#held up

a little out of the ordinary

Whumpee: Vlad Dracula

I'm so late to the party. But here we are. My submission.

@irathgo @smellofsnoww @luna-rein

*************

Keir walked towards the warehouse ready for his new role as Beanie. He's been on this for months and he probably got everyone to not really care for him. This place wasn't different from the others but this time he was aiming for a higher position other than being just a worker. He was aiming for something closer to the bosses but not too close he would have people watching him. He would just be a simple guard. Bodyguard is pushing things but he could try.

It was early morning and he could see the sun rising but the crescent moon still stayed up and the clouds were still multicolored. The cold bit into him and he was thankful for the large hoodie he had around him.

He walked over to the building saying his hello to one of the men at the front.

"Oh Beanie. How's it going kid?" Said the tall old man that always stood at the doors checking who went in and out.

Keir was starting small and here with this 50 something old, tall, short haired man is where he was stationed.

"Morning Vic. Boss here yet?" Kier asked, shaking as the chill still passed through.

He wished he could be inside with everyone.

"Nah kid you can keep your job you came earlier than all the big boys today."

Beanie shot up a triumphant fist. "yeah I'm the man."

Vic laughed at the kids' energy.

"If you keep this up I might have to call you boss." Vic remarked."seems I lost the bet kiddo."

"Nah Vic, I'd never be able to be your boss. It's just the respect, man. You've been here longer."

Vic chuckled and slapped Keir's back.

"I respect the sentiment, Beanie."

Beanie gave a laugh too then walked away and headed to sit in his little chair on the opposite side of the door.

It was a large door large enough to fit a truck through it. He sat on one end and Vic on the other. Soon this large door would welcome an influx of workers.

After probably an hour more people started showing up. Each of them in their overalls and ready to work in the faux factory.

One of them being a familiar face but he shouldn't show that.

Coming closer was a young man with dark hair and square glasses. His name tag read Benson but that, like Beanie, was a false name.

Theo walked past Keir not paying attention to him and just saying hello to Vic cause he walked at his side. Giving him his work card then Vic recorded it and he then walked in like any one of them.

*****************

At his lunch break Kier pulled away from Vic and went to the back. It's the only time he had to himself without interruption.

From the other end Theo came to him still in his work clothes.

"What did you find?" He asked, going straight to the point. Dropping the Beanie persona. Now that no one was around, Kier could drop the energetic eager act.

Theo will never get used to how fast this guy can switch his personality from whatever he needs to his usual tired apathetic self.

But he had to move on.

"I managed to steal a few products and you're right it's the same fake medication that the last warehouse sold." He reported.

Kier kept eating his sandwich nodding at what Theo said. Figuring out what he should do next.

"So there's probably a lot more. These two aren't the only ones." Theo concluded. That is what they came to find out anyway.

Theo clenched his fist at the conclusion. This means they keep swindling people acting like they offer quality medicine at cheaper prices when they are just fakes.

If he could burn this warehouse and all of them in it he would but had to hold back.

Taking care of one or two factories won't solve anything, others will just pop up. They needed to get to the top and cut off the head. Literally or not they don't care.

Theo was just here to confirm if it was the same drugs and talk to the patients affected at his job. Keir wouldn't have agreed to him joining if he wasn't useful in that way.

"So what do we do now,''Beanie ``?'' Theo asked, emphasizing the false name because the man still won't introduce himself to him.

"Wait for me." Keir told him then started packing up his silver lunch box and began walking away.

Sure Theo couldn't stand the guy with his bossy and dismissive attitude but he didn't have anyone to work with right now.

He didn't want to get Choolwe involved even though she seemed just as furious with the situation having been affected by it in her own way but he can't see her in danger.

He watched as Keir walked away, rolling his eyes as he turned to head back himself.

Keir turned on Beanie. Pulling a pretty satisfied smile on his face as he went back to his post.

"Well you seem like you had a good lunch." Vic pointed out.

Beanie gave a playful shrug with an innocent smile.

Then Vic saw Theo walk through the warehouse doors and he gave Beanie a look.

Keir had to pretty much keep it together as Beanie cause he knew Theo was supposed to use the other door.

The look Vic wasn't one of suspicion though and more suggestive.

"I see why it was a good lunch." Vic said, giving Beanie a suggestive side glance.

Keir immediately went back into character making sure not to crack in front of his workmate.

"Nah man that's not it. I mean he's not my type." He said pulling back Beanie.

"Ahh so you actually have a type?" Vic teased him.

"I know with how I say it, I sound like I don't have a type but Vic," he pointed at Theo."He isn't my type."

"My daughter had a person she assured me wasn't her type and now she and they have been dating for three years."

"Hey Vic I didn't tell you who I liked just so you could ship me with anyone."

"Plus." He added. "I want to be taken care of cause I work hard." He rubbed Vic's shoulder seeking some validation.

Vic shook his head.

"Go to your station, kid. I'm sorry I'll stop now."

"Leter Vic. I still enjoy our chats, man." He did a tiny finger gun then turned to walk to his station. Maybe he should turn down the eagerness.

************

That evening he was confused when Vic had him taken inside the warehouse. He usually just waits while Vic closes inside and he sits outside till he comes out then he chains the outside. Vic gets all the keys so he opens up the shop too. He's always early anyway. But he has a spare.

Plus he was uneasy because he didn't see "Benson" leave work today.

Vic didn't say anything as he led him to a room deep into the building he hadn't been in.

"Vic man. Uhm …. You're kinda scaring me. What's up with all the mystery dude? Isn't it closing time?"

Vic didn't say anything and that just made him even more nervous.

When they reached the door Vic opened the door for him and he told him to get in.

Beanie listened and walked into the room. He could hear Vic enter the small room with a few people he recognized. Most of them had higher ranks around the place.

His heart began to pound as they all stared at him. Did they figure him out already? He needed to find a way to get Theo out of here.

Vic suddenly touching his shoulder made him jump slightly.

He gave him a forced smile that was filled with Beanie's terror. Maybe he shouldn't drop the facade yet.

"I've been watching you kid." Vic said in a proud voice.

That just made his nerves worse.

"You …… you have?" He asked, shaking a little.

Vic nodded with a proud smile.

Beanie returned the smile though he was more fear ridden.

Before anything could be said the door opened behind them and he heard someone being dragged in.

In came Theo or no he was "Benson". His hands and feet were tied up and he tried but failed to break free from the two people holding him and he was gagged.

They stopped as they dropped him on the floor.

He simply looked up at them looking helpless at the large figures that towered over him and as he lay down.

Theo was suddenly taken away from everyone an hour before closing time. He was powerless against the strong people that held him and then he was led away and tied up until they brought him here again.

He doesn't know why they brought him but hopefully it was only him that they got. Maybe that guy can get away from here.

"Found this one snooping around. He also got a little something for himself the other day." One of the people said.

Keir didn't know what to do. He just simply kept thinking of ways to get everyone out.

"What's this got to do with me?" Beanie asked.

"Well Vic over there said you know him." The same person said. She was a pretty big woman who he saw guarding the inside.

"Woah woah. I don't know him and I told Vic that he and I were just a coincidence." He cut her off.

"Okay prove it." Another person said. He was on the other side right behind Theo.

Beanie swallowed dry saliva as he looked to Vic for a way out but he was in this too.

"Come on kid." Vic urged him. " You want to be one of us right? Prove it."

He put his hands on Keir's shoulders and moved him close to Theo. He left Keir's shoulders and bent down to Theo.

Then he grabbed a fistful of Theo's hair.

Theo cried through the gag.

He was already scared as he breathed heavily and as his terrified eyes tried not to look at Keir.

"So… um… What do you guys want me to do?"

Vic pulled down the gag.

Vic stood up then walked behind Beanie getting closer to his ear. "show him not to mess with us, kid. Make him scream."

It seemed Theo heard what they said or not and this time for the first time he looked up at Keir. Or he was looking at Vic.

"We could tell you to make him beg but apparently he doesn't speak English and screaming is more universal." The woman added grinning.

On que Theo pleaded in his father's tongue actually he was cursing them.

Each one of them returned her sentiment.

Keir nodded as he nervously strode closer then he bent down to Theo.

"I'm sorry. I don't want to do this."

Theo swallowed his fear then nodded.

"Come on kid we don't have all night. You going to show us what you got or not?"

One of them asked again, he didn't care to see who.

But with that remark he stood and kicked Theo in the gut.

Theo gasped as he felt the first hit and he felt the pain explode. He knew how strong that guy was and he could experience his force now.

But he had to stay strong even as tears flowed out.

The next kick came into his chest and he couldn't breath for a second. The next hit his jaw and his vision disappeared.

"Hold on hold on. This is no fun." One of them said cheerfully and he allowed himself to think he could be saved.

But then two hands forced him up on each side.

"Okay, continue." He saw who it was and it was the guy that was working with "Beanie"

He hoped it was an act because Beanie seemed to be enjoying himself.

"Yeah." Beanie said, smiling back at Vic.

Theo felt sick at the face in front of him.

Then before he could process it another hit snapped his face to the other side. He tasted the blood and let it drip out of his mouth freely.

Another hit and another and he was already feeling too tired to stay upright. He could see how the world seemed to blur and everyone doubled. Everything hurt and breathing wasn't getting easier.

He was finding it hard to keep his eyes open and lost count of the number of punches that kept coming through.

But he could hear the laughter and he could hear that guy amongst them.

"Tough one" one of them remarked.

He was slipping and only a hand slapping his cheek brought him back. Well barely.

"Come on, we're not done yet. I still haven't made you scream." Beanie said, bringing him back.

He pulled his head back and hit "Beanie" straight in the nose.

Beanie smiled. Red staining his teeth as he showed them.

Theo was sure but he saw a tear stream down and he maybe saw how much this pained him too.

"Maybe this will help, kid." One of the people around handed him a pool table stick.

Though he didn't want to, he had to take it.

Then he turned to Theo, finding it so much harder to keep up that smile.

Theo saw it. At that moment he realized that he was given a hint. He could stop this if he screamed. He stopped trying to hold it in.

Kier didn't take too long thinking about it and simply hit the thing behind Theo's back and Theo showed he understood as he let it out. A bone chilling scream that made Keir want to tear his ears off.

Good now he can stop, please . That has to be all now.

"Good one kid now one more." The woman said and he just wanted to push the thing down her throat.

He simply laughed. Then he remembered maybe there was a way to make them stop.

"I'm going to beat you so bad your own country won't recognize you." He raised his hand waiting for any of them to get his hint.

Thankfully one of them noticed and stopped them.

"Hold on. He might have to report to authorities once a while and if they notice his missing they might start looking." One of them pointed out and he literally thanked him for being here.

"Stop kid, that's enough.You've proved you can handle things. " Vic spoke up. "Just find a way to get him out of here."

With that all of them left him alone. The two men that held Theo up just let him fall down his body simply hitting the hard concrete.

"You're one of us now." Was Vic's final remark and Keir felt sick.

Theo looked up at him with bloodshot, tired, unfocused eyes. His glasses were long broken and he looked bloody everywhere. Keir had some of it on his body and fists.

With everyone gone Keir rushed over to Theo on the floor.

He pulled out a piece of cloth he kept in his pocket and he began cleaning the blood off Theo's face.

The shallow and painful breaths that came from Theo tore at his guilt. But at least he was alive.

He began lifting Theo up and leading him out of there. He at least needed to get him somewhere he could get uninterrupted rest and get better.

When he reached his car some meters away from the place. He drove him to his home.

There he had James treat him.

"Ah two bloody young boys today." James greeted them.

"I'm fine he's the one that needs your help." Keir placed Theo on the couch. He had passed out a while back and Keir was happy to not look at those unfocused, tired eyes.

James didn't feel like questioning it and just got to work.

Keir sat quietly as he worked. James' was used to him being silent but this just felt wrong.

Keir just sat there watching him work. Impatiently shaking his leg.

"He's not too bad." James said, trying to reassure the kid.

"Yeah sure." Kier said dismissively. He continued shaking his leg.

When James was done he stood up immediately.

"Can I move him?" Keir's impulsive question shocked James. What this boy needed was to lay down but he could still be moved.

"Yeah. But not too much."

"Good."Kier moved past James and gently scooped up the passed out Theo.

James didn't say anything, the kid seemed to be in a hurry to get that dude out.

He'll be back later, hopefully.

Keir reached Theo's apartment and called out his friend.

Choolwe walked out and he just walked into the place without a word. Leaving the worried and stunned Choolwe at the door.

"Make sure he gets enough rest." He instructed her and then just turned away.

Before he left he gave her some final remarks. "He'll be ok, there's a list of things he'll need and no hospitals. Also… I'm sorry."

She still wasn't given a chance to respond before he just slammed the door and left. This wasn't what she was expecting when he called and told her to go to Theo's place cause Theo needed her.

She just turned to her banged up friend.

She was worried and confused but thankful he was alright. Well mostly.

**************

When he got home he didn't say a word and just walked into the bathroom. He slammed the bathroom door and threw off the bloody t-shirt and bloody jeans.

He started with washing his hands trying his best to get the blood off his hands. All the way up to his elbow.

He just wanted to get the whole thing off of him. Their laughter and his own laughter that he had to put up for them. Those sick bastards.

He scrubbed all of it off. Increasing his speed cause it just wouldn't get off. He felt disgusted. How could he do that for so long?

Get off get off get off.

He slapped himself with one hand then continued scrubbing.

"One of them," he said to himself. "I'm one of those bloody bastards." He hit himself again.

Again he returned to cleaning his hands.

He only stopped when James walked in and held back his hands.

"Hey that's enough Keir. It's okay kid. You're going to tear your skin off."

Keir looked at his hands in horror, not really paying attention to James.

"There's….. just so much….. so much blood on it. I….. can't….. can't get…. I can't get it off." He cried.

James pulled him close into a hug and rubbed his back.

"That's cause you keep tearing your skin off and using all my soup."

Keir just broke down further; he paid no mind to James Joke.

"I know those kinds of guys. I know how mean they can be."

Keir began to speak against what he said cause he still felt like it was his fault but his voice got caught in his throat as he failed to get his words out through the sobbing.

"Yeah yeah kid it's okay just let it out. Don't worry I patched your friend up.He'll be fine."

He held him until his tears ran out then he led him out of the bathroom.

Keir was silent and distant as James patched up his own self-inflicted wounds.

When he was done he brought Keir something small to have.

"Not hungry." Keir told him.

"Okay just have some tea to, don't know, calm you down." He suggested. "Also you need more fluids so you can make more tears."

Keir just gave him a side glance. James felt maybe he said something wrong there.

"Okay that last one wasn't as supportive as I thought it would be. Little insensitive, I'll admit."

Keir sighed.

"I'll have the tea."

"Good choice." He said with a smile. James always had that humor but he really worried for the kid. Today seemed very heavy.

He left to get the bloody clothes and threw them out. He definitely won't want those anymore.

He was happy to see it worked when he came back.

Keir was passed out on the couch. Half drank tea on the table.

He knew Keir enough to know he was going to push himself to the max because of this. He would just hurt himself more and find ways to get beat up.

He took him off the couch and led him to bed. This is better than finding him beat up in some alley.

I might wanna do an event

Where Alice is swapped momentarily with.. a different version of herself.

An interpretation that I do like (and also hate cus I don’t like seeing my baby like THAT but it’s also. Interesting ! It’s love hate.)

Essentially a more. Bitch of an Alice.

I think it’s lead to some interesting threads; especially if that factor of the other not knowing this isn’t the real Alice

Only difference in appearance is her dress is like it is in game rather than how I draw her