A/N: Just wanted to let you all know that there is a sequel and I will be posting that in the very near future. Thanks for the feedback! Keep an eye out for College Carnage!

Chapter 22

He was almost upon her as they rounded the corner. A nail protruding from the wall caught the man’s shirt and tore it revealing his back. He stopped, turning to pluck the bit of fabric off the nail. It was then that Marie saw the scabbed over lash marks on his back.

"Did Mitchell do that to you," she asked him, suddenly not so afraid of him.

He whimpered, trying to cover up his wounds. "Is that why you hurt him?" She reached out to touch one of the lash marks.

For the first time that night the man did not growl and he did not lash out. He winced at her touch, letting out an agonized cry. Marie looked at what she knew Mitchell had done to this man and pitied him.

"You poor thing," Marie said, touching his face gently. He leaned into her touch, enjoying a touch that was not hurtful.

"There are other students inside the school," Terry said to the police officers that arrived with the ambulance.

"How many," Lamonica asked.

"Seven," Kurt replied, watching the EMTs load Borden into the ambulance.

Lamonica turned to Hughes and said, "Get some backup. Tell the Asylum we may have found their lost inmate." Hughes nodded. "You kids stay out here." Drawing his gun he entered the school and carefully tried to find the other students and the escaped man.

Joseph awoke on the floor, his vision blurry from being thrown into the wall. He had tried to distract the monster away from hurting AJ more than he already was, but got tossed aside for his troubles. He could see someone heading toward him as his eyes began to clear. He could see it was Officer Lamonica.

"Kid," Lamonica hissed. "Are you hurt?"

"Not really," Joseph replied. "He threw me into the wall. I was knocked out for a while, but I think I’m all right."

"Good," Lamonica replied. "Get out of here. I have backup coming."

"My sister is out there somewhere," Joseph replied getting to his feet. "I’m not going until I know she’s safe."

"Look, I promise you I will get her out of here safely," Lamonica replied. "Get the hell out of here and wait outside with your friends." Joseph opened his mouth to reply, but thought better of it. With is shoulders slumped in defeat he headed outside.

"You must have lived such a tormented existence," Marie said to the man. "You poor thing." He whimpered, leaning into her touch.

"Don’t move," Lamonica called, finding the two. He radioed to his partner to see where the backup was.

The massive man, hearing the officer and the chatter from the radio, grabbed Marie by the throat. He let out an angry cry turning to glare at the cop. Lamonica had his gun trained on the huge man.

"Don’t hurt him, please," Marie grunted, the man’s hand cutting off her air supply slightly.

The man growled and tightened his grip on her neck making her gasp and cough. "Put her down," Lamonica yelled. The man tightened his grip even more. Without another warning Lamonica pulled the trigger.

The bullet penetrated the man’s massive shoulder. He let go of Marie, letting her drop to the floor with a thud. The man grabbed his shoulder and screamed in pain, lunging at Lamonica. He pulled the trigger several times. Bullets pierced the man’s legs, shoulder and chest.

"NO," Marie cried, crawling over to the man as he lay on the ground, bleeding. "He wasn’t going to hurt me until you yelled at him," she said glaring at Lamonica. "He’s been abused. Can’t you see that?" She turned her attention back to the man. Brushing some hair out of his face she touched his cheek. "You poor thing," she said, sniffling as the tears trailed down her cheeks.

"I had to do it," Lamonica said. "He’s a dangerous man. Chris Parks escaped from the Asylum and he’s responsible for several deaths." He sighed, seeing how shaken up Marie was. He tried to help her to her feet, but she pushed him away, wanting to stay by the Parks’ side. "Do you know where the rest of your friends are," Lamonica finally asked.

"There are tunnels under the basement," she replied sniffling. She pulled her gaze away from Parks’ to look at Lamonica. "Take the tunnel to the right all the way to the end. You’ll come to a room. He was living down there. You’ll find everyone else.”

Before she knew it Marie was being pushed aside as the EMTs tended to Parks’ wounds. She was ushered out of the school by Hughes. Standing with her brother and Christy she watched her friends being taken out of the school on stretchers. Her eyes grew wide at the last person being wheeled out.

"AJ," she cried rushing to his side. He was not conscious, but he was breathing.

"He’s sustained several injuries," the EMT informed her. "You can visit with him at the hospital.

Several weeks later Marie entered the Asylum and spoke to the receptionist. She was directed to Parks’ doctor, who walked her to his room. "I’m afraid I can’t let you visit with him one on one," she said. "He has been severely mistreated his entire life, which has made him a very violent man."

"I understand," Marie said. "I just wanted to make sure he’s all right."

"As all right as he can be in his mental state. He’s going to be with us for a very long time," the doctor replied with a small smile. "You can look in on him if you like." She pointed to the window in the door.

Marie nodded, thanking the doctor. She approached Parks’ door and stood on tippy toes to look in on him. He sat staring out the window, his eyes full of sadness. With a sigh she moved away from the window in the door before he could see her. She hated that this would be his existence for the rest of his life, but she knew it was for the best.

Satisfied that Parks would be cared for Marie headed out of the Asylum. She met up with Christy and Joseph in the parking lot. With a sigh she climbed into the back seat, adjusting the support brace on her knee, a souvenir from that night.

"You ready to go see AJ now," Joseph asked as he slid behind the wheel. Marie nodded, gazing out the window as the car pulled out of the parking lot.

"I thought y’all had forgotten about me," AJ said smiling as Marie entered the room. He had suffered several broken ribs and a crushing injury to his left leg. Christy and Joseph followed close behind Marie, walking hand in hand and smiling.

"I had to take care of something before I came here," Marie said kissing AJ. "I could never forget about the man who risked his life to save mine." AJ smiled up at her, his eyes twinkling. He then turned his gaze to Joseph and Christy.

"Why do you two look like the cats that ate the canary," AJ asked.

"Someone lost his virginity," Marie teased.

"Shut up," Joseph said.

"So, when can we bust you out of here," Marie asked, running her hand through his dark hair.

"Not for a little while longer. I'm scheduled for surgery on my leg in the morning," AJ frowned. "My sports career is over, baby."

"You’ll find something else," Marie replied. "Sports aren’t everything."

"Look at it this way," Joseph said. "You’ll have more time to devote to your studies."

"Great," AJ mutter, making Marie chuckle.

"All right," the nurse said as she entered the room with a cup full of pills. "Mr. Jones needs his rest."

"We just got here," Christy protested. The nurse shot her a look and she quieted down.

"It’s all right, guys," AJ said accepting the pills the nurse handed him and downing them. "My pain pills make me sleep."

"I’ll be back tomorrow," Marie said kissing him once the nurse had left.

"Oh, by the way, AJ," Joseph said before leaving. "I saw your high score. Pretty impressive." AJ smiled proudly, the pills taking effect quickly and making him sleepy. "You may want to check it once you get out of here though." Marie shoved him out of the room.

As the words sunk in AJ’s drowsiness diminished. "WHAT?!"

Joseph cackled hearing AJ’s exclamation. Happily Joseph made his way to the elevator pressing the call button. "You’re an evil bastard," Marie said shoving him into the empty elevator as the doors dinged open.