Haven Ward

by Elias Witherow

  “You’re a mess,” Bones noted.

  “Shut up,” I growled. My head was pounding. My nose felt like it had been shattered. My words felt bloated and hard to pronounce. My stomach had been beaten black and blue. My spine was screaming. I was covered in blood and sweat from head to toe. I finally let go my scalpel, the metal sticking to my skin.

  Bones was on his knees, examining me. His fingers went over my body, testing it. His tore off a piece of his shirt and mopped my face with it.

  “Thanks,” I muttered, breathing hard. He nodded and pulled out a tab from his pocket pushing it towards my lips.

  “What the hell are you doing?” I cried out, slapping away his hand.

  “Just take it,” he urged, “It’ll take the pain away.”

  “Are you insane!?” I yelled, sitting up, “I can deal with the pain, get that away from me!”

  He shrugged, “Suit yourself.”

  More gunfire shook the walls outside the cell, the sound amplified in the close quarters. The yells were getting closer and suddenly two men came crashing through the doorway. A Dragon and Hazmat were locked together, both beating on each other. The Hazmat came out on top and his fingers wrapped around the prisoners throat. The Dragon wailed on the Hazmat’s face, knocking his mask away, his eyes fueled with a violent hunger.

  “God get him off me!” The Dragon cried as the fight was choked out of him. Bones sprang to his feet and delivered a kick to the back of the Hazmat’s head. For an old guy, he sure was spry. The Dragon was on his feet, infuriated. He grabbed the Hazmat by the neck and dragged him over to the bunk where he slammed his head against the edge of hard metal, killing him. The Dragon turned to Bones, “Thanks man.” Bones nodded. The Dragon was about to leave when two Prophets exploded into the room, diving at the man. I cried out as the three of them landed on me. I just couldn’t get away from this mess. They scrambled and wrestled over me, my body crushed under them. My fingers searched for the scalpel, finally finding it. The Prophets had the Dragon pinned and I wiggled out from under them as they beat his head into the floor. I jumped on one of their backs, arms wrapped around their neck.

  “Get off him!” I yelled, pulling back. We fell and I twisted so I landed on my side. The Dragon had kicked away the remaining Prophet and was beating his face in. Bones was standing by the door, calling for help, his voice lost in the symphony of madness outside.

  The Prophet I had pulled away was on his knees, his fist plowing into my side. I winced and sliced with my scalpel, cutting his arm. He cried out, clutching his bicep, his next blow delayed. I stood up and kicked him under the jaw watching with satisfaction as a handful of teeth were knocked free. He was on his back now holding his mouth. Knowing I had precious few seconds, I dove onto his chest and brought my blade down in his mouth. The man’s eyes popped and he died gurgling.

  Breathing hard, I got off him and saw the Dragon and the remaining Prophet were still fighting. The Prophet had a sic out and was on top of his victim, pressing the knife down closer to the man’s eye. With the last of my strength, I bowled into him, knocking all three of us flat, my weapon flying. The Prophet was the first up, and standing, he spun around and slit the Dragon’s throat before he had time to recover.

  Dazed, beaten, and exhausted, I struggled to get up, but couldn’t. Leering, the Prophet turned to me, his sic dripping.

  “It’s your turn now,” He growled. He grabbed me by the hair and hauled me up at arm’s length. I struggled vainly, swatting at his hands. I had nothing left. My muscles had turned to jelly and my stomach was a mass of knotted pain. I closed my eyes.

  A split second before he killed me, a gunshot exploded in the doorway and I felt myself crumple to the floor, gasping for air. A Hazmat stood, gun smoking, making sure his target was down. The top half of the Prophets head was blown off. The Hazmat checked the room, seeing an old man and a half conscious kid, then moved on to quell the rest of the chaos.

  “Come on,” Bones gasped, holding onto the door way, winded, “We need to move to a safer place.”

  I extended my arm out to him, “Help me up.” He came to my side and hauled me to my feet. I slung an arm around him, casting almost all my weight around his shoulders. I saw him wince, but he said nothing. Together we exited the cell. I looked down the hall and saw that the riot was still raging in full bloom. More Hazmats had joined the fray and I saw the orange glow of officers. I noted that one of those was probably Progg. The Underdogs were still off to one side, watching, not getting involved.

  Nark was an asshole but he was smart. He was watching the other tribes destroy each other, weakening themselves. When the dust had settled and the troops were stretched thin, he would make his move, asserting his power and rising to the top, his force strong and united. He would have no need for me then. I itched to murder him.

  We moved together down the passage, limping along, blood trailing behind us. Bones was breathing hard, the strain I was putting on him tiring his body. A stray bullet whizzed by us and I ducked, glancing over my shoulder to see a Dragon gunned down as he charged the Hazmats.

  “You doing ok old man?” I asked.

  “I’m not dead yet,” He said, shifting my weight higher up on him. I tried to plod my feet, trying to help, but my legs weren’t working. They dragged behind me. My face was throbbing and I blinked, trying to rid my vision of the blood that leaked into my eyes. Somewhere along the way I had picked up my trusty scalpel. I held it, not knowing if I had the strength to use it, need be.

  We turned a corner and my heart sank at the scene in front of us. Two Hazmats and a Prophet lay dead, their bodies mangled. Two more Prophets were still alive and they were holding someone down. Nadia. Shit. She was crying and trying to break free, but the snarling inmates slapped her back to the ground.

  “Oh bloody hell,” Bones whispered.

  “We have to do something,” I whispered, the Prophet’s backs to us.

  “What is she doing here?” Bones asked, letting me go. I leaned against the wall.

  They were feeling her up, their hands running greedily over her body in quick animal movements. Her eyes were wide with fear, tears plummeting down her cheeks. Her shirt was ripped and I saw blood. I hoped it wasn’t hers.

  I limped over to one of the Hazmats and picked up his gun. Bones was at my side, supporting me and helping me walk. I felt dizzy and I could feel bile rising in my throat. I choked it down and steadied the gun. It was impossibly heavy as I steadied it on my forearm.

  “Get off her!” I cried, my voice sounding weak and pathetic. They stood, towards me, their mouths twisted in a malicious grin. I let em have it. The gun rocked my body as I pulled the trigger, the high impact rounds shredding their flesh, blowing holes in their filthy bodies. They screamed as chunks of their flesh splattered the ground and their life was eradicated.

  Nadia, still crying, climbed to her feet, frantically clawing at the gore that had splattered her. She was losing it. Bones and I limped over, my hand dropping the gun, no longer able to support it. She looked at us, her eyes swimming with terror.

  “T-they were g-g-g-going to rape me!” She cried.

  Bones placed a comforting hand on her shoulder, “It’s ok doc. It’s over. They’re dead. No one’s going to hurt you now.”

  She seemed to notice me for the first time, “Weston! You…you killed them. You shot them to pieces.” I nodded, fatigue strangling me.

  “Don’t forget it,” I said, my voice crusted with exhaustion. Somewhere an explosion went off and I saw a flash of light coming from around the corner. This madness wasn’t ending anytime soon.

  “Is there somewhere we can go?!” Bones asked, his voice dipped in a heating panic.

  Nadia swallowed, her eyes far away.

  Bones touched her arm, “Nadia! We need to get out of here!”

  She seemed to snap out of her daze, seeing my crippled body, “Yes! Weston, you need some help, follow me.”

  As we followed the doctor, more Hazmats stormed
by, their boots thundering on the floor. Their neon green goggles cut through us as they passed, but they didn’t slow. The real problem was further down.

  Reaching an elevator, Nadia paused and turned to us, “We’re going to the Medical Ward. It should be ok up there, but if it isn’t…well…” She trailed off.

  Bones nodded, “Don’t worry about that, we’ll deal with it when it comes. Let’s just get the hell out of this section.”

  Moments before the elevator rose, I saw a man pass dressed in armor much like the Hazmats, but instead of green, it glowed a brilliant gold. His boots matched and tight black leather pants covered his legs, sporting more buckles and straps then I could count. In his hand he welded an impossibly long sword, its curve rising from the hilt, perfectly polished. His wore no helmet.

  Warden Martin saw me looking at him. He grinned, “If you want something done, do it yourself. Remember that little Weston.” And then he was gone. The elevator rose slowly.

  “That was the Warden!” Bones said incredulously.

  “I wouldn’t want to get in his way today,” I said.

  As we reached the top, we stumbled forward, keeping a sharp eye out for any commotion. It seemed quiet up here. It made me nervous. We heard the distant screams and sound of pain coming from the floor below us, but here, nothing.

  We quickly reached the Medical Ward without incident and Nadia punched in the access code. The doors slid open and we collapsed inside. I watched as the door slid close, feeling safe finally. Bones helped me to a bed and I lay down. He pulled up a chair and slumped down next to me.

  “I’m punching in the lockdown code,” Nadia told us, pushing more buttons on the access pad, “That should keep us safe. The Warden and I are the only ones who know it.”

  She went to the medicine cabinet and ruffled through some things, finally coming away with a set of crisp white bandages. I cried out as she helped me take off my shirt revealing an array of cuts and bruises, a particularly large one across the left side of my chest. My face felt like it was three sizes too big. I could feel my lower lip swelling and my right eye throbbed with every beat of my heart.

  “You certainly took a beating,” Bones said patting my arm.

  “Yeah how’d you get out of it so unscathed?” I said, turning to him. He smiled. Nadia had a wet rag and was wiping my face with it, the cloth coming away red.

  “Thanks for saving me,” she muttered.

  Bones grinned, “It’s not every day I get to save a pretty lady like yourself.”

  She shook her head, “I can’t believe things got so out of hand. I knew tensions had been building, but this is…insane.” She sat me up and starting wrapping my chest. I grit my teeth feeling like I had been beaten with hammers for days. When she was finished with that, she got a needle out and began stitching up a nasty cut above my eye.

  Suddenly, a loud bang made us all jump. Someone was at the door, beating on it, trying to get in. And he was screaming.

  “God let me in I don’t want to die! Please doc I’m bleeding everywhere, I need help! Help me it hurts damn it hurts!”

  Nadia started to walk towards the door when Bones grabbed her, “Don’t you dare.”

  She looked shocked, “There’s a man out there who needs help! He has every right to be treated, same as you!”

  Bones didn’t let go, “Are you crazy!? It could be a trap to get you to open the door and then he’d kill us. Or worse.”

  Nadia seemed torn as the man’s screams filled our ears.

  “Please doc! I’m holding my guts in my hands, I need you!”

  Bones gripped Nadia tighter, “Don’t.”

  Nadia started to cry as she turned away from the door, “It’s awful. This whole thing is so awful I can’t stand it! He’s dying out there, he needs my help and all I can do is stand here! Stand here helplessly, because you’re too afraid!”

  Bones sniffed, “I’m not afraid, I’m just smart.”

  Then the man at the door changed his tone, “Go to hell! You go to hell you heartless bitch!” His voice faded as he limped away, cursing her. I breathed a silent sigh of relief.

  “You did the right thing,” I said.

  She didn’t look at me, “Shut up.”

  I said nothing, working my jaw, testing it. I figured if we stayed locked tight in here, we’d be ok. This riot could rage for hours. I couldn’t imagine how many people were dying. Both inmates and Hazmats. I shuddered, thinking about Martin and his battle garb. That man was insane. There was a light in his eyes that craved violence.

  Nadia was in the corner, crying still, and Bones looked at me, “You doing ok kiddo?”

  “As good as can be.”

  “You held yourself pretty well out there. I’m impressed.”

  I grunted, “Yeah, well life in the Gallows is no picnic. You learn to take care of yourself. I haven’t forgotten how. I’m sure you know what I mean.”

  “That I do.”

  I jumped as another person slammed on the doors to the Ward. Naida let out a little scream and she looked at us, her eyes pleading.

  Bones shook his head, “Nadia, I’m warning you, don’t you even think about it.”

  A voice called out to us, muffled from the metal, “Open this damn door now!”

  We were silent. After a few seconds the voice came back, infuriated.

  “Goddamn it Nadia open up! It’s Progg!”

  Chapter 11

  We sat, staring at the door as Progg continued to pound on it, his fists beating almost as loud as our hearts.

  “I’m opening it!” Nadia said, rushing towards the entrance.

  Bones rose, stretching out his hand, “Doc, I don’t think-” but his words were ignored as she punched in the override code. The door slid open and in stumbled a bloody, pissed off Progg. His mask and goggles had been knocked off, his short black hair stained with gore, his suit was torn, and a long gash ran up his leg. His eyes lit up when he saw me.

  “You little shit!” He screamed, charging me. Before anyone could stop him, he had leapt onto my bed and began punching the hell out of my face.

  Bones grabbed him, trying to tear him off me, my face already numb from the thrashing I had received earlier. I put my hands up, curling up into a ball, protecting myself.

  “Progg stop it! What are you doing?!” Nadia yelled, running to my aid. Together, she and Bones managed to pry him away. He stood, his face smeared with blood, panting, fury racking his body.

  I coughed, eyes trying to focus, “What the hell Progg!?” I cried.

  He was trembling, fists clenched, “What are you doing here?! I swear if you hurt Nadia I’ll rip your throat out!”

  Nadia grabbed him, turning him to face her, “Look at me! Look at me Progg! I’m fine. I’m fine! They helped me, they saved my life!”

  Progg’s breathing slowed, “What? Are you sure? You’re ok?”

  I shut my eyes, “God man, you need to relax.”

  Progg pointed a finger at me, “Shut up prisoner! Just shut up!”

  Nadia was running her hands over Progg’s torn suit, “Are you ok? Are you hurt?”

  He threw up his hands, his voice rising, “Am I ok? Am I ok?! The whole prison is in an uproar, I’ve lost countless men to those…those monsters, and you’re asking if I’m ok?!”

  Bones tried shushing him, “Hey boss, relax, she just wants to know if you’ve got any injuries ok? We’re all safe up here, so just tone it down a bit.”

  Progg whipped out his side arm and pointed it at Bones face, “Don’t you tell me what to do! Don’t you ever tell me what to do!”

  Nadia put a hand on the gun, lowering it, “Progg get a hold of yourself. You’re not shooting anyone in my Ward, you understand?”

  Progg just stood there, his eyes focusing on nothing, “God…there was so much…blood. I thought I was going to die down there. I couldn’t…couldn’t get away from all of it. They just kept punching me and grabbing me…dragging me back into that…that…” he trailed off, looking
miserable.

  Nadia went to get more bandages, hurrying over to the medical cabinet, leaving me and Bones in the presence of this lunatic.

  He looked up at me, his voice low, “If I find out you had anything to do with this…”

  Bones shook his head, “No siree boss. Not a thing.”

  Suddenly Progg stood and grabbed me, hauling me off my bed. My legs went limp as I tried to stand, my arms grasping his as he pulled me across the floor.

  “We got things to talk about asshole,” he snarled.

  Bones stood, walking after us, “Hey what the hell are you doing with him? Leave him alone, you’re going to kill him!”

  Nadia turned at the commotion, “What’s going on? Progg where are you taking him!?”

  Progg said nothing as he stormed into her private office, a little room behind the reception area, and slammed the door, locking it behind him. He tossed me on the floor. I winced as I hit the floor, my body a bag of pain.

  He turned to me, “Give me your damn blood.”

  “What?!”

  “I said gave me your damn blood.”

  I sat up, “Look buddy, now’s not the time for this, there’s riot going on downstairs.”

  He wound up and kicked me. I wheezed, feeling like my lungs had just been crushed. He stood over me a boot planted on my chest , “Don’t give me orders. If I want your blood I’m going to get your blood.”

  I coughed as he pressed down harder, “Ok ok, but you better come through on your end! I’m only giving you one vial worth until you kill Nark.”

  He took his foot off and helped me up, “Just do it.” Outside the door, Bones and Nadia were calling out to me, asking if I was ok and what was going on. I ignored them.

  I opened a small cabinet next to Nadia’s desk and riffled through an assortment of carefully labeled medical equipment until I found a needle. I took it out of its plastic wrap and jammed it into my arm, pulling the plunger up. When it was full, I flicked the release and safety, popping the vial out. I screwed the top on and handed it to Progg.