Dark Control

Prologue

The scent of mold with a mixture of moss and metal waffled the cold air. Droplets of water trickled down the cobblestone walls. The sound of footsteps echoed around the dark halls as a man made his way at the far end with just a metal torch in hand. There a wooden door was left locked from the outside. A clanking sound surrounded the empty corridor as the man tried to jiggle his keys to unlock the room.

From the inside a young girl with blonde hair or what used to be a honeycomb color but now was covered with dirt scrambled at the farthest corner. The metal brace on her ankles that was chained to the wall clink as she hoped for the walls would swallow her as the man let himself in.

There a stench welcomed him and the frightened look on the poor girl's face, her blue eyes dark as it was consumed by fear. He didn't mind her as he took a bucket at the far corner where the horrifying scent came from. With his heightened scenes he had to crinkle his nose with the murky water inside.

The girl stared at the man with gray skin and red eyes. She doesn't have the privilege of seeing herself but she knows that she is of a different species to him. The only time she was able to gaze into her own self was when there was a time where a little light trickled its way to her dark room and the puddle reflected her image. She doesn't know when that was. Maybe a few years ago? It was hard to keep up with time when the only thing she does every day is to sleep, eat, and wander. Wander about the outside world. What would it be like? What would it smell like? She can only imagine.

The man returned after he threw away the contents of the bucket. The girl thought that he'd quietly leave now that he has done his job in taking care of her 'excretions' but was surprised when he returned with another bucket only this time it was filled with water. The girl was immediately alarmed knowing what it meant.

She pushed her way further to the wall as the man picked up a broomstick. But the man just nonchalantly walked closer to her. She tried to cover herself hugging her body but the man turned her around roughly as she let out a yelp. He quickly stripped her off her tattered clothing as her boney body came into view. She wanted to fight the man off but she couldn't, her mind told her not to know what would be the consequences when she did so all she could do was to silently whimper.

The man carried the bucket that he brought and dumped the cold water on the poor girl's frail body. She shivered as it contacted her body but she couldn't protest especially when she finally felt the rough ends of the broomstick as the man scrubbed her. The floor where she was sleeping was now wet as dirt flooded with the polluted water. Dirt slowly was removed from her skin and her beautiful light lacks now came to view but she doesn't feel any less clean even right after the man left with fresh clothing.

The girl crept quietly to the piece of clothing that the man left. She wore it hoping that it would lessen the cold that she was feeling but it was too short that it only reached her mid-thigh. Her legs are getting cold however at least it wasn't as worn out like the clothes she was wearing earlier. Instead of being grateful the girl was even more concerned. It can only mean one thing. Buyers will be coming.

The girl already knew what her fate would be the moment she first had her consciousness. It is to serve the higher beings or be their meals. Luckily for her the master was pleased with her appearance and the results of her test that she didn't become a meal. Some of the humans that she grew up with are mostly sent to the slaughterhouse to be eaten by the ghouls when they've reached a certain age. The very same creature who gave her a bath earlier.

She shook her head as she tried not to think about the past. She can still remember their faces like it was yesterday. The day they were selected what would be their fate. She tried to erase the memories but it still kept coming back. Their cries and how they struggled to escape. All she could do is watch as tears covered her eyes and be thankful that it wasn't her in their position.

She returned to her corner hugging her legs as she thought of a beautiful memory. But she never had even one. Maybe the closest thing that she would've felt happiness is when she felt relief that she wasn't selected. So instead she thought of the very first meal that she had the day after their selection. They were given a treat to congratulate them for another life and to keep them healthy for the buyers. Her stomach then grumbled with the image but there was nothing she could do but rubbed her stomach and waited for the pain to subside.

As she was thinking of the sweet scrumptious dessert that she had before the door to her room opened. Her eyes immediately flew open as she stood. There she saw the same creature earlier. She quickly backed away from him as he put down a tray full of food. She watched him carefully. Not wanting to take her eyes off of him and staying alert. She never knew when the creature might attack her.

When she heard the man locked the door again she quickly made her way to her food. She down the chewy, creamy soup feeling the oat grains in her tongue. She finished everything with just a few bites and ate the stale bread. She swallowed, feeling the dry texture on her throat as she took the glass of water given to her. Now refreshed and full the girl felt contended. It was rare to eat that much food because her master is stingy. They gave no importance to low beings like her.

The girl went to look for a dry spot to finally lay down to rest. Most of her space is wet because of the cleaning earlier. She had nowhere else to lay down but the one near the door where it has less water. But her instincts knew the risks. Anyone can just grab her while she is sleeping if she chooses to stay there. At least if she is far away from the door she can still wake up with the sound and prepare for their arrival. So that's what the girl did despite the cold floor she lay on her side, her back resting on the walls to protect herself as she curled in a fetus position making herself small.

She suddenly woke up when she heard commotion from the outside. The girl doesn't know how long she slept. She usually stays wide awake the whole time afraid to put her guard down but times like these when a buyer is arriving she knows that she must look presentable enough to be bought by the highest bidder. Someone rich enough to take care of her and not to be shared by low ranking vampires.

She has heard stories before, growing up. She and the others used to have a caretaker. A caring succubus. She was very pleasant to talk to and kind. The only creature that they could consider as a mother. Something that they don't even know about since they've never experienced it before. Once the children are born from the breeding facilities they are nursed by the mother for the first few months until they are sent away to the farms where they are sold to the masters until they are old enough to be resold to the buyers. The succubus took care of them, educated them for basic information, how to survive in their world. Until the day they are selected and they are thrown individually in cages like this never to interact with their fellow humans.

The girl, despite being overwhelmed by fear, tried to take a peek at the small window of the door, wondering what was happening outside. If they are in danger she has to know so she'd know what to do. But just as she tried to tiptoe to the high window the door immediately opened as the gray skinned creature stood in front of her. It was too late to step back as he hurriedly grabbed her and hauled her out with the rest of the humans from the other rooms. The same gray skinned creatures trying to pull them away as they scrambled outside.

The girl shivered watching the events unfold in front of her as the pleading and the cries continued to ring in her ear. The gray skinned creature pushed her as she stumbled forward, dropping to her knees scraping it as a surge of pain shot out her body. But there is nothing she could do as the creature tugged her up to follow along the dark paths where her future awaits her.