Shatter You

Chapter Fifteen

Elise's Perspective:

"Good morning." 

I jerk to a sitting position, startled by the noise. I look around the room frantically, forgetting for a moment where I am. I'm not used to sleeping so peacefully, so warmly, buried in soft silks and sinking into a feathered mattress. I look at McKell, who is staring at Warden. He's standing at the foot of his own bed. 

After a moment of stillness, I fumble with the sheets, trying to untangle myself from this whole mess. I fall face first onto the ground. McKell, who is much more graceful than I, swiftly pulls the covers off herself and steps onto the carpeted floors. She extends a hand I gratefully take and we're both on our feet in no time. 

"Are you okay?" Warden says, taking a small step towards us.

"Fine," I breathe, straightening my hair. 

"And did you both sleep well?" 

Neither of us answer his question. To tell a man like Warden that we slept well in his bed after eating his food was like handing him a loaded gun. He's trying to buy us, and the best thing for us to do is act like it isn't enough. 

"It's time you both return to your own room."

"I think that's for the best," McKell says, already on her way to the door. I follow her quickly. 

Warden opens the door and I'm shocked by how many soldiers there are. I saw them yesterday, while Warden was dragging me to his room, but I didn't take the time to notice just how many there are. At the sight of McKell, they all tighten their weapons. They are afraid. They should be. 

Warden seems pleased, a smirk tugging at the corner of his lips. He enjoys being feared. How could he not? Fear is power. 

"Their fear will work in your favor," he whispers. 

"We know," McKell responds coldly. She starts walking towards the elevator, and me and Warden both follow in her path. 

"Confident, aren't you?" He laughs. 

"If we have to be here, we might as well let them know what they're up against." 

"I knew bringing you here would be a good idea." He smirks. 

"We never said we'd help you," she says, turning to face him. 

"We could be a team, all three of us. We would be unstoppable." 

"We already are, without you," McKell says. 

"And yet I hold all the power. Without me, you'd still be in that cage. Everything here belongs to me. Whether you want to admit it or not, you need me." 

He makes a good point. As powerful as we are, we don't stand a chance in this house with these soldiers that do as Warden commands. But that fact did nothing to help the sick feeling I got in my stomach when I thought about helping Warden. 

The elevator dings as the door opens. I hesitantly step inside, and Warden presses the button to our floor. 

"Why do you need us?" I ask. 

"Don't underestimate how valuable fear can be."

"So, you want us to be your monsters." I scoff. 

"You don't understand how fast power and control can slip from your grasp. How at any moment, even when you think you're at your most prepared, you can lose everything. Power and control are not easy to earn and they're even harder to retain. You think I don't know how many of my own soldiers hate me? You think I don't know that they'd like to see me fall? You think there aren't others who would love to hold the position I've worked so hard to have-" 

"Don't flatter yourself-" 

Warden leans in closer, "you don't understand that you're a threat to everyone in this building. They have every reason to harm you. I'm trying to help you-"

"Fine!" I shout. "You're helping us. But are you forgetting that you're holding us prisoner!? Even if you relocated us to a nicer room, we're still trapped. And for months we were in that concrete box that apparently you knew all about, and you did nothing to help us. Not until you thought we could be of use for you. You are not our Savior, Warden, you're our nightmare." 

Warden looks genuinely taken back by my words. Good. He takes a deep breath then looks back at both of us, his face once again blank.

"The next I come to get you; I expect you both to listen while I talk." 

"We're not one of your soldiers. We don't have to listen when you talk," McKell says, her arms crossed. 

"You will. Or that will happen more than just once." He gestures over to Alex who is standing in front of our door. Me and McKell both walk over to him, leaving Warden behind. When we get to our door I try and open it then remember it remains locked without the black card Alex poses. 

"Alex, we need your card to open the door," McKell says, and Alex flinches. McKell looks pleased by his reaction. Warden was right, fear is a valuable tool, in the right hands.

Alex struggles to use the card, then is barely able to open the door. He's barely moving, looking like he's unable to breath. It quickly sinks in that this is what Warden must have been talking about. He hurt Alex. Finally, he does something right. Me and McKell both enter our room, leaving Alex and the rest of our problems behind us.