I couldn't remember how I'd ended up where I was, but I knew I didn't belong there.
There was sand beneath me; it stuck to my skin as though it wanted to grind me away into nothing. I didn't want to move. I was scared to breathe, afraid I'd set something off.
I had been almost killed twice in the two days I had been in here; once with a knife falling from the ceiling, the other from a spike that shot up through the sand below my feet.
Why would someone attempt to kill me if I belonged there?
They wouldn't. Therefore, I was in danger.
I knew, at some point, I'd have to make the ascent to the top of this cell that I was trapped in, but to do so was a scary thought. It was true that the ceiling was the only way out, I'd checked and rechecked a million times, but what if something came out of the walls? What if the world ended and this was the only place I'd be safe? What if that outside world was my safety? I closed my eyes.
My name is Austen Grey. I'd been in this cell for two days, but someone was looking for me. I would get out.
This was pointless.
I stood, suddenly determined to make it to the top of this cursed cell. Cement walls surrounded me, the sand falling away beneath my feet. The cell I was in was quite small. The width of the cell was just wide enough for me to turn and the length was my arm span. At least it would be easier to climb. I take in a deep breath and start the large climb up.
The cool cement against my back made my skin tingle. I take a small break, resting my body for a moment. My legs were shaking in exertion and my head pounded. I could feel my hands, already sore from the rough sand below me, start to peel and reveal pink skin that was too tender to withstand the harshness of the walls. Swearing, I glance down and swallow.
The sand was gone. I was looking down at an empty black hole. The doors below the sand that held me up swayed back and forth gently, indicating they just opened. I couldn't see the bottom of the hole, but the cold air shooting up and nipping at my skin told me it wasn't anything I wanted to fall into.
My hands were no longer a concern of mine.
I started the ascent again, cautious as I looked at the walls for anything that would cause me to fall to my imminent death. My body was weak, being malnourished, yet I had no choice but to keep climbing. As I reached the top I hear a click and the wooden door that kept me from the outside world starts to open. My eye catches a red dot on the corner of the door and it begins to blink faster. I don't stick around to see what it was.
My body tenses as I allow myself to slide down the wall. It's not a moment too soon either because as soon as I steady myself, flames erupt above my head. Smoke fills the cell I'm in as the wood burns but then it rolls out and into the unknown world outside. My heart is beating so fast in my chest I'm surprised my body isn't the thing exploding. Who would go through such an extent to keep someone contained?
I start the ascent once more, but when I reach the top the only thing I see is more darkness. My hands are burnt on the edges of the wretched cell I was in, but that was the least of my concern. I was out.
As I rolled onto a cool floor, I took a moment to breathe and let my muscles relax. The moment was short lived because light flooded in from every corner of the room and I had no time to let my eyes adjust before I felt hands on my arms. I tried to scream, but my lack of using my voice made the noise come out disgruntled and inhuman. By the time I could actually tell that the person leading me roughly through this bright world was a male, he let me go.
I was in another dark room. Great, now my eyes have to- I freeze as the temperature drops considerably fast. My heart is beating so loud in my chest I wonder how it's still in there. I swallow and step forward carefully. The temperature gets a little warmer. I follow the heat. My hands stay out in front of me as my eyes were rendered useless. The only noise I could hear was my own erratic heart rate and breathing.
It seemed as though I was following rabbit trails and the time simply ticked on and on. I was losing all sense of direction. My body was sweating from the intensity of the heat which made me question whether or not the room was truly getting warmer. I had been climbing stairs for what seemed an eternity. Thoughts of returning to my original cell seemed much more desirable than this.
Suddenly, my hands hit a wall and I almost turned away from it when I felt a door handle. The handle burned my hand but I knew that had to be the way out. I prepared myself and shoved through the door to enter into a dining room.
Faces turned to look at me and I froze in fear. The table and room were so grand, I felt small, impeccably small. Immediately, my eyes focused on the man at the head of the table. Every other seat was occupied with a young girl, around my age, except for the one that was directly next to him.
That one was empty.
I recognized the man as he stood, but as to why I recognized him, I was unaware. My brain was on overload already and my body was utterly exhausted. The man was in charge with no question, but why would he make me go through all of that just to end up in a dining room? The small chuckle coming from the man snapped my attention back to him and I frowned.
"Hello, Darling, I'm glad you could join us this evening. I didn't expect you to make it here this quickly, but none the less, you are welcome at this table." His voice was transfixing but it caused my focus to wander. I kept my eyes on him, taking in his appearance once more to try to understand why he was familiar.
His hair was a light brown, falling on his face in an unkept fashion that suited him. He had cool grey eyes that were staring with interest at me even as I overlooked him. I noticed the defined jaw and sharp features of his face. His body followed that theme, being fit and attractive under any other circumstance. His attire consisted of a simple white t-shirt and dark jeans. I noticed his stance, which was anything but welcoming. It was solid, intimidating. I tried to speak but my voice was lost.
"I see you don't wish to speak at this moment. That is just as well, you should eat, become well. You will need all the strength you can get." My feet stay planted and the familiar man sets down the glass of water I hadn't realized he was holding. His muscles flexed in his arm and I found myself wondering why he was so fit. "Please, allow me to introduce myself." The deep, melodic voice coming from him captured my attention. "My name is Alec."
I start pondering the name, pulling it through the memories I had control over but no matter what I did, I could not figure out why the name struck a chord. "Darling, you must be famished, come, eat." I still can't convince my body to move but suddenly my tongue decides to move.
"That's not my name." I manage to whisper out. Alec's eyes narrow so I know he heard me, though the distance seemed too great for such a small sound. I felt my vocal chords screaming at the use, and my throat, already raw, began to ache even more.
"I'm sorry what was that, Darling?" If I didn't know he had heard me before, the smugness in his tone would have given it away. I already didn't like this man.
"You heard me." I test him. He smirks and straightens his back, making him look taller than he already was. Alec takes a sip of his water, keeping his eyes trained on me before setting the glass down and stepping towards me in a formal manner. My stomach writhes in fear but I was too tired to show the reaction outwardly.
"No, I'm afraid I didn't, Darling. Would you like to repeat it?" By the way he made a point to continually say 'Darling,' I knew I wouldn't change his mind anyways. I swallowed the rebel part of me and let out a quiet sigh.
"No." I lower my head to the floor, staring at the red carpet with such hatred I wondered how I kept it in.
"Well, that disappoints me." The tone of Alec's voice suggests otherwise. He was pleased with the fact that I gave into his authority. "Why are you still standing over there, Darling? Please, come join me. We have much to discuss." I raised my eyes to see him coming towards me, his hand outstretched to take mine. I didn't want to be anywhere near him.
Alec came to a stop in front of me and I had a million questions buzzing through my head with a million more on the tip of my tongue. He seemed to notice my inner war and smiled softly. His smile was not welcoming. His smile was fake and well practiced.
"Now, Darling, why are you hesitating?" His voice is quiet and as his voice lowers, his face changes into a soft, gentle gaze. I was afraid at how precisely and quickly his features changed.
Why was I hesitating? Because I knew nothing about him, nothing about why I was here, nothing about these girls, nothing about how I got here, nothing about where here was, nothing that could help me at all in this situation. And the worst part? I was afraid that if I knew it would be worse than not knowing. My head and heart were torn and to top it off I had all of these unanswered-
"Questions." I finish my thought out loud. Alec's face loses composure for a moment and he seems surprised at my response. Then he regains his control and simply raises an eyebrow to act interested.
"You are hesitating due to the questions in your head?" Alec says the words with such articulation I wonder why the words aren't being spelled out right in front of me. I simply nod in response, at a loss for words.
Alec grins, his thin, red lips being pulled up into the smirk. He steps a tad closer to me and lowers his head to bring his lips to my ear. "Questions," He whispers, his hot breath tickling my neck, "typically lead to circulatory reasonings unless you have answers." Alec's cold hands slowly remove the hair from my neck and I shiver at the soft touch. "But, if you ask specific questions you will progress in a particular direction." Once Alec had finished his statement he pulled back and offered me his large hand once more.
"Now, Darling, let's try this again shall we?" His voice is soothing. "Will you come join me so we can answer those questions in your head?" The smile that quirks his lips up makes my head hurt.
I swallow my fear and take in a shaky breath. I truly had no choice but to follow him. I wasn't going to get anywhere by not getting my questions answered.
Yet, there was still something that told me I truly didn't want my questions answered. None the less, I moved my small hand to gently be placed in his. Alec's smile remained on his face even as his fingers clasped over mine and he led me to the table.