The Rebel (#Wattys2016)

27. Throne

Sitting on the cold hard floor, Adeen stared at the door. Metal and with no lock in the inside, Adeen had no way of telling whether someone was watching her or not. No windows on the rock walls, either. She continued staring at the door as her hand clutched a nail.

Using the small metal nail, she scratched lines into the floor. One every sixty seconds, it was her only way of telling time. According to her count, she'd been there for around six hours. The execution had taken place at midday, which meant it was around six pm.

She stared at the door, counted in her mind, and scratched again. Her fingers bled and she left drops of blood on her lines, but she didn't care. She waited patiently for the door to open.

Finally, it did.

The man who had taken her stared at her. His black eyes traveled from her face, to her bloody fingers.

"Self-destructive bitch."

He mumbled as he threw a metal plate to the floor, a single bread on it. He then threw a bottle of water. He turned to Adeen.

"You wanna kill me, don't you?" She stared at him and he chuckled. "I'll take that as a yes."

"No." Adeen said quietly. "I don't want to kill you. I want to tie you to an anchor and throw it to the bottom of a gasoline pool. Then I want to throw a match into it and watch you burn."

The man stared at her, then chuckled.

"Shame you're my prisoner, girl. You'd make one hell of a team player." He sat down on a chair he brought in. Adeen stared at him as he looked at his yellow nails. "Smart, angry..." he turned to her, a wicked grin on his face, "pretty. Shame you're worth a lot of money. He said he'd pay a generous amount of money if we got you and killed you."

"Who said?" Adeen asked although she already knew the answer.

"Like I'm telling you, girl." The man turned to his nails again.

"Our Royal Murderer."

The man turned to her. "Sassy. And like I'm going to tell you. Shame, really that in twelve hours I'll have your blood in my hands."

Adeen stared at him, then at her bloody hands.

"You already do." A drop of blood fell, and its drip was heard in the utter silence. "We all have blood in our hands."

"Too fucking bad, ain't it?" The man stared at her. "That you think that way. Yes, I have blood in my hands, but I need it to be there. A good man is not worth much if he's dead."

The man threw Skander's phone at her.

"Gotta admit, you have one hell of a taste in music, girl. Good Charlotte?" He shrugged. "They were good. Ever heard of Bring Me The Horizon?"

Adeen stared at the phone, then at the man.

"It is his music. Skander's. I had never heard it in my life."

The man stared at her, smiled.

"That son of a bitch has a great taste in music." He shrugged and stood up. "I loaded some Bring Me The Horizon music into it. It's our kind of music, angry, broken and filled with screams. Enjoy your last twelve hours alive, girl."

The man left the room and Adeen turned to the phone. She found the new music and pressed into their album called That's The Spirit. She skimmed through the songs and found one that stood up to her: Drown.

It started with an energetic almost-chorus like part. Then to a calmer part. Adeen closed her eyes and heard every instrument, concentrated on the lyrics.

I'm not okay and it's not all right

She sighed.

Who will fix me now? Dive in when I'm down?

Save me from myself don't let me drown.

Adeen heard each song, and every lyric seemed perfect. Soon enough she found herself beating her fingers to the rhythm of the music. Just as she came across a great song, Throne, she realized how dumb she had been.

It was Skander's phone.

A phone.

She mentally cursed herself as she opened its calls manager and skimmed through the numbers. Soon she came across Jasper's number. She doubted it would work, but she still held her breath as she called him.

After a few rings Jasper picked up.

Weak, Adeen could only hear his voice, tears streaming down her face. The call ended and Adeen put the phone down. The music resumed, Throne playing.

So you can throw me to the wolves

Adeen stood up and stared at the door.

Tomorrow I will come back

She walked to it slowly and laid her hand on the cold metal.

Leader of the whole pack

She pushed it and the door opened, creaking.

Beat me black and blue

She popped her head out to the dark hallway and looked for the man, but he was nowhere to be seen.

Every wound will shape me

She limped down the hall until she came across a room with a table and a chair.

Every scar will build my throne

She found a note and read it.

Keep going, Golmes.

Beneath the black words, she found another phrase, this time written in red ink.

Shame I can't keep you, girl.

Adeen sat on the chair and closed her eyes. Soon, the windows let in blue and red light, and the sirens pushed Throne to the back. Adeen saw the wooden door in front of her open through half shut eyes.