Parent-Teacher Conference Ch. 13

The Rescue

It was the longest hour of my life. Every sound I heard made me jump. I couldn't sleep, I couldn't relax. I could barely think. The metal cuffs cut deeper into my skin and blood dripped down my arms. I knew my hour was up when the door opened and Wyman came in.

"Show-time Ms. Perry," he said with joy.

He grabbed the chains and lifted me to my feet. It felt like my arms were being ripped out at my shoulders, and it made me cry out in pain. He smiled and kissed me hard. "Maybe I'll get my turn before he rips your heart out."

"You never know," I said and sent my knee forcefully into his groin.

He buckled and I kicked him again, forgetting he was holding my chains so when he went down, he took me with him and I cried out in pain.

"BITCH!" he roared. "I'll kill you myself!"

Wyman pulled my chains and I slid on the ground screaming in pain when we heard, "WYMAN!"

Fleck was standing at the door. Wyman quickly stood up and pulled me off the floor again. It seemed Fleck wasn't too happy with his partner in crime. He said nothing, just quietly led us from my dungeon, down a long dark hall, to what looked like a small arena. It took my eyes a few moments to adjust to the light after being in darkness for so long but when I saw it, I shuddered. It looked like the island from my apartment, but it wasn't. I saw large metal hooks on the side and the countertop didn't look as smooth as mine.

"Like it Ms. Perry," said Fleck. "I had it made just for you."

"You shouldn't have," I snap.

Fleck sneered, "Chain her up!"

Wyman dragged me to the island and hooked each one of my chains to the metal hooks so my arms were stretched across the island's rough surface and my chest rested against it, forcing me to stand on my toes. My head hung just over the island so I couldn't rest it, but had to hold it up. Wyman smiled down at me, grabbed my head and thrust his groin into my face.

"Oh yeah," he hissed, "I'm going to enjoy this Ms. Perry."

He walked away and I saw Fleck smiling at me. He walked up and said, "You look so good like this Ms. Perry."

"I'd like to see you like this," I said.

"Now, now Ms. Perry," Fleck sneered. "Is that any way to talk with our guest arriving?"

"Guest?" I asked.

"Why yes," said Fleck. "Observe."

Fleck stepped aside and I saw two lizard-like creatures bring a in a man locked in a metal cage. As they come further in, I realized it was Oliver, and there are two more creatures behind him. The creatures set the cage down onto the ground.

"OLIVER!" I cried out and pulled on my restraints causing them to cut deeper into my wrists.

Oliver looked at me but didn't smile. 'No! He didn't figure out my clues.' He looked angry and I wasn't sure who his anger was aimed at. Fleck seemed pleased at this as he said, "Ah, Stone. So nice of you to join us."

Oliver just glared at Fleck, but said nothing. 'Something's not right, but what is it?' I wasn't sure what was wrong or why so I just watched. Fleck continued, "I believe you have something for me Stone."

Oliver nodded and that was when I caught it. 'It's not Oliver!' I wasn't sure who it was but I was sure it wasn't 'my' Oliver. I resisted the urge to smile which was pretty easy as the metal cuffs were digging deeper into my wrists, my toes were cramping from the way I'm forced to stand, and the rough surface of the island dug into my stomach and breasts. The faux-Oliver pulled a small box out, reached between the bars, and handed it to Fleck. Fleck opened the box and smiled. Whatever was in that box was what he expected to find.

"I must admit Stone, I didn't think you'd come, nor did I think you'd bring the ring. Guess you care for this human more than I realized. Now, I wonder why. Why do you care so much for this inferior creature? I mean, she's not all that attractive, but I've heard she's quite the freak. Perhaps it's time for me to find out for myself."

Now that had my attention. 'Where the hell is Oliver?' Wyman grabbed something and I realized it was the same camera from earlier. 'Oh no! They're going to film this?' I started tugging on my restraints as I linked my ankles.

"Oh yes Ms. Perry," hissed Fleck. "Please struggle. I like it when my female prey fights."

"Like I'm doing this for you, you monster," I growled.

Fleck walked behind me and I felt his hands on my hips, but they weren't normal, they felt rather scaly. I looked over my shoulder and I realized that the images I'd been seeing in my nightmares were a preview of what to expect. Only now, it was real. I heard the fabric of my shirt tear and felt a split tongue licked my back. I shuddered under the feeling, and wanted to vomit. I looked up at the caged faux-Oliver, but he seemed to not be watching. Fleck noticed as well.

"Oh no, no, no. This will not do, Stone. Where's the fun if you're not watching?"

The faux-Oliver didn't seem to respond. Fleck stood up. "Something's not right. WYMAN!"

Wyman walked over to the faux-Oliver, and just as he touched the cage, his body convulsed and he fell to the ground. "What the-"

Fleck was interrupted by screams and battle cries that came from all over and the room was filled with guardians wielding all kinds of unique weapons. The lizard guards ran from the cage and began fighting the invading guardians. Then I saw Lara and Oliver running in.

"OLIVER!" I scream.

Oliver saw me and started to run toward me when Fleck moved with lightning speed and blocked him. "Oh no you don't Stone!"

They started to fight and Lara ran up to me. She dodged and hit lizard-like creatures, and released the chains from the hooks. I fell to the floor, feeling the island cut and scrape my clothes and skin as Oliver and Fleck continued to fight. Lara hugged me first, and removed the cuffs from my bloody and raw wrists.

"Thanks," I said.

"I swore to protect you," she said. "I'm just sorry I let you down."

Rocks fell around our heads as a lizard guard's body hit the island. "Let's talk about this later, shall we."

Lara grabbed my hand and we ran to what I would call a cabinet with a table. "Stay here!" said Lara.

I nodded my head and watched as she ran into the fight. Then I saw a guardian thrown into the cabinet, falling dead at my feet. The cabinet popped open, and inside I saw the suits that Fleck and Wyman wore when I first met them. But that wasn't what caught my eye. 'A revolver?' I didn't remember either of them carrying a gun, but then again, I didn't get that close to either one of them. Carefully, I reached over the dead guardian whose name I never knew, grabbed the gun and checked. I saw it was loaded. I guess my learning how to handle a gun during college was finally going to be an asset. I looked around and I saw Oliver and Fleck slugging it out, while more lizard-like creatures came into the arena and fought with the guardians. Lara had moved so that they came toward her and away from me. I understood why she was doing what she was doing. By being where she was at, the creatures would think I was near her and thus, she was keeping me safe.

The fighting continued, the guardians seemed to be winning, though I'd seen a few fall to the ground and not get up, like the one by my feet, and there are more lizard-like creatures falling and staying down. My focus turned to Fleck and Oliver. Chunks of Fleck's skin were lying on the ground and I saw the scaly skin that has haunted my nightmares. Oliver's face was bloody and cut. I wasn't sure if he was winning or not. I watched him hit Fleck over and over again and I think I saw Fleck's skin break. Then Oliver was knocked to the ground.

I screamed, "OLIVER!"

That got the attention of the lizard-like creatures and they started coming toward me. The guardians started to create a wall in front of me and the fighting continued. Lara ran over to me, moved me away from the fighting line, and hid me again, screaming, "Stay here and for Loquitia's sake STAY QUIET!"

I nodded and she took off for where the fighting was. The lizard-like creatures didn't seem to notice her moving me. Once again, I watched Oliver fighting with Fleck. Oliver hadn't given up and now it looked like Fleck was wearing down. Then Fleck grabbed something and rammed it into Oliver's stomach. I gasped and covered my mouth with my hand to keep from screaming. Oliver fell to his knees onto the floor and I heard Fleck laughing.

"Oh Stone, I told you before. I never fail."

Oliver, wounded on the floor, looked up at Fleck and said, "But you already have."

Fleck stood up straight and asked, "What are you talking about Stone?"

"Did you think for one moment I'd give up my mother's gift so easily?" teased Oliver.

Fleck's lizard-like face was hard to read but I was sure he was confused. "What are you talking about Stone?"

"My mother didn't give me a ring," said Oliver with a smile and a slight cough.

I smiled big as I realized Oliver has gotten the best of Fleck. Fleck screamed out in rage. Oliver grabbed what I would call a spear and threw it into Flecks chest. Fleck stopped screaming almost instantly, made a gagging sound, grabbed the spear, and fell face forward jamming the spear deeper into his body. Oliver fell back onto the ground for a moment, smiling, then started to stand, struggling. I wanted so badly to run to him, but I knew that it would draw the attention of the lizard-like creatures, so I stayed where I was. I looked over and most of the creatures were defeated. I looked back at Oliver and I saw him stand. He looked at me and smiled. Then I saw his face change and contort as he fell and Wyman was standing behind him smiling an evil smile.

"NOOOOO!" I screamed.

I looked down at Oliver with what seemed to be a knife in his back and I snapped. There was a series of explosions followed by some clicks. It was only when Lara touched my arm that I realized I had fired the gun in my hands that I had found in the metal cabinet. I realized that had emptied the gun and Wyman was lying by Oliver, dead. Suddenly, the arena began to spin around me, the gun fell from my hands, and everything went black.