Tripod Beware

"No, it sounded pretty bad too."

"I think it's finally getting through to him just what these girls could do. It was almost like he was scared to be moved upstairs without us."

"I know. We'll just be really well behaved and hopefully we'll get moved upstairs before too long."

"Yeah."

"So…how are you holding up mate?" Gatesy asked warily.

"I'm okay I guess. Hell, I should be after all those years of going through this every day."

"Well if you need to talk, I'm here, okay? You don't have to hold back."

"Thanks mate." Yon smiled.

"No problem."

Yon didn't want to scare Gatesy by telling him what was really going on. The truth was, there was a constant feeling of dread hanging over him, and he was quickly sinking into depression. At night it was the worst. He was alone in the dark. It seemed so real. He could hear his father's voice so clearly, the whip cracking, feel the thin leather strip searing his back, chest, arms and legs. When he woke up he could almost see the welt marks imprinted on his skin, but by the time his two friends had woken up, they had disappeared. He couldn't shake the feeling that it had really happened, and that it would continue happening for as long as they were kept down there.

PART TWELVE

Scod was led upstairs and into one of the bedrooms he had been shown in by Jen their first night there. Through his slightly blurred vision he could distinguish the queen-sized bed situated at the far end of the room and he eagerly tried to move towards it, but the two girls pulled him back.

"Hey slow down Scoddy," Jen said, turning him towards her "Let's get you changed first."

Scod stared into space as the two girls undressed him slowly. He was oblivious to their hands on his skin and only became aware of them again when they began to move him towards the bed. He looked down and was surprised to find that he was wearing blue striped pyjamas. He must've drifted into unconsciousness or something. Scod drank something from a cup Jade gave him, and before his head even hit the pillow he was totally gone.

Gatesy and Yon were on their best behaviour for what seemed like weeks but was really only a matter of days. They didn't resist anything the girls wanted them to do if they could help it, but Gatesy avoided being alone with Lucille at all costs. He hadn't been caught in an awkward situation since the first time she had confronted him.

On the sixth day Gatesy and Yon were sitting playing a song when the door opened and Lucille and Jade walked in. They stood up and waited expectantly for the girls to speak.

"You have been very co-operative over the past few days and we now feel confident that you will continue behaving this way from now on. Is this right?" Lucille asked.

"Yes," Gatesy and Yon replied in unison.

"We know that you only want us to be happy and we have realised that you're the only ones who can do that for us," Gatesy continued. Yon looked at him and Gatesy smiled slightly at the two girls. Jade grinned ecstatically and Lucille also let out a small smile.

"Oh, I just knew you'd come around!" Jade said, moving to hug Yon, but Lucille held her back.

"You will now be moved upstairs. There's a queen-sized bed and a fold out one. You can decide between yourselves who sleeps where." Lucille said. "Follow me," she commanded and began to move up the stairs.

Yon followed after Lucille, then Gatesy, and Jade last. Yon felt Gatesy reach up and give his shoulder a reassuring squeeze. He looked back at him and nodded as they made their way up the staircase to the second level. They had decided not to do anything yet. They hadn't seen Scod for days and needed to talk to him first before they did anything about escaping. If they got away without him, who knew what they would do to him before they could get help.

Scod looked up as the door clicked open and he quickly shoved the pile of paper and pen under the bed. He had been keeping a kind of journal since he had started to recover using toilet paper, tissues, and anything else he could write on. He figured that they just might end up needing it. Lucille walked in and held the door open as Yon, Gatesy, and Jade walked in. Upon seeing them he jumped up and stared at them in amazement. He was so happy to see them, he had to stop himself from hugging them, but he couldn't keep the huge grin off his face.

"Hey mate," Gatesy smiled. The two girls left the room once more, locking the door behind them.

"Fuckin' hell, I thought they'd done something to you guys!" Scod exclaimed "I'm just glad you're alright!"

"We were thinking the same thing," Yon said. Gatesy brought his arm out from behind him and Scod's mouth dropped open.

"The guitar!" Scod grabbed it and stroked the neck of the guitar like it was a beloved pet, then he looked back up at Gatesy gratefully. "I was bored out of my brains up here by myself with nothing to do. Thanks for bringing this."

"No problem, but don't hog it all for yourself, okay? I still wanna use it too!" Scod and Gatesy grinned at each other.

"Sure, sure…mate, you're a legend!" Scod instantly sat down on the bed and began playing a song, momentarily oblivious of his friends' presence.

PART THIRTEEN

The next day they began planning their escape. Going by Scod's notes, and various other clues, they found they could pretty much predict how the girls would react to different things, so they shaped their plans around these aspects. Scod had also drawn a map of as much of the house as he could remember, as he was the only one who'd been shown around the house, but there was a lot missing. They needed more clues. They needed to look around for things they could use.

When the door clicked open at lunchtime Gatesy and Yon shoved their material under the blankets and Scod grabbed the guitar so it didn't look so suspicious.

"Hello Jade, you're looking quite stunning today if you don't mind my saying?" Gatesy grinned at her as she walked in with their tray of food.

"Thanks," she replied, blushing as she put the tray down and came to sit on the bed with them.

"We were wondering, seeing as Scod has already had the pleasure, if you wouldn't mind us having a tour of the house?"

"Well…I don't…" she began.

"It's such a beautiful place and it's a shame that we've only seen a small portion of it." Gatesy continued, shooting a look at Yon to say something, but he refused to open his mouth. "Jade?"

"Well I guess it couldn't really hurt," she shrugged "But what about your lunch?"

"That can wait. We're not really hungry yet, are we Yon?" Gatesy sent another look at Yon, but he still didn't say anything, only shook his head.

"I'll just go tell the others," she said quickly, and got up and left the room. Gatesy turned to Yon and frowned.

"What's with you?" he asked accusingly in a hushed voice.

"Nothing."

"Well start playing along, okay?" Yon nodded.

Jade ignored Yon completely as she showed them around the house, and instead gave all her attention to Gatesy as they talked non-stop about various subjects. As always, Gatesy ended up with all the girls . Yon let out a sigh and focussed all his attention on looking at things around him.

There was an upside to those two not noticing his presence though – he could take things and put them in his pockets and up his sleeves without having to worry about being caught in the act. By the time they got back to their room, Yon was fully loaded with all sorts of things he had found throughout the house. It was a wonder Jade didn't notice just how much more bulky Yon had gotten after their walk.

After she had left Yon stood beside the bed and shook all the things he had picked up out onto the bed. Gatesy and Scod gaped at him. Gatesy obviously hadn't noticed his mischievous antics either.

"Woah!" Scod exclaimed.

"How'd you manage that?" Gatesy asked.

"Well you two were too busy completely ignoring me, so I thought I'd do something of some use." Yon said quietly, watching Gatesy's face; he didn't register any reaction to Yon's bitter undertones. Yon sighed and shook himself slightly. "So, anything you think could come in handy?" he asked, looking from one friend to the other.

"Hell yes!" Scod said, picking up a letter opener from the bed and looking at it carefully. Some of the stuff would definitely come in handy. There was paper, pens, and other objects that could be used as weapons or as a means to try and break out.

Gatesy and Scod finished Scod's map on a new piece of paper and Yon sorted out all the bits and pieces he had collected, and eventually they thought they had everything worked out.

They decided to wait a few more days before they tried their plan out. It still needed some more fine-tuning and they wanted the girls to be a little more trusting of them yet, but Scod was pretty sure the plan was flawless. It was his plan after all, so of course it would work.

Yet again Gatesy was worried about Yon. He had thought that when they were moved up out of the cellar things would be different, but now they seemed to have not changed at all. Sure, he didn't seem scared like he had been, just depressed and quiet and Gatesy didn't know why. He had tried asking Yon to tell him what was wrong but he simply wouldn't. He hardly spoke anymore except when it was absolutely necessary. Gatesy didn't know what was wrong with him, and it was quickly becoming the main problem in his mind. He was thinking more about Yon's state than their plan to escape. Finally he decided he had to get the truth out of his friend once and for all. When Scod left for his shower Gatesy looked back at Yon, who was laying on his back on the bed with one arm behind his head, staring up at the plaster ceiling. Gatesy sat on the bed beside him and then flopped down so they were laying side by side.

"Tell me," he said gently. Yon turned to look at him, searching his eyes and face, and then nodded.

PART FOURTEEN

It was all a blur. A huge, horrible blur. It was like a nightmare, only real. He couldn't believe it. How could it happen? The main thing that stuck in his mind was the sound. The loud gunshot piercing the air and then the image of Scod's body hitting the hard polished wood floor. Gatesy rushing to his side. Blood. Screaming. It took Yon a while to realise it was him making the ghastly sound and not Gatesy. He dropped to his knees and covered his face with shaking hands, shielding his eyes from the horror.

Yon felt two arms slide around him and he and Gatesy cried together while the girls just stood around them staring. Scod was dead. Lucille had killed him, shot him in the chest. Why hadn't Scod just gone by the plan instead of trying to cheat his way out of there early?

Gatesy didn't look at the girls as he helped Yon to his feet and pushed them aside so they could get through. He gripped Yon's shoulder and accompanied him upstairs to their room. All Yon could see was Scod falling to the floor over and over again.

Now they were sitting together on the bed, staring into space. Gatesy had his hand on the back of Yon's neck, both of them silently comforting each other. It had taken all day for it to actually sink in, and now they were both drained of emotion – empty, unable to move for the grief, yet Yon had never felt so close to his friend as he did now.

Gatesy was still in shock. He couldn't speak. It was his fault. He could've stopped it. He could've jumped in front of Scod and taken the bullet himself. He should've seen what was coming – seen that Scod was going to do something. He should've, could've, but he didn't, and now it was all over. He was gone, forever. They'd known each other for years, and never once did he consider not having him in his life, never thought of what it would be like without him.

Lucille still kept pulling out all stops of seduction in Gatesy's way and even though she'd killed his friend and the thought of it disgusted him, he was still slightly attracted to her. He thought about this for a while and then thought up another plan. If he could do something to distract her while the others were shopping the next day, then maybe Yon could go get help.

Gatesy told Yon his plan and reluctantly he agreed that it was the only thing they could do. He was obviously worried about him, but Gatesy was pretty sure he could handle the situation. She wouldn't be able to resist. He knew it was corny, but at exactly 3.00 he got undressed into a towel and went and told Lucille he was going to have a shower. He saw her looking him up and down and he smiled seductively and then left her room. Yon was standing in the doorway of their room when he walked past and Gatesy gave him a signal and walked into the bathroom, carefully leaving the door open a crack.

Yon saw Lucille making her way slowly towards the bathroom, and then she stood and looked in the crack before soundlessly opening the door and walking in, closing it behind her. Yon crossed his fingers and hurried downstairs to the front door. He got the small set of cleverly constructed tools from under his jumper and went to work on the lock. After a while he had finally gotten all five locks unlocked and he jumped up and sprinted down the road.

Gatesy looked up as the door opened and watched Lucille carefully as she circled him.

"So you've finally decided to co-operate then, have you?" she asked. Gatesy nodded.

"I can't resist anymore," he lied, hoping he sounded convincing.

"Good," she replied and began to get undressed – somewhat a strip tease you might say. Gatesy stepped forwards and took over where her hands had been, unbuttoning her shirt slowly, trying to draw out the process for as long as possible. He didn't want to have to do anything with her if it wasn't necessary, so he hoped Yon wouldn't take too long. She watched him as he undressed her. He hoped he was pulling it off okay because he really wasn't feeling anything, but that all changed when she kissed him, sucking his tongue into her mouth. A moan rose from his throat at her expert kiss. He tried to regain control of his body, but all logical thoughts disappeared when she leant into him, slipping her leg between his and her thigh rubbing against his rapidly growing erection. He slid his fingers under her shirt and pushed it off her shoulders, then smoothed his hand over the small of her back as his other hand moved down to cup one of her now naked breasts. He hadn't thought he was still that attracted to her anymore, but obviously nothing had changed.

The kiss became more urgent and their bodies writhed together as Gatesy's fingers undid her fly and slid into her pants. He rubbed her slowly and she moaned, pressing firmer into his hand as he dipped his fingers into her moist opening. In return she pushed his towel down over his hips and let it fall to the floor to reveal his now agonisingly hard erection. She took him into her hand, alternating between stroking his shaft and caressing his balls. Gatesy was moaning as he felt intense pleasure thrumming through his body. His climax was coming on fast. He needed to be inside her, and he needed to be inside her now.

PART FIFTEEN

Yon's breath came out in sharp ragged gasps as he ran up the stairs and into the police station. Luckily it was only a few blocks from the house they had been held captive in, but he wasn't very fit so when he tried to tell the policeman at the desk the problem he could hardly get it out for lack of breath.

"Girls…holding us…hostage…big house…down the road. They…they…killed Scod…" Yon continued rambling in short quick bursts until he finally got the whole story out. Eventually the confused looking man understood and immediately sent out a rescue team to head off towards the house Yon had described to them

"God…oh god…" Gatesy gasped as Lucille's mouth and tongue rapidly pushed him over the edge. He had been trying to hold back but now he was totally gone. He cried out loudly, his head thrown back in ecstasy. He saw stars and his whole body shuddered compulsively. Lucille swallowed and licked him clean, then slid up his body and kissed him hungrily. Already he was becoming hard again, his erection pressing against her hip.

"Lucille!" called Jen's voice, accompanied by thumping up the stairs.

"Shit!" Gatesy whispered.

"Get dressed!" Lucille hissed. He wasn't going to refuse, and he quickly threw on his clothes. When he turned back to look for Lucille he found that she had already dressed and left the room.

"WHERE IS HE!?" he heard Lucille roar. He cringed.

"Shit shit shit shit shit!!!" he swore under his breath. They'd been caught. Yon was still gone. Holy fuck, what would they do to him if Yon didn't get back in time!?

Gatesy stood frozen in the middle of the room repeating the same word over and over before he came to his senses and finally bolted for their bedroom. He grabbed the pink handled ice pick from under his pillow and then ran back out and began to sneak along the wall down the staircase towards where he could hear their voices. He got to the last step and quickly peeked around the corner before ducking back again. Jen had been standing on the opposite side of the wall he was leaning against and the other two were a few metres away, closer to the entrance door. He couldn't quite hear what they were saying, but he did know that they were planning to do something to him, and it wasn't going to be pleasant.

Gatesy gripped the ice pick firmly in his fist until his knuckles turned white and he looked up to the ceiling. He couldn't believe he was going to do this. He said a quick prayer, and before he had a chance to change his mind he swung around the corner, immediately yanking Jen backwards into his arms and aiming the sharp point of his weapon at her throat, the light glinting off the metal. He looked up to find that Lucille and Jade already had their guns pointed at him. He froze, his limbs suddenly feeling very heavy, but he shook himself out of it and quickly extracted Jen's knife from her ankle sheath and slipped it into his belt.

"Ah…if you shoot, I swear she's dead," he said, trying to keep his voice from shaking. Lucille simply smiled ironically at him.

"Do you think we really care?"

Suddenly the door crashed open and three cops barged in, aiming their guns at the three girls. Yon gaped at the scene before him. Lucille smiled at Gatesy and aimed at him and Jen. Next minute there was a loud gunshot and a scream as Jade jumped, taking the bullet before it got to her friend. She fell to the floor and stupidly Gatesy let Jen go as she ran to her friends' aid.

"Hold your fire or we'll shoot!" one of the policemen ordered, but Lucille didn't listen.

"Bitch!" she screamed, and shot Jen as well, then before Yon knew what was happening she raised the gun again, aiming it at him. He closed his eyes instinctively and heard a explosion of guns firing followed by two heavy thumps. He frowned. He should be dead. A sinking feeling of dread swam over him, and slowly he opened his eyes.

PART SIXTEEN

It was the first anniversary of his friends' horrific deaths, and even now the terrifying images stuck in his head as though it had only been yesterday. He remembered opening his eyes and seeing Gatesy lying at his feet, blood oozing out of the bullet-hole in the side of his head, right near his temple. His mind was blank after that and from what he'd heard from other people he had gone a bit crazy at that stage – crying, screaming, everything. He had been totally out of it and they had to restrain him because he might've hurt somebody, or himself.

It was only later when he was being checked up on at the hospital that he was told that the other thump he had heard was that of Lucille falling to the ground dead after she had been shot numerous times by the police. Finally it was over, but in the process he had lost both of his closest friends. Even now he still blamed himself for their deaths – especially Gatesy's. He was the one who should be dead, not Gatesy.