CHAPTER 56
Tom was worried. Ever since the fight, Seeley had struggled. Tom was pretty sure he’d only fractured a couple of ribs and not broken them, as he’d originally feared. He also had some cuts and bruises and Tom couldn't be sure there wasn't some internal bleeding.
But his physical injuries weren’t the main problem. He hadn't spoken since right after the fight.
“It’s not your fault, man,” Tom had said. “You didn’t have a choice. You’d have died if you didn’t take him out.”
Seeley had looked at him, but his face had been absent of expression. “But I did have a choice, man. These guys are monsters and they turned me into one. I could have chosen not to fight. If I died, at least I’d have died a man, not a patsy for these guys.”
Tom didn’t know what to say. His brain couldn’t come up with a logical response. He’d just sat next to Seeley and thrown his arm around his shoulder. They’d slept like that, sitting up. Tom had grabbed some bedrolls and used them as blankets. Seeley’s clothes were shredded and Tom was afraid if he let him lie down alone, he wouldn’t get up again.
Seeley hadn’t spoken since. In the morning, Tom had stripped one of the dead men of his clothes before he was carted to the pit. Seeley had let him dress him like he was a doll
Seeley seemed to have caved in on himself. His eyes were lifeless. At work, he worked silently. Tom would glance over at him, to make sure he was all right. Occasionally, he’d see hot tears burning their way through the dirt on his face. At night, he watched Seeley lie curled around himself, staring off into space. Every time Tom would wake, he’d see Seeley, staring out at nothing.
Tom didn’t know what to do. He’d tried talking to him, yelling at him. In the end, he just looked out for him. Made sure he ate, made sure he got his work done, made sure the guards didn’t notice him. But he was getting worse. His ribcage was a mass of dark bruises and he was getting weaker every day.
Tom knew the only reason he’d survived this long was because of Seeley. He couldn’t imagine trying to get through this hell without him. They say that when soldiers went to war, they became brothers for life. Seeley was his brother. If he died, Tom knew he’d be following him into the body pit soon after.