Chapter 1
Leon sat in the little room on the gray, dirty concrete floor in the basement. He ran his fingers through the dirt by his bare feet and hummed quietly to himself. As he put on the finishing touches, he smiled at his tiny design, pulling at the rope around his neck. He followed it with his eyes to the wall where it was tied to an iron ring and he sighed lightly. He was a very small boy. Even for a seven year old child. He was bare save for a pair of pants that were filthy and torn in to many places to count. His ribs stuck out of his abdomen and his tiny, fragile looking body was covered in scars as well as a few rather recent looking wounds. He looked back to his drawing in the dirt, his dark red hair falling over his face slightly, and he smiled again. Suddenly, he heard hard, loud footsteps above him. His head shot up from the floor, a look of terror on his face as he watched the wooden stairs leading up to a closed door. A closed door that he knew... He knew it would swing open any moment now. He scooted back a bit, shaking slightly with fear as well as cold. Then, the door burst open. Leon jumped. A large man stood at the top of the stairs, a cigarette hanging out of his mouth. He grinned at the sight of the cowering boy before him and ran his fingers through his greasy. black hair. He walked down the stairs slowly, his huge boots thundering against the wood. He walked toward Leon, who remained sitting on the ground, until the man stood before him. Leon looked up at him, his eyes wide with fear. He put on the best smile he could muster and placed his hands on the ground as if he were getting up. "Hi, Daddy-" Was all he got to say before the boot went back and flew forward, making bone crushing contact with Leon's ribs. Leon cried out as he was thrown back against the wall and he crumpled in a heap on the ground, holding his side. The man moved forward, quickly this time. He took the rope, pulling Leon up to eye level by his neck. Leon's hands flew up and grabbed the rope, trying desperately to loosen the horribly tight grip it had. His legs kicked at the air as he struggled.
"Don't you dare speak to me, you dirty monster!"
His father screamed in Leon's contorting face. Leon tried to apologize, but only choked noises escaped his strangling throat. His father hooked the rope onto the wall, higher than before as to keep Leon suspended. Leon continued to struggle. Then He was lifted for a moment, allowing for a few desperate breaths before he dropped back down. He kicked his legs wildly and his fingers pulled at the rope. He closed his eyes tight, trying to call out, but only the choked sounds were heard. Then, he felt a fist drill into his already injured side. His eyes shot open and he attempted to gasp, but it came out as a painful cough.
"Cut the s**t, you b*****d! Stay still and shut the hell up!"
He hissed in Leon's face before bringing his other fist into Leon's abdomen. He pounded Leon a few more times and then lifted him again. He didn't want to kill him yet. He wasn't finished. After a bit of the color returned to his son's face, he let him back down once again to hang. He pounded Leon over and over again until with each blow, blood began to spurt out of the young boy's mouth.
"You're a bad boy. You're a horrible little thing." His father said with each hit. This went on for a few minutes. By the time he was finished, Leon's father was panting and sweating, his fists still clenched. Leon was no longer struggling. His face was drained of all color and blood trickled out of his open mouth and nose, covering his torso in red. His eyes were slits, yet only the whites could be seen, and one hand hung limply at his side while the other remained wedged between his neck and the rope. His father sighed, happier now that he had rid himself of the unwanted angry feelings. He walked to the little hanging body and quickly inspected his damage. He ran his fingers over the now rather oddly shaped rib cage and he moved Leon's head slightly to the side, gazing at the up turned eyes if his boy. And finally, he reached up and unhooked the rope. Leon fell to the floor with a soft thud. He remained motionless. That's when his father began to worry. Had he killed him?
"Hey. Wake up..."
He said, nudging the body with his boot. But Leon wasn't moving. He gave Leon a swift kick. Blood spurted, but the boy was unresponsive.
"s**t..."
His father cursed as he turned and hurried up the stairs. He came back a moment later, a bucket full of ice cold water in his hand. Without a moment of hesitation, he dumped the water on Leon. Then, the tiny body did jolt. Leon's gray, empty eyes opened and he looked around slowly, dazed, until his gaze finally landed on his father. Now that the rope had loosened, a rew, already badly bruising line circled Leon's small throat. His chest rose slightly with each unsteady breath he attempted to take. He coughed painfully, blood spurting again.
"Good. You're not dead yet."
His father said with a smirk. With that, he dropped the bucket and walked up the stairs, shutting the door tight after leaving. He had never done such damage in the past... He would have to kill the boy soon. He was useless now that he was hurt so severly. It would take months for those ribs to heal... He sighed
"Ah well..."
He said to himself. He put on a jacket and walked out into the bitter cold. It was December 3rd. Snow had begun falling on the already covered ground. There had been something about a storm on the news... But he didn't care. He needed a drink after all that...
Meanwhile, Leon lay on the hard floor, now shaking wildly as the water on him began to freeze and the pain coursed through his body He listened as he heard his father drive away. He felt warm tears running down his cheeks. He was dying. He knew that. But he didn't want to die... He looked back to where he had sat a while ago. His father had stepped on his drawing in the dirt... There was a square and a triangle, forming a house like shape. Two stick figures stood side by side near the house. One was large, and one was small. There was also what appeared to be some sort of stick figure pet. There was a boot mark on the two stick figures now... Leon looked at it, seemingly thinking as he lay, gasping desperately for breath. Then he reached out witha quivering hand and fixed his drawing He wouldn't die. At least, not without a fight. He pulled himself across the floor to the tin bucket. 'Maybe someone will hear me...' He thought. He took the bucket's handle and raised it, letting it crash on the floor. He would have cried out, but his throat had swelled to much. Blood oozed out of his mouth and nose from the inner damage, but he just kept banging the bucket. Over and over and over again... This went on for a long time, but eventually, it began to slow and finally, Leon's little broken body could take no more. Tears still streamed down his face as he let go of the bucket and tried to stay awake. But it was no use. His eyes rolled, and he lost consiousness.
Meanwhile...
Luke was sitting in his living room. He watched out the window as his neighbor pulled out and drove away. He looked back down at his book. Luke was a young, good looking man. He wasn't to tall or too short and he might not have looked like to much, but he was very strong. 'He'll be caught in the storm...' He thought, pushing his glasses up as he got out of his chair. He stretched and ran his fingers through his light brown hair. He found himself thinking about his neighbor.... He didn't know very much about him. Only that his name was Dean Renalds and he lived alone. Luke placed his book on the table and looked out the window at the snow falling. It was coming down fast now... He heard a scratching at his door. 'Reno.' He thought. He walked to the side door where Reno always went to when he wanted to come inside. He grabbed the silver knob and pulled the door open. He winced as the blast of cold air and snow hit him like a speeding train.
"Oh my..."
He said shielding his face and looking down at the steps. The little red fox sat there, as always.
"Come one, Reno, it's freezing out here."
Luke said. But the fox wouldn't budge. He stood now, starring at Dean Renalds' house. His ears were perked.
"What is it??"
Luke asked, looking at the house. The fox pup looked back at Luke and let out a soft bark. 'A burglar?' Luke wondered, now shivering slightly. He squinted his eyes, trying to see through the blizzard. Come to think of it, he thought he could hear something... Then, he felt a tug on his pant leg. Reno was trying to pull him out the door, grunting softly. Whatever was going on, it was causing the little fox serious distress... And Luke knew from experience that Reno, though small and young, was extremely intelligent for an animal. Luke thought about it, but curiousity finally won him over.
"Alright, we'll go check it outut let me get a jacket first."
He said. Reno barked and scurried in and Luke shut the door, going to his closet to grab his coat. When he came back, Reno was sitting by the door, waiting impatiently.
"I'm coming."
Luke said, giving Reno a quick pat before opening the door again and stepping out into the now raging snow storm. Reno stopped and listened for a moment. Luke listened as well, but that sound he had heard before was gone now... 'Maybe the robbers left..' He thought. But... Just in case... He brought a food, solid base ball bat along with him. He shut his door and walked carefully down the icy steps, following the little fox. Reno stopped every few steps, sniffing the air and listening for something. Each time they started back up, Reno's step quickened until Luke was jogging behind him to the front door. He pushed his glasses up as he reached the door. Reno scratched at it.Luke hushed him and knocked a few times with the bat.
"Mr. Renalds?? Are you in there, sir??"
He called, knowing that he was surely caught in the blizzard somewhere in town. He had driven away, after all. After waiting a minute with no answer, Luke decided to let himself in. The front door was locked. He figured it would be. Reno hurried down the steps and around the back. Luke followed. He was beginning to worry... Reno seemed very upset... He went around to the back of the house. There was a storm door. Reno hopped up onto it and scratched at it, trying desperately to get in. Luke went to it. There was a padlock hanging from the handles.
"We can't get in... It's locked, Reno."
Luke said. Then, Reno began to bark and growl and scratch and even bite at the door. Luke had only seen him act like this once before in the past... He took the bat up in his hands and swung at the lock. He could tell something was very wrong. After four good swings, The lock gave. Luke fiddled with the freezing metal until he was able to remove it. He looked around, making sure nobody was around to watch him break-and-enter. He couldn't see very far anyway... Nobody would see them. The snow was brutal. He placed his hand on the metal handle. It was so cold it felt like it burned. He pulled it open. Five concrete steps lead down into the basement. Reno rushed down the steps. At the bottom, he stopped abruptly. His ears fell back flat on his head and he whined, looking up to Luke. Trying to get him to come down. Luke began to walk down the stairs, the bat in his hands.
"What is-" He began to say, but what he saw cut him short. In the middle of the dimly lit room was what seemed to be a body. Blood had pooled around where the head lay. It was a boy. He was nearly completely nude, laying on his stomach with his face turned in the opposite direction in which Luke stood. And there seemed to be a rope around his neck connecting him to the wall. Reno scurried over to the boy. The bat fell from Luke's hand, tearing him from his horrified trance. He ran toward the boy and knelt next to him. He placed a hand on the boy to turn him over onto his back. He let out a slight gasp at what he felt. A layer of ice covered the boy's body. His hair was frozen on his head and as Luke touched him, the thin layer crackled and melted away. Luke placed both hands on him now, rolling him over quickly. He could see the boy's face now. His eyes were closed and his mouth was open, blood flowing for it as well as his nose. That's where the small pool of blood had come from. Luke first lifted one of the boy's eye lids. There was no color. They were completely turned back. Then he put his ear to the boy's mouth to listen for breath while holding the boy's wrist to feel for a pulse at the same time. He felt a very faint pulse, but there was no breath. Luke positioned himself and the child so that Luke could give CPR. He wiped the blood away from the boy's mouth so he wouldn't choke. Meanwhile, Reno had run up the wooden stairs and was jumping at the door knob, trying to open it. Suprisingly, he got it open and he ran through it into the house. Luke didn't even spare him a glance. He began to attempt to get the boy breathing. He went on for about a minute and a half.
"Come on..."
Luke whispered to himself just before he went back down, blowing air into the boy's lungs. To Luke's relief, the child gasped slightly. Luke then went to the rope, removing it quickly with his pocket knife. He looked at the swollen, bruised neck. It turned his stomach. 'What has this child endured...? Luke thought, wiping the sweat away from his face. The boy coughed slightly, still gasping. He was just barely beginning to regain consiousness. Luke felt a nudge against his back just as he was about to take his jacket off. He looked behind him to see Reno, who had managed to drag a large blanket down the stairs from the house. He was panting, but he seemed rather pleased with himself after doing that. Luke smiled and grabbed the blanket.
"Good boy..."
AHe said, patting the fox momentarily. He lifted the child carefully as to get the blanket underneath him. Luke wanted him off the cold floor. He wrapped the rest of it around the frozen body. He was opening his eyes a little, and he was beginning to shiver. Good signs.Luke shook his hand through the boy's crystalized hair, getting the ice chunks out as best he could He placed his hand now gently on the boy's forehead as he awoke, trying to turn his attention to look at Luke.
"Hey... Can you hear me??"
He asked softly. The boy didn't answer. He just continued to try to breathe. 'I'v got to get him out of here...' Luke thought.
"Come one, Reno." He said. He placed his arms under the boy and lifted him easily. He was as light as a feather... Luke hurried now, back to the storm door. There was snow in the the basement now. Luke looked up through the doors. The snow swirled outside. It was impossible for Luke to see a foot in front of his face, let alone find his door... Reno started up the stairs. He would sniff out the way. Luke looked down again at the child in his arms and frowned, horribly worried. Luke pulled the blanket up over the boy's face to protect him from the blizzard and followed Reno. He kicked the storm door shut. Reno barked to Luke.
"Alright, I'm coming."
Luke said, pushing through. It took almost ten minutes to finally find the door. Luke opened it quickly, allowing Reno in and shut it soon after. He shook the snow off as he hurried to his living room, not bothering tio take off his wet shoes. He knelt beside his couch and placed the boy carefully down on it. He took the blanket away from his face. His eyes were closed again, but he seemed to be regaining consiousness. He was shaking violently now as the ice melted from his body and he began to warm a little. Luke leaned in close and took the boy's face in his hands, slapping his cheek slightly trying to get him to come-to.
"Hey... Wake up, kid..."
He said. The boy's eyes opened again and he looked up slowly at Luke. Luke smiled a bit. 'Thank God...' He thought
"You're going to be alright."
He said, picking up the telephone by the couch. But there was no dial tone. 'Damn.' He thought. The phones were down. He couldn't call 911. He pulled his cell phone out of his pocket. But of course, there was no service. Luke shook his head, but he went quickly back to the boy's side. He would have to take care of him until he could reach a hospital. He reached up and took another blanket off of the back of the couch The other had soaked in the water from the melted ice and snow. Luke removed it, finding a spot on it to dry the boy's head. He threw the wet blanket to the side. He looked the boy's body over now, closer. The blood was from his ribs. Luke could see the damage from the outside... The pants he wore were useless and wet. Luke removed them as well and threw them with the blanket. He wrapped the dry one around the little body carefully and placed a pillow carefully under his head.
"I'll be right back."
Luke said, placing his hand on the boy's forehead again in a comforting manner. A tiny, weak whimper came from the child in response. Luke got up and ran to the bathroom, turning the sink on to let the water warm. He fidgeted as he waited. Reno hopped onto the couch above the boy's head, nudging him lovingly to make sure he stayed awake. Leon, meanwhile, was struggling. 'Where am I...?' He thought. He couldn't see clearly and each breath he took shot pain through him and although the rope was gone now, he still felt as though he was strangling. He began to grow frightened. Where had that man gone?? Was he going to hurt him some more?? He closed his eyes, silent tears streaming down his cheeks. He was in so much pain... He could hardly bear it. And he couldn't stop shaking. He was so cold... But he was getting warmer. Had that man given him the blanket?? Just then, he heard the man return. He opened his eyes a bit, thorugh everything was awefully blurry... Luke knelt again. He had two cloths in his hands that had been soaked in warm water. He saw the tears in the child's eyes and frowned, his brow furrowed. He was scared... And in a lot of pain. Luke could on;y do what he could do... He couldn't give the boy medicine for fear of allergies. He didn't have anything that would even put a dent in the pain anyway... He gently wiped the tears away and placed one of the cloths on the boy's forehead while the other he placed on the boy's neck.
"Don't be afraid... You're safe here."
Luke said, nodding.
"Can you try to tell me your name??"
He asked. He wanted to know so he could call him by it. As well as make sure he could remember it. It took a moment for the question to process in Leon's mind. He just looked up into the kind eyes for a few seconds. Finally though, he opened his mouth and took a small breath.
"... L-Leon..."
He whispered. A moment later he went into a very painful coughing fit, blood trickling down his pale cheek. He shut his eyes tight and clenched his teeth in agony. Luke took the edge of the blanket and wiped the blood away.
"Okay, okay... No more trying to talk. I'm Luke."
He said.
"I'm going to take care of you until the storm passes. Then I'll take you to a hospital."
He said. Leon opened his eyes and looked up at Luke, tears still streaming, and nodded slightly, as to not disturb his neck and head. He had notcied now that his head felt fuzzy... From the lack of oxygen it had just encountered. Luke's mind, meanwhile, raced with thoughts. Had Dean done this?? 'Who else could it have been...' He thought, feeling angry and stupid for not realizing there had been a child next door being brutalized.
"I'm going to get you some water."
He said. Since the boy didn't answer, Luke figured that meant he wanted it. Luke didn't want Leon straining himself by speaking at all. He turned to Reno.
"Watch him, okay??"
He said, smiling and patting him. Reno pushed into Luke's hand.
"You're a good boy..."
He said, knowing that if it hadn't been for Reno, the child would surely have died. Reno sat by the couch with his head propped up on Leon's wrist, letting him know he wasn't alone. Luke got up then and went to the kitchen to fill a glass with water.
