I clenched my eyes shut as the sting nipped my back. I tried to stop a cry of pain from escaping my beak but it broke free, echoing in the large room. I heard the slicing whack again and the sensation of lightning shooting through me made me yowl in agony, sweat poured down my face. I looked over my shoulder at Blowhole, a pleading expression on my face, "Blowhole, this is unnecessary! If you want revenge kill me!" Blowhole chuckled. The lashings stopped. The purr of his segway neared me, "Alexander, this IS revenge. What better way to enjoy it, than to watch you suffer?" He lifted the whip again. Unprepared for the lash that followed, shockwaves jolted through me. I screamed, pressing the side of my face hard to the pillar, gritting my beak. Blowhole chuckled again. With a flick of the whip my binds broke and I fell to the floor, bleeding rivers and shivering. Blowhole struck me again. I rolled into a ball. That was a bad move. The next thing I knew the whip's firey tongue had bit my unaccustomed cheek. I winced, feeling a warm liquid running down my face, dying my white feather's red. "Blowhole, stop it now! Get it over with or-" I stopped. I couldn't say 'let me go'. I sacrificed my life for my family. I couldn't back out. If there was one thing Leeland taught me, it was that strength and bravery make a man. There was another thing he'd taught me. Always be alert. Deep in thought, I was anything but alert. Little did I know, but behind me Blowhole tightened his grip on the whip, swung it around, and brought it down with all the force in his muscular flippers on my tense, unready back. The whip slashed right on my gunshot wound. It felt like an electric shock. A blood-curdling scream split the air and I fell into unconciousness. I wasn't out for long. Blowhole scooped up my limp, scarlet-stained form and flung me against the wall. I hit the floor, not quite concious. Subconcious more like. Blowhole came at me. I tried to stand, but my flippers were to weak. They gave out and I collapsed to the floor. Blowhole pulled a pistol out of a compartment on his segway. My heart skipped a beat. This was it, the end. I was so young. Only 18. Then another thought hit me. What did I have to live for now? My wife was dead. My family thought I was a traitor. They probably hated me. Leeland and his men didn't know where I was, and what could Leeland do? He was hurt badly. He was probably dead too. Leeland was the closest thing to family I had ever known. I decided in that split-second I might as well join him, wherever he was. The gun fired.