Forever Captive

Chapter 6

Despite my assumptions, the reptile did not wake up naturally. Instead, it woke with dark red eyes that shone with pure anger when the first shots fired.

I turned around in that second and shook my head, praying that the rather generous snake would heed my warnings.

"Four fucking days!" A very familiar voice shouts at the world around him, just close enough for me to make out, "You show yourself and take five goddamn men, not including my supervisor, and then its nothing but silence! Fucking beasts ought to learn their place. He saved my life, you know! So get out of those trees and face me out in the open like the animal you are! I certainly won't have a debt paid to..."

The anger in his voice is almost enough that I don't recognize that this is the same Mr. Davis that shook in fear when he heard the first gunshot. He also clearly dropped his voice, and I didn't catch that last part. Did he not listen to any of my words? Did he just abandon research for revenge? Does he think that this is what I wanted out of him? Or is this really who he is? The sound of his occasional fire makes me flinch further into the reptile that coils around me.

"Idiot." I breathe quietly, speaking to the air around me in a half-hearted attempt to show my anger, "Just go home. You didn't even know me, don't... don't use me for that."

Surprisingly, the reptilian... man, I suppose, that rests around me only gently squeezes my form.

After several more minutes of inaudible shouting from my assistant, new gruff voices seem to call him towards the hole we are in. I hold myself still as his footsteps pound against the ground above me, but he seems ignorant entirely about what is underneath him. Is it... hidden somehow? I know how observant he is, I read his professors' reports on him. I even interviewed his classmates. I know he would notice the cavern, even if he didn't bother to look into it.

I let out a shaky breath as his footsteps fade away and whisper into the naga's chest, "I'm sorry."

It stiffens against me before hissing quietly and yet incredulously, "'Sorry?' Towards the human?"

I shake my head and attempt— miserably so— to pull away from its powerful chest, "No, to you. I didn't think that saving him would... make him more upset. By now, I'm sure that the soldier told him that I can't die. I don't... understand why he would try to anger you. Our last conversation included him being nervous about the fact that I angered a person, so I can't fathom where his anxiety has disappeared to. If you... I'll shut my mouth now, actually."

There is a chance this naga plans to use me as bait in some way. That would be fine and actually probably work fairly well, but my demands would likely anger it. As alert and aggravated as it seems now, doing so further is probably not in either of our joint interest. It said it did not want to hurt me, and— while I find that hard to believe— it might actually get pissed enough to renege that promise. It seems very prideful. I imagine that translates to its words, as well.

"Speak." Its deep voice is surprisingly calm, enough so that I look up and find green eyes that are utterly devoid of any anger.

"What... do you plan to do with me?" I ask quietly, "You've taken me to a place where escape would likely be difficult, I understand that. The fact that you are entertaining a conversation with me, however... makes it hard to figure out what you want or expect out of me."

Its eyes move away from me and it seems rather thoughtful before its tongue flicks at my nose. It tilts its head curiously, "I first brought you here for... 'research.' I wished to learn. You do not smell like humans once you have been cleaned. You do not fear me. You sought silence rather than screaming for freedom. I find that admirable. I am also unsure as to what I wish to do."

Lovely. It doesn't know either. Lot of good that does for me, right? I'll be tossed away like a doll once it grows bored of me, most likely. 

I snort slightly at my own thoughts before I finally let my expression drop to one I am most familiar with. Devoid of emotions and with a slight tilt to my head head to match its, I meet its eyes, "You would be better off letting me out of here. I'll... crawl back to camp and try to destroy anything that would be a threat—"

"You will not leave." Its command rings out clear as red once again fills its irises, the pupils nearly round in the darkness, "I... will not allow for you to leave. I do not fear the weapon they used against me. It did not wound me."

I clench my jaw reflexively as my own frustration at their weapons and its ignorance of them, "Good. That's great. What I need you to understand is that they have things that, in my experience, can immobilize or even kill a very, very large animal. They do not need to wound you. They actually don't even need to be near you. They have cages that are meant for animals as large if not larger than you. They have... things that would make those animals sleep for far, far longer than they should."

Tranquilizers are, by far, going to be its worst enemy. It may have a resistance to its own venom or, likely, even other snakes. What it probably lacks is a resistance to sedatives strong enough to fell an elephant, even with a reptile's reflexive resistance to them. 

"You will not leave." It repeats with a growl-like hiss, angered by the very notion.

I bite my tongue to stop myself from asking why, my desperation growing as memories of the very sedatives my tent holds being used on me. It is unpleasant and terrifying. Such a wild, strong creature... does not deserve to know that level of fear.

It seems to sense my displeasure but does not back down, meeting my eyes with a note of challenge. I sigh as I deflate slightly, "I cannot promise that, but I will not try to escape. Don't say something so certain without knowing the future."

It seems somewhat pleased with that answer because it finally breaks eye contact, looking towards the sky, "I wish to reply to that human's challenge. Will you try, once again, to stop me?"

I don't see how I could. He's more of a threat to the damn thing than I am. My voice rings out clear, though tinged with misery. 

"No."