Any and Everyday is A Miracle

Chapter 1: When One Door Closes

'Help....Help me...'

A young boy lay practically motionless on the cold, hard floor of his cell. His face was stained with tears, tracks of sorrow etched into his cheeks. Although he wanted to open his mouth, no sound would emerge. His screams had long been reduced to silence. The electric shocks his captors had subjected him to had rendered him near immobile, preventing any attempt to escape. His eyes, dull and lifeless, were the only parts of him that moved, slowly glancing around the dark, oppressive space, searching for a glimmer of hope. In this cell, he only knows when it's daylight by the slim shaft of light that penetrates the air vent on top.

Each day, he stared at that small, precious beam, wishing to God it were a little bigger. His body had become so skinny that he could easily fit into a regular vent, but this one was meanly proportioned, a cruel design that offered no chance of escape. Not that he could reach it in this condition anyway. He would never get far. Even if he tried, he couldn't break free as it would send high voltage if he attempted to tamper it.

His empty eyes were fixated on the light shining through the air vent, a tiny beacon in his shadowed world. Despite how exhausted and in pain his body was, he tried to move. Inch by inch, he crawled towards the light, driven by an aching desire to feel its warmth. Every effort was a struggle, but the hope of reaching that silver of brightness gave him the strength to keep trying. As he got closer, he pressed his hands against the cold floor and attempted to stand. He wanted to bask underneath the warm glow of the sunlight.

He slowly reached his hand to cradle the gentle light when a harsh tug pulled at his ankle. He gasped in pain as he fell back against the floor. He hissed through clenched teeth as his hands, which he had thrown out to break his fall, fell hard and scrapped his palms. He breathed heavily, slowly turning his gaze to meet with the iron cuff tied to his right ankle. A long chain snaked around it and anchored to the far wall of the cell. He glanced up and looked towards the security camera that was pointed directly at him. His ears heard the lens adjusting itself as whoever was behind it was making sure they were watching very closely. He sniffed. Silent tears ran rapidly down his face as he turned back to the warm sunlight. He closed his eyes and tried to force himself to sleep. To return to the dreams that gave a semblance of peace.

He often dreamt that the outside had fresh air and was filled with an abundance of sights and smells. How colourful the world must be behind these iron bars. Behind the stale, chemical, and grey building, he had been forced to call "home". This was not a "home", this was a prison. Yet, though trapped physically, his mind soared to distant places, exploring worlds he'd yet to see. His yearning for freedom never once wavered. It was the only driving force he had to fuel his every thought, his every breath. In his dreams, he imagined fields of vibrant flowers swaying in a gentle breeze, their petals a riot of colours that danced before his eyes. He could almost feel the sun's warmth on his skin, hear the rustle of leaves in the trees, and inhale the sweet fragrance of blossoms that seemed so real in his mind. The sky, a brilliant blue, stretched endlessly above, dotted with fluffy white clouds that drifted lazily. Birds chirped merrily, their songs filling the air with a joyful symphony that was starkly absent in his waking life.

His eyes snapped open when the sickening, screeching sound echoed from his cage—roughly bringing him back to reality. He whirled around and saw several people in lab coats coming inside and heading straight towards him. "It's time for the next exercise. Please come with us." One of them. His voice was cold and raspy. They weren't looking for an answer. They were looking for compliance. The boy slowly shook his head. His body began to tremble.

No. Not again. He didn't want to do this any more. He can't!

"No... No...NO, LEAVE ME ALONE!" The boy shouted as he quickly backed away from them, flailing his arms when a few tried to get closer. He wanted to run. He wanted to fight back. But he was still so weak and his leg was chained; there was nothing he could do. Another scientist grabbed him from behind and held him by the arms while the rest of them ganged up on him. But still, he struggled. He bit at them, kicked and scratched. Anything to keep himself from being taken away. Anything to keep himself from going through hell again. One of the scientists grabbed his head, forcing it still, while another rushed in and injected a drug into his neck. His eyes widened. Tears fell once more as his thrashing ceased, and his body went limp as the scientists unhooked him from the wall. They bound his ankles far enough apart to allow walking but to dissuade running before dragging him away.