Chapter 4

Finally, exhaustion overcame fear and he fell asleep. He was awakened, he didn’t know how much later, by someone saying, “Well, look what we have here.”

“I wonder what we should do with him,” a second voice said, hate and glee lacing his words.

Cole shot up, trembling, to see two men silhouetted by the early morning light behind them. “Leave me alone,” he begged, trying to back away.

“Now where’s the fun in that?” the larger man asked, grabbing Cole’s arm to pull him to his feet. He shoved Cole hard against the concrete wall.

“Please, don’t hurt me,” Cole whimpered, just before he was punched in the gut. He doubled over, trying to breathe, and slid down the wall, praying he’d survive whatever they had planned for him.

Suddenly, there was a low growl from behind the punks.

“What the fuck!”