The day went by in flashes from that bed.
I couldn't move. My bones had been replaced with liquid lead that sloshed to my head whenever I tried to lift it. My arms were pinned to the bed, and my own heart anchored me beneath the sheet covering me.
Darvin flitted around as I struggled to remain awake.
He was on his bed, getting ready to head out of the hospital.
Next, he was sitting on it, flicking through a yellow folder excitedly while mumbling his instructions to himself.
He ran a hand over my head, pausing to rest the back of it on my forehead, before walking past me.
Then, he was back, sleeping in the bed beside me while facing me. He looked so exhausted and at peace.
When I struggled awake again, Darvin was coming over to lift my head up enough so that my tacky lips could sip the water he offered from a crumpling bottle.
He looked different. His clothes had changed and his hair wasn't the knotted mess it had been earlier. He held a small white bottle with a red lid that he twisted open.
My body still weighed me down, but the lead became more like wood. My bones were as stiff as planks; my mouth as dry as sawdust that bobbed in my throat when I tried to swallow it down.
"You need to lay off the Caps next time" Darvin joked while shaking out two red pills and picking out two for himself "open."
The sting of metal hit my tongue instantly. The smell alone was bitter and almost coppery, like dried blood.
He washed away the foul taste with more water I chugged greedily. The bottle crunched and distorted while I sucked the life from it until my stomach siezed and twisted from only having liquid to sustain it.
Darvin washed down his two tablets and pocketed the bottle so he could sit beside me.
"I didn't know what else you liked, so I got you some custard tarts" he leant over to pull up a plastic bag with two containers inside "I figured while I was out you'd be hungry."
Fuck yes.
He snapped open the plastic lids of the cardboard containers and pulled out one of the glorious yellow pastries dusted with the heavenly brown nutmeg on the shiny surface.
The smell alone was enough to make my stomach gurgle and twist again in its demand for food. 90Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUwc7x13RMi
90Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9UfZjAF2Ya
The aroma was sweet; like a nana's kitchen on Christmas day. It reminded me of simpler times of heading to the local supermarket during my breaks to try and snag some discount pastries to wolf down upstairs in the lunch room.
My tongue pierced the surface easily so I could slurp up the thick custard with a gratious groan. There was no chewing involved with this part, and the pastry itself was soft enough not to choke my cracked throat begging to drain the moisture out of anything passing along it.
The foil plate cradling the custard tart crinkled noisily as I devoured the first and folded the foil in half to place back in the container.
Darvin handed me the second still sitting there and giggled when I started to slurp that down too.
"Should have bought more than two packs" he commented "I got drink too."
He held up a pink lemonade that I grabbed for and twisted the lid off with that satisfying burst of air spitting outwards.
It was a good brand too; something with actual flavour to it and not just dyed pond water filled with the old air from inside a tyre.
The drink itself was still warm from sitting on the shelf and only boiled in my gut when I chugged it. It felt like sweet acid bubbling down my throat and peeling off the layers of cracked dryness. The bubbles pierced out my nose and made me cringe uncomfortably as I handed the drink back while trying not to cough. 90Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbPAhSRzcXf
90Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlru1MJhtlZ
The stabbing air from my nose bubbled to my brain and made my eyes water while I cried out at the fierceness of the soft drink.
"You make it look like I've been starving you" he joked and took a swig himself "I can get you more. You don't need to worry about this being your last meal."
"It could be" I finally found my voice "the room is burned up, remember? I doubt any of the food lasted, let alone anything else..."
My game console.
I slumped down when I realised that nothing would have survived. The fire wouldn't have spared it after my futile attempt to take it with me. It'd be melted plastic and parts now.
I had saved months for that too and it wasn't even the newest model out. It was just enough to not be obsolete yet.
Now I really didn't have anything left.90Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡX2d3B6rpif
90Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgFHFO0wvIg
That machine bought me more joy than anything else. It was my turn-to after work or when I was feeling down.
Sometimes, it felt more of a mother than my actual mother when I just didn't want to deal with her drama. I locked her out with predictable worlds and violent outlets.
I had replaced her with what was easy, and I was regretting that now that she wasn't here.
Maybe it burning in that fire was a good thing. I missed it though, because it reminded me of what was good in those tough times.
Now I really did have nothing left.
Fire had taken it all from me twice now.
"Hey" Darvin rubbed my arm in an attempt to cheer me up "I got my name. That means we can go find that family together now."
There was no escaping that either. Darvin was ecstatic while I tried not to think about how cramped I'd be in a room filled with legs.
I had nothing to lose, literally.
"You have to call me Talow too. That's my new name."
Did I hear that right?
"Talow?"
"No" he shook his head and lowered his mouth to my ear I lifted from the bed "Talio. Although it does sound similar."
A little too similar.
Was that a good thing? To have a name so close to someone so important? Or would that only make him a target out of misinterpretation?
But he had got his name netherless. He couldn't be picked off by greedy Souls now, let alone Solanine if he came hunting for him again. He'd actually face some consequences if he pulled that shit again.
Talio. Talio. I had to remember that. It was Talio, not Darvin anymore.
"The people I worked with called me Tal after I got back" he boasted "it was actually quite nice, but it did sound like they were calling me 'towel' sometimes."
I snorted at his observation but then felt my gut clench again.
"How long was I asleep then?"
"Well..." Talio looked around and lowered himself down again so I could hear "...I did the Mission yesterday and it was light when I went out with the others. When I got back, it was getting dark and you were still asleep. The others took me out again and I got the tarts and drinks in the afternoon. I had a bit of a rest here, and that leads up to when I gave you the water and fed you just now. "
"So, two days?" I breathed out "I've never been out for that long."
Not even when we had our yearly toy sale at work that started at midnight and ran until midday. That never killed me for two damn days!
"You were awake and asleep through most of it" he tried to justify it "and Scalpel understood when I explained it all to him."
I had to get out of this bed. I was a sitting duck here. We needed to find this family and get another room!
"Hey, hey" Talio chuckled when I went to lift myself up, gently pushing me back down "you aren't going anywhere like that. You can barely move."
"But I need to!" I grunted out and pushed up again, only to have Talio force me down again when my arms started shaking "we have things to do!"
"And I'll be the one to do them" he replied as he got up from the bed and picked up the plastic bag "I'll keep hunting for the family while you get some rest. I'll head back to the room, check the damage, and bring you back some food, OK?"
I didn't want to reply. I wanted to go with him.
I pushed myself up again and felt my arms buckling when they tried to support me. I hauled my body upwards and swiveled it around so I could collapse up the head of the bed where the cold pillows were.
God damn, I was a mess. I could feel the weight of the strain on my chest that was collapsing under such a simple task.
"I'll be back soon" Talio reassured with a wave and a small smile "you had better get some sleep!"
I couldn't speak. I just gave him a lazy wave and saw Scalpel poke his head from around the wall of the back room when Talio left.
He held one of the plastic black bags in his hand that was trailing on the ground. It had a zip down the middle of it that was peeled open to expose the empty contents.
Was that a body bag?
Someone else had died back there? Were they one of the ones who didn't make it back? Was that possible?
I quickly averted my gaze when Scalpel glanced over then retreated.
I had to make some sort of progress on getting out of here. Laying in this bed was only going to make Scalpel angry I was occupying usable space.
Right. I could do this. It was just a little lift.
I swung my left leg over the edge of the bed and shuffled my right to it. 90Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGYnAt8VpBw
90Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkM6XGmFtFD
I could hear the plastic on my back crinkling and crumpling as I heaved myself up from the sheets once more and hunched there, trying to stabilize my swaying body.
The Cap had to have tranqed me. The false memory was a dream, but the recovery was a nightmare.
How had Solanine been up and about so soon after his? Was it a species thing, or was I just weak?
I should have realised things were wrong when Mum was calling me Phillius and not Birdie. 90Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLuIx35z3Ji
90Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJA92pNb8WS
It all felt too good to bring that up though...
I had to focus on this now. I had to break through the grip of the Cap and move on.
Heaving myself upwards, I instantly slammed into the wall. 90Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbPtRohVaOb
90Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6E6zjUXnZj
OK, so my bones were still a bit stiff and heavy. My head wanted to snap my neck off when it lolled back.
I could do this!
I pushed off the wall and staggered again, fumbling for the end of the bed so I could steady myself on it and give my body time to support my head.
I just had to get to the door and I would be fine.
I pushed off, keeping my focus on the glass wall I stomped to and plastered my hands on, sliding my way towards freedom.
Scalpel heard the noise I had been making and reappeared to approach the desk, watching me.
"Y goi o eve irtess?" he chuckled.
My hearing was fucked. Close-up it was fine, but it seemed like it was still struggling with background noise.
It really sounded like he was talking underwater. I hated my dismissal to learn sign in case something like this happened. One day, it'd be permenant and I wouldn't be ready. It'd sound just like this.
"Can't hear you!" I called out, not sure if I was making sense or not "I need to help Talio!"
I kept dragging myself along, stumbling when I slipped forward on the sleek surface and had to haul myself back up. My head almost had me pinned to the ground when it lurched forwards.
"You need a shirt!" Scalpel's voice boomed in my ear and he held out one for me from his stash "you can't go out like that!"
His words twinged pain down to my aching eardrums that pulsed from the sudden volume spike in my muted world.
"Thanks."
"I'll let Talio know you left, if he comes back this way" he continued at a much softer tone now "and I hope I won't see you here again anytime soon."
"Hopefully not" I grinned back and continued my staggered journey to the door.
I had a better grip on how I should hold myself when I was forced to walk unaided to the other side of the Base. If I remained aware of the weight on my neck, I found I wasn't toppling or staggering sideways nearly as much.
Looking up or down was out of the question now. I just had to keep my eyes straight ahead.
To find this family, I was going to start doorknocking and work my way from there. As much as i hated it, I had to cross into the demon side of the Base for the best chances at finding some family riddled with spiders. I wouldn't find that on the human side.
I could get my information that way and use it to pinpoint the location. Surely someone would have seen or heard something about such a large group around here.
At least I already minimized my search area by half.
I was slowly making my way across the bottom floor of doors on the right side and walking from yet another clueless Soul inside when I saw Solanine on the opposite side, up the top.
"Fuck, no" I muttered and steadied myself at the next door to pound on it.
I was hoping he hadn't seen me, but that was wishful thinking. He knew what I looked like, and what my name was now. Even with new clothes, he would remember what had darted past him in that bathroom.
I waited for the door to open, knocking again.
Come on, come on, come on!
An eye peeked around the gap in the door that opened, scrutinizing me.
"Have you seen a family around here?" I blurted out, checking the opposite floor for Solanine that was no longer there "it's a large group; about ten-ish guys?"
"Uh..."
"Spiders?" I promoted impatiently.
"No" it mumbled back.
I moved on before it could close the door, hammering on the next.
I didn't want to be caught down here with Solanine so close by. I didn't want to face him alone.
"Spider family?" I shifted restlessly to the opening door that just grunted and closed before it had even fully opened.
If I just kept it short and to the point, then I could breeze through this.
"Phis!" the voice sang out, warbled.
Fuck, no.
I groaned, marching for the next door.
Even I didn't need to understand it to know that the voice belonged to him.
Head up, don't look down, don't show weakness.
"Chaed yo nae?" it laughed when it came closer, hanging off my shoulder I stiffened at "what's with that?"
"Just go away, Solo" I grumbled back, ditching the door to move onwards "I've got nothing to say to you."
"Ha yu repa me?" he mumbled while I kept walking to try and place distance between us.
I stopped at the end, deciding to hammer on this door while Solanine used the time to run up to me.
"What's with you?" he frowned at me "you just up and left and then you cut me out? We were going to be mates. You said so yourself."
"Things change" I hissed back, checking that no-one was overhearing us.
"Since when!" he scoffed at me, falling silent when the door opened to a Soul who instantly closed it at the sight of Solanine beside me.
"I just want to know if you've seen a family around here! Spiders!" I pressed my face to the door to yell at it.
"Go away!" the voice snapped back from inside "I haven't seen anything!"
"Why would you chase spiders anyway?" Solanine laughed "they're disgusting."
"Fuck off" I glared to him and turned to head to the other side before Solanine shoved me against the wall, placing both hands on either side of me.
"What's gotten into you?" he growled down at my cowering frame trying not to look him in the eyes "did you leave me to go fuck that other guy? The one you were supposed to bring back? The one whose room you were in?"
I stayed silent, gritting my teeth.
"Since when do you fucking go by Phillius?" he snatched up my hand to scowl at my Band where the name was "when did you get this?"
He held my arm above my head, squeezing the skin on my arm below my Band.
"Let me go!" I kicked out to smash my foot into his leg and make him stagger back "you don't control me, OK!"
Solanine was fuming. I felt my chest tighten in the same way it had when I had cowered in the bath, but this time I snorted at what he was trying to do.
"FUCK OFF!" I screeched, shoving him back with both hands while feeling my head snap back under the sudden movement "I don't need you! I never will!"
"Is that right?" he snarled back "think you are some hotshot now that you have a new get-up and a new toy?" he flicked a finger up and down my body with a cold smile "you said you were going to be mine, and I'm not letting you go back on your word."
"I'm not accepting your stupid skull!" I spat back, thinking desperately "I've already accepted his."
Solanine prowled towards me to make me back up against the wall I had gained ground from.
I felt the cold concrete press to my spine before Solanine's warmth smothered my front as he leant against me, hovering his head by my neck to inhale.
"Liar" his lips whispered into my ear.
I should have known he could tell something like that. He was a Tracker; built to know everything about his prey with his attuned senses.
I just knew I had to get away from him.
"You aren't going anywhere, Dead Boy" he hissed into my neck when I tried to shove him from me again "I've never been much of a nympho, but there's always a first for everything."
"Fuck off" I growled back and glared directly into his glimmering eyes.
"Where was this when you were giving yourself to me?" he smirked at my anger and gripped the front of my shirt to pull me against him "either you come with me now without more of your annoying bullshit, or I send you back to the darkness for good."
Could he do that? He couldn't even drain the life from me anymore.
"I know how to kill the little lights" he leant in my face with his bitter, chocolate-laced breath "I'll do it again, right here. Then I'll go after your little Firefly."
His other hand snapped around my throat to squeeze it tightly. I could feel his fingernails digging into my flesh but couldn't feel a single bit of pain that should hae been throttling me.
Blood snaked down my skin and leapt onto my shirt that Solanine had snuck his other hand under so he could start digging his nails into my chest, above my heart that was bleeding.
"I'll rip it out" he warned as his fingers twisted open the gouges and drilled inside to worm thier way inwards "I'll fucking destroy you."
I glanced to my right for some glimpse of Talio coming to save me, but didn't see a thing.
I wasn't going to scream out for him either; our connection would be out in the open and he'd be killed just for responding to it.
"I'll go with you" I grabbed at Solanine's hand twisting into my body to stop him "please, don't send me back there."
He liked it when I was weak. If I buttered it up a little, he would leave me alone.
I could play along. I could be the pathetic person I used to be while I slipped away to safety.
He ripped his fingertips from me and released his chokehold on my neck that I smeared the blood across in an attempt to check the extent of the damage he had torn into me.
"No funny shit" he jabbed a finger on my chest before turning me around and making me walk directly in front of him "head to the last door ahead of you."
I did as I was told, keeping my head up and focusing on the door so I didn't falter before him.
"Seems like your new man can't keep his emotions under control" Solanine breathed down my neck when his hands found the plastic under my shirt to scratch along its length lightly "did he react the same way when he found the marks I left on you?"
"He was going to cover them up with his own" I retorted "there'd be nothing of you left."
Solanine scoffed and pushed me to go faster.
"For someone who hasn't even fucked you, I find that highly doubtful."
"Believe what you want" I shrugged back, playing it up "at least he treats me with respect."
Solanine stopped by the door we reached and ripped down the name on it before shoving me inside.
"You had better get out before I get up there!" Solanine called up the stairs "this room belongs to me now!"
I heard footsteps come pounding over and a fuming face poke around the top of the staircase before locking eyes with Solanine and dropping completely.
"Get" He smiled coldly and opened the door for the female Soul who looked back into the room with worry "unless I can just toss you out?"
I made a dash for the door before the other Soul could, having Solanine's arm block the way and throw me onto the staircase the woman was rushing down.
She slipped past us both and had the door slammed in her face by Solanine who turned to me.
"Up" he shoved me with his shoe when I tried to turn myself around "I said no funny shit."
I made this worse for myself, didn't I?
He snickered when he shoved me down at the top of the stairs and walked around me to inspect the multitude of cords behind the TV set up in the makeshift living room.
"Crawl to me" he ordered.
"Like fuck I'm doing that" I muttered back while trying to stop my head from sinking to the ground I was trying to pull myself up from.
Solanine tore out every cord from the power-board behind the TV with a crackling pop until he yanked out the board itself from the wall and advanced towards me.
"Crawl to me" he hissed, holding the powerboard in his hand.
"No" I glared back.
The board swung around to snap against my back and along my spine. My body jerked at the sudden abuse, but didn't react the way he wanted.
Solanine coiled the long cord at the end of the board so he could let the plug and it's trio of metal slivers dangle in front of my face.
"Do as I say, Phillius" he growled and swung the cord into the floor to make it tear at it with a loud explosion of noise "CRAWL!"
I nodded, shuffling my knees and palms along the ground shamefully.
I didn't care if he could see my tears after how brave I had been, I was terrified of being flogged by something so dangerous.
I just wanted Talio to save me. I couldn't save myself now. I wanted him to run up those stairs and take me away from the greedy smile panting down at me as I shuffled towards it.
"Clothes, off" he ordered when I reached the middle of the loungeroom he had me crawl to "now."
He was going to rape me again.
I sat so I could peel off my pants slowly.
Solanine saw I was trying to buy time and lashed out with the cord that tore into my leg and made it bleed.
I didn't feel it. He could break my body and I wouldn't have a clue.
Where was my virus when I needed it to protect me? It wasn't shielding me from any of this, and hadn't done in the time I had possessed it.
I threw my undies off and my shirt with it so I wasn't flogged again.
I just sat there, hugging myself with my legs drawn up to try and shield my genitals from the swaying cord.
"Hmm, I didn't miss this" Solanine marveled me then clicked his fingers, pointing "legs up and away at the ankles."
I did as I was told, trembling at the exposed position until Solanine began to wrap the cord around them, leaving it slack so my legs could still move.
"Hands together" he demanded.
I didn't give them to him.
He reached up to smash his palm into my face that lunged to the side with the amount of force he threw behind the slap.
Tears stung down my burning cheek while he forced my hands together and tied them up with the same cord.
With my legs and hands tied, Solanine hauled me from the floor so he could lead me to the bedroom.
He left me by the door and swiped the belongings off the purple sheets before turning to me.
I tried to run again, but he easily yanked me back and swung me onto the bed by the cord between my hands and legs.
I laid there, trying to figure out another escape while Solanine dragged me up towards the metal bedhead.
"Stop your crying" he grumbled when he undid the end knot around my hands so he could tie it to the metal behind me "some people would think this was kinky."
He left the room briefly to grab the other cords from the TV and return to me furiously trying to tear my way off the headboard holding me down.
The loose cord around my legs was undone from one leg so it could be tied again to the end of the bed frame. The extra cords were knotted together so they could be the anchor for my other leg kicking out at Solanine's grabbing hands.
He had me spread there with my hands resting on the pillows above my head. If I did manage to somehow escape, my left leg was directly tied to the bed in so many layers that it would be futile to try and unwrap them all before I was discovered.
"Let me go!" I snapped to him while he used the extra cords to wrap them around my middle and my throat "LET ME GO!"
"Don't start that" he groaned at my screeching voice wailing out for someone to hear me "don't be a nuisance."
I kept screaming until my body needed breath to fuel it. When I forced in one, Solanine stuffed in a shirt he found on the ground that I started to push out with my tongue.
He had enough time to leave and came barging back in with a garbage bag that he wrapped around the shirt he shoved back in and secured over. 90Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpfTG4drr6o
90Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtX4N8QzbNN
He tied the bag at the back of my head and leant back to admire his work.
"I'll get something better for you" he smiled as I yanked on the cords, trying to scream around the shirt "tape should keep your pretty mouth shut."
He was loving this. I was tied up and spread beneath him as he straddled my hips and pressed his tenting erection against me.
"Now, I'm going to make sure no-one will find you" he teased and lightly touched my nose "you said you'd be mine, so I'm going to break you in."
He had said the same thing when he had first kidnapped me.
Maybe the cords had loosened?
I yanked desperately again, crying out when my body just couldn't tear through them.
"Don't go doing anything silly, like Turning" he warned through his false cheerfulness "I'll make sure you can't escape."
So that's why he had tied my middle and throat but not secured them. 90Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCLW0Xr0ijq
90Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCTWTgCiHa7
He wanted to either crush my body when it filled out of my skin, or break it enough so that it impeded on my escape. 90Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJkpiOQvjZE
90Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡS29Zz3SOa2
Either way, my arms and legs would still be trapped. I would have four others that could free me, and the claws to do so, but I wouldn't be able to squeeze out of this room, let alone run for freedom.
I couldn't walk. He knew I had limitations by the way I refused to Turn before him.
I could see myself being agonizingly crushed by the cords around my body that grew around them; clawing and calling desperately for Talio who would arrive too late.
At the most, my voice would be a whisper by the door. He wouldn't hear it in the Base.
"Be good" he leant over to kiss me on my bucking stomach, his fingers trailing to my cock to flick off it "think nice thoughts while I'm gone."
He laughed when I struggled and yelled at him again, watching his body wind around the doorframe he left exposed to the kitchen opposite me.
He knew I wasn't escaping. He was so confident that he even left the door open as he left the room.
I had to get out of here. Talio would be looking for me. Scalpel would have told him I was in the Base.
He wouldn't know I was here. I was going to be alone with Solanine....
Tears ran down my face as I tried to push out the shirt from my mouth again. My hands snapped back onto the pillows, my elbows bending from the angle they were being held.
Maybe I could Turn? Try and bust out that way?
The cord was tied around me very tightly. I could feel it nestled under my ribs where it knotted at the front. 90Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMDUQ70YnsQ
90Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGTd2ECYxlA
The other had thr prongs stabbing into the side of my throat whenever I moved too much.
The tied cords tightened the more I yanked on them with my legs. They showed no signs of breaking or becoming loose at all.
If I could just get one arm free, I could make this so much easier.
My fingers couldn't even bend down to the cord. They barely brushed the surface, there was no way they'd reach my wrists.
What else was there?
I looked around, trying to find some sort of way to escape here.
There was the junk from the bed scattered on the floor. Nothing was of use amongst it, just papers, a book, and a smeared plate with some crust on it.
The cupboard was also no use. It was women's clothes hung above clear storage containers of coats and shoes. There was the lid of a cardboard box peeking around the door, but I couldn't see what was inside.
I couldn't rely on that for something to arm myself with when I got out of here.
Maybe heading to the kitchen again would be enough?
It hadn't stopped him before, but it was better than nothing.
I heard feet pounding up the stairs beneath me and quickly gave up on struggling, looking to the door Solanine walked around.
"Duct tape" he grinned and snapped a length of it from the roll he held up "this will shut you up for good."
Ok, maybe this wasn't so bad. I knew duct tape was useless when it was wet. I could work at the inside of it with my tongue to loosen the stickiness before pushing it off just enough to really scream for my life.
The shirt and garbage bag were already good, but I wanted him to use the tape.
I wasn't going to scream when he removed it. I was going to be good and let him think he had the upper hand.
Maybe if he was dumb enough, he'd tape my wrists and legs too so I could snap them easier.
That was wishful thinking. He wouldn't be that stupid when he saw how resistant the cords were being to my desperate, fuious attempts.
"You're being awefully quiet" he noticed when he carefully pulled off the bag and pulled out the shirt he tossed aside.
"I'm thirsty" I rasped out while trying to feel my mouth again.
Honestly, I was. But it would also give me the advantage of having a wetter mouth to work the tape with.
"Well, it's not like you are going anywhere" he commented and slapped on a length of tape so he could leave the room.
I heard the water running and a glass clinking in the sink.
"You hungry too?" he called out and sniggered to my silent scowl aimed at him leaning over to observe me.
What a cold joke that was.
Solanine returned with the glass he shook slightly when he sat down by my head. The water dripped down the sides and peppered the sheet around me.
It looked refreshing. I needed something to get the dry taste of shirt out of my mouth.
"I want to play a game" he smiled to me, sipping the glass and smacking his lips at the cool liquid dribbling from them "I want to guess what you've got hiding inside you. Try and figure out what I'm dealing with. If you co-operate, you get a drink."
He gripped his tape to rip it from my lips. I swear the skin itself tore off with the glued plastic that stung my skin and made even the slightest breeze burn like fire.
I really needed that water now. Anything to dampen the torture tearing at my mouth.
"Is it.... a Beora?"
"I..." I frowned back "... I don't know what that is. Dumb it down for me."
"Goat man with no stomach."
I shook my head and had Solanine tip just a trickle of water onto my lips that didn't part in time. Most of it spilled onto the bed while the tiny spits that did land pierced through and boiled my pulsing skin.
"Is it something.... with lots of arms?"
"Like Tooth?" i thought to his eager face "uh, no."
The water trickled again but I was ready. It danced on my tongue and dried up in my throat before it could even slide down it.
"Something with lots of bodies?" he added.
"No."
More water. Yet again, more dissapointment.
"Do you have a tail?"
"Nope."
My tongue poked out this time to try and soak up the pitiful amount of water dribbled over it.
Solanine snapped his fingers.
"Lots of eyes?" he breathed.
I lit up with him and nodded.
I waited greedily but had the glass lowered to my lips now. For a correct answer, I was being rewarded with actual gulps.
I only got one in before the cup was held up again.
I had over half of it left. I was going good.
"Eyes" he pondered, tapping the glass as he thought "how about no mouth?"
"No."
He didn't give me the trickle. I closed my mouth in dissapointment.
"How about l...."
"SOLO!"
He closed his mouth at the shouting voice from downstairs and snapped the tape back over my mouth that he held a hand over so I couldn't scream for it.
"SOLO! YOU THERE?"
I knew that voice. That was Talow.
I felt a glimmer of hope jolt in my body. I yanked on the cords again and pleaded in muffled silence for him to hear me.
Solanine kept his grip firm. I couldn't even part my lips to let him know I was here.
"WHAT?!" he yelled back in irritation while ripping more tape off the roll to smack onto my lips "WHAT DO YOU WANT?"
There was no way I was going to be able to work through so many layers. Solanine shoved my head back down and stomped to the door, taking the glass with him before closing it.
I could hear Talow jogging up the stairs and enter the room. I wailed in silence when his shadow joined Solanine's under the door to move away from my sight.
"Wh ar y doo ere?" Talow's voice garbled through the door "y oom s own th all."
I wailed and yanked on the bed frame desperately; anything to try and make a noise so he could rescue me.
Please, Talow. Hear me.
"Ning" Solanine replied with a snort "thht his wod e a ood pot to art."
Fuck. He couldn't hear me. I could barely hear him.
Thier footsteps moved further away, towards where the bathroom would be.
I couldn't hear them now. It was only a low grumble as each took thier turn to talk, or maybe complain, to the other.
"Eh, well, he nts s to eck t out" Talow's voice stomped back to the door to stop "you ow how e is."
He was right there!
I threw everything into jerking my body against the cords. The frame groaned in response and I heard everything go silent on the other side of the door.
I paused myself, listening to hear if it had worked.
"s thing ou ant to see" Solanine's voice cut through "I old ou I as nting."
"Sting" Talow grumbled back, dismissive.
His feet turned and headed back for the stairs. Solanine followed behind.
No! Where was he going!
I'm here! I'M RIGHT ABOVE YOU!
They rushed off, slamming the door behind them to make the sting of defeat blind me once more.
I had been so close!
FUCK!
I screamed at how stupid Talow had been. I tore at the cords, ripping at my skin with every wailing kick and thrown arm in a moment of raw emotion.
The cords cut deeper with every wild buck, making my skin slowly redden before blood pricked to the surface and rolled down my ankles.
I paused at the sight of it staining the sheets and looked up to my wrists already dripping onto the pillows.
I could feel the familiar iron scent above me burning at my nostrils already steaming with snot from my shaking tears.
Maybe.... maybe that was it?
I couldn't feel the pain I inflicted on myself, only tiny twinges of sensation when I realised what I had done.
If I kept battering my body, I could slip it out of these cords and untie myself.
It would take time. I knew I didn't have the strength to free myself right away. I wouldn't be able to feel it, but my body would buckle if I tried to run blindly on broken ankles
But that was going to be it. It had to be. I couldn't count on anyone, or anything, other than myself.
I was going to break my bones, starting with my wrists.
I was going to be free.
ns 15.158.61.54da2
