RG <-- Not a good name

I

I feel myself regaining consciousness. There's a searing pain in my wrist and ankles. Something wrapped around them and a heavy weight on my collar bone. I slowly realize that I had been captured. Locked up. I am in shackles, God knows where. I refused to open my eyes. That would only make matters worse, I would see my reality.

I inhale, but stop halfway through because of the sharp pain in my side. Great, my ribs are broken. From what little air I can get in, I can tell I'm underground. The air is stale and musty. It felt muggy.

I try to push myself to my knees, but the pain in my wrists is too great. I fall backwards and lay against the wall. As I sit there in defeat, I hear breathing. I suddenly stop my own short breaths confirming what I heard.

"Is there someone, or something out there?" I say with a raspy and shaky voice.

"I'd think I am a someone," I hear a husky, and warm voice say somewhere to my right. I turn my head around, to try to locate him. Man, that's hard without sight.

"Can you not open your eyes?" He questions. His voice is warm and inviting.

"I don't want to face reality. However stupid that may sound, I know that if I see how bad things are, I will start losing hope. And I don't want to be hopeless. Hope is what drives people. It encourages them to keep going, and if that's gone..." I trail off at the end, not sure of what to.

"I could always depict this place for you, but leave out some of the bad parts." Could I trust him?

"How can I trust you?" He goes really quiet after that. Did I offend him? Then I hear rustling next to me. I hear the sound of metal dragging across the floor. I hear him breath in with pain. The sounds stop, and I faintly hear him, "Take my hand."

"Where?" "Just move and try to find it." Ignoring the pain in my wrist, I drag my hand across the floor until I find him. He latches onto mine immediately and for a split second I'm scared he's going to do something, but I soon forget my worries as he runs his thumb over my knuckles and fingers. He laces his fingers between mine. I suddenly felt safe.

"This place... Its underground for starters. The people come in and feed once every day. They already came today so you'll have to wait till tomorrow to eat...." He keeps talking, but I don't listen to the words. I find myself focusing on his voice instead. His voice is hoarse, as if he he hasn't talked for a while and cracks every so often. At some parts, his voice wavers and his grip on my hand tightens. That brings my attention to his hands. I feel the grime etched into his palm. He had been here a while. I could also feel faint scars. I knew he'd probably let go soon since our hands were starting to sweat.

He stops talking. We're left in silence and I can hear the faint scurry of feet from somewhere in the room. I go to talk, but he shushes me.

"Here that?" he whispers. I knew he couldn't be talking about the mouse, so I try to focus on something else. I stop breathing for a few seconds. Nothing. Then as I'm about to speak I hear the thud of a pair of boots. Faint, but there.

"Who is that?" I whisper. He shushes me. I feel a cold, numbness wash over me. The sound of my heart thundering in my chest is the only thing I can hear now. I want to open my eyes. I slowly open them. I didn't take in the guy next to me, or the prison I was trapped in. All my attention was on that door. It was on the solid, iron door with vines all around it and light peeking out from around the edges.

I squeeze his hand. He squeezes back. The footsteps get louder until they stop. I see the shadow of feet from underneath the door. I hear the click of him unlocking the door, and the handle move ever so slowly down. The door clicks again as it opens. It squeaks as the guy pushes it open. The light illuminates the room. I bring my arm above my eyes as it blinds me.