Rebel Red Hope

16

     To my surprise, waking up and opening my eyes still only shows me black and void. The sound of something powering down in my ears sending me into panic, as my hands immediately move to rip what is presumably a device off my face, but my arms are stopped by restraints that hold them up and out, spread like a vulture whos wings were forced open. The sound of chains rattle at my struggle causing me to try and stand, but that's no use either while coming to realize my legs are firmly clasped to the floor at my ankles and just below my knees.

     "No no nono nonononono" the only panicked noise comes out of my mouth while struggling against the restraints with fearful tears immediately spilling from my eyes,

     "You've been very helpful, Arlyn," my blood runs cold as my chest immediately drops to the floor and my struggling immediately freezes at the sound of Reisdro's voice.

     The sound of his muffled footsteps work their way to me before the device is ripped off my head, causing me to immediately retract into myself as much as possible against the restraints with my eyes shut tight at the blinding sudden light, and I knew immediately.

     Neon.

     My mind races while still trying to process everything. Did Alex and I escape? Did I even make it out to Trench? Did I even make it to Alex in time? How long have I been in this?

     "Did you enjoy your time out in the wilds?" Reisdro's voice snarls in a taunt as he walks behind me, "Did you?" He grabs a handful of my hair and pulls my head back forcing me to make eye contact with him from behind, my shoulders start to strain from the stress, causing me to grimace, my breathing short and quick as his eyebrows raise under his veil as he waits for my answer,

     "Please" was the only soft, fearful, begging word to escape my lips. Reisdro's eyebrows drop as he shoves my head forwards again earning yet another grimace as I'm able to feel the pins in the cuffs holding my wrists dig into my skin for the first time while my body goes limp with fear, my eyes glued to the floor unwilling to look up. Reisdro's footsteps move further behind me before stopping and a soft chorus of whispers pick up for a moment.

     A drop of water appears on the cold cement ground under my face, and another, and another. Tears. Watching them drop one by one, the hem of a red robe falls into my view as a bishop sits in front of me. Closing my eyes, my chest heaves a terrified breath as a warm hand gently lifts my chin,

     "Open your eyes, child" comes the alarmingly calm and almost safe voice of Keons.

     My eyes open and meet his, soft and gentle with a small comforting smile playing on his lips. I know what hides behind those eyes though.

     "There you are," he smiles a bit wider and a bit warmer.

     He smeared me. I know he did.

     "You took someone very important from me," Keons speaks calmly, "Where did you hide Alex?"

     Unable to look away, my eyes desperately search his knowing that one wrong answer could put Alex, Clancy, Tyler, and Josh all in danger.

     Keons only gives a small disappointed nod in response to my silence before gently letting my chin back down, standing up, and walking back behind me where more whispers erupt. Are they all going to have a go at me? Can I even survive that?

     Once again, my hair is grabbed and my head forced back, but this time my eyes meet Nills. His face is cold and empty in a stern manner, silently staring into my eyes. Into my soul. Through it even. He lets out a breath that could almost pass off as a hiss before letting my head go back down. My screams didn't start until the searing pain of something hits my arm causing me to immediately start trying to fight against the chain that holds the cuff to the wall to my left, my eyes trained on the black smear mark across my arm that starts to spread causing everything it touches to sear while agonized screams escape my chest,