DARKNESS

DARKNESS | Chapter 3

The guard gulps. "Y-Yes, Master Blake, of course."

I frown at the scene before me; the sight of the guard cowering in Blake's presence, Blake's face contorted into a mask of disgust just because the guy was following standard safety procedures which caused a five second wait.

I'm quickly learning that a person's class matters greatly, when within these castle walls.

That's not necessarily a good thing. Actually, it's the opposite of good.
Blake sneers one last time at the guard before releasing him and barging through the doorway, which, as I soon discover, opens up into a small room with a table and a chair. Prison cells line either side of the walkway, inhabited by innocent-looking criminals. Fathers. Mothers.

... Children.

They're imprisoning children?

Apparently my pace is too slow for the man behind me, now holding my upper arm again as he roughly shoves me forwards. We turn left again and stop before another metal door.

Seriously?

Blake pushes straight through it and- surprisingly- holds it open for the remaining six of us to file in. "Chuck her in," he demands, as though I'm nothing but a material possession.

It's safe to say I do not like this guy.

I'm pushed, hopefully for the last time, into the cell and the metal barred door is quickly closed, as though the six bulky men before me are afraid a girl could beat them all up and make a run for it.

I wish.

I really wish.

The lock clicks locked and the man removed the key, pocketing it.

"Not so powerful now, are you girl?" Blake mocks, snarling at me. The lustful glint in his eyes shocks me to the core. Scares me in every way. I know I must avoid him. "Out! I need to inform my father of my good deed. He'll be most proud. And you," he glances at me, "just sit right. Don't try anything."

The metal door slams shut, leaving me alone in my cell. There is one fire stick in the whole room, located on the opposite wall. It doesn't allow much light, but just enough to see by. Enough for me to come to the conclusion that there is nothing in this cell with me. Not even a bed, just the cold stone floor.

Instinctively, I begin my attempts at trying to devise an escape plan. No other thoughts filter through my mind except for the knowledge that I need to get away.

The metal door slams open against the wall with a bang ten minutes later, and a figure stands in the doorway. Light filters in from the noticeably larger amount of light coming from the larger amount of fire sticks in the previous room. The light illuminates the back of the person, leaving me unable to make them out for the time being.

The silhouette claps it's hands together and a loud cackle echoes throughout the previously silent room; a sound which quickly morphs into a full-on belly laugh.

"So it's true!" The voice exclaims in pure glee. A familiar voice. "You're really here. In my castle. Locked up in one of my cells. Oh, this is just too good to be true."

Ash walks from his position in the doorway over to the front of my cell, standing just out of arm's reach.

Smart man.

"The great Harper Bryant- under my control at last."

He's so happy to have the teenage girl of the two people he brutally murdered 12 years ago, here in his castle because....?