Posted originally on the Archive_of_Our_Own at https://archiveofourown.org/
works/10872660.
  Rating:
      Explicit
  Archive Warning:
      Graphic_Depictions_Of_Violence, Major_Character_Death, Rape/Non-Con,
      Underage
  Category:
      Other
  Fandom:
      13_reasons_why.
  Character:
      Tyler_Down, Clay_jenson, Bryce_Walker, Justin_Foley, Alex_Standall,
      Courtney_Crimson, Montgomery_de_la_Cruz
  Stats:
      Published: 2017-05-10 Chapters: 8/8 Words: 7428
****** All my reasons why. ******
by Ferretgirl920
Summary
     Tyler is sick of Being bullied. He decides to take his revenge.
***** Chapter 1 *****
All my reasons why. Chapter one.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I knew we shouldn't have gone to that party. Isn't that how every bad thing
that's happened started? I guess it's too late now to take it all back....
~earlier that day~
'C'mon Jenson, you can't mope around forever.' I looked up to see Monty
smirking at me.
'Seriously dude, I know you're still sad about Hannah, but she wouldn't want
you to spend the rest of your life miserable.' Alex tried to sound nicer about
it than Monty at least.
'I think what we all need at this point is to just try and get on with our
lives. I think this party is just what everyone needs right now to unwind.'
Leave it to Courtney to try to use logic against him. Damnit, he was going to
get dragged into this one way or another, wasn't he?
~~~~
The music was loud, the beer tasted terrible, and every new game or joke made
felt like a pathetic attempt to get back to normal. All I wanted was to go
home.
Suddenly nothing felt right, and as I sat down (or fell) on the floor, I
noticed some other kids doing the same. What the hell was in this beer? And
then I saw him, standing alone amongst the many now unconscious students.
That's the last thing I saw before everything went black.
~~~~~~~
Uggg. My head was pounding. This is by far my worst hangover yet. I struggled
to open my eyes and found that I wasn't in my bed at home. Where am I?
I try to shake the last of my consciousness into place and find that I'm in a
chair. I'm in a chair and I can't move. Why can't I move? I look down and find
my neck stopped short. There's something around my neck. A strap of some sort.
I'm fully awake now and I start to struggle just to find that the straps are on
my chest, waist, arms, wrists, legs, and ankles. Someone apparently wanted me
to stay in this chair.
'Clay, so nice of you to finally join us.' I look back up and see him. Tyler
Down. Shit. I can see now that I'm not alone with him either.
Five of the other party goers are strapped into chairs like me, all sat in a
semi circle that Tyler is now standing in the middle of. Courtney, Alex, Monty,
Bryce, Justin, and me. What the fuck is going on?
'Now that everyone is awake, let's get started' Tyler sounded cheerful, almost
deranged as he clasped his hands together, and then gestured to the group and
looked around as if admiring his handy work.
'Very funny Tyler, now tell us what the fuck is going on' Bryce said loudly,
making my headache worse still.
'I'm glad you think it's funny, but you won't for long.' Tyler grinned. 'You
see, you're all here for a reason. I'm sure you all remember Hannah Baker. All
of you know she killed herself because the kids at our school treated her like
shit and bullied her every day. People are funny like that. Sometimes you push
someone so far they just decide to kill themselves. Others... well when you
push some other people to far they might just snap and kill someone else.' He
finished, looking around the room to gauge our reactions. Shit, was he going to
kill all of us?!
'So what man, you brought us all out her trying to scare us cuz we were mean to
you?' Justin smirked condescendingly at Tyler.
I finally spoke up; ' Justin I don't think now is the time to be an asshole to
him...' I warned. Who knew if Tyler was being serious, but I personally didn't
want to find out.
'See, Clay gets it!' Tyler bounded over and put his hand on my shoulder,
seeming very much like a proud parent who finally got their kid to use the
toilet. 'Clay understands the gravity of the situation you're all in. Maybe now
really isn't the best time to piss me off. Well, more than you already have, I
mean.' He walked back to the middle of the circle.
'Look Tyler, whatever we did that pissed you off wasn't bad enough to justify
you kidnapping us. Jokes over, let us go now and we can all forget the whole
thing ok?' Courtney was trying to reason with him. Seriously, did he seem like
he was in a mood to be reasoned with?
'Yea man, just tell us what you want from us and we can be on our way' Monty
said slowly, like he was trying to calm down a rabid animal.
Tyler looked amused by this and he chuckled as he looked around at all of us.
'What do I want? I want each and every one of you to understand that you've all
made my life a living hell, and that you've finally pushed me too far. I want
to make this the worst night of all of your lives, and at the end of it I'll
decide if I'm going to kill you or just leave you broken and scarred for life.
That's what I want.' He finished calmly, pushing his hair out of his face. He
then turned to walk towards a table behind him.
'Wait!' Shit what was I doing? Was I seriously about to try to reason with him
too? What other choice did I really have? 'Wait Tyler. Come on, let's talk
about this.'
Tyler paused before turning around to face me. 'Talk?' He said incredulously.
'Now you want to talk to me? Really? Because none of you ever wanted to talk to
me before. But now you do. You want to talk now because I'm a threat. Because
you're scared. And you should be.' He started to turn back to the table.
'Look Tyler, I know we've hurt you. But It's still not too late to fix this. We
can help you. Just talk to us. Tell us how you're feeling, we can help you. We
can get you help. We can all leave here and forget this ever happened. We can
be your friends.' That was the wrong thing to say.
I immediately regret it as he quickly walked towards me, leaning over to put
one hand on the chair by my head and the other on my shoulder. 'My friend?' He
said quietly, chuckling darkly. ' you want to be my friend?' He said louder,
condescendingly addressing the whole group now, gesturing widely with his
hands.
'I've never really had friends before, I wonder what that would be like. I
guess we can consider this my first slumber party.' He laughed. 'You wanna be
my friend Clay? You wanna help me and heal the hurt and make this all better?'
He leaned in close again. 'You can't. Maybe if someone had been so kind to me
before we wouldn't be in this mess. But let's not focus on the woulda coulda
shoulda right now, hm? No, we're gonna focus on here and now, and I'm not going
to let you go.' He stood back up.
I saw it coming a split second before, but I couldn't move out of the way as he
backhanded me hard enough to jerk my head around. I looked back up in time to
see him standing by the table, and he pulled a cart forward. The cart had two
small tanks with hoses attached that joined into one hose in the middle. They
were labeled 'A' and 'B'. He pulled this cart to the center of the room.
'Now Clay, since you're so keen on helping me, you can help with our first
game. One of these tanks contains Hydrochloric acid, and the other is just
plain tap water. You're going to choose one of your friends here, and then
you're going to choose Tank A or Tank B. I'm going to point the hose at whoever
you choose, and turn on the tap of your choice. Oh and by the way, you can't
play the hero and choose yourself.' He finished proudly, leaning against the
cart.
I looked around the room in disbelief. He couldn't be serious? Everyone else
was in shock too, but they didn't dare say anything at this point for fear of
upsetting him more. I looked back at Tyler and saw him staring at me
expectantly.
'What if I refuse? You can't seriously expect me to choose someone to be
tortured!' I said to him. Again, the wrong thing to say.
'Really? Because you have all chosen to torture me every day. I know, I know,
different kind of torture, but metaphorically speaking.. oh and because if you
don't choose then i'm going to choose for you. I'm going to turn on the acid
tap and spray everyone down. At least by making a choice it's only one person,
and it's a 50% chance it will just be water. So go on then, why don't you help
your friends like you wanted to help me.' He passed the hose from hand to hand
as he awaited my reply.
I looked around the room again and everyone was staring at me, waiting. None if
them deserved this. Not even Bryce, although he did deserve to be in prison for
what he had done to Jessica and Hannah.... but everyone else's worst crime was
being a bully to Tyler.... I wish I could choose myself instead but he won't
let me. So I could choose one person to have a 50% chance of getting hurt, or
cause everyone in the room to get it that much worse. Not much of a choice... I
looked back up at Tyler.
'Bryce' I said simply.
'The fuck dude?!' Bryce yelled over at me.
'You know what you did.... your the only one here who has done anything
remotely bad enough for any of this' I said softly. 'And even so, I'm sorry. I
had to make a choice, or it would have been everyone including you anyway. You
deserve to be in prison, but not this... I'm sorry, and I'm gonna try to choose
right.' I finished quietly, looking back up at Tyler , and then behind him to
the tanks.
'Bryce it is then. I have to say I'm not surprised... I was planning on
spraying whomever in the face, but maybe I should aim the hose a little further
down. That way if it is acid, and he does live he won't be able rape anyone
else. So which tap do you choose, Clay?'
I looked between the tanks and tried to decipher which one could be the water.
They were both blacked out so I couldn't see inside, and they were identical in
every way. It was really all up to chance then...
'Tank A?' I said, unsure of myself. Fuck, if I got it wrong.... I don't want to
think about that... it has to be right... maybe Tyler is just fucking with us
and both tanks have water.... or what if both Tanks have acid? Maybe he just
wanted to give the illusion of choice... fuck fuck fuck...
'Bryce, Tank A. And I think I will just aim for your face. For now. ' Tyler
stated simply, as if he was considering what to make for dinner rather than
torturing people. He grabbed the hose, pointed it at Bryce, and reached behind
him to open tap A.
Everyone else gasped in horror and anticipation, Bryce shut his eyes and tried
to duck his head as much as he could with the strap around his neck. He was
holding his breath and I could see him Shaking from my seat across the room.
The tap made a small noise and then a clear liquid rushed out to splash over
Bryce. Was Acid clear or was it water? Well Bryce seemed ok, and he wasn't
screaming.... Tyler waited a few moments and turned the tap off. Bryce looked
up, soaking wet, and realized he was ok. He started sobbing quietly.
'Good call Clay' Tyler said with a smirk. He looked back at Bryce, who was
still shaking uncontrollably. 'Don't worry, I'm sure I'm gonna get to have some
fun with you later.' He pushed the cart back to the front of the room.
'Are you ok Bryce?' Courtney asked quietly.
'Fuck, am I ok? No I'm fucking not ok.... I'm glad that wasn't acid but no, I
don't think any of us are ever going to be ok again....' Bryce muttered back.
Tyler moved to crouch down in front of Bryce. 'Now your getting it big guy.
You're right, you're not going to be ok. I'm gonna make sure of that.' Tyler
said with a false gentleness, patting Bryces face condescendingly as he stood
back up.
'Now who should I play with next?' Tyler stood in the middle of the circle,
hands clasped as he looked around. 'Eenie meenie miney...' he laughed as he
looked around, eyes settling on Monty. 'Mo.'
***** Chapter 2 *****
All my reasons why. Chapter Two.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Monty looked up at Tyler, terrified. I suppose he would be, from what I've seen
he bullies Tyler more than anyone. 'Look man, I'm sorry. Ok? I'm sorry, I know
I've been an asshole-' Monty starts trying to apologize for everything he's
done before Tyler cuts him off.
'You're sorry?' Tyler scoffs. 'Really? You're sorry that you out of everyone
here are the most responsible for this? That you out of everyone here has
actively gone out of your way to hurt me and humiliate me just because you
could? No, it's way to late for your apology.' Tyler walked slowly closer to
Montys' chair, and Monty looked like he was trying to scoot away.
'Please man, don't do this. Just let us go. I swear to God I'll leave you
alone, I'll never bother you again. Please I'm begging just let us go.' Monty
whimpered, on the verge of tears. I've never seen him so scared, so helpless.
'Please Tyler, I know we don't deserve it, I don't deserve it, but please show
mercy.' He was crying now as Tyler stood over him with his arms crossed.
'You want mercy? You're not so big and bad now are you? I didn't figure you'd
be the one to start crying, but I guess you never know who someone really is
until they're down to the wire.' Tyler moved to place his hand over Montys
throat and pressed down lightly with his thumb. Montys breath was coming in
short gasps now but he could at least still breathe. Tyler moved his hand away.
'Wouldn't want you to be unconscious for this, now would I?' He laughed.
Tyler walked over to the table and grabbed a small knife. He turned to face
them and walked back over to Monty, making a show of twirling the knife him his
hand along the way. He chuckled darkly when he saw the fear in Montys eyes.
'What's the matter Monty, scared of a little bloodplay?' He scorned, smirking
at the shaking boy in front of him. 'Don't worry, I won't kill you. Yet.' He
used the knife to cut Montys shirt away as best he could around the straps.
'This is the part where I'm supposed to say /no homo/, right?' He joked, but no
one laughed.
With the shirt out of the way he began to gently run the knife down the other
boys chest, a parody of a loving caress, and when Monty whimpered, he turned
the knife over and made the first long but shallow slash down the center of his
chest.
Monty cried out 'FUCK!' And dropped his head to watch the blood drip down his
stomach, pooling around his belt. He saw Tyler raise the knife again and
sobbed, 'please Tyler... please stop. Just tell me how I can make it all up to
you. Just tell me what I can do to make this alright, just please stop.' Tyler
moved away from him to stand in the middle of the circle again. 'Oh God, thank
you, thank you' Monty cried in relief.
'Oh, I'm not done yet' Tyler laughed. 'I'm just getting some perspective...' he
looked around at the group. I felt nauseous at the sight of the blood pouring
from Montys chest. Alex was pointedly looking anywhere but at Monty or Tyler.
Tyler seemed to pick up on this, and addressed the blond boy. 'Alex, you've had
some problems with Monty in the past, right?' Alex looked up but didn't answer.
'I seem to remember not to long ago he beat the shit out of you in the street
by the school. Isn't that right?' He patiently waited for alex to answer.
Alex looked over at Monty, then back to Tyler. 'Yeah... but I started that
fight, it wasn't his fault....' He justified quietly.
'Wasn't his fault? The reason you started the fight is because he almost ran
over you with his car. Tell me how that wasn't his fault.' Tyler replied. Alex
stayed quiet, he didn't have an answer for that. 'Yea, I didn't think so' Tyler
whispered, smiling. 'So tell me, Alex, how you would describe Monty, in one
word.'
Alex looked confused and exasperated. 'I don't know. I guess he's kind of an
asshole?' He looked over at Monty and shrugged. 'You kind of are, sorry.'
Tyler smiled broadly and twirled the knife in his hand again. 'Asshole huh? Yea
I guess that works.' He walked back over to Monty and leaned over him. I
couldn't see what he was doing from where I sat, but I could hear Montys
screaming. After a minute or so Tyler stepped back to admire his work. The word
'ASSHOLE' was carved into Montys chest, fresh blood joining the growing pool in
Montys lap. Fuck... Monty looked about ready to pass out.
'Assuming you get out of here alive tonight, that should leave a nice scar.
Maybe act as a reminder not to be such a fucking asshole to people. Good choice
Alex' he stated, looking over at the mortified boy, who was now looking paler
than usual.
'Fuck, Monty, I'm so sorry, I didn't know he was going to do that...' Alex
apologized, but Monty probably didn't hear him as he slipped in and out of
consciousness. Tyler grabbed a roll of gauze from the table and wrapped Monty
up the best he could.
'Don't want him bleeding to death before the fun's over.' He explained as he
tossed the gauze back on the table. 'Now then. Who's next?'
***** Chapter 3 *****
All my reasons why. Chapter Three
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The room seemed even more silent in the wake of the screams as they waited to
see what Tyler would do next. He was standing in the middle of the room,
looking contemplative as he tried to decide who his next victim would be.
Suddenly he smiled; 'Justin, you've made some pretty bad decisions as of late,
especially when it came to defending you're friends instead of protecting
you're girlfriend. You never seem to know who's side you should be on. I know
you'd rather just stay out of the way and pretend everything is ok, right?
Right. So right now, I want you to choose who the next victim will be. Just
like Clay, you can't choose yourself. Pick between Clay and Courtney. I'm not
going to tell you what I'm going to do once you decide though.'
Shit shit shit shit. This was it. Justin hates me. He's going to choose me.
This is how I'm going to die- Justin interrupts my thoughts just then.
'Courtney.' Justin states simply, as if it were the easiest decision in the
world. Courtney looks like she's going to be sick. Even Tyler looks shocked.
'Just out of morbid curiosity, why her?' Tyler asks.
'During the whole mess after Hannah died, she kept defending Bryce, justifying
and trying to convince us all that Hannah was Lying just so no one would know
she was gay. At least when Clay found out he tried to convince me to tell the
truth, he wanted justice for Jessica. And for Hannah. All Courtney wanted was
to save her reputation.' Justin finished, Glaring at Courtney with contempt.
Courtney was hyperventilating now looking back and forth between Tyler and
Justin. 'I didn't... I was just scared. I'm sorry.' She said to Justin, before
looking at Tyler. 'Besides, what have I ever done to you that was so bad.
You're the one who took that picture of me and Hannah, I never did anything to
you!' She practically shouts at Tyler, panic evident on her face.
Tyler chuckled lightly 'oh yea, the picture. That's what it's always about with
you. I made a mistake one time, and immediately regretted it and apologized for
it but you hated me anyway, no matter how I tried to fix it you were always the
first to shut me out, turn me away. Even when we were about to be exposed from
the tapes you cared more about ostracizing me, keeping me isolated and making
sure I had nobody to turn to. But sure, you can say you never did anything to
me, it doesn't change what I'm going to do to you.'
He turned to grab something off the table and walked up to Courtney. He grabbed
one hand and twisted it upwards before placing her pinkie finger into the bolt
cutter he was holding.
'NO! Please Tyler please, I'll do anything you want, I'll make it up to you
please don't do this. Please-' Courtney's pleas were cut off by a blood
curdling scream and a sickening snap that made my stomach turn. Her screams
faded into broken sobbing, as Tyler bent to pick the finger up from where it
had landed on the floor. There was so much blood. How could one little finger
bleed so much?
'Awwww did that hurt?' Tyler asked in a sickeningly sweet voice. 'Good, I'll
let you recover for a minute and then we'll get started on the others. Can't do
them all at once cuz you might go into shock and pass out. I want you awake for
this.' He grabbed the gauze from the table and wrapped up the stump that was
where her pinkie used to be.
The room was silent save for Courtneys quiet sobbing. Tyler seemed to be
getting bored. 'Alright, break time's over. Let's get cracking. See what I did
there? I'm not going to cut the rest of them off, I'm just going to smash them
with this hammer.' He held up a rusty looking hammer from his table of horrors.
'Please...' Courtney begged weakly. 'Please Tyler. I know somewhere in there
you're still a sweet boy. You're just angry right now. You have every right to
be, i know. But you can stop this.' She almost looked hopeful as Tyler stopped
short a few feet in front of her. Almost.
'You're right. I can stop this. But I'm not going to. I don't want to. I'm
having fun.' He moved to stand right next to her chair and tightened the straps
on her wrists, forcing her hands flat against the board. He raised the hammer
up and took his first swing.
The resounding crunching sound mingled with Courtney screaming filled the room.
I knew I shouldn't look, but I had to. There was blood dripping over the edge
of the armrest as the splintered bones tore through the mangled flesh. He swung
the hammer down again, decimating more of her fingers and she screamed again,
sobbing and hyperventilating.
Across the room, Monty was starting to wake up. I guess he didn't die, but this
had to be a hell of a wake up call. He looked around and saw what Tyler was
doing to Courtney, as he now started on her other Hand. His eyes went wide and
he looked like he might throw up.
I turned back to Courtney just as Tyler finished his last swing. He walked away
to trade the hammer for the gauze, and I caught a glimpse of Courtneys hands.
They didn't even look like hands. They were mangled bloody chucks of flesh and
bone. Tyler came back and bandaged the hands tightly to prevent further blood
loss, and then walked back to the table. Courtneys head dropped and she seemed
to be semiconscious as she cried and whimpered in pain.
Tyler was leaning against the table, arms folded, looking quietly around the
room. Bryce was still damp and shivering, Monty was awake, but pale and woozy
looking. Courtney was still crying and shaking. Alex and Justin looked like
they had seen a ghost.... and I don't think I want to know how I look right
now, but i can feel the soreness and the trickle of dried blood from when Tyler
had backhanded me. Tyler seemed to be taking all of this in as well.
Finally he stood, and looked at Courtney. 'Ok Courtney, it's you're turn to
make a choice. Who's next?'
***** Chapter 4 *****
All my reasons why. Chapter four
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Courtney looked up with tears in her eyes. She didn't even hesitate for a
moment. 'Justin.' She said angrily, glaring over at the boy who had just thrown
her under the bus.
'Fair enough ' Tyler chuckled. 'An eye for an eye. Isn't that right?' He walked
back over to his table, hands hovering over his implements of torture as he
tried to decide what to use. He looked as thought he suddenly had an idea as he
grabbed a smaller cart from the side.
He grabbed a metal device that looked like a squared off pair of pliers, a
small curved knife, and then left the room and came back with... was that a box
of salt? Why the fuck did he want salt? He put these items on the cart, grabbed
a small stool, and brought everything over next to Justins chair.
Justin looked just as confused as I did, but to his credit, he didn't look
scared. He was pissed, and he had a look of determination on his face he
usually reserved for the basketball court.
Tyler sat on the stool next to Justin, and grabbed the weird plier looking
thing, turning it over in his hands. 'Have you ever gone fishing, Justin?' He
asked lightly.
'No...?' Justin said, confused.
'Well this little device is called a catfish skinner. It's used for.... well,
skinning catfish. You just make a little cut in the skin with a knife, and then
this nifty little tool can be used to peel off long strips of skin.' He stated
slowly. Justins face of confusion turned to one of fear and disgust, before
settling back on anger.
'Fuck you man, gonna skin me? Really? Wanna make yourself a skin suit. Maybe
you should have me put some lotion on first.' Justin spat at Tyler.
Tyler chuckled. 'You really don't know when to shut the fuck up, do you? This
is the part where you realize how bad you've fucked up and beg for mercy.'
'As if I would give you the satisfaction' Justin smirked.
'I think you'll change you're mind once the pain starts. Have you ever hear the
phrase /rubbing salt in the wound/ ? If you've ever gotten salt in a wound
before you know how bad it hurts. Salt does have healing benefits though, and
if you pack a wound with salt you can stop the bleeding. Hurts like a bitch
though.' Tyler seemed proud that he had come up with that. Well now I know what
the salt is for.
Justin didn't say anything back, just sneered at Tyler. Tyler sighed and
muttered 'without further ado' and grabbed the little knife off the cart. He
made a small cut on Justins arm, right below the elbow. Justin was visibly
grinding his teeth but said nothing. Tyler picked up the skinner again and
placed it against the cut, jamming one piece into the flesh.
Justin gasped in pain; 'FUCK' he panted, looking down to see the blood oozing
out around the metal. He looked back at Tyler. 'Fuck you.'
Tyler grinned as he ripped the skinner back, taking a chunk of Justins skin
with it. Justin screamed and arched back against his chair like he was trying
to move away, but couldn't. Tyler held up the piece of flesh in the skinner and
examined it. It was dripping blood, and he set it down and grabbed the salt. He
opened the little spout on the box and held it over Justins arm. 'Now for the
fun part.'
He tilted the box and poured the salt over the gaping wound on Justins arm. As
soon as the salt came in contact with the bleeding flesh Justin started
screaming again, writhing against his chair. Tyler poured a mound of salt onto
the arm and put the box down. Then he used his hand to pack the salt down into
the wound. Justin began hyperventilating and sobbing uncontrollably.
'FUCK! Please oh god please stop please!' Justin begged, finally giving in and
begging for mercy, just like Tyler said he would.
'Well that didn't take long at all.' Tyler looked please. He sat up and brushed
the bloody salt off him hands.'and it was every bit as satisfying as I thought
it would be.' He stood up, 'i could rinse the salt out and bandage your arm up,
but I think I'm going to leave it like that.' He grabbed his stool and the cart
and moved back towards the table.
Justin was still sobbing and trying to shake the salt off his arm, but to no
avail. He couldn't move his arm enough in the straps. I felt sick as I watched.
This was all so fucked up, and I couldn't imagine what Tyler was going to do
next.
I didn't have to wonder long. Tyler wiped the blood off his hands and faced us
again. It was down to me, alex, and Bryce, since Tyler said he wasn't done with
him yet. I felt my stomach drop as Tyler looked over at me and smiled.
***** Chapter 5 *****
All my reasons why. Chapter five
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Fuck. That's all I could think as Tyler stared me down.
'Clay Clay Clay' Tyler said admonishingly, like he was scolding a child. ' oh,
i know you loved Hannah, so why wouldn't you be mad after I took that picture
of her? I understand why you were upset, but you're idea of revenge? That
was... well, below the belt. You stood outside my window, but throwing a rock
like everyone else wasn't good enough for you, was it? No, you had to inflict
your own brand of karma. You took that picture of me and sent it to everyone at
school, which resulted in me being bullied even more than I already was.' Tyler
paused and I realized he was waiting for me to say something to justify my
actions.
I never should have taken that picture. Tony was right. I shouldn't have
meddled. How could I justify what I had done? The pain I had caused this boy in
my anger blinded attempt at justice for a dead girl? How was i so focused on
someone I couldn't help that i never stopped to think of the consequences to
the person I hurt?
'I can't justify myself to you Tyler. I can't make excuses for what I did. I
was wrong, and for what it's worth, I'm sorry I hurt you. I shouldn't be saying
this now, because I should have said it before, when it mattered. I wish I
hadn't done what I did but I can't take it back now. I know nothing I say will
change your mind or make you stop. So go ahead. I deserve whatever you're
planning on doing to me.' I finished shakily.
I looked up to she shock on Tylers face. There was a brief flash of sympathy in
his eyes, but then it was gone. The look was replaced with cold, unfeeling
determination. 'How noble of you. You're right, you do deserve this.'
He walked into the other room and came back with a rag and a tube that led back
into the other room. He approached the back of my chair, and I tried to turn to
see what he was doing, but I couldn't. I heard a small squeak like a hinge, and
then the top of my chair dropped. Within a second I was leaned all the way back
like i was in a recliner. I looked up to see Tyler standing over me, and he
brought the rag up to my face. He jammed part of the rag into my mouth and used
the rest to cover my nose. Then he brought the tube up over me and twisted the
release valve.
I felt the cold water hit before I had a chance to take a breath. And suddenly
it felt like I couldn't breathe at all. The water was filling my nose, soaking
the rag in my mouth. I could feel air in my skin but I couldn't draw any in. I
could feel the panic setting in as I struggled against my chair. I had to get
out. I was going to drown, needed to get out!
But I couldn't move. I couldn't think, I couldn't breathe. All I could do was
wait for it to be over. I found myself choking on the water dripping into my
throat and my lungs burned like they were on fire. I continued my struggle but
i felt myself getting weaker as the lack of oxygen dulled my brain.
My vision blurred and started to go dark. This is it. This is how I go. I hope
everyone else gets out ok. Maybe I'll get to see Hannah again... that thought
comforted me as I felt myself slipping into the blackness. But then I heard
another squeak and the water stopped. The rag was yanked away from my face and
I felt myself coughing roughly. My chair was pushed back up into a sitting
position and my head dropped as I coughed up as much water as i could.
I could finally breathe again, but my lungs were still on fire. I opened my
eyes to find everyone staring at me worriedly. I tried to give them a smile to
let them know I was ok, but i just kept coughing.
The air was cold as it permeated my soaked clothes and I shivered as I drew in
a ragged burning breath. I slumped against my chair, looked up at Tyler and
waited to see what he would do.
He walked away and put the rag and hose back. The came to once again stand in
the middle of the room. Alex looked terrified as if he knew what was coming.
***** Chapter 6 *****
All my reasons why. Chapter six
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Tyler walked up to alex and crouched down in front of him. Putting his hand on
the boys knee and jostling it like they were old friends. 'Hey there buddy, how
ya holding up? What do you think about all of this?' Tyler gestured to the rest
of us.
'Does it really matter what I say?' Alex asked shakily.
'Of course it does, I always love hearing what you have to say. You know, like
when you said you'd like it if I never spoke to you again. To be fair you had
actually just defended me from Monty when you said that, but still, it hurt. I
thought you were different. You weren't exactly my friend but you didn't bully
me like everyone else. Until Hannah. Then you took your anger and hatred out on
me just like everyone else. You know what hurts worse than someone who always
fucks with you? When someone you thought you could trust stabs you in the
back.' Tyler paused, but Alex said nothing.
'You could have been my friend. You could have helped me. You could have
prevented all of this. But just like with Hannah, you, and everyone else let me
down. You shut me out. I had no one and nothing and nowhere to turn. And now
here we are.' Tyler waited yet again for a response that wouldn't come, as Alex
seemed resigned to his fate.
This seemed to piss Tyler off even more, and he reached up, grabbed Alex's nose
ring, and yanked it out, tearing the delicate flesh of his septum open as blood
poured down his face. Alex cried out in pain and spit out the blood that
gathered in his mouth as he did so.
'Well at least that got a reaction out of you. Shame, I always liked that
little nose ring on you.' Tyler got up and walked to the table. He grabbed a
crowbar and walked back over, swinging it as he went, and as soon as he got
close enough he aimed it at one knee.
The cracking sound it made reverberated in my skull as Alex screamed and tried
to jerk his leg away. Blood soaked through the knee of his jeans as the bone
burst through the skin there, shattered probably beyond repair. Tyler whistled
and twirled the crowbar like a baton before swinging the other way and smashing
Alex's other knee. Alex's scream died in his throat as he briefly passed out
from the pain.
Tyler took a few steps back to admire his work before jabbing at one of Alex's
knees with the crowbar. Alex groaned as he slowly regained consciousness, tears
rolling down his face and mingling with the blood.
Tyler nodded in approval at the sound of Alex's agony. He threw the crowbar
onto the table and sat down on his stool. He dropped his head into his hands
and chuckled to himself as he pulled on his own hair. i look around as everyone
else is, unsure of what could happen now.
***** Chapter 7 *****
All my reasons why. Chapter seven
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Tyler raised his head back up and looked at Bryce. I could see Bryce pale at
the look and try to shrink back in his chair.
'You know Bryce, everyone here thinks you deserve to be in Prison. You raped
two girls that we know of, causing one to become an alcoholic and the other to
kill herself, which is really how all of this started. God knows what else
you've done that we don't know. Plus, surprise surprise, you treat me like shit
just like everyone else here. But it's not just me is it? You think everyone is
beneath you. Your a spoiled, entitled brat. That's why you hurt Jessica and
Hannah. Because you could. Because you thought that just because she was drunk,
or she was in a hot tub that that made you entitled to their bodies. You hurt
people. You're dangerous. Look at me being a hypocrite. But you... you did
something even I could never do.'
Bryce looked like he was going to be sick. 'Look man, I didn't touch those
girls-' he was cut short by Tylers laugh.
'Don't even try that. I heard you're confession tape. Oh yea you didn't know,
that night clay came over to your house-' Bryce looked over at me. 'He recorded
you confessing what you did. You should be in prison right now. But that
doesn't matter. You have the money to make it go away. You'd never learn your
lesson, you'd never feel bad, and you'd never change. You'll just go right back
to hurting people. Call me old fashioned, but i still believe in capitol
punishment. The death penalty. '
With that, Tyler stood and walked over to the first cart, with the acid. He
wheeled it over next to Bryce and Bryce tried to speak, presumably to say
something to defend himself, but Tyler shoved the hose in his mouth, and I
heard Bryce gag as the hose went down his throat. Fuck... was he going to kill
Bryce like that?
'Sorry Bryce, it's too late for last words.' Tyler stepped back and opened tap
B. Bryces eyes went wide as he choked and gagged. He started screaming around
the tube and struggling in his chair. I could see smoke rising from his body as
blood and foam gathered in his mouth around the tube. He stopped struggling all
at once, and Tyler turned the tap off. The Acid was eating it's way out of
Bryces body and clothes, leaving holes in him, the chair, and the floor below
him. His eyes rolled back and he was still.
I just watched someone die. I just fucking watched someone die, and I couldn't
help them. I felt sick as I remembered the vision of Hannah, with her wrists
sliced open and glossed over eyes. I remember seeing Jeff in the car after the
accident, with blood on his face, covered in the glass from the windshield and
broken beer bottles. But to actually watch as someone dies right in front of
you? That's different. I look around to find that everyone else is as shocked
and sickened as I am.
Tyler walks to the table and picks up his cell phone, and makes a call. Within
a second someone answers.
'911? Good. Can you trace the location of this call? Great. Come find me, and
bring five ambulances, and two body bags.'
He set the phone down and I could hear the operator frantically asking
questions that Tyler wasn't going to answer. Wait, did he say two body bags?
The only one dead is Bryce... Then it hit me. He called himself a hypocrite
when he said Bryce hurt people, and said he believed in the Death Penalty.
Tyler didn't plan on going to prison. He never planned on leaving here alive.
I came to this realization as Tyler grabbed a handgun and walked to the middle
of the circle. I could hear sirens approaching from a distance as Tyler raised
the gun to his Temple, looked at all of us one last time, smiled, and pulled
the trigger.
Tylers body dropped and a pool of blood grew under him as the Sirens got
closer. The rest of us were silent. What were we going to say? What could we
say? Tyler said he was either going to kill us, or leave us broken and scarred
for life. At this point I almost wished he had chosen the former.
***** Epilogue *****
Epilogue.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
After the cops and the ambulances came. After he watched them drag out Bryce
and Tylers bodies. After they were each unstrapped and loaded into ambulances
and taken to the hospital. After After After. It seemed never ending, so would
there every really be an 'after'?
There were interviews and debriefings and constant pitying looks. I ended up
with pneumonia, but I was ok. Not everyone was so lucky.
Alex's legs were immobilized and the Doctors think he'll be lucky if he can
ever walk again. There's also a chunk missing from his septum.
Courtney's hands got infected and had to be amputated right above the wrist.
Justin had a skin graft done on his arm, but it was still going to be a huge
scar, and would be very painful for a long time.
Monty was also going to be scarred, but he started wearing high collar shirts
so no one would see.
Bryces family asked questions they didn't want the answers to. Tyler's family
too. They both held funerals that none of us attended. We've tried to move on
and help each other, but seeing each other is painful. I hope someday we can
heal, physically and emotionally, but I'm not sure we ever will.
Maybe Tyler had a point. We had all been so focused on Hannah that we never
realized what we were doing to Tyler until it was too late. How many other
people have suffered in silence at the every day injustices we've brought in
our ignorance? How many times will someone have to die before we figure out not
to hurt each other? I'm going to try to never hurt anyone again, but Tony said
it best when he said you never know what's going on in someones life. You never
know how something will affect them. All you can do is try.
Try to be better
Try to move on
Try not to hurt
Try to live and love and help each other. That's all any of us are trying to do
now.
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