They'd granted me a few seconds to force myself to my feet once again. Just then, a bulkier man stepped forward. I could not even make out his beard from the rest of his face. Was that even the problem now?
He clutched my neck, driving me into a state of near suffocation that nearly made me pass out. Why don't they try taking me singly and see how much luck they could get with that.
My face reddened in agony, my heart thumping with fear as I prayed for a miracle. Where was God hiding now? Was I going to die like this?
Right when I was on the thin line between life and death, he shoved me away towards the power circuit closest to us. My back scratched against metal, sending spiking pain through me.
I soon dropped to the hard floor in a lump, weakness taking over me once more that I became suddenly unsure if I was going to survive this. Slowly, they hovered above me, only a blur to me as my vision weakened. Breathing became painful.
"Scoop up some water, Jax," one of them said. "Who knows how to start an electric fire?"
The word _fire_ sent a shiver racing through me. Even with the strength I lacked, I strived to push myself from the floor, quite sure _being burnt_ was not the way I wanted to die.
Halfway up to sit, Alan sent a foot kicking straight at my elbow and bending it beyond its hinges.
I yelled in pain. Only a miracle could stop that joint from breaking now; which was exactly what I needed, by the way.
Wrong time for the Creator to shut his ears again.
Having been forced to the floor once again, I had no strength to rise. The feeling of helplessness was a disgusting one for someone like me. Where were the skills when you needed them, Jeffery?
Above, I studied Jax. He strived to scoop some water from the rotating turbines while someone else messed with the power house.
Did they truly want to set me on fire?
Out of an unplanned attack, I pulled Alan by his leg and rushed to my feet. Although sore, fighting till the end was what I did best.
Meanwhile, my roomie had taken my place on the metal floor.
Having attracted attention now, I knew it was now or never.
They came at me one by one, determined to hold me in place. Grabbing a skinny one named Maury, I hooked my elbow around his neck with the intentions of squeezing the life out of him.
You want to kill your fifth victim, Jeff? At the thought, I shoved him away and narrowly flinched from a punch that was thrown at me.
Catching another, I made sure to twist that arm before kicking him away. Their number still gave them an advantage over me though. Two hits landed at my side that forced me to stagger towards the turbines.
A vast space of water was flowing beneath the rotating wheels, placed under an open ceiling. It caused the light striking the fluid to reflect on our bodies and our voices to echo past.
Spinning on a heel, I sent a kick forward without caring to know who the victim was going to be. It was only afterwards that I realised it was big old Butcher.
As my boxing skills suddenly came into play now, my knuckles jabbed more noses and bruised more lips.
I was weak, almost drained; but if I had to make it out alive, endurance was that one thing I needed.
Holding on became easier as the number lessened; right until I saw something spark from the corner of my eye. Automatically, my heartbeat began to race.
Jax had managed to yank out some thick copper wire with his hands and a pliers. As they heaped on the floor, Maury sent a load of water washing down upon them, making sure to have stepped away from the pool of electrified water that formed near their feet.
Pounds of smoke hovered about them after that action. And there was Jax fanning it up with a wide card to stir it even more.
Having lost my guard, I could not prevent the punch that came aggressively on my chin. I could tell it was Alan though.
"Scared of fire, Jeff?" He teased, obviously angered that I'd shoved him to the floor. Honestly, I was hoping they wouldn't figure that out. Now that they had, there was no possible way I was making it alive.
From behind me, I caught the sight of scorching flames burning up the wire and the snakes of fire running up the power circuit. The sight came like an allergy that made me grow weak all over again; as weak as I'd been when I watched the explosion take Max. It was the feeling of guilt all over again.
I needn't answer to confirm Alan's question; it was painted all over my sweaty face. Slowly, I took a few steps back, my hand nursing my jaw, towards the hydro turbines. Anything to keep me away from from the flames' reflection.
"Hey! Get me some of that!" Butcher yelled to Jax and Maury, a stupid grin on his face. It was the victory you'd get when you find an archenemy's weakness.
A burning plank was taken to him there and then and he'd received it with a smirk of satisfaction. The yellow light bathed his face, giving him a sinister vibe altogether.
"You scared of fire, big guy," he teased, shoving the plank towards my face and snickering annoyingly each time.
My legs lost balance and sent me crashing down below. Heart thumping with every beat, my joints weakened and I felt the sweat pores on my skin open as Butcher came closer and closer.
As I sat, I pulled myself backwards and away from him as tears gradually made everything blurry. "Butcher, stop!"
Forcing authority into my tone, I still made sure Jeffery Thompson won't appear to be a coward and a cry baby even in the moment of death.
The water turbines marked an end to the space behind me, and before me, the inmates neared, with Butcher who held a plank in lead. Was this how I was going to die? If only Noah were here.
As I slid myself backwards along the floor, I neared the turbines and it was up to me to decide which would kill me. Fire or water.
At the edge now, my movement stopped. Now and then, fire crossed my face; hot, painful and searing flames nearing more and more as I shook my head in agony.
I could remember how Williams' struggles for life on that hospital bed had built pleasure in my soul back then. Was this some form of Karma?
"Butcher!" A voice barked from behind them all, echoing from every wall in the alcove and certainly instilling fear.