Featherless

The thundering sound of a fist pounding against metal could be heard throughout the pitch black abyss of my prison.

bang... bang.... bang...

It was a deafening echo of despair that had been going on so long my ears rang in between each crashing blow. Along side the perpetual pounding you could barely make out the light pitter patter of dirty water as it dripped from the cracks in the ceiling, or atleast I could only assume it was unclean since the putrid smell of decaying bodies had long since rendered my sense of smell useless. I could only hope that if I survived this hellish nightmare that I would one day be able to scent the noxious fumes my aunt believed to be perfume. What I wouldn't give to sit through one of her dull lectures at this moment.

My sense of time had been twisted and I no longer know how long I have been fighting to stay alive. For the few still holding on to sanity I could imagine it was a welcome reprieve from the endless eery quiet that settled in the walls day in and out. For the rest of the majority who were now only empty shells of the humans they had been it was like trying to hear a scream under water, muffled and distant. I was one of the latter not even capable of remembering my own name.

Bang. . . . . . . Bang . . . . . . . Bang

The man continued on in the darkness refusing to succumb, his efforts were admirable and if I could touch on any emotion at this moment it would probably be impressed.

How long had it been since I had felt that fight inside myself? Had I ever even had it? I gingerly raised my arm in the dark trying to push through the haze that filled my senses. Metal bit into my skin reminding me why I was stuck here. Since when had I been chained to the floor? Was I chained to the floor or another body? I thought hollowly as I stared at the shackles and chains pinning me down in the dim light. I followed the chains from my wrists down to the floor where they were bolted down before realizing how damp the floor was this new thought was followed by a ravenous thirst coming through the haze of my mind. How long had it been since I'd had water? Pushing the intention of standing into my limbs I found that I was under something heavy that felt of flesh. I knew it was human but I pushed this knowledge back and tried to focus once more.

Bang. . . Bang. . . . . . Bang. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Finally the man had stopped his relentless efforts. I was disappointed he had given up just as I'd regained some will to think. The eery quiet was back and my new found need to figure out where I was had disappeared along with the man who had fought for so long. If he had no hope why should I. I had been here for much longer and the hopelessness of the situation was just too immense a burden to bare. I sunk back into the darkness and let it take me away hoping to feel welcomed in deaths embrace. My last thought was a small voice in the back of my mind scolding me for giving up.

....
......
....

BOOM!!!!!

I opened my eyes to find a blinding light coming through a hole in the wall of the prison. A group of men rushed, with weapons in hand, through the filth that surrounded. They seemed to be looking for someone as they riffled through the mounds of bodies in the large room. I could now see that I was among the piles of the dead.

They stopped at a man propped up against the metal doors of our prison. I was almost positive it was the man who would not give in because his hands were a gruesome site to behold. They were covered in blood and one fist was propped up against the door leaving little doubt. They dragged him out through the hole and began gathering the meager amount of prisoners who were still alive. When my eyes had adjusted I registered how many were actually dead. The flesh I had felt was another fallen who had one way or another been tossed upon me.
I knew they wouldn't find me among all the bodies I was too small to hidden in death. I used what little strength I had to push the man but my arms and the chains fastened to my wrists fell to the floor. With the last of my strength I tried to yell but nothing came out but a dried half dead croak.