Sparks

Chapter 48

I'm sitting in the corner of the basement wrapped in a blanket for the second time this month, but this time it's not because I almost just got robbed. Nope, now I've got two murderous mentors who think I let their prize monster escape - which I guess, technically, I did. Didn't really try to stop her...

"Aryn!" Jacob yells from across the basement. "Aryn, I swear to all that is holy and some that isn't, you better come out from that corner right now. The longer you stay the worse it will be for you."

I do not respond, instead choosing to bury my head in the blanket like that myth of ostriches and sand.

"Aryn, every minute you sit there is another week of punishment for you."

I mutter, head still in the blanket, "It's not like you're not gonna give me those punishments anyway."

Somehow the persistent blond boy hears me and tsks. "If that doesn't work, how about we dig out that old video again and make you watch it on repeat?"

I stiffen. He wouldn't.

"You know full well I would. Now get your skinny useless ass over here right now." Jacob sighs. "But the thing about the video is you would eventually become desensitized to it, even though it's your own trauma... let's see."

My arms reluctantly unwind from my knees and I begin to push myself up.

"You're lucky we aren't outright killing you."

I freeze.

"W-what?"

"Oh, so you are alive. Yeah, the only reason you're still alive right now is that Carrie and I deemed you far too stupid to help it escape, or even try and stop it in any way that would matter. You'd be super dead otherwise." Jacob gestures nonchalantly as if he isn't talking about murder. I shudder and push myself entirely to my feet. The blanket falls limply to the floor. "Good. Come on. We have much to talk about. Punishment to give. Training to provide, which will arguably also be able to qualify as punishment. Plans to make. Perhaps a video to watch, depending on your behavior."

I'm shaking like a leaf in a hurricane. Unable to move and also unable to speak, locked in place. Terrified. Frozen.

"Come on, idiot. I didn't just go through that whole monologue for nothing." Standing with his arms crossed at the foot of the stairs, Jacob sneers at me. "Eventually you'll learn to be grateful for what we're doing to you, Aryn. Training you, feeding you, letting you go alone on patrol and to those stupid little candy places. Obviously, we've been a bit too easy on you. So from now on, if you step out of line, you'll go in the cell."

I glance over at the door that leads from the basement to the holding cell. It's... unusually dirty, which is to be expected with the amount of dirt currently in there.

"I-I'd go in there? But there's a hole in the ceiling? I'd burn or freeze or -"

Jacob dismisses my concerns with a wave of his hand. "We'll cover it with a tarp or something and fix it eventually. Calm down, it's harder than it looks. We'll have to make more concrete and completely wait for it to set, and then make sure the soil is not too different from the other soil... the thing made a hell of a mess."

I've been slowly moving towards Jacob, my feet making a shuffling sound on the hard concrete.

"Come on. Out of all the things we have, 'all day' is not one of them."

We go upstairs and to the tech room. The walk is a blur. Jacob walks in front of me the entire time, looking more haughty than usual. What happened to the silly man-child I came down here with? Was that all an act? Is this Jacob the only Jacob there is? I want the old one back...