revenant. resident evil 4 [remake]

chapter 2 (rewrite)

A cold breeze swirled on her neck, making a few strands of Keira's blonde hair fall on her face. She looked somewhat peaceful with her eyes closed and chest moving in a steady rhythm. Her mind wasn't at ease though. Nightmares taunted her but even worse horrors awaited Keira's awakening.

Her hands were positioned oddly, hanging above her head and chained to a wall covered in either dirt or darkening mold. Her wound was bandaged neatly and treated with a balm. The dressing got dirty from layers of ash laying on the floor but at least there were no signs of blood leaking through the cloth.

Keira stirred where she knelt on the ground and murmured a name as she came back to her senses. Was it a plea for him to rescue her or a warning for the mam to stay out of danger, she didn't know. It just sounded familiar and safe, and lifted her spirits.

Her spine hurt more than the cut on her shin. She felt tingling in her arms lifted to be chained to the wall, heavy shackles bruised her palms and wrists. She tried to tug at them but winced because of a terrible headache.

The woman looked around the nasty room. It was almost pitch black and she could only find the difference between lighter and darker shadows. Some of them swallowed the walls whole but some let her peek through the unseen.

She's been locked up in a cell, it seemed. The woman shook her bindings, feeling them loosen up a little. She yanked them once more and with a loud shriek, a screw got ripped out from the wall, along with her handcuffs. Her body fell onto the cold floor, her muscles were sore and joints stiff after being put in an uncomfortable position for a long time. She collected herself quickly, feeling like every single bone in her body was about to snap.

"Ashley?" She called out to the darkness. "Ashley, are you here?"

No response.

She tugged on her shackles again, trying to break the chain connecting both of her wrists. But even a special agent can't break chains without breaking bones. She gave up and wandered in her cell, looking for any sign of Ashley or a way to escape. It was larger than she assumed but definitely empty. She was all alone.

She was shaking off the last remnants of shock she experienced minutes, hours or days ago, Keira didn't know. She was confused. The man that captured her must've known Keira somehow, yet she was convinced she's never met him. He said something about having a mutual friend but who that could be, she had no clue.

She would figure it out later. First of all, Keira was set on finding Ashley and then --- a way out of this situation.

A noise came from outside of her cell, a loud thumping of someone who wanted Keira to know about their presence. She quickly snuck across the room, hiding right next to the crates to her cell. She could dash as fast as the intruder would've opened them. She needed just a little bit of luck.

Doors to her cell opened with a bewildering screech. The woman turned her head to catch a glimpse of her captor. He wore a leather coat, dirty and torn on the edges. He was a tall man with terrifying appearance that came from his cold, emotionless demeanor. He murmured something to himself when he saw that there wasn't anyone shackled to the wall and took a few steps inside before he went back and closed the doors behind him, pocketing the keys to her cell.

Well, fuck.

Keira quickly snuck behind him and tried to snatch the keys from him. Her breath was low but shuddered when the man turned and her hand accidentally brushed his coat, what he must've felt.

He didn't say a single word as he shut the crates behind him and, with only one movement of his hand, threw her across the room. All air was knocked out of he lungs as she struggled to breath in and get on her feet to fight off the man. Or at least die trying.

The wound on her scalp opened and bled again, making her a little lightheaded. Staggering, she made a run for the keys again and the man pushed her again, like a little child that was getting on his nerves.

He patter the pockets of his dirties coat until he pulled a syringe out of one of them. The liquid inside was murky and greenish, with a speckle of something strange floating inside. Whatever it was, Keira knew it wouldn't do her any good.

He approached her with the syringe in his scarred hand. Keira took a few steps back as the man came closer. She tried to direct a kick to knock the syringe out of his hands. The agent was certain she wouldn't win in a fight with him. But she could do her best to outwit him.

Her hopes died quickly though. The man managed to stop her easily by catching her foot mid-air and Keira knew she's lost the moment her stitches teared open and she screamed in pain.

"Do not reluct, child," he said in a low voice, sounding much more like a growl rather than actual speech.

Keira was facing the stranger after he blocked her attack and slammed her body against a wall. She didn't give up, kicking and shouting until the man got irritated and hit the side of her head, hard. The next seconds felt dimmed --- Keira felt blood trickle down her temple and needle pierce the skin on her neck but she nearly mistook it for a shadowy dream.

"What's happening?" She asked, her speech getting a little slurred. Dark spots pooled in her sight, her head fell on her shoulder. She felt numb.

"You're being reborn. We shall greet you soon as one of our own."

She murmured a cuss in response and received a blow to her face in return that knocked her unconscious.