Austin Lowe

[austin-lowe-blog]

Unlike before, he flinched at the word ‘psychopath’. Discussing the term and those branded with it was starting to be more negative than informative. At first all the boy had was curiosity. Now he wished he hadn’t brought it up. His body shivered from the harshness. “S-So you’re gonna k-keep ta-aking.“ Therefore there was no end or point. He’d be used up while David gets his fill. One answer would undoubtedly lead to the next question, Austin knew that because he was the same when it came to curiosity. But if someone wasn’t willing to share, he would never start ripping fingernails off the secretive person.

Maybe if he gave an answer satisfying enough, then the monster would let him free. It couldn’t be too open ended though, Austin didn’t want to leave room for further questioning. “Um…” The shaggy haired boy was rather surprised that stalling had gone without consequential pain, but thinking too soon on it wasn’t smart either. After all, David ended up attacking due to his half-truth. “With…” The memory resurfaced perfectly. The events were mentally carefully avoided, but now overwhelmed his senses. Everything about reality mixed in with the nightmare. The sick smell clinging to the four walls–blood, death, and stale screams. His hands dirty, this time with his own blood. The images he recieved to summon the answer were slowly slicing into his guard like the sharp edge of the weapon. “With a…kn-knife.” He knew it’d be too much to hope for to be let go right away, so continued to tremble in waiting for the next question or next nail to be torn.

[austin-lowe-blog]

“What’s your secret?”

“Sometimes I keep to myself. And sometimes I can’t find anyone around. I’m Austin.”

[kass-milkovich-blog]

Someone looks like they had a rough night.

[austin-lowe-blog]

“I guess…I haven’t been sleeping well.”

[austin-lowe-blog]

An “Ahh” of sorts left his mouth in a breathless heap as soon as those claws lifted. The relief was sadly brief because next came that same pulsating ache his thumbs still had. The damage felt extreme and he didn’t know how to fix it. Who knows if there would be such a thing as recovering. Maybe David would yet again change their deal by killing him. Prolonging the sight of his raw fingertips was all he could think off, so his eyes remained shut. “A-All–” Another cough scraped up the back of his throat, making his attempt to speak even slower. The screaming had caused his mouth to go dry and his feeble voice to crack. “All you’ve done…i-is take.” Austin got nothing in return. It could be argued that he had gotten information out of the other male earlier, but then again so had David. Even if the answers weren’t what the dark haired male specifically sought, all of it had been more than he wanted to give.

“I…um…” His chin trembled fiercely and sunk to his chest. It was the furthest his head could lower. Keeping it bowed as he cried was his way of avoiding looking to the being before him. The boy was afraid of the monster, but even more afraid that his answers would be used to further abuse him. His family would be mocked and after all this time of keeping that past locked down and reduced to a faint memory. Supressing it was his best way to not crumble. It was hard to believe that David would accept any answer without commenting. Once again he curled up the rest of his fingers, excluding the ones that were damp. “H-He, uh…” Again his mumble turned into silence, almost as if he were trying to remember.

[austin-lowe-blog]

“No!” Austin fought to keep his fist closed, struggling against the chains that wouldn’t slacken no matter which way he hastily shifted. It had been a petty attempt to try to keep the rest of his fingers from being denailed, but try he did. And when the demon forcefully took matters into his own hands, it got Austin’s heart to pound as hard as a brick trying to smash through bulletproof glass. “No! No! N–” Though he’d chosen not to talk, the consequence was quickly becoming unbearable. His screams cut into his useless pleas. The pain of the yank and tearing seemed to linger even after the nail was off. That intense throb felt like the worst part. The steady tears produced without effort, even with his eyes shut tight. He was afraid to look at his hands, figuring the pain would match the damage. His mouth remained open as he cried, unable to get a grip over himself.

By that point, Austin wailed more that the first time. Had he anything to say, which he found that he did, it was impossible for him to use his proper voice. The nails, like daggers, stole all the focus from letting his mind think straight and from pronouncing any words. If they would stop digging in, then maybe he’d be able to catch his breath. Quickly the young boy had become light headed and the headache was a full grown nuisance to add to the unfortunate occasion. He hated feeling so tiny and powerless again. Even so, he hadn’t quite grasped whether he would offer the information David wanted, but knew that either way the demon had already won. That fact made it easier to keep the answers of his past a secret–a stubbornness growing with each unfair tweak the adult pulled within their deals. The struggle to cave or keep it to himself was draining.

[austin-lowe-blog]

The pressure against his thumbs lessened. Those seconds of torture felt like long minutes. As his scream eased into whispers, he knew it wouldn't last long before David hurt him again. Guess all those threats weren't just talk. Of course, what psychopath wouldn't lay his hands on anyone, even a child. As much as he liked to seem older, he knew eleven was young. Not even a teenager yet, but bad things kept happening to him and he got dealt a fate any other victim could have been given. It wasn't as bad as the slaughtered bodies, but that didn't matter.

Being hurt without hesitation and sympathy still counted. The coughing persisted now and again while struggling for air. And because he knew no care was given, the shaggy haired boy cried openly. The tears rolling down mixing in with the snot. It was gross, though debatably not as bad as his raw thumbs (in his own opinion). Austin trembled from head to toe, still hiding his fingers. The next inhale came deep from his nose and out through his mouth, or at least he attempted as a way to prepare for whatever he was in store for. Giving in to David wasn't an option anymore. His family deserved better than to have their deaths mocked by someone so cruel.

[austin-lowe-blog]

Nothing could prepare him for the pain. Though he had hidden the rest of his fingers, his bloody thumbs had been left shakily out in the open. Had he curled them up too, anything brushing against the surface would have hurt. That was David's angle. The next eruption from his mouth happened in a series of stages. His teeth gritted, but soon unclamped, mouth quivering open to express the loud, "OW!" that morphed into a scream. He wiggled uncontrollably in his seat, his legs stuck between kicking and stomping due to the pain. This was a slow torture, something to get him to talk. Austin was too busy screaming out his voice box to say any proper word or sentence.

Already his face seemed permanently flushed. Just when he thought the points digging harshly into his exposed thumbs couldn't get worse, the pain intensified. They might as well have pierced right through. For all he knew, that could be the demon's next move. The young boy was making noise as if he were being butchered, and this was only the beginning. The only possible upside, which he couldn't quite grasp during the moment, was that the infliction kept him grounded in the present instead of wandering in the past.

[austin-lowe-blog]

Simultaneously screaming and crying had resulted in coughing. Austin struggled to properly breathe. His vision was blurry, but that was something he didn't mind. Having to actually look at David would have sent him more waves of fear. Hearing the persisted question helped him quiet somewhat. The only thing sounding from him were frequent sniffles and a whimper eliciting at the gesture of more harm being done. The chains worked against him, but that didn't stop him from trying to lean away. The boy didn't trust himself with his voice. The other still meant to extract information, but at that point he was closed for business. Their deals were unfair and half carried out. After offering up his past and getting nothing, but torture, he was done. The only thing he had to wait for was for this to be over.

There was a subtle shake of his head as he kept avoiding looking at the demon. What good would talking do when it got him nowhere, literally. Though his body was present, his mind was trapped in the destruction his brother created. Surviving one murderer only to be captured by another. Maybe the universe was telling him something. This time there was no kitchen knife and no...well, Austin didn't want his mind to crash and burn like his house. His short nails dug deep enough to imprint crescents into his palms. His fists shook and his eyes squeezed shut tight, waiting for the beast to attack.

[austin-lowe-blog]

That intentional clicking of nail against chair sent a chill down his spine. His mind had been tossed back in forth that he couldn't decide what to think about. Things in his head were as messy as the room--red splashes of the past and a glimmer of reality close to burning out. Stephen didn't do anything as gruesome as David did to the corpses sharing the room, but it was all still graphic. The memories were all too vivid, making his lips tremble in an open mouthed cry. A question like that sounded on purpose and succeeded in causing the boy emotional torment. No answer was given about it. Feeding into the demon's amusement wasn't something he wanted to keep doing. "It's not a lie, I didn't know who he truly was." His words were choppy, his current state interfering with his voice.

A brief flicker of hope lit up his eyes. Freedom so close would mean the end of this encounter and would start his future avoidance of the evil being. But he should have read the deception in the ferocious grin that nowhere met those icey orbs. Austin violently shook in his seat, his ears deafening from a scream he didn't realize was his own. The searing pain coming from his thumbs automatically had the rest of his fingers curling into fists for protection of the same fate. Where his nails used to be was now a layer of blood dripping down like tears of their own. The exposure was so unfamiliar and the pain from damage that was seemingly so tiny was shocking. The boy continued to shake against the chains as if there was some chance to get away. The rest of his fingernails dug deeply into the palm of his hands, wanting to prevent it from happening again.

[austin-lowe-blog]

Austin tugged his body forward, or attempted to. The chains still binded him tightly. The monster hadn't moved to loosen them at all. That nightmarish face, which his gaze finally snapped to in disbelief at the sound of more questions being fired, held no sign of this game being over. Even though the previous question was answered, it wasn't the end of it. As exhausted as he was, holding up his end of the deal and still not being freed made him furious. "He killed them! I didn't know him!" His face reddened as he shouted. The declaration of not knowing his own brother didn't sound entirely false. Austin fully believed he didn't know Stephen; the killer was a stranger and the brother he once loved was a fake. If he got down to it, he never really knew who the older boy was. He still didn't, other than acquiring the term sociopath.

"Get me out of here, liar!" There was a sinking feeling in his chest. If David hadn't let him go with the multiple answers he already gave, there was no persuading him unless, perhaps, he gave up the entire truth. As the kid went through another round of useless struggling, a dull throb at the back of his head began to cause him more ache. It was enough to get him to calm his erratic behavior. Breathing heavily, he stared at the claws ready to attack. They had cut the vine so quickly, they could tear up his flesh even quicker. Maybe it was the nauseating defeat that got him to cave. "M-My brother." He had been so afraid that talking about it would break him. Surprisingly, it didn't. "Please...please let me go now." As he stared at the nails, Austin was on the verge of shutting down.

[austin-lowe-blog]

His attempts were futile. This time when his bottom hit the chair, David made sure to keep him there. As much as he still tried to struggle against the hold, his back was firmly pressed against the wood. The ache it created was something to add to the sore muscles. An opportunity flashed in his eyes when the demon pulled an arm away. Maybe he could push out of the grip now. Wrong. The rattle of the chains snagged his attention, making him kick out with more determination. It would have been an amazing magic trick had the appearance of the item not been to restrain him. They looked cold, the metal clinking acting as a form of laughter at his predicament. Had he not been so wrapped up in his own mind and with resisting, he would have noticed summoning the chains had taken a toll on the demon. The growl still simmered from the back of his throat as he tried to wiggle every which way. "You should've just kept me tied up in that tree. Made a lot of work for yourself." His words were bitter, pointing at David's stupidity for getting him down, only to wrangle him up. The boy bowed his head, averting his gaze as he continued to fight against being tied down. It was like glue; he was going no where and it only wore him down.

Austin didn't believe one word. Though he silently considered it, it sounded like a way to dig his grave a little more. David was mean. There was no way he'd be released and it made this game of cat and mouse all for nothing if he caved. Still...Austin wanted out. Maybe this was a way to help himself. His eyes had already watered during the first battle to escape. Now his blue hues continued to burn with salty tears because he hated losing to this egotistical monster. If he was easier on himself, he would have included the thought that he could never win anyway. The adult was always two steps ahead. "I guess..." His shaggy head lowered more, a form of wanting to disappear. Being invisible would've been lovely right about now. "I have PTSD because I lost my family. I'm alone." Something he had accepted well, or so he thought. The deep frown on his face contradicted how speaking the truth was ripping him inside. His voice had softened as if he were speaking about an insecurity. "All because of a jerk, like you." With emphasis on the word 'jerk', Austin was referring to that other label. A sociopath. Now wasn't the time to think about his family. There was never the right time to think about it, hence why it was so burried. The boy waited for the chains to loosen and to be told that was the right response.

[austin-lowe-blog]

Austin wanted to imagine this ending differently. David could stop, he could be let go, and they didn't have to cross paths every again. He'd even be willing to forget this wretched encounter, but all of it was wishful thinking. His fingers had curled around the doorknob and gripped tight, but he was feeling weightless as the male grabbed at him once again. He held onto the knob, only letting go by being yanked away. Arms flailing as if he could grab onto something else, he rooted his feet to the ground in resistance. There was only one place David could be dragging him to: back to the chair. As much as he grounded his heels into the wooded floor, it didn't stop the other from forcing him back towards the seat. "No...you...can't..." The boy grumbled, not so much focusing on talking as he was about getting away. Strikes of terror, like lighting, kept hitting where his heart was. The way David was handling him felt like kidnapping.

It felt all wrong being taken advantage of by an adult. It crossed his mind to start screaming for the attention of anyone passing by, but he could just imagine that David would add them to the pile of bodies. There was no one who could save him. Only he could try getting himself out of this mess. It seemed too late to cough up the private facts of his life, which he still was fully against doing. Thus, he tried to push out of the hold and, when the chair had gotten dangerously close, his pushing had turned to latching. Austin curled his fingers into the fabric of the male's shirt, refusing to be set down. He silently hoped that hanging on would mean the big jerk would lose his balance or that if he went down, he'd take the demon with him. Clinging as if the chair awaiting him was as hot as lava, his next move was to struggle past for his escape. It was difficult to breathe and the more he gasped for air, the more there seemed to be less of it.

[rjosterman]

[austin-lowe-blog]

A strange noise was sounding from the back of his throat. It was a growling of displeasure and an attempt at trying to be tough--when really Austin was no more than a puppy compared to the pit bull--and a mixture of the crying he was trying to swallow down. His neck had developed that swollen feeling, making everything get stuck and incoherent. He was choking on the sob rapidly developing to make itself known. As he felt the chair beneath his bottom, he instantly rushed to get out of it. Even with the demon before him, he kicked out at the shins, refusing to be still. "You made those up!" Rules that were barbaric and worked only in the demon's favor. His back straightened out as he pushed himself up, shoving against David to pass and get to the door again. His eyes caught sight of the claws, something that he had to remember to stay clear of. This was too close to the devilish being, too frightening and something to soon be marked as unfortunate. Was he to die and join the bodies? The outcome wasn't clear. It wasn't like he could trust David's word. "You. Can't. Get. Anything. You. Want." With each word he bellowed, another fist was sent against the other. They weren't proper punches considering Austin knew nothing about fighting. Even so, he would have aimed for the face if only he were tall enough.

This behavior was the result of panic. He was scared to be forced to say something he didn't want to share and angry because it was a violation. The boy needed to find some sort of safety. Crawling under a bed would have helped, and would have given him a sense of deja vu, but this room was too chaotic to be of use. Struggling his way past, his arm outstretched for the door. It was an uplifting miracle for his fingers to graze the knob and twist, not giving up on running even if the other was okay with poofing in front of him all day. Compliance was far down the drain. If he made it to the hallway, someone was bound to hear.

[austin-lowe-blog]

Austin could only pay attention to the freedom so close to his fingertips. This had gone on far enough and due to the demon's advantages at, well, everything, there didn't seem to be a way he could win. Talking about why he had PTSD wasn't something he wanted to get into. David would win if he gained what he wanted. Trying to flee was long overdue. The boy subconsciously knew he wasn't fast enough, but hope was a strong thing. Alas, David would still win. Everything that was built up inside from the moment he stepped into the horrifc room was beginning to reach the surface. The gasp that left his lips was filled with frustration as the other appeared in front of him. He wanted to run and hide and somehow have that be strong enough. Nothing was fair here. There was no head start, no man to man fight--not that he qualified as one yet--and no hiding spots. Just the hallway he couldn't reach. A cry of surprise sounded at the sight of those petrifying features. Those shark-like eyes returned and the male had turned back into a raging monster. He couldn't think about the fact that the other never stopped being one; the outside was just matching the inside now. He tried to dash away, not that there was a place to go, and when he got caught it shouldn't have shocked him as much as it did. None of the countless threats had been acted upon, but now...now there was a taste of true danger in the air. Austin violently thrashed against the arms. Though the frown was on his face and his teeth gritted, those blue eyes had blurred with panic. "Get off of me!" Even if there had been a weapon in the room, the eleven year old wouldn't have known how to use it. He lacked the guts to do such a thing. All he had were his fists, which were pathetic in comparison to the other. That didn't stop him from pounding them as hard as he could against David's chest. "Get off!"

[austin-lowe-blog]

The amusement seemed to fade fast as the patience drained from the other. Austin knew he wasn't making things better for himself. It almost made him wonder if he should give up by giving in. The boy was too hard headed for that though. After all he survived, he didn't want to be weak due to a giant bully, no matter how much it would've been seemingly the wiser choice. "Oh really..." Any smart remark that had been about to slip his mouth had drifted off the moment those claws came into contact with his stomach. Flinching, he pushed himself back against the wall. It didn't matter if it was sickly stained, it was the furthest he could go. Just as quickly as the fear had filled his eyes, a flash of anger also arose within him. "Classified. Maybe when you get your degree we can play the therapy game and I'll let you in on whatever it is you want to know." His words were bitter as he impulsively pushed the hand away by the wrist. His heartbeat picked up, as if the demon's action was a needle of adrenaline. It was the wrong answer. An alarm bell went off in his head. That agitation swirled so much with the fear that it caused nausea to toss in his empty stomach. Fully believing the threat would be acted on this time, Austin leapt off the chair to race for the door.

[austin-lowe-blog]

A small huff left his lips as he was hinted to continue. It was standard information, something anyone could gain if friendly enough. It felt equal, since David had told about himself. Going any further felt like trespassing. Austin usually kept his mind tied up so that it wouldn't get him down and wouldn't get in the way of the little life he led. The next laugh was probably the first from the male that hadn't upset him. Calling someone a jerk wasn't as bad as a real swore word or any other phrase adults say these days. It was a word he didn't feel guilty saying, which was why he wouldn't take it back. Besides, it was completely harmless to the demom. It was almost a positive thing that, so far, those claws weren't digging into his skin. Since what he offered hadn't been enough, it gave him the doubt that nothing would suffice. "Because bad things happen, I guess." That wasn't good enough. The boy knew it wasn't, but he couldn't settle on anything more creative. "You're the genius, you should know why people have certain labels." If the male could eliminate others, surely he could use his own imagination.