BENEATH (Levi: An Underground Story)

P R O L O G U E

She clamped her eyes shut as she felt another body hover over hers. Sweat and smoke wafting from the filthy man. Much like the others before him.

She lost count after the the 11th.

"Who's counting? As if that matters." she thought bitterly as she slipped into unconsciousness.

It was better that way, at least she didn't have to hear the man grunt in pleasure as he emptied inside her nor feel the combined grime from their actions.

Or that's what she told herself.

She wasn't certain when exactly she fell into that kind of mindset. She wasn't certain when she gave up the fight. She wasn't certain when she raised the white flag.

Surrender was never in her nature. Until now.

Pain and struggle wore her out. Not that her tears - no matter how hard she tried to hold them - helped her circumstance. Exhaustion is taking its toll and she welcomed it.

She'd desperately cling unto any semblance of a break or escape from this hell.

When she woke up again she was alone much to her relief. Her eyes surveyed the room just like she did when she was first brought there.

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Her mind was clouded as she woke up to find herself suspended, hands held up by shackles chained from the ceiling and feet dangling half a foot from the ground in the middle of the unknown room.

The first thing she thought of was how long she could have possibly be in that position given the soreness in her arms down to her shoulders and how she was slowly beginning to lose sensation in them.

She knew struggling was only going to make matters worse and she knew she had to conserve whatever strength she had left.

Finding any clues as to where she was or who took her in the first place was the priority. But the dark room gave nothing away.

There was a door on the right side of the room. But that was just about it.

It smelled musty and it was cold. The stone walls appeared to be moist and rightfully dirty. Typical for the Underground.

But still, it was different from the immaculately clean place she called home. Thanks to him.

She thought of him as her eyes instinctively scanned the room again. He was always there, in every turn. Steadily looking after her.

She had a habit of always looking around or over her shoulder just to catch his gaze. It made her feel safe. Something he always found ridiculous but let her do anyway.

Calling out would probably be a bad idea. She might as well take advantage of being in solitary but how? Where could she possibly start?

Besides, if she was in this situation, he was nowhere close. He'd never let harm come to her.

"But where is he?" She thought worriedly. The fact she was indeed here making her slightly panic.

Her mind raced with different scenarios. Could he possibly be hurt? Impossible. He was the strongest man she'd ever known.

Her arms were starting to go numb but she was feeling the weight of her body pull on her wrists which were enclasped in the shackles. The gravity combined with the metal made her want to yelp in pain.

Just then a man entered the room with a dark face and roaming eyes appraising her. She refused to show any kind of emotion.

Predators smell fear. Right now, she was prey.