Although he had undergone 24 hours without food, water, or the bathroom, Cyrus couldn’t quit thinking of Aspen.
Was she okay?
Was she in an empty room with cameras as well?
Was she being tortured?
The questions were more tormenting than the fact that a tray of food was so close, yet so far from him. If they laid a finger on her…
Cyrus couldn’t complete the sentence. He’d hope he’d never have to.
But if she was in the same situation as himself, how was she taking the news?
Maybe he was only popping in to check on Cyrus, but part of Cyrus knew that was false.
HQ was devious, and knew how to really get under people’s skin.
They weren’t physically torturing Cyrus, or Aspen (hopefully), but perhaps this was worse.
The hunger and thirst. And the placement of food, where it was just out of reach.
The desire to comfort Aspen, to know she was safe. But being separated.
That was real torture, and it clawed at his brain until it was all he could think about.
Food.
Aspen.
Water.
Aspen.
But if Cyrus thought he was in pain, he could only imagine Aspen’s.
All of what he was dealing with, plus the fact that her own brother worked in HQ. Nonetheless as their tormenter?
How would she ever be able to get past that?
He remembered as her brother opened the door to silently place the food tray on the floor.
Cyrus had screamed and shouted profanities at him until he had left the room and his voice was hoarse.
It came to him full circle. The need to hug Aspen. To kiss her. To comfort her and make her feel happy in her remaining days of life.
He would see her again if it was the last thing he did.
It was ironic, because it might actually be the last thing he’d do.
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The Mindless Man's Paradise
Teen FictionIn The Land, nobody has names. There are no such things as weddings, culture, ethnicities, or cities. In a post apocalyptic era, taking place in the only habitable part of the world, all survivors of the last war gather. Under their government's co...
