Page 32 of Poison

Slowly, I turned and looked up at my billboard. I should have gone to Hell's Gate. At least there, I wouldn't be harassed and could've drowned my sorrows in peace. "How observant of you."

"How much?"

I arched a brow, picked up the whiskey bottle, and took another swig.

"How much to get our dicks sucked?"

Everything around me was swirling as I chuckled, "First of all, b-boys—" I hiccupped. "I don't suck the dick of random roaches that scurry up to me from the streets."

The blond turned to his burly friend. "You hear this little puk? He's acting like he's something special."

"I'm fucking Starburst, bitches. You can't afford me." I finished the bottle and burped loudly. With a smirk, I stood up and sauntered through the building, nearly tripping with every step on my way out.

As I walkeddown the street, I heard footsteps behind me before an arm wrapped around my shoulder. I tried to yank away but onlymanaged to fallhard onto the ground. Someone grabbed my feet while another pulled me up by my underarms. Frantically, I thrashed and cried out.

"Keep him quiet!" A large palm covered my mouth as my body was dropped. The blond man from the barwas standing over me, unclasping his belt. "Roll him over."

Panic welled within me as I was forced onto my stomach. I tried to struggle, but the one holding me down was too strong. My pants were roughly tugged down, and I yelped, trying to bite the hand covering my face. I wiggled and fought but couldn't get away.

"Hold him still!" The blond thrust into me with absolutely no mercy.

Closingmy eyes, Iwhispered to myself, "I'm not here.This isn't happening. I'm okay. It will all be over soon."

And it was. After a few thrusts,hewas finished. I didn't bother getting up. I just allowed the next one to take his turn. There was no point in fighting. I was done. I only hoped they would kill me when they were done.

But that didn't happen.Theyscurried away, and I rolled to my side, unwilling to get up despite the late hour and biting cold.Maybe I should just lay here and freeze to death.I had no will nor the want to get to my feet. I felt nothing. I was completely numb. I could no longer feel the buzz of the whiskey flowing through my bloodstream. All I could feel was a hollow void deep inside.

"Are you alright, young man?"

I glanced up to see an old woman. I wasn't sure how long I had been lying on the ground with my ass exposed, but her presence was enough to make me move. I yanked up my pants, barely sparing the woman a glance before marching past her and staggering with nearly every step. Apparently, the alcohol was still in full effect.

Chapter 22

I stared up at my billboard. It was so tall it towered over most of the buildings. The climb to the top was slow. I almost slid off the damp steps more than once. When I finally made it to the platform, I surveyed the city. I could see nearly everything.

Lights glowed on the streets below, and the small shadows of people rushed around, going from point A to point B. When I was done taking in the sights, I glared up at the large close-up of me on my knees in a pair of pink fuzzy shackles, wearing a wicked grin that seemed to dare someone to do their worst. Next to me was a bottle of lubricant. "Starburst Lubricant: You'll be in for a fun ride."

Frustrated, I pounded on the billboard. Of course, my actions did nothing. There was nothing I could tear or rip. I didn't so much as put a scratch on it. I hated the billboard. I hated my life. In a daze, I looked at the ground, tempted to jump. I wouldn't survive, that was for sure. When my body hit the ground, I would be nothing more than a bloody pile of guts and organs.

It would all be over then. I wouldn't have to deal with Hobbs or his clients anymore. I wouldn't be raped. I would be at peace. If that was the case, why couldn't I do it? Why couldn't I climb over the safety barrier and fling myself off?

Sliding down to the metal platform, I allowed the tears to streak down my face. I wanted to make up with Vic. I didn't want him or Alex to think my death was their fault.

God damn, this was all such bullshit! Why couldn't I just do it? What the fuck did I have to live for? Who the fuck cared what Alex or Vic felt once I was gone? I would be at peace. That should be all that mattered.

The steel under my bare skin was freezing, but I had no will to get up. The daytime was often hot in the city, but the nights could become deathly cold. It was a consequence of climate change from the start of the great calamity. My teeth began to chatter, but I still couldn't bring myself to get to my feet.

At some point, I must have fallen asleep because a loud screeching woke me up. The shackle alarm was going off, flashing a bright orange. Groaning, I sat up and let out a string of violent coughs. I felt like crap, and my body was still shaking. Slowly, I made my way down the steps until I was on solid ground. When I let go of the handles, I coughed so violently that I nearly threw up.

Shaking it off, I began staggering towards my building. I was too sick to care about getting caught by the police. As it was, I was right down the street from my building. The moment I crossed the threshold, the door's sensor registered my presence, and the beeping stopped.

Each moment felt disjointed as I staggered to the elevator and into my apartment. I didn't bother getting undressed. I just needed to get into bed and get warm. Cocooning inside my blankets, I huddled into a tiny ball, shaking and coughing violently. My head throbbed, and it was hard to catch my breath.

My door opened, and within a flicker of time that moved too slowly, someone sat beside me. "Where the fuck have you been?"

When I didn't move, a hand gripped my shoulder, forcing me to roll over. Hobbs pressed a hand to my forehead and ran it along my jaw. "You're burning up. What the fuck happened? Where were you?"

What was I going to tell him? That I was raped on my way home and decided I wanted to destroy my billboard? I had to tell him something, but how did I explain how sick I was? Letting out another fit of coughs, I cleared my throat and answered weakly, "Two guys chased me. I don't know why I thought climbing the billboard was a good idea…"

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