Dorin's Car pulled up to the house, and made a quick turn into the driveway. He had worked all day, and had then
spent some time with Isaac and Chris. He was just now getting home afterwards. He swung open his door and stepped out.
He heard muffled noises, and figured it was maybe someone down the street, climbing into a car, or talking on a doorstep. WIthought further notice, he walked to the front door and stepped inside.
She still felt miserable.
She walked out onto the porch and sat. Staring out into the night and barely thinking.
She heard the door open behind her and watched as her oldest brother stepped out and sat down.
"What's the matter mey?"
She looked at him.
"Door, I didn't do anything, and either did taylor. But now eric's all mad."
He wrapped his arm around her.
"Mey you don't need him right now."
They weren't moving fast at all. Not fast enough to be home in 10 minutes.
Eric had him pinned. Taylor knew damn good and well that as long as Eric had him pinned he hadn't a chance in the world.
The best he could do was try and protect himself. Even though that seemed impossible, and every time he tried to sheild his face Eric hit harder.
His stomach, it hurt like hell, and from there eric had move up. Almost like he wanted to start low and work his way to the top.
The punches came from both sides.
He felt tired. He tried as hard as he could, but despite his hard efforts, he closed his eyes.
"What noise?"
They were two blocks away from home.
"D. Your way paran...."
"No, shh."
They stopped. Zac Dentra stood, staring around him, and listening intently.
His head stopped.
"Someone's in the street Zac."
Zac Dentra's finger pointed towards what he saw.
They squinted.
"Lets just go home D, leave that person alone."
They moved on, but as they slowly got closer, Zac felt something was wrong.
Nearing close enough to hear the mumbles and angru mutters being made by the person, they also heard quiet whimpers,
pained and labored whimpers.
The two looked at eachother. Leaning over and whispering, Zac hanson's eyes grew wide.
They picked up speed at a short rate, and raced straight to the person.
"WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU STARING AT!"
Zac Hanson opened his mouth.
Their quietness was interupted by a shrill scream.
Jerking up, Dorin and Mercy stood.
"What the hell was that?"
They raced into the street. Turning one direction then the other they saw the kids, standing in awe at something laying on the ground.
They ran to where the group of people stood.
Jeremy had fortunatly pulled up right then and jumped out, assisting Dorin.
Mercy Sat by Taylor. Tears streamed down her face and trying her best to help her younger brother cover him.
Jeremy came racing back.
"Holy shit. Eric did this?"
Zac hanson was breathing short breaths.
"Hey Zac take it easy okay. He'll be okay."
Jeremy wasn't so sure. His face was cut to hell. His nose had to be broken. He lay unconcious in the middle of the road, the front of his shirt soaked in his own blood.
You guys help me pick him up.
With the greatest of care Jeremy lifted taylor from the ground, Zac picking up his feet.
Zac Hanson grabbed Mercy's hand and helped her up.
Eric sat in one of the chais, being intently watched by the rest of the Dentra family.
"Fuck I don't know. Call the police?"
Jeremy looked at Taylor's younger brother.
"If we do that, their parents won't let them over here again."
Jeremy sighed.
"Zac, comere."
Zac hanson looked up, as his friend stood.
"Not you, hanson."
Zac looked confused. Sitting back down he watched Zac hanson leave the room for the kitchen.
"We're going to call your mom and the police."
Zac's eyes went wide.
"NO!! You can't! They'll never let us see you guys again! We can't! No!"
They looked back into the living room.
"I know what we'll do."
Dorin walked to the phone and picked it up. Dialing the local police station he waited.
"Hi, umm, yes, no, I'd like to make a complaint."
Dorin looked at Zac.
"Yes, I just caught a man trying to assault a friend of mine, yes, no, he tried, maybe got a few punches in, no."
Zac looked relieved.
"Alright then, we'll be waiting."
He hung up the reciever.
"Zac, call your mom now and tell her Taylor is staying here for the night."
Zac looked confused.
"Just do it."
Dorin knew that attempted assault would not get Eric in that much trouble, and if it had not been for the two Zac's, he would have told them and showed them all that had happened.
Mercy had taken care of the cuts on taylor's face as best she could, with a little help from Jeremy and zac.
"Zac, where's Isaac?"
Zac looked up at Dorin.
"At a friends house."
"Do you know which friend?"
Zac shook his head.
In the light Taylor looked much worse then out on the street. Jeremy had helped pull his shirt off to find that Eric must have had a ring on, because there were several gashes in his chest.
Mercy stopped crying, she now had anger across her face.
Dorin was pacing.
"Okay. I guess I'm sleeping down here with taylor."
Zac Hanson started to object.
"Zac, you need sleep. It's not going to do you or him any better if you sit down here and worry about him."
Zac frowned.
"Zac, get some sleep."
The two Zac's, Mercy, and Jeremy stood, walking to the foot of the steps.
Taylor stirred.
"Door, is he gonna be okay?"
Dorin thought.
"Go to bed mey."
She layed down, staring up at the ceiling and closing her eyes.
Sleep did not come easy to her.
What had lead Eric to do this? Why had he been so mad as to actually do this to Taylor?
He rolled over. He was a light sleeper, if Taylor awoke, he would wake up too.
"You go to sleep! He's not your brother!"
"Doesn't matter. He'll be fine. It's taken care of. Dorin's with him right now Zac so chill out."
Zac hanson could not sleep. He tried and tried but it was impossible.
He listened as his friends breathing became steady, and waited for the sounds of the house to be quiet.
He sat up.
"Yo D, you awake?"
No response.
Zac stood. Grabbing a blanket from his bed, he walked to the door, quietly opening it and stepping out into the hall.
He caught up to her in the street and transformed into some ugly creature. He growled at her and reached for her throat.
Mercy sat straight. Heart pounding and small beads of sweat trickling off her brow.
4 oclock. She had slept for 3 hours.
There was no sound in the house. She lay back down, tossing and turning, trying to go back to sleep.
She couldn't.
She threw her legs over the side of her bed and stood.
Walking slowly to the door, she opened it, peering down the hall to the stairs.
Grabbing a pillow, she walked out the door to her room and down the stairs.
Zac had come not long after everyone went to bed, and had as carefully as he could, climbed onto the sofa and curled up next to his brother.
Mercy had come quite a bit later. Throwing her pillow at the end of the sofa and laying there, until she too fell back asleep.
Dorin was thinking. Thinking about Zac's devotion to his brother, Mercy's attitude that had just suddenly altered because of this one night.
Dorin respected the hansons. For their pride, and their motivation.
Taylor murmered.
He had groaned all night long, probably from some pain from laying on his side too hard, or a scratch he just bumped.
This was different, this was more like speech.
Dorin sat up.
Taylor's eyes were barely open.
Dorin leaned across Zac and touched Taylor's shoulder.
Putting his finger to his lips, he motioned for Taylor to be quiet.
Lifting Zac from taylor's side, he placed him in the recliner, and covered him again.
Sitting back by taylor looked at him. Whispering, he and taylor carried on a short quiet conversation.
"You okay?"
Taylor shook his head. Touching his stomach he winced.
"Lay still man."
Taylor took a deep breath.
"Do I look pretty?"
Despite all that had just happened, Taylor cracked a joke, an akward one, but it still made Dorin smile.
"Naw, you don't look too bad."
Taylor pulled himself up. His body ached. His back screamed out in pain but he would live.
"No no! lay back down."
Taylor shook his head.
"I can't man."
Taylor sighed.
"Thanks for your help."
Dorin frowned.
"Taylor. Don't even."
He smiled.
Looking over at Zac, he sighed again.
Shrugging, he lay back down.
"I'm tired door. Can I go to sleep now?"
Dorin pulled the blankets up.
"Yup. See you in the morning."
Watching Taylor turn, and close his eyes, Dorin got back on the floor and under the covers.
"See you in the mornin' Door."
Mercy was on her way out as Dorin stepped into the house. He looked at her awkwardly and watched her walk out.
Talking about lyrics, songs, music, and girls, Zac hanson and Zac Dentra made their way along the 6 blocks of Barten street. Laughing and smiling all the while, cracking jokes and
laughing louder at them.
All Taylor was aware of was he could not get out from under the constant pounding.
"What's that noise?"
Eric stopped. He had heard a noise behind him and when he looked up he saw Taylor's little brother and Mercy's little brother.
Both of their eyes wide and full of fear.
Mercy had put her head on Dorin's shoulder.
Dorin had grabbed Eric and drug him down the street. Struggling all the way.
"Jem, what the HELL are we supposed to do with Eric tonight?"
The police came, took eric away.
Mercy had thought long and hard before she went to bed about what had happened. This was the last straw. She knew Dorin would not allow Eric anywhere near her now. Not that she was going to want him near. She was pissed. Eric had hurt taylor so badly, and for nothing.
Dorin lay on the floor beside the sofa. Listening to the labored breathing of taylor.
"Han, go to sleep, he'll be fine."
A man was chasing her. Down an alley onto an empty street. One lamp lit the street, and the buildings around her were black and empty.
Dorin had heard both of them.
