My Trip To Nowhere... - Chapter Sixteen

“Tom! Tom, are you OK?” I heard Nicky ask me urgently.

I grunted something unintelligent. I stood up straight, facing Rio’s Other-Half.

“So what’s the plan now?” I heard someone say in my ear. I turned my head slightly to see Josh.

I glanced past Rio’s Other-Half’s shoulder. The door was just a few metres away. I remembered it was locked. I glanced at Rio’s Other-Half and saw they key dangling from a chain from his pocket. I nodded to the door’s direction.

“But it’s locked.” Josh hissed in my ear.

“That’s why I’m going for Rio’s Other-Half.” I hissed back.

I felt Nicky come to my other side.

I was still aware that Richard, Allison and Rio were edging closer.

“I’ll go for Allison.” Nicky said.

“That leaves Richard to me then…” Josh said.

I took a step forward, away from them two. The Other-Halves were standing opposite us, blocking our only chance of escape. I faced Rio’s Other-Half. I looked to my right to see Josh facing Richards Other-Half, and I glanced to my right to see Nicky facing Allison’s Other-Half.

Suddenly, I heard a cry from Josh. Distracted, I turned to look at him to see Richard charging to him. Josh was charging back at him. I turned back to look at Rio’s Other-Half to see just in time his fist aiming for my head. I ducked. He swung his other fist to me and I dodged that.

“You can’t run!” he snarled, and stepped towards me.

I eyed the key dangling from his pocket. I heard a shriek, and turned to look at my right. Rio’s Other-Half, also distracted, turned too. We watched Allison skid across the floor, hitting a pile of boxes which toppled over her, and Nicky walking towards her with a livid face.

“What did you say about him?” she said to Allison, her voice very low just below the freezing point.

Allison struggled to get up, but spat back at Nicky, “Did you not hear me, pretty-girl…” she looked up at Nicky’s face. “… I said he was a good for nothi -”

But this was enough for Nicky, for she threw herself on Allison. I suddenly became conscious to the fact that Rio’s Other-Half was very close. I glanced at his pocket through the corner of my eye and saw the key dangling from the chain. My hand was just inches away from it. I slowly reached out for it, but I felt his hand grasp my neck. His face was inches from mines, and he was smiling menacingly. He tightened his grip.

“You have one last chance now… Tom.” He said; his voice almost a whisper. “You either come with us… or –”

“Never” I gasped.

“Very well.” He said, and gripped tighter.

I struggled to get free, to breathe. My eyes swivelled past Rio’s Other-Half’s head and saw Richard kicking Josh on the floor, and to see Allison yanking Nicky’s hair. I have to… have to get away…

I was now gasping. It felt like my eyes were going to pop out of my head any second now. His hand gripped tighter around my neck. My hand groped desperately around for something. Anything. Anything to hit Rio’s Other-Half with. I couldn’t find anything. I was pinned to the wall. Just when I thought I was going to lose it, it suddenly clicked to me. Rio’s Other-Half is a guy, right?

I raised my knee up violently, praying that I hit the right spot. He cried out, and let go of me, leaving my air-space free. I gulped for air, and staggered onto some other pile of boxes. I turned to see Rio’s Other-Half crouching on the floor. He looked up for me to see his face contorted with pain.

“You bastard.” He groaned. I looked around. I saw a nearby pile of boxes near Rio’s Other-Half. I lunged towards him, and tackled him onto the floor. He tried to push me away, but he was weak from my very special attack. (Hehe) I pinned him onto the floor, and reached for the key. I yanked it off the chain that dangled from his pocket.

“No!” he cried out, and started to reach for it.

My other hand clenched into a fist and I clouted him on the head. He fell back, and groaned again. I quickly got up to the nearby pile of boxes, and pushed them over. Rio’s Other-Half watched helplessly as they slowly fell on him. I heard a strangled cry as they toppled over him, covering every inch of his body.

Satisfied, I turned with a deep breath to look at what Nicky and Josh had gotten up to.

Allison was on the floor, seemingly unconscious, and Richard was nowhere to be seen, probably under a pile of boxes as well. Nicky looked weak sitting on the floor, and Josh stood beside her, with a grin.

“Nice move.” He said to me.

Nicky looked up, and attempted to smile, “Yeah, sweet.”

I looked at them, “You were watching me?” I asked bewilderedly.

“Well… yeah. I mean, I was finished with Richard.” Josh said, still grinning moronically.

I gaped at him. “You could’ve at least helped me there; he was chocking me to death.”

He shrugged. “I came to Nicky’s rescue… Allison had her on the floor.”

“I was fine” Nicky said. She made to get up from the floor, and nearly fell over. Josh steadied her as I made my way to her.

“You OK?” I asked.

Nicky nodded. I saw her face twist in pain as she stood up. She made to take a step forward, but nearly buckled if I wasn’t next to her supporting her. I put her arm around my shoulder and helped her walk towards the door.

“I think I’ve sprained my ankle.” She said as I took the key to unlock the door.

She was stating the obvious, and I smiled very slightly, and said, “You think?”



TO BE CONTINUED…