Chapter Two

                Judging from the headache I woke up to, I really hoped it was all a bad dream and this was the hangover from Hell.  I tried to bring a hand up to rub my eyes, and they were still tied together.  Guess that was wishful thinking and everything happened.  Wait, that means that Sarah actually lit some guys eyebrows on fire?  How did she do that?  Trying to move as little as possible, I took a look around.  Tank was stoking the fires underneath the pot, but the rest of the clearing was empty.  Where was Greasy?  Turning my head, I saw Sarah with a burlap sack over her head and her hands tied.  The rhythmic rise and fall of her chest assured me she lived, but what condition could she be in after that blow from Tank?

                "Hey, looks like sleepin' beauty woke up."  Tilting my head, I finally saw Greasy sitting on the stump we had occupied until recently.  He sauntered over and crouched down over my head, grabbing my chin.  Forcing my head none to gently side to side, he got a slight frown on his face.  "So, what is a waterbrand like you doing in the middle of the woods with a firebrand like her?"

                "What is a waterbrand and how do you know I'm one?"

                "Well, you took quite a whallop on your cheek there, more than enough to leave the bruise that is fading right in front of me.  Do ya know anything else with advanced healing other than a waterbrand? So, what were you doing in this forest?"

                "Nothing, just taking a walk."

                "Tsk tsk, see now I know you're lyin' there.  Ain't nothing within an hour walk way out here.  Now I gotta go and punish you." Taking my hand, Greasy spread my fingers out and looked me right in the eye.  "Now, try to keep quiet or we will have to shut you up again.  You don't want that, too much knockin' on the head does bad things to a person." Suddenly there was a line of burning pain between my index and middle finger!  What the OW! A second one appeared between my middle and ring fingers.  How was he inflicting these little cuts?  It was the mother of all paper cuts on the webbing between my fingers, but he wasn't touching them at all? Gritting my teeth, I watched as he narrowed his eyes on the area between my ring and pinky.  Sure enough, another line of pain and I noticed I was bleeding.  How could this guy be cutting me?

                "He he he, hurts don't it?  Aw, yer lookin' mighty confused there.  Never seen a windbrand use a cutter on anyone? It's best for little nicks here and there, but get in the right spot and you can kill someone.  Me, I prefer to nick the painful spots.  After we do yer hands, we can try the feet, and back and forth.  Just let yer own healing go and well, y'get the idea."

                Greasy took great pleasure in switching around the placement of the cuts on me, never letting me pass out from the pain, but never more than a few minutes respite before a new line of agony would erupt. I don't know how long I suffered, but things got much worse for me when I heard Sarah.  It started out as a little whimper, then she was thrashing about trying desperately to get the sack off her head.  In my agony I had forgotten her claustrophobia.  "Shhh, Sarah I'm right here, you're okay baby." I crooned to her to try and calm her down.  I didn't want to think of the tortures Greasy could inflict on her while she was in this state of mind.  About that time Tank came over, picked her up and placed her on the stump.  Shaking her a little, he uttered his first words of the night, "Quiet.  Deep slow breaths."  Slowly lifting the sack enough for her to get clean air in, the unexpected kindness seemed to relax her back to rational thought.

                "Th..th..thanks.  Do w w w we have t tt to blindfold me?"  It had been years since Sarah had stuttered, and that these two would be the cause of her suffering changed something in me.  Most people say they saw red and don't remember what happened.  I went the opposite way.  These bastards wouldn't survive the night.  The clearing came into hyper focus, every detail catalogued and possible weapons noted. In my gut was an icy rage, and I noticed a slight tingle coming from the back of my head.  Almost like a limb deprived of blood flow awakening, but not quite asleep enough to cause pain.  The barrel was open on top, with water from the creek flowing into it and draining from a small hose in the bottom.  What should have been fairly calm water was now roiling in tune with my rage, and a plan emerged.  With the rage firmly in control, and all thoughts of preservation gone, a thin stream of water left the barrel and targeted the joint between the pipe and the main tank.  Specifically, the joining compound that sealed up the system.  Seeing a small piece fall to the ground, I released my hold on the water and waited.  Would my sabotage go unnoticed?  It had to, even if I had to suffer a little just to make sure it did.

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                Noticing a thoughtful look my way from Greasy, I decided a little taunting was in order.  "So, is this your favorite place for a couples retreat?  Nice little mountain stream to clean up in after the deed is done?"  A burning line of pain across my chest was my reward, but it just added more to my rage.  "Heh, guess that one struck a nerve. Seems like you can't ever go deeper than a quarter inch.  That sound about right Tank?  Or can you even feel that?" My forehead erupted for that one.  "You know, Tank there's a pretty big guy.  As tiny as you are, I'm surprised he doesn't split you in half."  Slashes started working their way around both of my ears, which is far more excruciating than it sounds.  Thankfully Tank came over and grabbed Greasy by the shoulder breaking his concentration.

                "He's obviously trying to distract you.  Instead of falling for it, figure out what he doesn't want you to know."  Damn, Tank was brighter than he looked.  Taking a moment to center himself, Greasy came over and got right in my face again.

                "So, guess there is a bit of hero in there after all.  Your death might get a little faster if you tell us what you did.  If not, well we could always do the blood eagle."

                "Blood eagle?  Sorry, can't say that I've heard of that one before."

                "It's one of my favorites.  See, we take and make two slits in your back, and pull your lungs out through them.  A rather gruesome process, hence the blood part.  The lungs are then stretched out to give you eagle wings.  Of course, they can't inflate properly so you end up suffocating.  Of course, as a windbrand, I can inflate your lungs for you every so often.  My record is fifteen minutes before I let the poor fella die."

                "Well, aren't you a little sadistic? Don't worry, I didn't do anything.  Promise."  My head rocked back violently from the backhand Greasy threw.  If only I didn't have my hands tied behind me.  Oh well, my distraction was working for the moment.  Unfortunately, that's where my luck ended.  I looked a little too interested in the still that was unattended.  Following my gaze, Greasy paled a little.

                "Hey, you made sure to reinforce the still, right?"

                "Of course I did.  I always do, and I checked it five minutes ago.  Why?"

                "This guy keeps lookin' that way like he knows something."

                As Tank started walking over to the still, I saw what I had been hoping for.  A slight bluish tinge to the flame.  Suddenly, a trail of fire blazed up the support strut of the tank and headed straight for the hole I had made in the pipe junction.  "SARAH, HIT THE DECK!" I screamed while throwing my body down, knowing what would happen next.  I couldn't tell if she heard me or not, as my world immediately became a white roar.

                I came to and looked at the devastation of my gambit.  The still was a smoking crater.  Wow, these guys must have been pretty good at brewing.  Greasy was a few feet behind me.  I could have thanked him for partially blocking the explosion, but he wouldn't have cared since his head was making a rather unnatural angle.  I didn't see Tank, but that was the least of my worries.  Slipping my bound wrists under my feet, I crawled over to where Sarah was next to the stump.  As I got closer, my life shattered.  Sticking out of her chest was a small length of pipe.  I panicked.  All my medical training went right out the window.  I ripped the sack from her face.  God, she's so pale.  There's tears running down, but always a small smile when she sees me.

                "It hurts Larry."

                "I know baby.  I'm so sorry, I don't know what to do.  I can't move it, I don't know what to do."

                "Kiss me."

                My insides churning, I can't stop the tears, but I kiss my Sarah.  Tenderly, we rest with our foreheads together.  Every sob from her is agonized, tearing me apart.  I whisper, "I'm sorry my love, please don't leave me."

                "Sarah?  Sarah? SAAAARAAAAAAAAAH!" As she slipped away, the rage in my gut shatters and I break down.  I sobbed, soul wracking sobs until exhaustion took me and all I knew was black.