Survival of the fittest - AmyMarie and Shadowfax

[Shadowfax]

Sam fell on the floor with a thud and looked back as Harvey slammed the door. He rushed over to the bottle of water he had given him and downed half the bottle. He then went over to the snacks and ripped open a bag of crisps. The boy felt so hungry he didn't care about the fact he was eating like an animal. He picked up every last crumb on the matress before letting his head fall into his arms. Sam wept for sometime, clinging to the duvet for company.

He looked up after a while and began to pace the room. He needed to escape. Sam began to turn pillows over, pull draws out and then looked through the wardrobe. There had to be something in the room to help him escape. Then he had an idea.. The window.. Sure it was locked, but he could smash it and escape.

That was decided. He picked up the chair next to him and launched it at the window. At first he missed and it bounced off the wall. The noise caused him to wince and look over his shoulder out of fear of Harvey hearing. He gave it a few seconds before he tried again. This time, he hit the window and it smashed into a thousand pieces. Pleased with himself, he grabbed a pillow and began to push the lose bits of glass off the frame to avoid cutting himself.

Back down in the lobby, Ashelin watched as the pathetic low lifes fought for Aimee. She had never felt so sick in all her life and she looked dangerous whenever anyone looked in her direction. She pitied George having to watch this. Instinctively she tried to wriggle her arms out the cuffs, but no luck. Aaron finally revealed that he owned a tazer aswell as two cans of pepper spray. She sighed with relief when he took her off Harvey and knew that no harm would come to her that evening or the next.

Then reality hit her. She was next. She stood up straight and looked about the room. Jack smirked at her and the other men began collecting their things. She then heard Jack whisper to the others.

"I'll save these for when she's up for auction"

That made Ashelin's blood boil. The young woman looked over her shoulders at the cuffs around her arms and again tried to pull her way free. They were a little loose, so maybe she could.

[UncoordinatedPisces]

Aaron and Amy: show

Aaron got the keys to his usual room on the third floor. He was still in Matt's sight, so he still held onto Aimee. As soon as he rounded the corner with her he let go. "Thank you so much" she immediately blurted out, not loud enough to be heard by the others. Aaron gave her a smile as he began climbing the stairs

"Couldn't let you go off with someone like Harvey, or that crackpot could I?". She followed up behind him. "I'll have to stay in the room with you now, because if I appear downstairs it shows I'm not...well...not making use of you". Aimee looked to the ground in awkwardness. It wasn't nice knowing that the men downstairs were awaiting their 'turn'. The two climbed the flights of stairs and Aaron led them down the corridor to the room he had stored his stuff in. Luckily, the gangs didn't check the rooms.

He opened the door and then turned to Aimee. "I'm sorry, forgot about those cuffs. Come in and kick the door shut, it locks automatically". Aimee did so and then walked over to Aaron, who was rooting under the bed. He pulled out a large case. Inside, was all the police supplies he had managed to grab from the station. Batons, tazers, pepper spray, cuffs, high quality walkie-talkies, everything really. He took out the spare set of keys and turned Aimee around. He unlocked the cuffs and slipped them off.

Aimee breathed a sigh of relief and rubbed her wrists. She noticed it was a double bed. It seemed Aaron noticed her looking. "Oh, I'll sleep on the floor don't worry about it" he said with a grin. Aimee felt guilty, he looked like he needed sleep.
"Uh...I don't mind sharing". Aaron thought about what George would of thought about his best friend sharing a bed with his sister. He gave her an apprehensive look before agreeing.
"Want something to eat and drink?". The girl perked up and nodded, she was thirsty, and starving.

Matt watched Aaron & Aimee walk off with a smirk spread across his face.
"Well, ain't they going to have fun?" he said, laughing at George. He didn't get much of a reaction for some reason. He shrugged and turned to Ashelin. He took a few bottles of booze off the table and then with the other hand grabbed her cuffed hands.

"I'll see you all in the morning, watch this one" he said, pointing at George.
"Night boss" Harvey said, nodding and looking at George who was simply hanging his head. The men began to get more bottles of beer out of a crate underneath the table. They got their cards out and started gambling for cigarettes, not money. They weren't going to give George a quiet night, that was for sure.

Matt walked off, pulling Ashelin along with him. His room was the suite on the bottom floor, so no stairs to climb. It was at the end of the corridor though.
"Now sweetie" he began "I don't expect you to be an easy one to break, but know this, I'm stronger than you. If you try anything, you know I'll be able to control it. I think you know that as well".

[Shadowfax]

Sam managed to push himself out the window. He was two floors up so the ground wasn't miles below. He saw a gutter pipe running down the side of the hotel so he began to slowly make his way over to it. He was quite the little climber and managed to navigate his way along the ledges outside the rooms. Slowly he reached out for the pipe and clambered down.

After a few minutes of climbing he was at the bottom and had never felt so grateful to taste fresh air and feel grass under his feet. He had no plan of action, but he was free for now, that's what mattered. He just hoped the others were all ok.

Ashelin winced as Matt grabbed the handcuffs around her wrist. It dug into her knife wound and she had to bite her tongue to stop herself from crying out with pain. She looked back at George and tried to give him a nod to tell him she would be fine, but they were already round the corner. Jack watched them disappear before turning to George.

"She's gonna be a right state in the morning" He assured George spitefully before turning back to his game of cards.

Ashelin felt her hand slipping through the handcuffs. She would wait till they were in the room before she freed herself though. When Matt spoke to her like some sort of prostitute she spat in his face with utter disgust.

"Go to hell" She said through clenched teeth.

[UncoordinatedPisces]

They had got to the room door when Ashelin spat in Matt's face. His lip curled as he wiped his face. He knew he'd have to start now rather than later. Matt threw her against the door frame, and did so a couple of times until he knew she'd be bruised. He started listing off a whole dictionary of offensive names as he shoved her through the door. He opened a bottle of booze with his teeth and drunk the contents quickly.

With a collective sigh, he slammed the door shut.
"Don't think I know those cuffs aren't tight enough. Jack is stupid enough to leave them on a loose setting" Matt tightened the cuffs and pushed her over to the window. He thrust her up against the wall and lifted her cuffs up to tangle with the curtain rail.

With the extra cuffs, he threw his empty bottle on the bed and quick enough, he had dropped to her feet. He cuffed her clothing covered ankles together. "Hung up like a pig for slaughter" he growled, opening another bottle of booze. He intended to drink enough now, and save one for later.

Back in the lobby, George began to worry for Ashelin. He hadn't known her long, but there was something about her he just liked...and Jack, although the man was an idiot, didn't make things better.
"Oh shut up" he barked back at the man. The gang members all laughed, maybe they could give a good kicking to George at some point.

[Shadowfax]

Ashelin knew she would regret her actions and sure enough she soon found herself being smashed into the door frame repeatedly. She didn't cry out, not once and let the insults go over her head. When Matt pushed her roughly into the room, she lost her balance and fell to the floor groaning.

With one last tug she made to pull her arm out one of the cuffs, but Matt was onto her and she soon found her wrists bound even tighter together. She struggled against him as he led her over to the window. Next she found her wrists behind hoisted upwards towards the curtain rail. It got worse when he bound her ankles together. Ashelin felt humiliated and wanted Matt dead more than any man she had ever met. She rattled the handcuffs in an attempt to free herself, but it was no good.

"Your one sick b****d" She growled at him, her ribs hurting from being bashed against the door frame.

She had no plan now and jingled the cuffs helplessly as well as trying to pull her feet out of the cuffs.

Jack stood up and strode over to George. He pointed a huge finger in his face threateningly.

"Keep your mouth shut, or i'll shut it for you" He snapped, jabbing George in the chest.

[UncoordinatedPisces]

Matt admired his handy work for a moment. His face had a permanent smirk now as he sat on the edge of the bed with bottle in hand. At her comment, he laughed and ran a hand through his hair. Matt himself wasn't bad looking, but his personality was definitely a downfall with him.
"Why, thank you". He stood up, and thrust the bottle in her face. "Want a swig? It could...numb the pain to come".

George, if he could of, would of punched Jack straight in his stupid face. There was nothing more humiliating then not being to take action when another man was patronizing you with a gesture, such as poking his chest.
"You keep your mouth shut, take that fat finger of yours and-"

Harvey's boot had just come out of nowhere and hit him in the side of the face. George was taken aback for a moment as the pain of the blow increased. Harvey went and sat back at the table.
"You're annoying voice was hurting my ears Georgie-boy, now sit tight and keep the mouth closed. We're just discussing your sister" he said causally, and George began to fume.

Aimee had been eating and drinking for the last ten minutes, trying to keep some form of manners despite the hunger. Once she had finished what Aaron had given her, he took empty packets off of her and put them in the bin.
"Thanks" she mumbled. Aaron smiled a little and sat on the other side of the bed with her, resting his back on the headboard.
"How have you and George been keeping?"

"Not bad considering we've been running from this gang and trying to survive. Helping people as much as we can along the way" she replied, her mind drifting to Ashelin and Sam. She hoped they'd be alright. Maybe Ashelin had made her escape? Or Sam? She didn't know. "What about you?"
"Just been with these guys really. Regretted it from the moment I joined though" he said, picked up a bottle of beer. "You don't mind if I drink do you?" Aimee shook her head. Aaron had been nice enough to her already.

Aaron himself relished in having a beer. He had been trying to control how much he drunk in this new world. He, in his teenage years, had an alcohol problem. George knew about it, George knew Aaron wasn't all the same under the influence. For now though, Aaron put his feet up on the bed and lay down, drinking the beer and giving Aimee and occasional glance. She yawned but stayed sat up. She looked at herself momentarily, wishing she had pajamas of all things. She kicked off her shoes and took of her jumper. At seeing this, Aaron removed a layer as well. He could see the girl was tired but he intended to drink.

"You don't mind if I-" she began, Aaron knew what she was going to say so shook his head before she finished. Aimee climbed under the covers and put her head on the pillow. It felt weird, but nice to be in a bed again. She doubted she'd fall asleep straight away, but all she heard was the clinking of bottles.

[Shadowfax]

Ashelin's head automatically fell back as he thrust the bottle in her face. At first she thought he was going to hit her with it, but the blow never came. She opened her eyes and wrinkled her nose at the smell of the foul beer before her. Or maybe it was Matt. She never liked beer. All her army friends used to find that odd about her, but she didn't care. She was always content with a bottle of coke or lemonade. Just thinking of the army in that moment gave her strength however and she looked at Matt, the smirk returning to her face.

"No, thank you Matthew, and don't you think you've had enough?" Ashelin said.

With that, she threw back her head and headbutted the bottle out of his hand. It didn't take much force and the bottle landed at his feet with a clatter.

"Gonna hit me again?" She said, almost daring him.

Jack was about to punch George, but Harvey came to his aid and seeing George double over in pain gave him such satisfaction the man laughed aloud in his face before returning to the table.

"Is anyone gonna check on that kid?" Jack asked, lighting his forth cigarette of the evening.

[UncoordinatedPisces]

Matt stood there as his blood boiled, how dare she do that. To him of all people. When she literally asked to be hurt, he resisted from giving her a few good smacks. Instead, he picked up the now empty bottle and slammed it onto the windowsill. His hand shot out and wrapped around her neck. The alcohol was beginning to have an effect on him.

He tightened his hand and lent close to her, so that his nose was almost touching her nose.
"Hit you? I intend to do more than hit you m'dear" he whispered.

Harvey waved his hand, too immersed in the game of cards he had just joined
"Na, no need. He can't get out". He was trying to win some ciggies of the druggy Darren, knowing they wouldn't be as normal as the rest.

Aaron was through his fourth beer now and Aimee was a little bit worried. She had heard about Aaron's past but she hoped he wouldn't forget-
"You awake?" he slurred. Aimee turned over in the bed and paused, looking at his twiddle the bottle in his hands
"Mhm" she murmured. He finished the beer and then lay down properly, staring straight at her. He smelled of the drink, but Aimee could tolerate it.
"You've grown" he said randomly. Aimee gave him a confused glance and he looked as though he was about to move loser, but then the expression changed in his eyes.

"Get some sleep". Aimee, thoroughly confused, just sighed and closed her eyes. Aaron watched her as she managed to drift off. Aimee had changed. Last time he saw her she was a child. She was older now, and she was a pretty young thing. Aaron knew his thoughts were because of the drink, so he just closed his eyes and tried to go to sleep as well.

[Shadowfax]

Ashelin winced as Matt threw the bottle against the window. She tried not too, but he had done that rather unexpectedly. She soon felt cold hands around her neck and she automatically gasped for breath as he began to apply pressure. He'd hit a weak spot there. Restriction round the neck often made her panic.

"How about you un-cuff me and we see which of us is stronger?" Ashelin growled, trying to let the fear in her eyes go un-noticed as Matt held onto her neck. "Unless.. unless your afraid" She coughed.

She could almost taste the alcohol on his breath and tried to pull away from him as the thought of being this close to him made her feel sick. She rattled the chains again and even closed her eyes.

Jack nodded as Harvey confirmed the boy could not escape. He puffed the cigarette and let his eyes wander over to George. He was annoyed that Aaron had won Aimee for the night, but there would be other nights.

"So who wants to play me at cards for my last box of cigarettes?" He asked the other men in the room.

[UncoordinatedPisces]

Matt enjoyed seeing the fear finally come through in the woman. As she talked, he just laughed cruelly and tightened his grip.
"Afraid, of you?" he said, resting his forehead on hers. "I'm not. Believe me. But if I uncuff you, you'll just be struggling more and I can't be bothered to keep you still with my own hands" he said with a sigh.

He pecked her on the cheek and smirked. He released his grip and went back to the bed. His head was spinning a bit from the alcohol, but nonetheless, he picked up another bottle and watched Ashelin with a smile. She wouldn't escape in his mind, so he could take his time.

George caught Jack's eye and he gave him a look that could kill. Harvey yawned, but at Jack's question smiled.
"Yer, go on then" he began dealing out the cards and George watched. Having nothing else to do, he might as well. He had an eye for cheaters anyway.