"The Short Cut" Chpt 6: Elmwood Eyesore

Whoa! Time flies when you're having fun. Is everybody having as much fun as me?  Here comes the second to last prompt.
In this chapter I want something to break. It can be an object, a heart, an arm, use your imagination.
I also want to see it either fixed, repaired or at least see the involved character(s) figure out how to fix it.
Keep in mind that the next chapter is the last one. Don't start a whole new plot line. Keep the broken thing close to the main plot.
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John awoke in complete darkness, with what felt like a mask covering his face. He had an incredibly bad headache, the sinus variety that felt like it began from deep inside his nasal cavity and extended out to his eyeballs.  Whatever Elise had drugged John with, had left him with what felt like the worst hangover ever. In addition, his hands were individually bound as well as his feet. He was also gagged with a washcloth stuffed in his mouth, with an elastic strap wrapped tightly around his jaw to keep the washcloth in place.

John felt a rush of anxiety as he contemplated his next - if indeed there was one - move. He tried desperately to break free of the the restraints, but with no luck. He began to sense a complete feeling of helplessness and futility in his efforts to free himself. His spirit had been broken. He felt he had little choice but to give in to the reality of his fate being determined by his captors, as there was nothing he could do. John wanted to cry, but the tears didn't come. Besides, his head hurt too intensely for him to cry.

Suddenly, as he listened to the birds chirping outside of his room - telling John it was morning - he felt a renewed vigor in his purpose: that of getting free. Now, there was no way in the world he was going to give in. With the big toe from his right foot, he was able to slip the strap from that of his left foot. These "backwoods psychos" were not going to break John Phillips' spirit, that was for sure! He moved to try to get his other foot free, and then he'd work on his hands, or at least somehow get the mask off of his face so that he might actually see something.

John heard voices outside of his motel room, probably two men and two women, as best as he could tell. It was difficult listening since the pounding in his head seemed to be getting worse along with the sinus pain. John heard the handle on his door turn, and he immediately became motionless. He heard the four people enter the room and take positions on either side of the bed upon which John was laying.

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  Words: 388      Cumulative: 6626