Dead Drop

Alex, You Handsome Motherfucker!

The room's emptiness is beginning to get to me. This entire experience is beginning to get to me. I've grown accustomed to sitting in this same corner. The back right one, next to the hole I punched in it the first time I went through physical training. I don't want to grow to accept my own defeat. My body is aching from both physical and mental exhaustion. I'm having a hard time distinguishing reality from imagination. I can't tell what is real from what hell they are making me conjure up in my mind. Usually the only way I can tell the difference is if Ela is present or absent.

Honestly, and I hate to admit it, the thought of her coming and saving us is the only thing that is keeping me sane right now. I know for a fact that she won't stop until we are safe. That's about as much hope as I have left in me.

I could hear footsteps getting closer. Then someone unlocking the door. I scooted back more into the corner. The door swung open and someone threw Alex into the room before slamming the door behind him. I stared at the door for some time before looking down at Alex's unmoving body. He laid there bloody and bruised. I've never seen him beaten up so badly. I would think he was dead if his chest wasn't moving due to him breathing.

I crawled over to him.

"Alex. Alex, what happened?" I asked trying to assess the damage.

"E-Ela." He choked as blood dribbled down the corners of his mouth.

"What? Ela? What are you talking about?" I asked confused as the door opened again. A man threw in some sandwiches and water bottles in the room before closing the door again.

"Apparently I called Ela last night. I called her for help. I don't... I don't remember any of it." He groaned while trying to get up. I helped him into a sitting position.

"You don't remember calling her at all?" I asked opening one of the water bottles and handing it to him. He took a sip before replying.

"No, it was right after they took me out of the mental torture. I think I was still under the influence of the drugs they pump into us. But they made sure that they played the phone call over and over again while they beat me senseless. I guess that's their way of making sure I never do that again." He chuckled a bit before breaking out in a coughing fit.

"Here, drink." I made him take another sip of water. "So, what did you say? What did she say?" I asked grabbing a sandwich and unwrapping it.

"I was basically just telling her she had to come and save us. I sounded to fucking weak it was kind of pathetic. But Ela... she sounded... I don't know... panicked. She sounded devastated, worried, all the above. I don't even know how to describe the way she sounded. It was heartbreaking to hear her scream out for me as they found me." The look on his face as he told me this was a face of brokenness. I don't think he has an ounce of hope left in him. You'd think, after a phone call with Ela that he'd have a little bit of faith. But no, if anything it took all of it away.

"You should really try to eat something." I said pushing the sandwich more towards him. He took a slow, large bite of the sandwich.

"Why are you being so nice to me?" Alex asked swallowing.

"Listen, I have always and will always hate you. There's nothing that'll change that. Now, with that being said, we're stuck in this extremely shitty situation together. You and I. There's no one else here that I can trust. We can only count on each other. I think we need to get out of here. We have to try to escape." I said grabbing a sandwich for myself.

"I appreciate the sentiment. I agree, you are the only one I can trust right now. But, if you hadn't noticed, I can barely walk. How do you expect me to escape?" Alex said pointing out his current state.