Voices in My Head

Chapter 7: Absolute

My head was killing me. I would have brought my hand up to rub my temple, but unfortunately, my hands were tied behind my back. I was in a grimy room with dark gray-green walls and a single light overhead. There was a table before me, reminding me of an interrogation room. The plastic chair I was sitting on was starting to get uncomfortable.

I've been awake for a while, but I had no way of knowing how much time had passed. I would have escaped already if there wasn't a guy standing in the corner, waving a gun around, showing his dominance and superiority.

I don't even know how long Raiden has been out. And that's scares me more than the gun.

I tried asking the guy what day it was, but he is persistent in being silent.

The door opened. Dante and another person -I think his name was Ashton?- walked in. The guy with the gun was dismissed, closing the door behind him.

Great. More enemies to escape.

"Raiden," Ashton began. I was surprised Dante was not the one talking. He seemed to be content on staying in the shadows, watching me with a critical eye.

I didn't speak, just stared. I learned it is better to wait until they ask a question to talk.

"You were able to defeat 8 guys before Leader recruited you. Leader let it slide that you beat up his people, but you did it again. Even though Leader forced you to join doesn't mean you can show off your displeasure."

I was confused. Raiden was forced to join? But he told he joined of his own freewill. These people have no reason to lie to me. So why did Raiden lie?

In my confused state, I did not notice Dante moving closer to me until I felt his fingers tilt my chin to look at him, his midnight black eyes staring down at me, analyzing me.

"You are being too cocky. You need to learn your place. I told you your life is bounded to mine."

I felt icy chills down my body. He let go of me and stood up straight.

I wanted to squirm from his calculating gaze but the ropes holding me in place didn't let me. I looked down.

My chair was shoved violently to the ground. My bangs hid my eyes and unshed tears.

"I am absolute. My orders are absolute. Know your place."

Even though my vision was blocked by my hair, I knew Dante left the room because the atmosphere wasn't suffocating anymore.

I felt my arms being freed. I quickly stood up from the ground and rubbed my wrists, still looking at the ground.

"Kid, Leader is the one guy you don't want to make an enemy out of. Let me give you one bit of advice. Don't cross him. Don't try to escape from him. Because if you do, you won't get very far. He will kill you in the worst possible way. That's a guarantee."

I didn't trust my voice so I just nodded. I think Ashton got the message because he left me alone in the room.

I don't know what to do. I've never been in a situation where I couldn't run away and pretend everything was alright.

I can't run away. And I'm too much of a coward to kill myself.

My family hates me. I have no friends. My only company is the demons that live in my head.

Forget what I said earlier about wanting to live. Forget what I said earlier about wanting to stay. I don't want to cry anymore. I don't want to drown myself in self-pity and sorrow.

So you know what?

Let's play this game. Let's do what Raiden wants. I don't even care anymore. I give up. Okay. That's it.

There's nothing worth living anymore. She's dead and she's not coming back. The people I trusted were dead. Everyone that I cared about is either gone or lying below the earth.

And just simply trying to live out life won't work. I always get caught up in some kind of mess. So I give up.

Let someone else kill me. That'll be great. Even better, let me just fade out of existence.