since I’d eaten, but the hunger pangs were clawing through my belly so fiercely that I had to stop myself from crying out.
Garin stood and walked toward the bearded guy. “Tell me why the fuck we’re in here and when we’re getting out.”
“¡Siéntate!”
“No, I’m not going to sit down!” Garin shouted back. “I want to know why we’re in here. And I want to know when the hell you’re going to let us out.”
Beard unlatched one of the two guns that was holstered at his waist and pointed it at Garin. “¡Que te sientes carajo!”
I wrapped my arms around my navel and squeezed some of the pressure away. I couldn’t breathe. I had the biggest fear of guns. I couldn’t stand the sight of them. Not after what had happened, not after one had been pointed at me.
“Garin, get back!” I screamed. “Do what he says before he pulls the trigger.”
“Siéntate,” Beard said again.
“Jesus fucking Christ,” Garin barked as he took a seat on the floor next to me.
A few seconds passed before Beard started walking back toward the door. I needed to try something to get him to talk. Maybe coming across a little sweeter would get me further than Garin.
“Are you in charge?” I asked him.
He held on to the door and stared at me. His eyes were black and terrifying, his mouth set open like his teeth were about to tear through my flesh.
“I’d like to talk to whoever is in charge…if that’s not you.” My voice was so weak. I barely recognized it. “I want to talk to them about why we’re in here and—”
“¡Cállate!”
“He’s telling you to shut up,” Garin said.
“But—”
“Haz que se calle,” he snapped.
“He’s had it, Kyle. He doesn’t want to hear any more of our questions.”
But I wasn’t trying to sound bossy. I wasn’t even being a smart-ass. I just wanted answers. I didn’t think asking a few questions was too much, considering I was locked in a cell with no memory of how I’d gotten here.
“Can you please—”
“Le voy a dar lo que se merece y después se muere,” Beard growled as he backed out of the cell.
The sound of the lock echoed, sending a shiver through my whole body. A sharp pain started gnawing at my stomach. It wasn’t hunger. That was suddenly gone.
I waited a few seconds and turned toward Garin. “What did he say?”
He ground his teeth together, the blacks of his eyes as venomous as Beard’s had been.
“Garin?”
“You’ll get what he gives you.”
If that was all he’d said, Garin wouldn’t be grinding his teeth. He wouldn’t be wringing his hands together and staring at the door like he was going to beat his way through it.
“What else did he say, Garin?”
“It doesn’t matter.”
I stood up, holding my stomach as I looked down at him. “Yes, it does matter. You can’t protect me in here, so at least you can be honest. Don’t shelter me. I can handle the truth.”
He slowly glanced up. The anger and rage replaced with something else. I almost gasped when I realized what it was.
Fear.
“He said you’ll get what he gives you…and then you’re going to die.”
It felt like everything had dropped from my body. Not just my hunger. That was long gone. But my questions, my voice, my emotions, my hope—those were gone, too.
Everything was gone.
I heard Garin behind me. He was moving the trays, probably to the far wall, placing them next to each other like he was setting a goddamn table.
“Come over here, and eat.”
I didn’t turn around to face him. I didn’t move. My feet were paralyzed, my knees shaking so badly that they weren’t going to hold me up for much longer. When I opened my mouth, my throat convulsed, and tears poured from my eyes. It was the first time I’d cried since I’d woken up in here. The first time I didn’t actually believe I would get out.
His arms circled my waist, and he pulled my back against his chest. “They’re not going to kill you. They need you. That’s why you’re in here.”
“But…” It was the only word I could muster through the sobs.
“If you don’t eat, you won’t have the energy to fight. We need our energy, Kyle. We need to take everything they’re willing to give us and figure out how to get out of here.”
“I’m not getting out of here.” My voice was becoming louder, and I didn’t know why. None of this was his fault, but he was the only one