Hello! I hope you enjoy Part 3 of Banned. Part 4 will be the end and is almost finished.
The characters of this story feel very real to me, and as such the story almost writes itself.
Please be warned, this chapter is quite dark. I considered changing it, but then I felt lost as the story didnt seem real to me anymore.
Trigger warnings for homophobia, and physical abuse.
***
Daniel
Daniel felt tears streaming down his face as he ran. Luke. Luke. Luke.
He had left him. He had been taken, had sacrificed himself so that Daniel could escape. He had told him he loved him.
He ran, like he had run so many times before. He had run when Luke had first confronted him. He had run when he felt abandoned at school. He had even ran when leading Luke to the meadow. His whole life, he had felt like he was running from this moment. He was discovered, his secret was finally out.
He glanced behind him as he ran, but Luke was no longer in sight. His heart felt like it was ripping into pieces, as tears were ripped from his eyes as he ran, his breaths gasping sobs. He weaved off the paths, aiming for the woods. Not that he knew what he would do once he got there, with no food, no water, nothing to help him survive in the wilderness.
He reached a road, glancing around before running across, the tips of the woodland trees peeking over houses in the distance. He had to get away, he had to make Luke's sacrifice count. He had to-
"He's there! Stop!"
"No," he groaned, running as fast as he could at the sound of shouts. He thought he might just make it, he thought that maybe he could out run them. That was until he saw the police car turn the corner, and drive towards him.
He skidded to a stop, officers behind him, the car rapidly closing in ahead.
He searched around frantically, but there was no escape. People emerged from their houses around him, whispering and watching with wide eyes. But of course no one helped, they were mere observers to his crimes.
It was truly useless. He was caught. All Luke's sacrifice had given him were a few more minutes of freedom. He raised his hands in surrender, feeling the tears rolling freely down his face.
As the officers approached him from behind, they yanked his hands roughly into cuffs behind his back, forcing him to the ground. He looked up to see more people gathering, some faces he knew from church or from school. He hung his head, letting his hair form a curtain in front on his face, a shield from their glares.
An officer was reading his rights, but he couldn't hear them. It was like being underwater, his hearing muffled, likely by shock. He could feel wet tears on his face, and his whole body seemed to shake violently but couldn't remember when exactly he had started.
As he was guided into the back of a police car, he found himself wishing he could see his father in the crowd, wished he could say he was sorry, say goodbye. He wished he could hold Luke, just one more time.
He imagined his face, the way his eyes would sparkle, his hair lit by the sun in the meadow, his mouth lifting into a smile as he held his face, gazing at him with what he now knew for certain was love.
Then the car door slammed and the illusion was shattered.
***
Luke
He awoke slowly, his head pounding so loudly that it took him a few moments to recall what had happened before he blacked out.
Slowly his memories returned, and he sat up, blinking rapidly, looking around the unfamiliar room.
It was sort of like a hospital, but more private and luxurious. There were very little items, only a plastic cup of what looked like water by his bed, and a small paperback bible.
Other than the bed, there was a small desk and chair, and a window with metal grating in front of it. The rest of the room was painted a bare blank white, with an open door that seemed to lead to a small bathroom.
He wondered if this was prison, and yet, it seemed too nice to be prison. And he felt like he should have woken up at some point earlier than just being thrown in prison. Something about the place felt... wrong.
He got out of bed slowly, looked down at the grey tracksuit he was wearing. He felt weak, really weak. He looked down at his trembling fingers and wondered how long it had been since he'd last eaten.
He moved to the door, turning the handle, but as expected it was locked. Turning, he looked back at the room, catching sight of a camera in the top right corner. He got chills just looking at it.
He sat back down on the bed, and hugged his knees to his chest. He thought about Danny, his anguished face in those last moments. He hoped he had got away, perhaps even now he was in the meadow. Safe.
He wondered if people knew yet, had the whispers and gossip spread around the town? He thought of how his father would feel about that. An angry pleasure rose at that.
As if sensing his thoughts, there was a rattle in the door and it opened slowly. In walked a man he did not recognise. He was wearing a shirt and tie, and gave him an overly warm smile. Behind him, there came a scowling guard, and finally...
"You," he spat, glaring at his father. "What have you done? Where am I?"
"Once again my boy, your ungratefulness astounds me," he said lazily as he strolled into the room, his arms crossed in a bored manner.
Luke stood, fists clenched, ready to punch that smug smile right off his face. The guard stepped forward.
"Easy now, kid. Why don't we sit back down," he said in a low voice, his hand resting on what looked like a taser at his belt. Luke swallowed, looking from the guard to his father. He sat.
The man in the tie moved to the desk chair, flipping it around and sitting down in a friendly demeanour. He had wide black framed glasses, and his eyes behind them seemed to be kind. Or at least he wanted him to think that.
"Luke, my name is Dr Rowan. I understand that you must be quite confused. You are at a special clinic that is going to help you, you're not in danger here."
He frowned, "what do you mean you'll help me?"
He looked from the doctor, to his father and began to cotton on, laughing bitterly.
"So that's your plan?" He said sarcastically, "pray the gay away?"
"Praying is only one part of the treatment, there are plenty more... physical methods if we chose to go that route," his father smiled darkly.
"Yes well, I don't personally partake in those treatments," the doctor said giving his father an irritated look. "We're going to focus on therapy, and cleansing first. Then if you are still unhappy with your treatment then my colleague will.. handle things further. Our first session is this afternoon, I just wanted to introduce myself before hand. If you need anything, please feel free to call a nurse using this."
He placed a small plastic device on the table with a large orange button.
