The Evil Within-The Final Showdown

Enemies

Darkness slowly opened to a blurry, distorted view of a darkened, brick-walled room. Grey walls surrounded me as my vision began to enter a clearer state. The sedative had wreaked significant disorientation on my already damaged body, my vision occasionally swimming. Eyes flitting above me, I saw my arms chained above my head, the chains looped around hooks on the wall. Desperately, I pulled the chains, trying to wrest myself free of their iron grip. The chains rattled in a resistant fashion, its way of telling me freedom wasn't going to be easy to achieve. My stubborn nature encouraged my fruitless act, pulling hard against the binding chains.

"I've been doing that for an hour now," a harsh voice interrupted me. "It's no use."

I jolted at the sudden voice and my head swivelled to my right to see Leslie or Ruvik, I should say chained beside me. A purple bruise had started to form around his left eye, evidence he had been met with somebody's unfriendly fist. Fear surged to my throat but my face refused to register it.

"I don't give up that easy," I reminded him.

"So I've noticed," Ruvik mused. "You're quite the firecracker, aren't you, Seb?"

His voice dripped of malice, his eyes hungrily inspecting me. How his sick mind must be constructing new ways to torture me. I took a step to my left, trying to increase the distance between us.

"This must be a hit to your ego," I attempted to hide any shred of fear. "Being captured doesn't carry much pride."

"Well, it isn't ideal, if that's what you mean," Ruvik admitted. "Interrupted our little torture session."

The memories of the earlier events almost knocked me to my feet as they came back, crashing like waves. The confrontation with Ruvik. Being tortured. Mobius intervening. Myra's chest rising. Myra! She may still be alive. Wherever she was being housed, I had to find her. I knew she was alive. My stubbornness once again refused to believe she was dead.

"Looks like they stitched you up," Ruvik interrupted my thoughts. "If there's one thing I don't like, it's having my work undone."

I could faintly feel some tightness in my face, suggesting the presence of stitches. Their reason for healing me was left unknown but I silently thanked them.

"Your work was despicable," I said, quietly. "You have nothing to be proud of."

"What's the matter, Seb?" Ruvik taunted. "Has your ego almost been damaged? How tempted I am to drag that blade across your skin again."

"Why me?" I finally asked the question that had been tormenting my mind. "Why did you target me?"

Ruvik considered a few moments. "You're a fighter, Seb. The opportunity was too tempting to ignore. Never before have I seen such courage. Such determination to survive. You were the perfect candidate to play with. I always like a challenge. I wanted to see how I could break you. It's a shame I didn't succeed. You're a lot stronger than I thought."

"You did break me," I admitted my weakness. "I just didn't want to give you the satisfaction."

"That's a little cruel, Seb," Ruvik pouted. "Deprive me of happiness, why don't you?"

"It doesn't match up to the horrors you put me through," I pointed out, resuming pulling the chains.

"You won't get those off, Seb," Ruvik rolled his eyes, giving his own chains a half-hearted tug.

I paid him no attention, falling silent as I worked on my imprisonment. I aimed to take my hands out of the shackles, twisting them expertly. Seeing my failure was obvious, I took as many steps as possible away from the wall and pulled. I kept pulling stubbornly. Thoughts of the possibility of Myra still being alive and my motive of rescuing Joseph. I wasn't deterred by the occasional eye rolls from Ruvik and his smirk. With a final tug, the chains finally broke free of the wall. Ruvik's eyes widened in surprise as I slipped the shackles off my sore wrists.