Blinded

Blinded

 “Are you sure this is a good idea?” Winnie asked, rocking back and forth on his heels as he glanced around them.

Killian looked over at him and rolled his eyes. “You’re not chicken, are you?” he asked, smirking as he crossed his arms.

Winnie’s eyes narrowed. “No,” he growled out. “But you did have to shut the tracking off on your phone, so it makes me think you know this is a bad idea; you just don’t want to admit it to yourself. We still have time…”

“We’re not having a sleepover!” Killian snapped, a little bit harsher than he’d meant to, but still! This was the seventh time Winnie had suggested backing out, and he was getting a bit annoying. “Why are you obsessed with that idea?” 

Rolling his eyes, Winnie crossed his arms and looked away. “Oh, I don’t know,” he scoffed. “Maybe because that’s what we told our dads we were doing! I hate lying to them, and I would have thought you would too.”

Killian wasn’t going to listen to his friend’s obvious attempt at a guilt trip. “It’s not like I made you shut the tracking off on your phone,” Killian pointed out. “Don’t I get any credit for that?”

“Ha!” Winnie barked out a laugh. “Only because I don’t have a phone, and you know it. And in all honesty, I’m not sure…”

It was at that moment that Killian spotted the boys biking toward them. “Here they come!” he said, cutting Winnie off and earning him a scowl from the younger boy. Winnie grumbled something under his breath, but Killian couldn’t hear him, and he was pretty sure it wasn’t in English anyway.

Once they reached them, the boys hopped off of their bikes and let them clatter to the ground as they stepped toward Killian and Winnie.

“Killian, my man,” Teddy (the boy leading the group) said, grinning as he clasped hands with Killian. “I wasn’t sure if you were actually going to show up. I heard your old man’s a cop.”

“Detective,” Winnie grumbled beside Killian as he crossed his arms and glared at the boys. “His dad’s a detective. In fact, both our dads are.”

Teddy narrowed his eyes at Winnie. “Who’s the mouthy one?”

“Oh, yeah,” Killian said, swallowing as he glanced between them. “Um… Guys, this is Win… Simon. He’s my friend, and I thought he could tag along? It was the only way that my dad wouldn’t suspect anything.”

Killian bit the inside of his lip and tried to ignore the look that Winnie shot at him as he felt a stab of guilt. That wasn’t actually true. He wanted Winnie there because, well, because he was his best friend and they did everything together.

But the other boy seemed to take the reason without question. “Gotcha, I used my cousin for that once,” he said, then he turned toward Winnie. “I’m Teddy and this is the gang.”

“Eine Bande von was?” Winnie asked, sneering at them. “Idioten?”

Teddy squinted at him. “What did the dweeb just say?”

Killian swallowed and glanced between them as a sour feeling entered the pit of his stomach. He didn’t know exactly what he’d said, but he had a feeling it wasn’t something he wanted to translate.

“Nothing, man,” Killian said, waving it off. “Sometimes he just ends up muttering things to himself.” Winnie grumbled something else, but Killian decided to quickly talk over him. “So… what’s the plan? I guess I assumed you didn’t just have us all come out here to chat about my weird friend.”

Teddy’s face lit up, and he grinned, clasping his hands together. “Oh, yeah,” he said. “Are you boys ready to have some fun? I know I am!” 

“There’s nothing out here,” Winnie said, frowning as he took a step toward Teddy, seemingly undeterred by the fact that the other boy was bigger than him. “What exactly are you planning on doing?”

“Well, little man…” Teddy said, and Killian didn’t miss the way Winnie’s fists curled at his sides. He might be smaller, but there was no doubt in his mind that Winnie would win a fight between them. “You obviously don’t know this, but there is something out here, and it’s just over there.”

Killian watched as Winnie’s gaze flickered over in the direction the boy had indicated, then his body tensed. “Unless you’re talking about trees and dirt, the only things over that way… are the train tracks that go through town.” 

Barking out a laugh, Teddy slapped Winnie’s shoulder. “Well then, I guess you’re not as dumb as you look.”

“Excuse you?” Winnie said, taking another step toward the older boy, and the next second Killian stepped in between the two of them. He could practically feel the irritation radiating from Winnie.

“Hey, so um… what are you planning?” Killian asked, crossing his arms and making sure to block Winnie from going at the boy. Not that he thought he would actually hurt him. But having his friend attack Teddy wouldn’t look good for him.

Teddy didn’t seem to mind Killian stepping in like that, and he just smirked at him. “Oh… you’re just going to have to wait and find out.” With that, he gave a nod to his little gang and headed toward the tracks less than a hundred yards away from them.

Killian moved to follow them, but Winnie grabbed his arm and yanked him back. “I don’t know about this, Killian,” he hissed. “Don’t you think there might have been a reason our dads told us not to come here?”

Rolling his eyes, Killian pulled his arm out of Winnie’s grip. “It’s just an old railroad track,” he said. “It’s not like we’re jumping out of a plane or something.”

Winnie snorted. “I would rather do that than this,” he said, motioning to where the boys were climbing onto the train tracks. “They may be old, but they’re still in use! And I have a bad feeling the boys don’t want to just take a walk along them.”

“So being so dramatic!” Killian snapped, spinning around to face Winnie full on. “They’re freshmen; do you know how hard it was to talk them into letting you tag along? And now you want to be the little baby they see you as?”

“Oh, that’s weird,” Winnie said, crossing his arms. “I could have sworn they didn’t even know I was going to be here. So how on earth did you talk them into letting me tag along?” He shook his head. “What has gotten into you?”

“Nothing!” Killian snapped, glaring at him. “Come on, Winnie, I thought you were the adventuresome one. Don’t tell me you’re scared of something Teddy and his boys obviously aren’t!”

Winnie visibly stiffened, then set his jaw. “Fine, let’s go,” he said coolly. “But don’t forget that I warned you about this.” Killian just rolled his eyes, turned around, and started marching off after the other boys, who were waiting for them at the train tracks.

“Come on, boys,” Teddy called, waving them on. “We don’t have all day over here.”

“This is stupid,” Winnie grumped, falling into step beside Killian as they made their way up the slight hill to the train tracks.

“No one’s making you do it,” Killian huffed, shooting back a glare at his friend. “You can just wait for us down there.”

Winnie looked at him and squinted. “You really have completely lost your mind, haven’t you?” he asked. “I’m not letting you go alone.”

Killian huffed. “Whatever,” he said, moving faster to catch up with the rest of the boys at the top of the short hill. Though when he was climbing up it, Killian realized it wasn’t actually that short.

He shook away that thought and headed toward where the boys were all standing and waiting for him. “So… what’s the plan from here?” Killian asked, rubbing his hands together and grinning.

Teddy laughed and slapped him on the back. “Well…” he said, leading Killian forward. “Do you see that bridge over there?” 

Killian nodded, though he wasn’t sure it’d call it a ‘bridge’. It was obviously meant for the train because the planks were separated by wide gaps of open air, and the whole thing looked old. 

“What you’re going to do is walk to the other end, that’s it,” Teddy said, grinning. “What do you think? The rest of us will go first.”

“I think you’re all a bunch of weed heads. I can’t let you do this, Killian,” Winnie said, shaking his head. “This whole thing is crazy, and you know it! They still use this bridge all the time for cargo transport.”

Teddy laughed. “And you know this how?”

Winnie sneered at him. “Because I know everything, and you should really know it too since this is your dumb idea.”

“Then you ‘know’ I wasn’t asking for your permission,” Killian said, swallowing as he took a step toward the bridge. “If you want to leave, then go. I’m not going to stop you.” 

“Ты сумасшедший!” Winnie huffed, crossing his arms as he shook his head. “Du hast den Verstand verloren.” 

One by one, Teddy and his gang made their way across the bridge and turned back toward Killian and Winnie. “Come on, man!” Teddy called. “Don’t let the little dweeb get to you. You got this!”

“Yeah… yeah, okay,” Killian said, glancing back at Winnie before he moved forward and quickly reached the bridge. He felt his heart rate pick up as he stepped out and onto the first plank and tested it with his weight.

Gritting his teeth, he slowly started across. 

Halfway across, Killian started to think it wasn’t too bad, and he started to pick up his pace.  That’s why he wasn’t able to catch himself when he slipped. The next second, his left leg fell through the hole between the planks.

Killian let out a cry as he smacked against the bridge. “My leg,” he said, squeezing his eyes shut and digging his nails into the wood beside him. He didn’t think he’d broken anything, but that didn’t mean it was a fun experience.

Pressing his lips tightly together, he tried to shove himself back to his feet, but it was easier said than done. 

“Killian, you’ve got to get up!” Winnie yelled from where he stood at the other end of the bridge. “There’s a train coming!” 

Oh, Winnie was so going to tell him he told him so when this was all over. Killian grimaced and tried to stand up again, but he still couldn’t quite do it. He glanced to the side and nearly threw up when he spotted the train chugging toward him.

He had to get out of there!

Finally after another attempt, his leg came free, and he jumped to his feet, doing his best to ignore the vibrating in the tracks coming from the fast approaching train. And by then, Killian was pretty sure his heart was trying to climb up his throat.

The vibrating soon turned to shaking, and Killian realized he wasn’t going to make it to the end in time.

The next second, something slammed into him from behind, and he was thrown off the edge of the bridge. He rolled across the ground and part of the way down the side of the hill, just as the train went speeding by.

Gulping in the air Killian hadn’t been sure he would be able to enjoy anymore, it took him a second to realize what had happened. And only then because he realized someone was lying next to him.

He rolled his head over and came face-to-face with Winnie, who was already pushing himself up off the ground and brushing himself off. He looked over at Killian and frowned. “Are you okay?”

“Yeah… yeah,” Killian mumbled, squeezing his eyes shut for a second. Stupid, he thought. He should have listened to Winnie. This whole thing had been a really dumb idea, and he’d nearly died because of it.

“Did you boys see that?!” Teddy called as he and his gang scrambled down the side of the hill toward them. “The little freak pretty much jumped in front of a train! Man! I wish I had my camera on me!”

Looking over at the younger boy, Killian could see the flash of anger flicker across Winnie’s eyes. The next second, he rounded on Teddy, his eyes blazing as he lunged toward him.

Winnie slammed his foot into the boy’s leg, causing him to yell out in pain as he fell to his knees.

“Winnie, don’t!” Killian said, grunting as he shoved himself to his feet. “Just leave him alone.”

“Are you serious right now?” Winnie asked, turning back toward him, and Killian had to stop himself from stepping back from him when the boy’s gaze fell on him. “This… boy could have gotten you killed. He could have gotten us both killed.”

Killian felt a stab of guilt at that but tried not to think about it. “I… I didn’t make you come,” he said. “And I didn’t make you follow me.”

Winnie snorted. “Right,” he said, shooting Teddy a glare when the boy tried to stand up. The older boy froze before falling back on his knees, and Winnie turned back toward Killian. “And I was supposed to just watch as you were run over by a train?!”

Squaring his shoulders, Killian stood up straight and gave him a sharp nod. “Yeah,” he said. “Maybe you should have.”

Flinching, Winnie ducked his head, and Killian was reminded of how young he really was. “Yeah, maybe I should have,” he whispered.

“Um… what exactly’s going on?” Teddy asked, glancing between the two of them. 

Winnie pivoted around toward him, bending down so they were face-to-face. “Du bist ein Stück Müll,” he snarled into the boy’s face. 

Yet again, Killian had a feeling he should be glad he didn’t speak… German was it? His friend spoke so many languages, he had a hard time keeping them straight. 

“I really hope I never see your face again,” Winnie said, then he stood up and marched over to Killian. “Come on, we’re going home, or I’ll go alone, and I will tell Uncle Evan what you did today.” 

For a fleeting second, Killian thought about staying, then the thought of how mad his dad would be if he knew what he’d done quickly squashed that idea, and he sighed, his shoulders drooping. “Fine,” he mumbled. “Let’s go.”

“Good,” Winnie said, then without even sparing a glance toward the other boys, he turned and started down the side of the hill and back toward Stanbur. Killian hesitated a second before giving Teddy and his gang a small wave and following after his friend.

Once they reached the bottom, Winnie slowed his pace, allowing Killian to catch up to him. He glanced over at him. “You’re my friend, Killian,” he said. “I wasn’t going to just stand there and watch you get turned into a pancake. I… I couldn’t. You’re the only friend I have.”

Killian glanced over at him, and he wasn’t exactly sure how to respond. Feelings were certainly not something the younger boy usually shared. 

Luckily they were saved from having to say anything else by the whooshing sound of something coming toward them, and they both stopped and froze. “What’s that sound?” Killian whispered.

Winnie’s brow furrowed as his eyes darted up and around at the sky above them. “That’s a military issued helicopter,” he mumbled, then his eyes grew wide as the black shadow appeared above them. “Killian? Run!”

Killian didn’t have to be told twice before he shot forward and away from the helicopter, ducking in between the trees as he tried to lose them. About a hundred yards later, Killian glanced back and spotted Winnie right behind him.

That’s when Winnie stumbled forward, his hand flying to a dart sticking out of his shoulder, and the next second, Killian felt something hit his side. 

“You’ve got to be kidding me,” Winnie huffed, sitting down on the ground before lying down as the drugs started to take effect. “Killian, I blame you for this.” That was the last thing Killian heard before he blacked out.

When Killian woke up, he found himself strapped to a metal chair, sitting in a dark room with Winnie sitting beside him. He was slightly surprised when he saw that Winnie was awake and looked like he had been for a while.

Killian could practically see the gears turning in his friend’s head as he looked down at the leather straps that he’d already slipped out of. “Oh, no, this isn’t good!” Winnie said, shaking his head. 

“What is it?” Killian whispered. 

The color drained from Winnie’s face. “Killian, I don’t think these guys are kidnappers,” he whispered. “I think it’s someone much worse than that.” Before Killian could ask him what he meant, the door was opened again.

And their dads stepped inside.

“We’re dead,” Winnie whispered, crossing his arms as he scooted down in his seat.

“Not dead, but I think you’re going to wish you were,” Winnie’s dad said, placing his hands on top of the table and leaning against it. “What were you two thinking? Haven’t Evan and I told both you boys to not go out there?!”

Killian opened his mouth. 

“It was my idea,” Winnie said, cutting Killian off before he could say anything. “I wanted to meet Killian’s new friends, and that’s the place I suggested.”

Mr. Winfield studied him for a long moment. “You, car, now,” he ordered, with a nod toward the door behind him.

His shoulders slumping, Winnie shoved his seat back and stood up. “Yes, sir.” 

For a split second, when Killian saw his dad’s face, he thought about telling Winnie not to go. He really didn’t like that tight-lipped frown he was getting from his dad, and he inwardly groaned. 

But then the door was closing behind them, and Killian dropped his gaze down at his strapped arms. “So, um… are you going to let me out of these things?” he mumbled, keeping himself from looking up at him.

His dad let out a low growl before moving around the table and unstrapping him. “Are you kidding me right now, Killian?”

“What?” Killian asked, frowning as he rubbed at his wrists.

“You’re thirteen; Winnie’s nine,” his dad said, rubbing his hand across his face as he sat on the edge of the table. “Are you sure there’s not something else you want to add about what happened?”

Killian scowled. “Winnie wanted to meet my…”

“No! Don’t you dare lie to me,” his dad snapped, shoving himself away from the table and slamming his fist down against it. “Killian, what has gotten into you?”

“Nothing!” Killian yelled, jumping to his feet. “Nothing’s gotten into me. This is me, and I’m sorry if you don’t like it!”

“I know you were on the railroad tracks,” his dad (no, Evan) said, stepping toward him. “What were you thinking? You could have died!”

“Wait! How did you even know that we were out there?”

Evan grabbed him by the arm and hauled him out of the room. “Really? You think I don’t know who these… boys you been hanging out with are?” he asked as he pulled Killian along toward the waiting cars. “You may have disabled the tracker in your phone, but they have phones too.”

“That’s not legal!”

“I don’t care!” Evan yelled back. “When it comes to your safety, I’ll do whatever I have to do. And that’s why you’re grounded for the foreseeable future. Now get in the car!”

Killian slammed his fist against the passenger door before yanking it open and throwing himself inside. For most of the ride back to the house, they rode in silence. “What about Winnie? He was there too!”

“I don’t care; Gregory can handle Simon,” Evan said, driving down the road a little faster than was legal. “You’re my responsibility, not him.”

“Well, I’m sorry for being such a burden!” Killian spat as the car came to a stop in front of the house. “Maybe when my parents died, you should have just put me in the system. I probably would have liked it better than this… this incarceration!”

With that, he shoved the door open and ran into the house and up the stairs to his bedroom before slamming that door closed.

He fell back against the door and slumped to the floor. 

All he wanted to do right now was scream.

The next several days Killian barely left his room and spoke to Evan even less than that. He wasn’t allowed out of the house, and he sure wasn’t allowed to have any of his friends over, or at least most of his friends.

Apparently, snitches were still allowed, because after the first week Evan came to his room and told him that Winnie was there to see him. He grunted in response, earning him a sigh from Evan before he left and the door opened again a minute later.

“Hey, Killian.”

Killian toward the door from where he was sitting at his desk. “Whoa! What’s up with the blindfold?” he asked, spinning around to face him. Winnie stood in the doorway with a blindfold over his eyes.

“Oh, this? Yeah, this is my dad’s punishment,” Winnie said, carefully stepping into the room. “I have to wear it for the next month, so… Have you moved anything since I was in here last?”

“No, I haven’t moved anything,” Killian said, squinting at him. “Are you serious? Uncle Gregory’s making you wear a blindfold for a month as punishment?”

“Only when we leave the house,” Winnie said, shrugging as he moved toward Killian’s bed and sat down. “Because, you know, he doesn’t want me to go blind from wearing it all the time. He’s currently getting me a pair of blackout glasses, so I don’t have to go around wearing a blindfold. So… here I am.”

“Yeah, yay,” Killian huffed.

“Your dad knows it wasn’t my idea, doesn’t he?” Winnie asked. “And you’re mad at him for punishing you.”

Killian hated the fact that even blindfolded Winnie could read him better than most people. “Yeah, he knows.”

Winnie nodded. “And since this is the coolest punishment ever, I think my dad knows too,” he said, pulling his feet up and tucking them under him. “I’m sorry. But… we really shouldn’t have been there in the first place.”

“Yeah,” Killian said, just as his phone buzzed on his desk, and he quickly picked it up to check it. “Uh… yeah, sure. It was a bad idea… Hey, do you think you could talk my dad into letting me out of this prison today? You’ve always been better at that stuff than me.”

Sighing, Winnie ran his hand through his hair. “It’s Teddy, isn’t it? The text you just got.”

“Winnie…”

“Stop,” he said, cutting Killian off as he stood up. “No, I won’t talk to Uncle Evan. I’m not going to be an accessory to your crimes anymore. I’ve got to go.”

“Winnie… Wait!” Killian said, jumping to his feet.

Pivoting around, Winnie took a step toward him. “You could have died. Why can’t you see that?!” he snapped. “I’m not just going to stand by and watch you kill yourself, and I’m sure not going to help you.”

“I’m sorry! I’m… I’m sorry.” Killian sighed, flopping back down into his desk chair. “It’s just… these boys are the first ones at school to show any interest in being my friends.”

Winnie snorted, shaking his head. “So because I don’t go to your school, I don’t count or something?”

“That’s not what I was saying!” Killian said, grabbing up one of the books off his desk and throwing it at Winnie. He was slightly shocked when his friend ducked out of the way, but only slightly. This was Winnie.

“Wow… Thanks,” Winnie scoffed, stepping back and toward the door. He turned to leave but stopped again. “I’m still your friend, Killian. Don’t keep pushing me away because you don’t think I’m good enough for you.”