Inspired by the Strike Back viral vid-one amazing minute that is a tour de force by Richard Armitage-the thoughts of a soldier in dire straits . . . rated R for language.
Captive
"I'm sorry, sir. I can't answer that question." His throat was parched, his deep voice frayed around the edges. He was so very tired.
When would they stop. When would they ever fucking stop?
The same questions, over and over. And his same answer.
They'd berated him, cajoled him, taunted him; struck him in ways that caused pain but did not leave bruises.
They were very clever.
And very determined.
They'd swung the hook, that heavy iron hook with its ominously creaking chain, right in front of the soldier's weary eyes.
~the better to string you up, my dear~
He felt a sudden insane desire to laugh. Perhaps he was going mad.
"I'm sorry, sir. I can't answer that question."
*~*~*~*
He'd awoken face-down in that place - hours or days ago, he was no longer sure - with his wrists bound behind his back and his ankles trussed.
In spite of a blindfold and gag, sand had somehow still managed to invade the soldier's mouth and eyes, coating his tongue and burning his eyelids.
The fatigues and t-shirt he wore felt as if they had attached themselves to his skin. He could no longer tell where his clothing stopped and his body started.
He was so fucking sick of sand. And heat. And that feotid smell.
What was it?
Rubbing against the floor where he lay, a floor covered with yet more sand, he was finally able to shift the blindfold down just enough to allow vision in one eye.
Not that there was much to see, he thought as he finally managed to push himself to his knees, wincing from the effort.
A sliver of light, coming through a tiny opening high in the wall of his makeshift prison, faintly illuminated the room.
He saw something moving overhead and blinked his eyes, straining to focus.
A chain. With a hook.
Beneath the gag, his mouth had gone even more dry, although he'd thought that impossible.
The soldier didn't want to think about what they'd use that for.
If he was lucky, just to intimidate him.
Good luck did not appear to be on his side lately.
Too many people on both sides wanting him dead.
Or wanting what he could not give them.
"I'm sorry, sir. I can't answer that question."