Torture ((neko!Ben x Jeff x Liu))

4. Eat

Ben was half dragged out of the room and immediately met with a small stone-floor hallway that turned right and led them straight up to a set of wooden stairs that Ben looked like hadn't been used in years. When they reached the top, Jeff had to duck in order to reach the floor of the second level, which Ben noticed by it's slanted roof was the inside of an attic. He didn't know where they were heading, but kept his ears pricked and his lips parted as he sniffed for food.

Jeff led him precariously along the cluttered space to yet another door. As they drew nearer, Ben scrunched his nose up in disgust as some sort of terrible smell choked his senses. Jeff again had to duck through but then stood up in what looked like a full-sized room. Ben followed slowly, only the tips of his ears barely grazing the doorframe as he stepped out into the room and looked around curiously.

There were two windows in this room, covered by thick black curtains that looked like they had been stuck into the wall with tacks. A huge mattress lay in one corner of the room, on it was a thick black blanket that fell halfway on the floor, and a few large pillows scattered messily about on top. Next to it was a dark brown chest of drawers, the top one open with articles of black clothing hanging loosely over the side as well as a rather large pile of clothes on the floor right next to it. An ashtray sat on the floor next to the mattress, though it looked like the floor around it was used as an ashtray just as often. Cigarette and blunt ends littered the floor around, as well as a mixture of different kinds of plastic and glass bottles tossed on the floor and setting atop a wide low table in front of a dark green couch. Trash covered the floor, and Ben couldn't tell what among the mess could have been making the awful smell. Everything else was harder to see due to the entire room being dark except for a dull, shadeless lamp that was set up on a small bedside table next to the mattress.

Jeff pulled Ben towards the couch and sat down, but held his hand up when Ben tried to do the same. He pointed downwards.

Ben dragged his gaze downward to the floor, where two small metal bowls had been placed. One was full of water, and the other looked like what Ben could only assume was wet cat food. He stared down at them with a numb feeling, knowing they were for him. Too exhausted to care anymore, Ben fell onto his hands and knees and shoved his face into the water bowl where he drank. The stale tap water tasted like the most refreshing thing that had ever hit his tongue. When the water was gone, he licked the bottom of the bowl clean and then sat up to wipe his mouth. Only then did he realize that the man was staring at him and probably had been the entire time. Ben's face burned hot with shame, and he looked away.

"You're not hungry?"

Ben flinched at the smooth voice, his chest tight with fear. "I...I can eat later," he said softly, trying to sound as if he didn't really mind, though his stomach growled loudly right after and he thought his heart must've been thudding so loudly against his ribs that the man could've heard it.

Jeff was silent for a moment, playing with his end of the rope between two fingers. "Okay," he said after a bit.

Ben let out a breath of relief, then stiffened again when Jeff stood up.

"If you don't like the food I have for you, I can get you something else."

Ben's ears perked. "W-What do you have-" he'd hardly finished his sentence when something flew at him, knocking him onto his back. Cold, stiff limbs fell limply around him, and a head fell motionless against his neck and shoulder. He was so weak now that the impact had driven the breath from him, and he had no air left when he opened his mouth in a silent, horrified scream.

Ben, still completely naked, could feel every inch of the dead, bare body against his own. He felt horrified and, for a moment, could only lay still in frozen terror. Then he gasped for breath while his strength returned just enough to allow himself to struggle free of the limp body's cold grip around him. When Ben could finally breathe again, he cowered in the far corner of the room with his ears pinned back and wiped himself off in panicked disgust.