Now or Never: Escape to Freedom

I want to apologize for the long delay in this chapter. Life just got carried away but I never meant to leave all of you guys hanging for this long. Chapter 4 hopefully won't take as long for me to do. I would like to thank my editor Jensediting for stepping up to the plate and helping me out with my story. Now for my disclaimer. If you do not like gay male stories that have gay male reluctance and some BDSM, than do not read this story. This chapter is very long and very detailed so if you are looking for a quick read this is not the story for you. If you enjoy a story that is full of detail, suspense, drama and love than this is the one for you! If you are new and haven't read the other two chapters I advise that you do or this chapter will not make any sense. All persons in this story are fictitious and any likenesses are completely coincidental. So without further delay I bring to you the long awaited Chapter 3 of Now or Never: Worlds Collide.

*****

Austin missed his parents so much. He wondered how different his life might have turned out if they hadn't died. But then the words of his mother came into his head 'Austin, everything happens for a reason. Sometimes we don't know the reason or understand it at the moment but with time it will make sense.' If they hadn't of died then he never would have met Ryan, he was the best thing to ever happened to him. He wasn't about to let someone ruin it for him. He wanted to tell Ryan what his sister had said but Ryan would just to start another fight with her. So he decided that he would wait until the last day of the reunion to tell Ryan. He stood up and whipped the tears from his eyes. As he went to open the door, Justin came in looking for him.

"There you are. Ryan was wondering what happened to you." Justin questioned.

"I was just trying to find where everything goes in here." Austin answered. Trying not to sound upset but he didn't think Justin believed him.

"Austin, what's wrong? You look like you've been crying."

"I just got a little dust in my eyes, stupid allergies." Austin tried to laugh it off.

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah, I'm okay." Austin hated lying to him but he knew that if this conversation got back to Ryan World War III would break out.

"Okay then. Come on everyone is getting ready for dinner." Justin said as he open the door for Austin.

As the night continued on Ryan noticed that Austin was not acting his normal self. There were a few times that he caught Clare giving Austin nasty looks, but Clare gave everyone nasty looks so he didn't take too much notice.

"I figured after a long day at the beach you would like this." Ryan offered him a bowl of mint chocolate chip ice cream. Which he knew was one of Austin's favorites.

"No thank you." Austin politely declined.

Now Ryan knew that something wasn't right. "Austin, what's wrong? You have been acting strange ever since we came back from the beach."

"Nothing, I'm just tired. I guess I had a little too much fun at the beach today." Austin said faking a smile.

Ryan knew that Austin wasn't telling him the entire truth, but he didn't want to press the issue with everyone around. He noticed Justin on the other side of the deck and made his was over to him.

"Hey Ryan, having a good time?" Josh asked.

"Not really. Austin's been acting strange ever since we got from the beach." He turned his gaze to Justin. "Can I talk to you for a moment?"

"Sure." Justin answered.

"Alone, if you don't mind."

Justin looked at Josh and he nodded it was okay.

"Is everything okay?" Justin questioned as they walked off the deck.

"No. Ever since we got back from the beach Austin hasn't been acting like himself. I asked him if he was okay, he lied and told me that he was. I've been around Austin long enough to know when he is lying to me."

Justin just stood there in silence. Should he tell Ryan that he heard everything his sister had said to Austin? Suddenly he felt like the shoe was on the other foot and now he was faced with disclosing someone else's secret. Now he understood how Josh had felt. Granted this wasn't as major of an issue but still it was pretty bad.

"I think your sister said something to him." Justin finally answered.

"I should have known that bitch would try and ruin this for me! What did she say?" Ryan's eyes started to burn with anger.

Justin was not very good under pressure and wished Ryan hadn't asked to talk to him. "She told him that he was basically a freeloader and that he made everything up, even the part about his parents being dead."

That was the final straw. Ryan was done with people trying to ruin what he and Austin had going. It was time for him to put that bitch of a sister in her place.

He made a direct line over to where Clare was standing and knocked the glass out of her hand.

"What the fuck is wrong with you! Do you even have any idea how much this dress cost!"

"Shut the fuck up you evil fucking bitch!" Now everyone's attention was on the two of them. "Who the fuck do you think you are coming here and trying to ruin what Austin and I have?" Ryan yelled.

"You mean that pathetic freeloader and liar. You really must be stupid to believe his lies." She said as she cleaned the spilled drink off of her dress.

"I will not have you talk about him like that! What gives you the right to say those things about him! Maybe if you had gotten to know him you would see that he's none of those things. He is one of the most caring and loving people I have ever met. I haven't been this happy in a long time!"

"Oh shut up Ryan! You are just as stupid as mom and dad for falling for his lies! He is a worthless piece of shit that his mother should have swallowed!" Clare barked back.

"Get the fuck out of here! I hate you and I never want to see you again in my life!" Ryan screamed at the top of his lungs.

"You can't make me leave. You can't do shit but take dick up your fairy ass!"

"I'm warning you now; if you don't leave I'm going to lose my patients!"

"Fuck you Ryan and your faggot ass boyfriend! He should be glad his parents are dead so they wouldn't have to deal with such a pathetic excuse of a son!"

Before Ryan could say another word Stacy came up from behind Clare knocking her to the ground. She grabbed Clare by the hair and landed a few good hits. Clare was yelling for help and demanding Stacy to get off of her but no one moved to help her. They either didn't care or didn't want to interfere with what Clare had coming. Shelly finally came over and pulled Stacy off.

"Get your things and leave! As far as I am concerned you are no longer a part of this family! Your father and I raised you better than this! How dare you come here and do this!" She said as tears filled her eyes.

"You're just going to let her do that to me!"

"Shut up! You got exactly what you deserved! Now, I said leave!" Shelly said as she pointed to the driveway.

Without saying another word Clare picked up whatever dignity she could find and made her way to her car.

"Mom, I'm sorry." Ryan with tears in his eyes. "I just lost it when I heard what she had said about Austin."

"Don't worry about it." As she gave her son a hug.

"Where did Austin go?" Stacy asked as she looked around at the crowd.

"Oh my god, Austin." Ryan knew that this must have scared Austin.

"I think I saw him run into the house." Cindy answered.

Ryan's heart was pounding when he opened the door to their room and saw Austin wasn't there. He ran down the steps and out the front door just in time to see Austin putting his suitcase in the car.

"Austin, where are you going?!"

"I'm sorry Ryan. I'm so sorry; I've caused your family so much upset. I think it would be best if I left." Austin cried.

"Left?! Left to where?"

"Back where I never should have left in the first place."

"What to Eric? You can't go back to him! Not after everything you have done to get away from him!"

"I was stupid to think that if I had left my life would be better. No matter where I go, I always end up ruining someone's life."

"You haven't ruined anyone's life." Ryan protested.

"That entire shit storm was all over me. The family reunion is ruined, your mom just disowned your sister and I embarrassed your entire family. If I hadn't left Eric none of this would have ever of happened. At least with him I'm not causing anyone to hurt."

"Please tell me this isn't happening. This has got to be some horrible nightmare that I'm going to wake up from!" Ryan yelled. "Austin, I love you! I can't bear the thought of losing you!"

"I'm sorry Ryan but you deserve better than me. As long as you stay with me you are going to have nothing but issues. You and I both know that Eric is not going to let me go. He will find a way to get me and I don't want you to get hurt."

"You can't leave me!" Ryan grabbed Austin's arm and pulled him back. "Please, I'm begging you not to leave!"

"Ryan this is the hardest thing in my life to do but I can't live with myself knowing how much hurt I've caused. You deserve better than what I can give you." Austin said as tears slipped down his cheeks.

"Austin no!" Ryan cried as Austin got in his car. "I'm begging you please don't leave me!"

Austin didn't say anything more as he turned the key in the ignition. As Austin pulled out of the drive way he could see Ryan running after him but he didn't stop, he couldn't stop.

Ryan collapsed onto the driveway and started balling his eyes out. He could not believe that Austin was gone. His entire world had just come crashing down on him and he didn't know what to do.

"What do you mean he left?!" Stacy screamed.

"He's gone. He went back to Eric." Ryan cried.

"No, that can't be! Why would he do that?!"

"Because of everything that happened tonight." Ryan sobbed.

Stacy screamed for Cindy and Shelly. They came running full steam out to Ryan who was still sitting in the driveway.

"Austin left. He went back to Eric!" Stacy cried.

"Oh my god!" Cindy gasped.

"Stacy, take Ryan into the house please." Shelly asked with tears in her eyes.

"Leave me alone. I just want to be alone!" Ryan cried out.

Lightning cracked over head causing everyone to jump.

"Ryan I said get in the house now! There's a storm rolling in!" Shelly demanded. "We will figure something out when we get inside."

Finally Ryan got up off the ground and made his way into the house just in time for the rain let lose. He didn't say anything to anyone and went right to the room, crashing down on the bed and continued to sob. He could still smell Austin's sent on the pillow and that only made him cry even harder. His body was wracked with heart break.

"I just can't believe this. Austin's gone." Cindy said as she took a seat at the kitchen counter. "What's going to happen now?"

"For the first time in my life I don't know what to do." Shelly was beside herself. She always knew what to say or do, but this time she had no idea.

"Do you think we could go after Austin and stop him before it is too late?" Stacy asked.

"I don't even know where he used to live. He never told us." Shelly said as she put her head in her hands.

"We have to find out. I have an idea. Austin talked about his grandparents in Florida. We could always contact them and I'm sure they know where he used to live."

"Stacy, we don't even know anything about them. All we know is that they live in Clearwater, and we can't just go barging in there and take Austin." Shelly replied.

"And why not?!"

"He's an adult and can do what he wants." Shelly replied.

"But we all know the moment he walks back into that house Eric is going to beat the shit out of him! Why can't we call the police and them take him out of there?" Stacy said as she paced back and forth.

"Even if we knew when Eric was abusing Austin and we called the police, if Austin says that they were just play fighting the police would leave."

"This is fucked up! So we are just suppose to sit here and not do anything, go back to our normal lives and act like nothing is wrong. Well I'm sorry but I can't do that!"

"We have no choice. Unless Austin wants to come back there is nothing we can do." Shelly was beside herself at this point.

"Well I'm going to figure something out." Stacy said as she stormed out of the room.

Shelly sat in silence until Cindy spoke up.

"I don't understand why Austin left. It was a big blow up but I still don't see that as a reason to leave and go back to Eric."

Shelly knew that the only way Cindy was going to understand is if she told her the entire story. "There's a lot more to Austin than I told you. I can understand why he left." Cindy gave Shelly a puzzled look. "Austin's parents died in a car crash when he was a senior in high school. He was also in the crash but he was in a coma for a week, and didn't even make it to their funeral."

"Oh my god. Poor Austin."

"Well, Eric had Austin move in with him and his parents so he could finish out his senior year. Eric's parents didn't like the whole gay thing and once school was done they gave him an ultimatum, to either leave Austin or they wouldn't pay for college. He chose Austin and they moved out on their own. As time went on Eric started resenting Austin for his parent's actions and soon started taking out his anger on Austin. When Austin ran away, and ended up in Levy, Eric found him and caused some major trouble. Then when the fight happened tonight he felt as if he was the cause of it. I'm sure he feels that no matter where he goes he causes problems. He even said that to me when we asked him to stay with us."

"But what happened tonight was not caused by him." Cindy offered.

"We all know that but for Austin he thought it was."

"I wish he hadn't of left. I wish that he had just talked to one of us and we could have explained that it's not his fault." Cindy said.

"I do to. But I don't think it would have made a difference. Austin is a broken person who will blame himself if something bad happens when he's around." Shelly answered.

"The thought of him going back to that monster makes me sick." Cindy said shaking her head.

"It's eating me up inside and I know it's killing Ryan. He is so in love with Austin, I don't know how he's going to handle this. I need to go and find Ryan. I have to make sure that he isn't going completely out of his mind."

"If you need anything please let me know." Cindy said as Shelly walked out of the room.

Shelly searched the entire house but couldn't find Ryan. She grabbed an umbrella and headed out the back doors where she found Ryan sitting in the rain on one of the chairs.

"Ryan, what are you doing out here? You're going to catch yourself a cold." Shelly said as she sat next to her son.

"I just want to be alone right now." He didn't make eye contact but just stared off into the dark.

"I know but would you please go inside. You are going to get sick sitting out in the rain like this."

"Right now, I could care less if I died." Ryan lowered his head and began to cry. "He left me, mom. I can't believe he left. What am I going to do? He's the love of my life."

"I know. We all love and care for him." Shelly didn't know what to say or do to help ease her son's pain. She knew how to bandage a scrapped knee but she didn't know how to mend a broken heart.

"The worst part is I know what he is going back to. I'm sure Eric has already beaten him to a bloody pulp. There's nothing I can do to save him. I was so happy being with him. I never would have thought that anything like this would ever have happened. I'm going to miss him so much." Ryan knew that he was never going to see Austin again. He knew that this was the end.

There was a dark cloud that hung over the rest of the reunion. No one was interested in doing anything fun, and Ryan spent the rest of the time in his room crying. His family tried to make him feel better but the only thing that would work would be Austin coming back.

***********************

As Austin pulled into the driveway of Eric's place his heart began to pound in his ears or it could have been the rain pelting the windows. It was kind of ironic how it was storming out, much like the day he ran away. He knew what was likely going to happen to him when he got inside. As he walked up to the door the outside light came on and Eric opened the door before he even knocked. Eric stood in the doorway for a few moments before finally speaking.

"So, you've decided to come back." Eric said as he crossed his arms. "Did you enjoy your time away?"

Austin didn't speak a word knowing that Eric wasn't looking for answers.

"Get inside." Eric said with a tone that sent chills down Austin's spine.

Austin walked in and stopped short of the door waiting for Eric to tell him what to do next. When the door closed he knew there was no turning back.

"Turn around and look at me." Eric demanded.

As soon as Austin turned around Eric punched him in the jaw, sending him to the ground.

"Do you have any idea the shit you've put me through?! I should fucking kill you right now! Everything I gave up for you just for your stupid ass to leave! Sending me on a wild goose chase! Getting me ran off the road by some stupid fucking country slut!" Eric bellowed as he knelt down next to Austin.

"Ryan is not a stupid country slut!" Austin barked back.

"Excuse me? I don't think I gave you permission to talk! I can see I'm going to have to train you all over again! Where are the keys to that piece of shit car?"

Austin started to pull them out of his pocket to hand them over when Eric grabbed his arm stopping him and getting them out himself.

"That'll be the last time you ever drive that car! Just to make sure your stupid ass doesn't try to leave again, I'm sending it to the scrap yard!"

"Please don't! I promise I won't leave again!"

"Shut up! You will only speak when I give you permission!" He said as he put the keys in his pocket. "You'll never leave this house again. When I leave you'll be locked away."

"Please don't. Please don't lock me up!" Austin begged.

Eric grabbed Austin's throat and started to squeeze. "Did I fucking tell you to speak! No, so shut your fucking mouth before I close it for you!" He started to squeeze harder.

Austin started to cry but Eric's grip was strong and all that could come out where gasps of air. He knew that tonight was going to be one of the worst of his life.

"Get upstairs, now!" Eric demanded as he finally released his grip.

Austin tried to get up but he wasn't moving fast enough for Eric, he was yanked up to his feet. As he climbed the stairs he had a feeling of what was about to happen... The same thing that always happened when Eric got mad.

The moment they walked in the room he was struck in the back of the head causing him to lose his footing and fall to the floor. Eric was right on top of him. Eric grabbed him by his hair and smashed his face into the hardwood floor.

"Are you ever going to try that stunt again?!" He bellowed as he landed a punch to the side of Austin's head.

"No! I'm sorry!" Austin cried out in pain.

"I fucking own you! Every hair on your stupid head, every fiber of your body is mine! If you ever try to pull this stunt again I will kill you! And that is a promise!" He yelled as he landed a few more hits to Austin's head.

One hit blasted him right in the nose causing blood to pour out. Eric was an animal filled with rage. He repeatedly punched and kicked Austin. Each blow sending shock waves of pain throughout Austin's body. After the assault had stopped, Austin thought it was over, but he was sadly mistaken. He felt Eric start to undress him and feared what was coming next, but the leather belt making contact with his bare skin made him jump. Eric wasn't kind enough to strike him with a looped belt; he was striking him with the metal end of the belt. The metal clasp ripped and tore at his soft flesh. Austin was begging Eric to stop as blood stained tears fell from his eyes, but Eric didn't care. All Eric knew is that he had to teach this faggot a lesson. After a dozen or so hits from the belt, Austin felt Eric pulling his underwear off of him. He was too weak from the beating to try and resist, but he begged Eric not to fuck him; his words fell on deaf ears.