Survival

XXIII: Bound by Chains

Sylvia's POV.

A void. A pitch-black, never-ending, void of death. Or that's what I wish this darkness was; death... Death would be so much simpler than this. And far less painful. If I had seen the light, there was a high damn chance I would have walked right into it and never looked back. But, of course, that wasn't the case. Truly, I had thought I was dead, and I welcomed it, but the world had other plans... Clearly, it wasn't done with me yet. Because for some fucked up reason it decided I needed to be the person thrown into a catastrophe that was worse than hell itself and force me to live throw it... For some reason, that was far beyond my knowledge. Or at least at this current point in time. Even a while after this point in time, I wonder what would have happened if I had in fact died right here. And sometimes I wish I had. But, in all reality, life was a bitch and there was nothing anybody could do about it. So, with a headache like none other, I was brought back to consciousness as my lungs suddenly filled with air. The expansion in my chest throbbed with pain like something was eating me from the inside out. My body was numb... And weak, very weak. It felt like I couldn't even lift my arm if I put all of my willpower into it. I was cold, I think I was laying on concrete... Was I on a floor? Where was I? What had happened last...
"The fire is close to breaching the gate, and everything else is going to plan" I groaned crunching up my eyes, the sound of voices was a tsunami to my ears,
"Good, anything else?" My head rocked from side to side as I tried squinting my eyes open. But even that seemed a task too hard for my incapacitated limbs,
"We also caught this guy," Through my glazed eyes I caught small glimpses of someone being dragged into the room... He was fighting, struggling to get out of someone's grip. I forced my head to the right and spotted a familiar figure scoff,
"You were always the one to get caught, weren't you Mikah..." The figure who had been thrashing spit at the speaker,
"Hang him up over there," I winced, another throbbing wave of pain rushing to my head. I knew that name... I grimaced as small portions of memories started to filter through my head, only making the pain far... Far worse... I barely heard the main speaker making clicking sounds as he walked up to me. My breathing became fainter, my vision flashed between blurred light and blackness. I was going to blackout...
"Oh no you don't" My stomach twisted into knots as I was hauled off the ground. My body instantly went limp, even though I tried my best to struggle... Even though I was still being dragged I felt myself start to drift back off into blackness...
"AH!" I sucked in a breath, my chest aching and my ears ringing as I tried forcing my lungs to take in another breath. I felt my whole body start to throb and sting venomously. Someone had bloody dumped a bucket of ice-cold water on me... I was going to murder someone... Very... Very gruesomely...
"What did you do to her...?" I heard who I believed to be Mikah growl from a few feet away. My body shook violently as it tried getting my blood to run faster through my body and warm me up. My chest shuddered as I finally managed to take in quick, jagged, breaths. I was going to die. If I didn't die, some all-powerful god seriously hated me...
"Trust me," I heard the main speaker again as he chuckled lowly, "She has done all of this to herself," That voice... Yes, I definitely knew that voice... I felt tears start to stream down my face as it all came back. Every. Single. Terrible fucking thing, that has ever happened to me. The tears streaming down my face were not of sadness or fear. No, they were because of the pure rage I felt cursing throw my veins. Because of Ry... I felt my chest constrict against itself as the image burned a hole through my skull. I was going to kill him. I was going to fucking skin him alive. I was going to throw him into a bloody boiling bath of oil. I was going to feed him to a pack of starving dogs as long as that bitch died a very painful death!
"Hey, focus!" I shook my head, fingers snapping an inch from my face. I growled, or shouted, or yelled, or whatever you want to call it, and leaped at the person in front of me, wrapping my arms around his neck, squeezing as hard as I possibly could, imprinting all of my angry, my rage, my fear, and sadness into it. Suddenly I was yanked off the man, my body slamming against the cold concrete,
"Try that again, and I'll hang you myself," Cyrus growled into my ear. But I just cackled, sounding like a crazy person, and I was going to assume I looked like one as well,
"Worth it," I growled at him throw my evil smirk as the other man fell to the ground, clutching his throat and coughing. Cyrus scoffed turning towards my fallen victim,
"Get up, I don't have time to deal with you right now," The other guy glared at Cyrus before pushing himself up,
"Cyrus! Azazel wants you!" Someone shouted, storming into the room. Cyrus wordlessly took out a chain and tied it to my hands before fastening that to a metal pull behind me,
"Do, not, try anything," He said darkly, giving me a warning glare that left no room for disagreement. With a wave to his buddy, they both exited out of a door. As soon as I couldn't hear their footsteps I slouched against the pull, closing my eyes against the surge of pain that ran through my veins. I was pretty sure I had burns on my arms from being slammed into the concrete...
"Are you alright?" I groaned when Mikah broke the silence. I rolled my head back and forth a couple of times before forcing my eyes open once again,
"Do I look alright to you?" I growled, glaring daggers at him,
"No, truthfully you look like shit," I chuckled weakly, pinching the skin on my hands to keep my thoughts on now and not everything else that was wrong. Taking in my surroundings for the first time I noticed we were in what looked like a storage room. There were tools and crates all along the walls and one small light in the center, which did little to light up what was in the room. Mikah had his hands tied up over his head, hanging from a chain that was tied to I think a beam on the roof. I looked down, only now realizing I was wearing only my underwear and bra, all of my weapons were gone... Including both of the ones I'd hidden in my bra,
"Do you know how long I've been out...?" I murmured turning my attention once more to Mikah. I still hated him, but luckily for him my hatred for Cyrus was currently far worse than for him,
"No... But we've been fighting for two maybe three or so hours," I sighed, wondering how much more my body could take... It must have passed its limit days ago,
"Who was with Cyrus?"
"Bach... That traitor!" Mikah spat at the ground, clearly disdained by the fact his comrade was working for the enemy,
"Have... Have you seen Ashlyn...?" I hated to... But I had to know if she was still alive. If she didn't know already... I wanted her to know what happened as soon as possible. She deserved to know what happened to her sister...
"Yeah, at one point in the halls. Why?" Mikah questioned, squinting down at me. Fully taking him in, I realized he had small cuts running down his arms and face. There was also a gash across his chest that had cut through the fabric,
"Her... Rylee..." I couldn't, I couldn't finish the sentence... I had barely known them and I couldn't say she was dead. But I felt so much remorse for her sister. I knew what it felt like to only have your family, to have a person in your life you could always rely upon. I had a brother, and he was still alive... If I'd grown up with only him, and we helped each other survive, and then one day he was just gone... I'd feel like giving up. I knew what that felt like already and I didn't want someone like Ashlyn to go through that, at least not alone,
"Oh..." Was Mikah's response, he hung his head, slowly shaking it back and forth in disbelief and sadness. Swallowing heavily, I turned my attention back to my injuries. The bullet wound on my right shoulder stung badly from the cold water but it was stitched up, only a small trail of blood running down it now. Why did they want me alive? Why not just let me bleed to death...? I sniffled, staring blankly at the ceiling. Why was I even still alive...? Why couldn't I just die already and forget my miserable life...? Anything... Anything would be better than this... my thoughts gradually faded... My head lolling to the side as my body started to give up. Maybe I would die, maybe this was it... Maybe... Maybe I wouldn't have to worry about anything anymore... Memories flashed through my head. Liam hitting me, me getting back up and hitting back harder. Our father leading us through the woods as we tried escaping from thieves. My dad lecturing me when I accidentally stepped on a twig. Going out into the woods alone with our dog... Getting attacked by a wolf... Having to shoot her with my bow... Knowing that if I didn't she would end up hurting everyone else because of the disease... Crying over the death of a character in some random book... Criticizing how stupid people seemed from before the apocalypse... Meeting Ben and Beth for the first time... Falling off my building and breaking my arm... Screaming at a pack of wolves as they circled around me. Hiding in a building as a mountain lion...
"Sylvia!" What...
"Sylvia, wake up! Don't fall asleep!" My body abruptly jolted forward as my insides became my outsides,
"Ewww..." Mikah made a gagging sound, revolted at the new mess covering the floor. I sagged against the metal pole, the only thing keeping me up was the chain tugging on my wrists. My breath came out in shaky spasms as I tried regaining my composer. I needed some serious help,
"I think you lost too much blood," Came the annoying voice a few feet away,
"Evident..." I retorted, wiping my mouth on my shoulder, "Well... Do you have any plans on how to get out of here?" I inquired. I didn't care if he started talking about some stupid shit... If I didn't keep myself distracted I was going to fail. As much as I just wanted to keel over and die already I knew I would regret it for the rest of my life. That and my father would scorn me forever for giving up. One valid, very important thing he always told me and Liam. Once you set your mind to something, and you decide to do it, you have to go all into it. And no matter what, whether you feel like crap or can't focus, or whatever the case may be, you never give up. I actually almost remember almost giving up at something and having a dream about him coming and lecturing me on it...
"Well," Mikah started, once again bringing me back from my hectic mind, "I don't exactly see how we can get out... I mean, high chance when Cyrus and Bach get back they're going to torture us until we give them information about Nicole's strategies and stuff. So, I want to figure something out before then. Because as much as I love pain I have heard some disturbing stories about Cyrus..." I saw an involuntary shiver run through Mikah as he clearly remembered something that disturbed him greatly,
"Wait... You were conscious when you were brought here, do you know where we are?" I questioned, remembering how Mikah was thrashing when brought in here, very much awake and aware of his surroundings,
"Yeah... Behind the main base, but I don't see how that can help us. Everyone is fighting, even if we screamed as loud as possible nobody would hear us, and if someone did, they wouldn't give two shits," I rolled my eyes, trying to think through everything I'd been taught, and taught to myself throughout the years. Focusing on the cold still stung my skin to keep myself from blacking out, I observed our surroundings once more. There had to be something here we could use...
"Do you have any weapons on you?" I couldn't remember them searching him unless they did it before bringing him in here,
"Of course not," He scoffed as if it was a ridiculous question. I swear I wasn't going to be able to last much longer in the same room as him... On its own accord, my heart started to speed up. Outside the small almost hidden door I could hear the sounds of fighting... But closer then the rest of the noise that was streaming through the walls all around me. My body naturally tensed when someone was thrown against the door, which I instantly regretted as it set fire to my muscles. Both me and Mikah were silent as snowflakes as we watched the expectantly... Every noise making me flinch... I gripped the chains wrapped around my wrists tightly as a pool of blood streamed underneath the door... Normally, I wouldn't be scared of things like this, but normally I always had a weapon handy. But currently, I was defenseless, I had nothing... And the lack of clothes didn't help much either. I felt like a bloody rabbit in the middle of a field with hawks circling all around me, snickering at how easy it was going to be to kill their prey. All of a sudden, the door burst open, barely allowing me to comprehend what happened in the next few seconds. As far as I could tell, Ashlyn was shoved into the room, her hair hanging messily over her face as she glared back at the door from where she laid on the ground. I first noticed Batch as he stalked into the room, blood trickling down from a cut on his cheek. Then strolled in Cyrus, his hands neatly folded behind his back as he observed the scene. Leaping back up onto her feet, Ashlyn ran at Cyrus, trying to slit his throat with a small knife in her hand. But, fortunately, Cyrus easily grabbed her forearm, knocking the knife from her wrist, and pulling her arm back in the wrong direction until she fell to the ground, gritting her teeth and the motion trained her arm. I winced, remembering a time when I'd let someone do that to me... I had remembered to look out for it ever sense they almost broke my arm,
"I suggest you stop," Cyrus stated blankly in his annoyingly calm voice. God, I seriously hated him...
"Not until I kill whoever the fuck touched my sister!" I winced, a new wave of sympathy rushing through my veins... That's when I noticed the knife, the one Cyrus had removed from Ashlyn's grip was only a few feet away... I glanced back up at Cyrus and Batch, but they were both distracted as Ashlyn had somehow managed to escape from Cyrus's grip. I guess grief could give more strength just as much as it could take it away. As soon as I knew they were both looking away, I reached out with my foot, pulling the chain as far as it would go from the pull. Just a few more inches... I gritted my teeth as my wrists started to sting as the metal cut into the tender flesh... I scrambled with my legs, and as soon as the knife was gripped between them I yanked the knife back, instantly letting out a deep breath. Now, what was I going to do with it... I looked up at Mikah, who was watching the fight, Cyrus was mainly staying out of it... I wasn't quite sure why, perhaps he didn't like Batch, but currently, Ashlyn had Batch pinned to the wall,
"Psst!" I whispered, catching Mikah's attention. He stared at me in question before noticing the knife by my feet. He motioned with his head for me to give it to him. Praying that he had an idea of how to use it, I used my foot to slide the knife over to him. Using his feet, which were low enough to touch the ground, he picked up the knife and brought his legs up and over his head so that he could grab it with his hands. I nervously glanced between Mikah, Cyrus, Batch, and Ashlyn. Mikah inserted the knife into the lock between his hands, turning it back and forth. What was merely a couple of seconds felt like hours as my heart raced in my chest. But finally, a little tension ebbed away as the chains released Mikah's wrists and he silently dropped to the floor, freezing in place as he watched the fight occurring a couple of feet away. But Ashlyn had nocked Batch over by kicking his knee and was fist fighting with Cyrus, occupying all of their attention. Mikah quickly ran over to me and knelt down, quickly maneuvering the knife above my head,
"Who killed my sister?!" Ashlyn screamed at Cyrus and Batch, they had abruptly reached a standstill, all of them panting heavily, all of them baring wounds, and all of them ready for whoever made the first move. My breathing started to increase as anxiety flowed through my blood. As soon as my chains fell to the floor I gripped the pole beside me and used it to pull myself up to my feet,
"I never touched your sister," Cyrus stated calmly, his dark cloak was soaked, a mix of rain and blood dripping from it onto the floor,
"Sylvia," Ashlyn turned pointing a bloody finger at me, "You were with my sister, weren't you? What happened, who killed her?" If I hadn't known she just lost her sister I would have guessed that she had lost her mind... All of her actions were fidgety, and she wouldn't stop moving. Her chest heaving as her breath came out in quick spasms,
"Cyrus was definitely there... But it wasn't his hand who held the knife," I chose my words wisely, not wanting to say anything that might provoke Ashlyn,
"So you know, then? Who was it?" She sniffled, swiping her face with her sleeves and turning her attention back onto Cyrus,
"Batch," Cyrus responded, cocking his head to the side lazily. He clearly thought this all was a waste of time. When Batch glared at him furiously he just shrugged walking towards the door,
"I don't get involved in family feuds unless they distinctively involve me..." He stated simply, "Oh, and once you deal with her, kill the others as well. We no longer have the time for them," With that, Cyrus exited the room, everyone froze in silence. That was until Batch abruptly growled pulling out a long dagger from his back and charging at Ashlyn. She responded by ducking under his blade, elbowing him in the back. I made to walk over and help her, but I was held back,
"Don't, you are to weak. Besides, this is something she needs to resolve," Mikah stated somberly. Knowing I didn't have the strength to free myself from his grip even if I wanted to, I watched helplessly as Ashlyn fought to avenge her lost sister. Every time Batch's blade met Ashlyn's skin I felt my heart drop a little lower in my chest. I didn't really believe in god, but if there was someone who had more power than us then I prayed that they would help Ashlyn now... At one point as they fought, half Ashlyn avoiding Batch's blade, half fist fighting, and kicking, Ashlyn managed to kick her opponent squarely in the chest, sending him stumbling backwards,
"Ashlyn!" Mikah abruptly shouted, throwing her knife at her. She caught it with ease before darting at Batch, who was back up on his feet. My breath came to a stop as they both stood centimeters from each other...
"No..." My heart plummeted as a proud smirk spread across Batch's face,
"You should have stopped..."
"And you shouldn't have killed my sister..." Ashlyn remarked darkly, blood streaming down her legs to the floor. She then pulled something out of her pocket...
"Sylvia... Get down!" Mikah dragged me towards a box of crates as Ashlyn pulled the pin. Batch's face contorting into shock and fear as he tried pulling away, but Ashlyn grabbed both of his shoulders, holding him in place,
"This is for you... My beloved sister... My other half... Rylee..."
"No!" I screamed trying to pull out of Mikah's arms, but it was too late... The grenade exploded, the shock wave slamming me against the back wall before everything went black.

Finally got a smaller chapter! Lol... Still 10 pages though :D But what did you guys think of this chapter? Any pointers on how I could improve? Anything you would like me to add? How do you think this is going to end? Did I do a good job on making Ashlyn's deth sad...? I sure thought it was... And what about Batch? :0 He killed Rylee... I think he deserved worse, but at least Ashlyn got revenge for her sister... Let me know what you guys think down in the comments! I hope everyone is doing well in these hard times... And as always stay tuned for the next update!