ENSLAVED

Chapter 10

Starsky drifted in and out of consciousness during the remainder of the day. Hutch had returned to his room once he knew his partner was out of danger and was advised that the respirator would be removed the next day providing Starsky kept on improving. But what would he say to his partner, his best friend who had not done a thing to help him when they were in the hands of the cult.

Hutch slept restlessly that night, tossing and turning, thoughts running through his head of their ordeal they had been through during the past week. Starsky was sleeping more peacefully, tossing and turning was out of the question with the respirator breathing for him and trying to turn only pulled on his stitches. The nightmares where still there although he did not remember anything much of the past week, only of collapsing outside Hutch’s and then the shooting with the prison escort.

Later the next morning Hutch made his way down to see his partner again. "Hey buddy, good to see your awake" all that Starsky could do was try and smile back at his battered and bruised partner. "I hear that respirator is going to be removed shortly, just thought I would pop on in and make sure you were okay before my lunch comes" Starsky could tell there was something bothering Hutch, his friend just did not look relaxed and at ease to be there. He would soon know what was troubling the blond blintz.

Shortly after Hutch left Starsky’s room the respirator was removed much to the relief of Starsky, at least now he could communicate with his partner and try to find out what was troubling him. Hutch did not hurry back to Starsky’s room he waited until mid afternoon, unsure of what he was going to say to his partner. He knew it was not the real Starsky

that had helped in the beatings and stood by while he was drugged and knew that somehow Starsky had been converted to become one of them but still the thought was there that his best friend had not helped him in his time of need.

"Hi" whispered Starsky as Hutch entered his room. "Good to have you talking again Starsk, even if it is a whisper" Hutch commented as he sat slowly down. At least his body was not aching as much today with the bruising slowly fading away.

"Is this the old Starsky I have in front of me here?" queried Hutch not knowing for sure whether Starsky was still under the cults influence or not.

"Its me, what do you mean the old Starsky?" queried Starsky trying hard to sit up without much success.

"Starsk, do you remember anything of the past week?" queried Hutch who patiently waited holding his breath for the answer to come

"The only thing I do remember clearly is driving to your place and collapsing outside your apartment and being caught in the middle of a gun fight in front of some prison truck and now I'm in here" replied his croaky partner who was straining to get his voice clearer and loader.

"You don't remember anything at all between that time?" queried Hutch "Nothing at all?"

"No, nothing except the nightmares that I was having about Simon and his cult, I even dreamed I became one of them and..." Starsky’s eyes started to full with tears at the thought of what was in his dream and looking at Hutch’s face had a horrible feeling that something had happened to them during the last week.

"Starsk, I don't know how to say it, but that nightmare you had, well, it wasn't exactly a nightmare as what we have in our dreams" Hutch was trying to find a way around the words.

"What are you trying to tell me, are you trying to say that the nightmare I had was really what happened. It can't be, surely I would remember that wouldn't I?, you know I would never hurt you, that nightmare I had was horrific" Starsky had chills spreading down his spine at the thought of what had happened during the past week.

"Sorry Starsk, but your nightmare was not a nightmare it was reality" Hutch tried as best he could to explain to his partner what had happened to them during that week.

"So Simon is out there roaming free" Starsky asked extremely worried at the thought of Simon Marcus being on the loose.

"Well not a hell of a lot we can do about him in here, he is long gone by now. Just lets both get back to health and get out of here"

"I won't argue with you on that, let me get out of here soon and get a burrito" smiled Starsky

"I'm with you Gordo, I might even have a burrito for once" laughed Hutch.

The End