fists around the bars.

“Not my problem, Styles. If he is sick, tend to him. The toilet is right there if you three so desire water. You get a small cup with dinner; anymore and you can drink it from the system provided. Excuse me, I’ve got people to serve.” He tipped his cap before shoving a few plates of undercooked white rice and a few cups of water in the slot and walking down the line.

Harry gritted his teeth but carefully picked up their portions, frowning at how meager they were. If Styles had to guess, between the two plates there was only about eight teaspoons and that wasn’t filling anyone up.

“I’m giving him my portion, this is ridiculous,” Harry complained, kneeling back down on the floor and grabbing the small cup of water, forcing it to Louis’s lips. “Drink.”

Louis gagged from the unexpected intrusion but followed Harry’s orders, the cool liquid gliding down his throat in a refreshing wave. He groaned in a pleasure he didn’t think would be able to express.

Harry kept the cup steady until Louis drunk the whole thing, pulling away with exhilarating breath.

“Oh man, more. I need more.” Louis groaned, opening his eyes to Harry looking at the cup and the toilet. It was the only way –

A gentle tapping on the bars next to him caught his attention, Aiden’s hands coming through to their side holding a paper plate and small cup.

“Here lad, give this to him. He’s going to need his strength and I can’t eat. I can’t even think straight – it’ll just go to waste otherwise.” Aiden explained, his eyes a lost light of emotion that worried Harry but he nodded thankfully and stood up again to collect the items from their fellow fighter.

“Thank you. I’m sorry – for what it’s worth, if it’s worth anything.” Harry fully apologized, taking the items from the younger bloke’s hands.

“You couldn’t have stopped it, even if you tried. My beloved is gone and I can vow that Jinx Kaiser will rue the day,” Aiden promised, smiling only just a little. “He will pay in the worst possible way.”

Harry stepped away from the man and swallowed nervously. The pointed look in the older man’s eyes left the younger one no doubt that he would go through with the vow.

“Harry? Go ahead and give him mine as well.” Zayn murmured, almost in regret but relinquished the plate and cup.

Harry nodded and turned back to sit back on the ground, putting the other cup up to Louis’s lips, tilting it forward while he indulged in the heavenly liquid.

When that was gone he forced the three plates of white rice onto one plate and layered the other ones underneath, using his fingers to bring the rice up to his friend’s mouth.

“Open up, Lou.” He ordered patiently but Louis groaned and reached for the plate as a whole, bringing it to his lips.

Harry and Zayn watched him eat. It was almost animalistic but now they – or – more particularly, Harry could stop worrying so much about him.

“You have another cup of water for after, mate. If need be I’ll refill it with the toilet water after.” Harry let him know but Louis was too busy concentrating on keeping his food on the plate and not to the incessant babbling going on around him. He was appreciative but to be truthful – he was just plain tired and it was only the first day.

Harry took the plate away from Louis’s hand once it was empty and let him have the last of the water left in the third and final cup.

“Oh God, that was good.” Louis finished, leaning back so his head rested at the edge of the cot.

Harry and Zayn exchanged looks before nodding and moved to lift him back on his bed but like before, he protested and remained on the floor to enjoy the moment of slight relief.

“I thought you wanted to sleep?” Zayn prodded gently, his hand still on Louis’s wrist and arm.

“I do but I just need a moment, mate. This is too much, too soon.” Louis said, his teeth gritting in pain.

Zayn nodded in understanding, standing up from the ground and stretching while Harry followed suit.

When they stood to stretch out their cramped muscles, a soft sound began to rise. It caught the two prisoners off guard as they had not expected what came next.

“When I find myself in times of trouble, Mary mother comes to me, speaking words of wisdom, let it be.”

Aiden’s body was propped against the side of the bars with his head bowed. The sound of his voice soft and natural. It was almost hopeless but the soul he projected with seemed to catch other fighter’s attention and in that moment, his voice became many.

Another fighter from the next cage over was the next to sing, his vocals grainy but still in tune.

“And in my hour of darkness, she is standing right in front of me, speaking words of wisdom – let it be.”

Harry watched as a stir of action began to take place in front of him, people standing and folding their arms, placing each hand atop of one another in a bow of respect, a tribute to those who had fallen.

A few more voices joined in, Aiden’s voice rising above them to lead the fighters in a chorus of gospel – a temporary relief of hopelessness as he too had prayed to find something to comfort the bleeding wound of his heart.

“Let it be, let it be, let it be, let it be; whisper words of wisdom, let it be.” He closed his eyes, standing from his cot while Louis turned tiredly toward the outside of their caged prison, a small wave of emotion taking hold of his beaten soul. He looked back toward Zayn and Harry.

Zayn was the first to reach for him, Harry following a moment after. With no judgments in their hearts, they pulled Louis into a standing position and locked their hands around his arms, creating a half deformed triangle.

They steadied Louis, holding tightly so he wouldn’t fall. After all – in this world, once you turn your back on the people that used to mean everything – you have nothing left to lose and Harry knew, at that precise moment that he was not alone. He had his friends – his gang, his family.

Louis knew the song that was being sung and opened his mouth to join whoever was to sing next, but with everyone around joining in, his voice, Zayn’s and Harry’s blended in as easily as the thousands of others that were spreading around the arena.

“And when the broken hearted people, living in the world agree – there will be an answer, let it be.”

Their eyes met one another, the breath of their spirits sang, something Harry had not genuinely dared to do since Evelynn. The few times with Sophia didn’t really count. He wasn’t trying to soothe his soul or offer himself comfort.

Here in the cage – away from everything you knew, everything you cared about – a song truly never meant so much. It somehow offered him a small amount of relief, taking the sting from his heart and releasing it into the heavens above.

“Though they may be parted, there is still a chance that they will see, there will be an answer. Let it be.”

A chorus of angelic ooh’s and sharp let outs of hums added to the freedom of the voices that lit the darkness around them. The sound, the sight – it was all so breathtaking.

Synchronized claps sounded with the chorus and voices rang together, drowning the demand of quiet from the guards. Nothing would stop the music and Aiden had effectively brought some relief to the pained hearts who had lost their loved ones.

“Let it be, let it be, let it be, let it be; there will be an answer. Let it be.”

As fast as the buildup of chorus happened, a few shots rang through the air, screams surrounding in pain and guards commanding silence.

It took a few seconds but the chorus of voices dissipated back to silence in fear of retribution.

Aiden kept on, ignoring the shouts to be silent. He didn’t care. He was singing for his damnation – he was singing for the reservation of his soul and he sure as hell wasn’t going to let them win.

Harry, Zayn and Louis silenced themselves, watching in admiration of the older man beside them. The one who disregarded the armed guards – the very ones now stopped in front of his cell.

“Let it be, let it be, let it be – let it be. Yeah, there will be an answer. Let it be.” He finished, his voice falling low so only the guard’s shouts could be heard, gritting his teeth over their loud decibels – with Jinx Kaiser standing in front of them all with a look that could murder.

Just like that, it was over. He had sung his voice raw and his vocals hoarse. Just like that, he was nothing again.

“Rest in peace my beloved. Rest in peace, Sophie.” Aiden said, sitting down on his cot again with a show of guards outside his cell.

“Lock him in the scold’s bridle tonight. His mouth could use some rest. Same goes for the other prisoners. If they speak, they too are to be locked in one.” Kaiser growled, walking away from the cell with an angry glint in his eyes.

Louis sat down unsteadily, his hands folding in on one another.

“Rest in peace, Sawdust, mate.” He responded after Kaiser was gone, looking up to Harry.

“Rest in peace, Broker.” Harry repeated with his own grievance before closing his eyes at the guards that now threatened them with the metal cage gag.

“Rest in peace, Sophie. Rest in peace, Broker.” Zayn ignored the violent threats and continued, picking up his head to hear the cage next to him.

“Rest in peace, my darling Arvella.” He continued, the voices once again speaking up, but this time for the loved ones they had lost.

Another one shouted the name of his beloved and another one, a girl, had cried out in anguish, spilling her lover’s name from her mouth like delicate pedals. The same ones spread across a coffin when burying a loved one. That is what they were doing, they were burying their families and lovers.

Harry saw lights swirling above them, each one in their small round ball of energy, ones that only formed when a soul was released from the body of the dead and he – for the first time in a while, smiled at the sight he was seeing. Of course, he could feel the release in the air as each voice in the chorus of voices speaking or yelling out their loved ones set his mind back to Sophia, his angel – his nightshade.

“Angel…” He trailed off, his brain stuck on the image of her body relaxed against his and that was all he needed to know that he would continue to fight. Fight for her; fight for his freedom – fight to make his way back to her.

Unfortunately, when his body was forced against the cage wall, his thoughts snapped back to the present.

“Wha – “His demand was cut off by a sharp piece of metal sliding over his tongue and holding it down securely. The metal cage attached to the cold solid, slid over his face easily and closed behind him.

Before his hands could reach the back to rip it from his head, the echo of a lock sounded in his ear with a brisk click – indicating he had been silenced.

Louis and Zayn’s protests were also cut short by the same treatment. Each of the boys, Aiden included; were forced back into oppression, but the brief amount of freedom held in the power of their voices made their punishment a little more bearable.

“Next time you are told to be quiet, you fucking well better!” Ouch hollered, taking Harry’s bridle and forcing him back to his cot. “Now go to sleep, you got quite the training ahead of you, Styles.”

Harry groaned but sat where he was on his cot, watching Zayn claw at the cage that had just been locked onto his head, a weak grunt escaping his locked jaw.

Louis just sort of stayed in the same position he was forced in, breathing heavily against the metal gag but he wasn’t struggling, if anything – his eyes were calm and he seemed alright with what was happening – then again, Harry was panicking on the inside because he had never had anything like this put on him.

Ouch took Harry’s gag and forced him to lay down; his wrists being forced upward at the same time while the sadistic guard produced a pair of handcuffs.

Harry flinched, the metal circlets snapping onto his wrist and trapping them to the upper frame of the cot, the other guards doing the same to Zayn at the same time.

Louis was the only one left un-cuffed, his eyes slipping closed in absolute exhaustion. He didn’t give a damn that they had gagged him, hell, he was thankful they pissed off after the fact.

Ouch chuckled and tapped the side of Harry’s shoulder.

“Night-night, Styles. Sleep tight.” He taunted, walking out the cage after; the sharp slam of the door following.

Harry sighed softly, but relaxed his arms so they wouldn’t stiffen any more than they already were going to.

With a silent goodnight to his fellow gang, he swallowed and closed his eyes to try and rest. The lights of the souls disappearing back into the darkness – much to his disappointment. Strangely, despite that he felt calm, the echoing of chorus still ringing in his head.

*

“HORAN!?” Dr. Sadistic called through the playhouse in a sing song voice; the heels of his shoes clicking against white magnolia flooring as the only noise to sound off the walls.

In fact, no screams were ever heard at the Playhouse. Just the grunts of the men and women who came for pleasure or the property they had purchased. Other than that, you would never hear the screams of a child because Dr. Sadistic simply did not do loud. He stopped their cries before they could even begin.

“Ni-Ni, come out, come out wherever you aaaaare. I got a job for you my little pet sparrow.” Sadistic sang, his dark blue eyes looking around in an almost predatory gaze. He had just seen the little cooking God and he needed assistance.

Unfortunately, Niall had also seen Dr. Sadistic and made like the Flash to the nearest storage closet. As if mutilated children hanging on hooks along the walls throughout the building didn’t traumatize him enough, seeing the monster that did it to them made him even more unnerved.

Niall put his glasses on so he could help navigate himself in the dark closet, this particular one happened to be a storage closet. Mostly stuff used to clean up after the kids.

“Bloody fuck me.” He breathed in the dark and crawled as far as he could away from the door. He could hear the distant voice of the doctor and the deepened way he spoke his name brought a sense of doom into the young man’s heart. He had been trying to avoid both Damien and Dr. S for the past few weeks, which was near impossible.

“Niaaaallllll, my little sparrow, Dr. S needs your help, precious.” Sadistic called sarcastically through the halls, stopping abrupt when another pair of footsteps fell into his line of hearing. It didn’t take a genius to know who they belonged to. “Damien my lad, have you seen Niall? I need him to burn some body parts in the cremator for me down in the basement bunker. Liam is busy reattaching one of your associate’s earlobes…well, his son. Gruesome business this is.”

Niall swore he pissed his pants just a little; he was not making another stop down in that bunker. He would rather make his rounds feeding the kids than burn body parts – parts that belonged to innocent children.

“I saw him earlier – “Damien began but Dr. Sadistic chuckled.

“I believe he is avoiding us. He saw me and ran somewhere down this hall. I’m a sport for the chase, so call this a leisure activity amongst a stressful job. It has its occasional perks.” Sadistic dismissed, clicking his tongue a few times.

Damien let out a low laugh of his own.

“Oh, I meant to inquire about your boy, Harry. How has he been doing? The Cage is nasty business and I usually mind my own affairs darling lad, but – are you going back for him? Because I was thinking that you could keep the boy here and have him help me with my own affairs. Surgeries, torture, disfigurement…you know, my normal daily routines. At the end of it, I could remove a finger or two, perhaps his tongue and – “Niall let out a shudder, putting his hand over his ears. He heard no evil, he spoke no evil and he saw no evil where he was at and he wanted to bloody fucking keep it that way.

“He needs his fingers and his tongue is best used for diplomatic situations. Thanks though for the offer of your services. You are my most reliable doctor. To answer your concern, Jinx Kaiser told me he could have Harry broken in a month’s time. He gave me word that neither of my men would be harmed.” Damien patted the man’s shoulder in gratitude.

“Good, good. Maybe you will have better luck controlling the lad. Kids need strict structure and I’m your only doctor, Damien, aside from Liam and the lad has so much more to learn. Anyhow, if you see Niall – tell him Uncle Sa has a big, big job for him. I will return back to my post in the operating room assisting Liam in case he requires it.” Sadistic replied in light chide.

Niall was worried for his mental and main health as the nicer Sadistic was, the more brutal his punishments were and calling Niall endearing nicknames or animals meant he was in deep shit. Especially using the term ‘uncle Sa’. The man has a gift for masking his cruel intentions with innocent nicknames. That’s how he was able to gain the children’s trust so easily. Fortunately, he was over twenty-one and didn’t have to worry about his limbs being cut off.

“I miss Harry.” He muttered, holding his breath when only one footstep walked away but the other one stayed right by the door.

“Horan? I know you’re in there.” Damien spoke, opening the storage closet.

Niall’s heartrate spiked, he could definitely feel a wet spot appearing at the front of his shorts – or was that sweat?

“No one in here, sir. Just rats.” Niall responded, his voice shaking in absolute fear.

Damien chuckled darkly and turned the light on above them, twisting his face in disgust when he saw the blood on the floor that hadn’t been cleaned up – Niall right beside it.

“Your Uncle Sadistic needs his special snowflake to get his ass to the operating room and dispose of some body parts.” Damien mocked, the darkness in his olive green eyes twitching with excitement. This made Niall shake his head desperately.

“I’m not going down there, last time I went down there I was shoved WITH the body parts into the cremator and locked inside for six hours.” Niall protested, a soft whimper leaving his throat when Damien took hold of his shirt and pulled him forward so both of them were nose to nose.

“You were seventeen at the time. Now, Sadistic wants you to dispose of sensitive tissue or do you want to be cremated WITH the limbs this time? Because I can bloody make that happen! You are worthless, Horan. Truthfully? The only redeeming quality about you is your pretty boy face that I want to fuck up and smash in and your cooking skills. So, given this knowledge – who are you more afraid of, lad? Me or Uncle Sa?” He intimidated with a smirk.

“He’s not my uncle. I would have married a hundred times over to h-have him removed and you, sir, are without a doubt the most intimidating. On a scale of one to a hundred – you’re about a t-thousand. I would even say that you rank up there with Jack the Ripper.” Niall stuttered, his sarcasm leaving him dry for any good comebacks. At least with Louis, there were a natural abundance of them.

Now that Niall thought about it, he missed Louis too – even Zayn provided some basic human contact, but since they were taken, that left Liam and he was too busy assisting Doctor Sadistic. If he wasn’t doing that, he and Niall were feeding the kids and providing for them some basic needs.

At night he would sneak out of the room the two were sharing and go to see Perrie. He spent hours talking to her and even providing a small comfort to her. Normally just brushing her hair or making sure she was fed. He even cleaned her up a few times because he knew Zayn had been making sure all of that was done before he left with Louis.

Damien pulled him back from his thoughts with a harsh laugh, taking the glasses off his face.

“So, remove a bloke’s glasses before you beat him down?” Niall gulped, his frightened ocean eyes watching Master Styles every move.

“Nope, just helping you a little on maintaining your pretty girlish face,” Damien replied, snapping Niall’s thick framed spectacles apart. “Your welcome. Now, get your ass to Dr. S before I kick it there myself.” He finished with a growl, handing the lad the now useless frames.

Niall looked around and saw chains, chainsaws, rusted buckets and blood soaked mops with a circular saw and protective tarps for body dismemberment.

He nodded and headed for the door, throwing it open and taking a leaping run toward where Liam currently was. He would take his chances with the Doctor than with Damien. Hell, he’d take his chances with Attila the Hun if it meant he wouldn’t be mercilessly tortured or sawed apart.

He ran passed all the hanging kids, not sparing them a glance this time. He knew the horrors and what misery this place held for the kids.

*

Liam’s hand held steady, the intense precision in his gaze would make one think he was performing an intense surgical procedure instead of just sewing the tip of an earlobe back onto a ten-year-old.

“You’re doing good, Drake. Good lad. Just stay still for me a little bit longer and we’ll get you back to your father.” Liam told him, his fingers unshaking and confident while he threaded the piece of tissue back together with perfect stitches.

Drake whimpered, his eyes closed tight. He had been fearful since seeing all the children hanging from the walls. In fact, it took an hour for the young one to calm down enough to even just examine him.

“What sports do you like, lad? Lacrosse? Badminton? Soccer? Footy? The race derby, perhaps?” Liam forced a smile, shushing him while hoping that talking with him would distract the young one.

“S-soccer. Dad is a f-footy fan. I l-like soccer.” Drake murmured out, whimpering again when small antenna amounts of pain migrated into his head.

“You got a team? My coworker, Louis, he roots for the Doncaster Rovers. I’m into footy and Lacrosse but really, any sport is entertaining to watch. Don’t really have a top team – except when betting for the winning players.” Liam rambled, more at ease since Dr. Sadistic went to chase Niall down. He had no doubt the lad would need a new pair of pants once he saw the good doctor.

“P-please hurry, sir. I need to get back to – “Liam and the boy both jumped when Niall came running in, throwing open the door with a long winded pant coming from his mouth.

“D-Damien. There are worse things than Hell itself and it’s in a form of a demon named Damien Styles,” He stumbled over his words, looking around to see it was just Liam and the kid. “Where’s Dr. S? I – I’m supposed to cremate some dead children bodies.”

Drake let out a small yelp, struggling now to get away from the psychotic men.

“DON’T KILL ME!” Drake yelled to the heavens, just in time for Dr. Sadistic to enter into the room with a cocked eyebrow.

“Kill you, my lad? Your dad is an upper associate of Master Styles, that would be bad business to be killing you, dearie. Come now, where did you draw that conclusion?” Sadistic gently probed, coming to stand beside the hysterical boy.

“HE – “The boy pointed to Niall, finishing his accusation. “Said he had dead children to cremate!”

Dr. Sadistic laughed and walked to Niall, grabbing him by the back of the neck and pulling him towards his own body.

“I see Niall got his Uncle’s message. Damien was kind enough to deliver it, I assume?” He inquired, a huge grin on his face.

“Y-yes. Please don’t make me cremate any more children, I don’t think I can do – “Sadistic shushed him calmly, placing a kiss to Niall’s forehead, his skin sickly hot under the man’s touch.

“You will take the cart over there,” He paused, pointing to the large cart with the bloody sheets covering the tops of the few shelves. “There are about three whole bodies – some of the children did not survive the surgery and I also have three or four torsos and about sixty-seven legs and sixty-five arms. You will throw them into the cremator and turn it on to run it. If you don’t, I will throw you in there along with the trash, clear?” Sadistic smiled, his tone friendly while watching Liam carefully, deciding he wasn’t going to be much help around the surgical room since freaking out the boy.

“Y-yes sir, very clear. Clear as a slag with chlamydia.” Niall swallowed nervously, moving towards the large cart.

“Liam? Assist Niall, I’m worried if I leave you alone with the poor lad that he will end up needing therapy.” Sadistic nodded toward Niall and Liam didn’t have to be told twice.

With quick reflex, Liam threw his bloodied gloves off and jogged to Niall, helping him steady the cart as they made their way out, Dr. Sadistic taking over Liam’s job.

“I hate to admit this but I miss Harry, mate. I hate it here,” Niall murmured, his stomach growling in protest of how little it’s been fed over the past few weeks. “Food, I miss that too.”

Liam sighed and walked backward, Niall walking forward so they were able to hold conversation to the matter.

“Do we know when Harry is coming back? If? Damien called off the search, I don’t know if that means something happened or – “Liam wanted to choose his words carefully.

“Damien won’t tell us and it’s been a while now since Louis and Zayn disappeared. Something isn’t adding up and I can’t put my finger on it.” Niall thought aloud.

Liam let the silence linger, their shadows passing a less lit area, a few children hanging up by the hooks on the wall, their faces obscured by the way the lights started to fade to nothing and the squeaking wheels of the cart held nothing hopeful.

“I don’t know, Ni – but I hope it’s soon. We haven’t been allowed to do shit around here unless it’s taking care of those kids. We are way out of our element here and I think you’ve been hanging around Louis too much. Seriously? A slag with Chlamydia? Mate, Louis is gone – don’t start getting yourself into trouble.” Liam warned, the echoing of the wheels continuing down towards the basement.

“We’ve been barely able to eat, we have no purpose here, Liam. I don’t understand why we can’t go back to the cabin? Elliott Dawson doesn’t know where we live. I just want out of here, I am not a crematory expert and I won’t bloody pretend to be.” Niall muttered, his eyes going wide when a sudden scream sounded from under the bloodied sheets.

In turn this caused Niall to yell, throw the cart forward into Liam and turn around, hauling ass down the long and winding halls in a marathon run.

Liam acted quickly and ripped the sheet from the screaming body, flinching when he saw a young boy with half severed limbs.

“Jesus Christ, almighty.” Liam breathed, reaching to his knife and bringing it out, flicking the blade and jamming the sharp metal into the boy’s corroded artery and slitting his throat clean. It was a moment of pain but a few seconds after the cut, the boy slipped away easily. “I’m sorry, lad. You’re the third one this week. I don’t know how anyone can confuse dead with alive – I’m beginning to think Dr. S does this strictly for the amusement.” He continued his thought aloud, throwing the newly sticky sheet back over the little boy that could not have been more than five years old.

Something unsettling was displayed in Liam’s eyes and try as he might, the feeling of death loomed over him like a foul smell. He knew he had no reason to feel this way but the more time he spent in this house of horrors, the more he questioned the very basis of human nature. He was with Niall, he wanted to go back home as well. The cabin was better than this hell – hell, anything was better than this place.

With gentleness, he put his hand on the sheet atop the little one he had just killed.

“Listen, I got to go find my mate, I will be right back. I know that doesn’t mean much but I’m getting a really bad feeling. Stay here, I’ll be right – “Liam shut his mouth, annoyance displaying in his orbs. He was talking to corpses – something he had recently started doing as he found himself more often than not in a position where he didn’t have much of a choice – even when feeding the kids, it felt like the same thing as they could not communicate back.

Niall and Liam would end up being the only source of conversation and despite them sharing a room, the Doctor ad Damien kept both of them busy with doing absolutely nothing. They were truly only waiting for Harry and the rest of their gang to come back but because of Damien calling off the search, they had to wonder – did something happen to them?

Liam patted the boy again gently before taking off in the direction Niall ran. He had to make sure his friend was alright. Because truthfully, those two only had each other until Harry and the gang came back – if they came back. ♠ ♠ ♠
AUTHOR'S NOTE: Probably not the best but I tried. I know some of it was choppy but truthfully? Niall would be hiding and Liam - being a doctor, would assist Dr. S. I will be developing the Playhouse but basically just imagine limbless kids with metal hooks as arms and feet hanging along the walls and unable to scream, bite or move and there's multiple ones down each and every hallways in the 100's.Then there's some who are in their twenty's like Perrie...I mean I got complaints so i tried not to do a lot of details to it but it's a warehouse of horrors. There will be another few chapters there and then back to the cabin - so the timeline can move onward from both the cage and playhouse. Anyhow I hope you enjoyed, I will get a little more detailed in the next chapter, so stay tuned! So - what do you think of Aiden and everything happening?

Notes