Ace In the Hole

Chapter 10

Waking up in a room devoid of anything but blank white and shiny double sided black was not a healthy way to start the day in Jisoo's book. In fact, she might argue that it was absolutely the opposite of healthy, almost inducing a heart attack and an early death. 

So maybe Jisoo was being dramatic OR MAYBE she just didn't like the feeling of being kidnapped, entirely at the mercy of strangers and armed only with the knowledge that they had the capacity to kill without regard and two examples to back this up. Yeah... Jisoo did not like that thought one bit.

She squinted at the camera placed in the corner to the right of the doorway. It's eye seemed to follow wherever she went and it's red pupil flashed in recognition. This was the only color around her and that was almost as unappreciated as the lack of any noise, movement, or natural light which made Jisoo feel as if she were in an insane asylum. Maybe she was. 

The floors, ceiling, and walls were all a chic white and the only "furniture" was a bone colored mat laid neatly on the floor where she sat. There was no blanket or cushion or pillow and though the mat appeared cleanly and pristine, this only served to bother her more that the boldest color they could give her was a creamy off-white. The whole room appeared to be a canvas in need of painting and Jisoo was sorely sad she didn't bring any paint. Not that she was an artist, in any capacity, but she could at least splatter a few colors here and there just to give the prison a little more soul. Jisoo understood that it was asking a lot to repaint someone else's property and so she wouldn't voice her savvy, only criticize in an inner monologue that seemed to run on far too long and sound way too annoying even for her taste. Thank god no one could read her mind, Jisoo could scarcely follow her own thought process, she didn't think she'd want to subject any else to it. 

Suddenly feeling a little more paranoid, Jisoo scanned her surroundings once more before sitting back against the wall and curling her knees towards her chest. She didn't see any mind readers, granted there wasn't much to see as she waited for something more.

Her eyes slowly drifted down, lids growing laden with boredom, and body cumbersome at its indolence. She wasn't tired, or at least she didn't think she was, but she could only sit still and silent for so long and with no stimulus or natural light she was in an interesting in between. Both losing track of the time that flowed around her in crashing waves leaving only her hazy mind afloat but also caught in the sticky molasses of a day that never ended. She had no way to be sure which was more trustworthy but she suspected the ladder was true and her internal clock had been dipped in syrup that, with each tick, clogged its gears a little more.

Besides, there was yet to be food served. Jisoo doubted they'd starve her. They'd obviously kept her alive this long for a reason, though she couldn't imagine what that might be. 

She took internal stock, looking at her mental checklist:

Hungry? Getting there. Thirsty? Parched. Bathroom? Gonna need one soon.

The last matter seemed the most pressing and unfortunately she didn't see any signs of a toilet. So be it, she thought, leveling her gaze to the blinking red iris, "Are there any bathrooms around here? Or are those for paying customers only."

She had let her tongue slip before she could stop it, which was probably irresponsible when being held captive, but Jisoo couldn't help that she got cranky when hungry. Although her jailers would -most likely- not be taking this into account. 

The eye continued its winking and Jisoo almost felt foolish believing that her room had been bugged when there was already a camera. Why do both when one was enough to check up on an inmate? Jisoo hoped they'd actually check on her soon. She was really starting to need that restroom.

Fine. If not by word maybe body language can get the job done.

Jisoo stood up, albeit slowly, with limbs creaking and bones cracking, facing the camera felt like a showdown of sorts and though there most likely wouldn't be audio, Jisoo kept her lips easy to read and gestures open, "Got any bathrooms?" was of course met with only the reply of a flushed dot and a stillness that sent shivers down her nape.

It was so quiet, Jisoo was sure she never disrupted the air in the first place. Nonetheless she waited. Jisoo was uncertain of time, that was for sure, but she could tell when at least five minutes had passed by the ache settling into her locked knees. Maybe she was just getting old.

"Bathroom." Miming this time, pulling at her sides as if sick. She still had pride.

Another stare down.

"Toilet!" Pride be damned, Jisoo was willing to dance for this in a one-man show to end all others.

Of course the still slept then. Leaving the rusting movement of the door in its wake. That and Jisoo's utter embarrassment. 

Of course somebody would see her at her lowest, that was always guaranteed.

And, as always, of course it would be a hauntingly beautiful man whose model-like frame only furthered his "coolest guy in school" presentiment.