The leader looked me over. And waved. "We'll take that one, too. Just be quick about it, boys."
The stampeding feet. The short screams.
I trembled. This wasn't real. It wasn't. It couldn't be! "I'm the Heir of the Ky—!
The man's grip tightened as he scoffed. "Did you think he'd let you go? No matter who you are, or what line you come from, we won't let you go." He freed me from his hold, hitting my head. "Just your ill luck there, pretty boy!"
I ran—
But he grabbed me by the hair.
I tried to get away as he swung; his slap hitting me in the face—
My hair ripped from my skull as he continuously hit me. Then backhanded me.
I wobbled and fell, trying to bite and kick and hit—
But he picked me up by the legs. And dragged me.
My lashes fluttered; my vision blurry—dizzy—confused—
My back, it was burning and my nails, they were bleeding—My skin growing red and ugly and stained—
And all the while, he whistled a happy, joyful tune as he walked. " Keep your strength, now, young noble." He called. "I don't want you to die too early, ya hear?" He laughed again. "I can't wait to see you turn."
Like sandpaper, my skin scraped against the ground; my flesh tearing and ripping as he walked. Was I bleeding? Warm liquid drained down my face; the blood trailing my body like mountains and streams—
There was stomping behind me. I heard the sniffles; the tears I'm sure were falling. But there was no one else who struggled. No one as foolish as me.
What about that boy? The only familiar face in a wavering, bloody sea…
But I couldn't turn my head. I was too dizzy. The lights. The sound of my own body dragging—and the horrible, terrible pain.
Fear. And terror. And fesces.
And the crumbling confidence of a waste without aura; an heir without true power. Would this be my end? Just like Melvin, I'd be forgotten…
But if I had looked back, would it have made any difference?
Would I have seen the look of another who hadn't been taken? This familiar stranger…
My friend. My enemy. My brother.
***
There were rooms. Across from the cells. I was taken to one; my arms restrained behind my back and my legs tied to the chair.
I could barely lift my eyes.
The room smelled like herbs and something metallic. Blood? The sharp scent of antiseptic…
I was hyperventilating—
Just what was it?
But my faceless kidnapper cackled in my face. And blindfolded me. "Don't you worry now! The doc'll take good care of you."
The darkness was stifling; a small hint of light and nothing else before me. What—
Were they planning?
I shook.
Someone—
Someone else was there. Right beside me.
He was there. I could hear him breathe. Like a beast.
A monstrous, inhuman thing. But only because I couldn't see!
The air grew cold. I was shivering. But the quiet was quiet and my pain was painful and he wasn't saying anything—!
Why? Why? Why?! I strained against the restraints, though my earnest struggles amounted to nothing.
A whisper of cloth. And an indifferent voice calmly began speaking.
"Don't move too much. It'll hurt more." He said.
Hurt? What was going to hurt—?!
Something poked the back of my neck—
I froze. "What is—?!" But my mouth was stuffed with something hard and dry and my teeth clamped down instinctively—
Straps dug into my checks as he tied the restraint behind my head. "You're going to become immortal, boy! Try to appreciate it."
My erratic breathing. My shaking hands.
That thing against my neck jabbing me repeatedl!
It hurt. It hurt! It was agonizing—!
The instantaneous burn. The lasting flame.
My body! My skin! Fire. And ash. And relentless, excruciating pain.
Silent, agonized screams. And hauntingly joyful whistling.
More nails broke.
And my nose and ears and eyes were already bleeding.
***
It wasn't easy. Certainly, there were moments of clarity. And when I was free of pain, all I could think about was the pain that was coming…
I, too, lost something there. An intangible something. Belief? Innocence? Naïveté? Perhaps my noble pride…
Tortured. Sickened. I lost the will to live.
***
Was I even aware when they tossed me back into the cell? Not really.
There were sounds. and smells. But the noise was my own labored breathing. And the scents my own flowing liquids…
At some point, I became aware of the hand tightening around me. My head was cradled in someone's lap and my resting hands were placed perfectly on my chest.
My head was hurting. And my lips were dry. I croaked—
But couldn't make a sound. My throat? I tried to lift my limb but even that wouldn't listen to me; the hand uncontrollably shaking as it fell.
"Don't try to move, Ethan. You—your body—" Muffled tears. And a sharp inhale. "You're in no state to move."
Who…?
My insides twisted. My head. My head! The pounding—prodding—throbbing!
Bile. Spew. And the soft cursing that followed.
"It's okay, Ethan. It's okay. You're—you're gonna be alright. You will. We'll get out of here, I swear. They'll find us!" Warmth stroked my hair. A hand? Whose hand?"
"I—It's my fault, Ethan. I should've never told you about that stupid play. It's my fault! I promise, Ethan. I promise we'll leave here no matter what!"
The gate. It was rattling. My body flinched away—
"Don't worry," he whispered. "It's just food. They—feed us pretty well for captives." He breathed over my face. "We'll just—have to eat it. It's not that bad. I'll help you. No, don't try to move. I'll get it."
The warmth left me. Briefly.
I heard the gate open as the bars rang. "Eat! 'll kill you if you don't eat! Don't waste my time!"
The mad dash. The desperate scramble. And the cloth that ripped—
And tore.
The grunts. The screams—
And the cackle that followed. "Haha, you're all so carefree! That's right. Tear each other to pieces—!"
"Hey now…Doc told us to keep them sane. If you keep encouraging them and they're harmed, won't he blame you?"
"Who's gonna know? Forget about that. Don't you think that boy's quite the savage? He's biting that kid's arm like he's gonna eat it!"
The whistles. The murmurs.
And the warmth that was once beside me. But I couldn't even twitch.
Everything was burning. Everything…