The beasts of Carbonarium part 3

Carl Barbary is captured by his pursuers his fate is in the balance

Like a swarm of angry bees they seemed to appear out of the bushes. Even if I could manage to kill one of them there had to be at least twenty of them in a rusty green jeep that came grinding out of the trackless bush. Obsequiously but surreptitiously I slid the cuff of my pant leg over my boot hoping they hadn't seen the crude knife hidden in it.

      The driver of the jeep bailed out of the drivers side he was carrying an AK47 that he hoisted proudly like it was  a trophy boar he had killed in a hunt. He was dressed in fatigues and a white beret with a large letter C emblazoned on a patch on the front of it. I recognized them immediately they were the heavy's from Judas Carbonariums personal army.

      I trembled inside as I remembered the brutality with which they treated me before I managed to tunnel out from my cramped prison. They would be even worse this time my hands shook and my stomach churned. I tucked my hands underneath my body to hide the trembling. 

      The man with the AK47 made a motion with his hand to the one who had the pistol pointed at my head. I felt him slowly take the pistol away the pressure of the pistol against my skull had been so great that I still felt it faintly against my skull. The others in the jeep sat quietly eyeing me like hungry cannibals who were about to enjoy a delicious meal. I didn't think Carbonarium's men engaged in cannibalism but if not it was about the only barbaric savagery they hadn't engaged in. Which was not reassuring to me by any means.

      The man with the rifle stood right over me now so close I could see the large sheath knife in his belt. The moments dragged by a  I wondered fearfully what they might do to me. He nodded a motion to one of the men who sat quietly in the jeep. The man stood up slowly grinning cruelly and tossed the man standing over me a length of rope. The man standing over me secured the rope tightly to my ankles. The other one jumped out of the jeep and secured the other end to the bumper hitch on the jeep.

      Self preservation took precedence over dignity now I might be dragged over miles of rough ground possibly skinned alive by unknown terrain. "Please you don't have to do this" I begged then I felt instantly ashamed at my pathetic groveling. I was a fighter and a proud man groveling was foreign to me it gave me a weird feeling inside. 

      I heard the engine of the jeep as it struggled to start then it finally roared to life. The wheels spun throwing gritty dirt in my eyes. I heard them mocking me with laughter as I spat out a mouthful of dirt. I rolled and bounced uncontrollably and roughly along the ground as the jeep sped down the crude trail to god knows where.I felt every pebble as they tore roughly at my shirt scratching my skin I felt like I was being dragged along a belt sander.