On Contract • Lashton AU

Part Twenty Two

Luke didn't stay conscious for long after Ashton locked the door. He slumped against the only completely vertical wall and closed his eyes. The choking darkness was a lot for Luke to handle.
The inescapable almost silence was worse though. It ate away at him from the start.
Over the next four days, Luke drifted seamlessly in and out of consciousness, only able to distinguish his waking moments by the feelings of hunger and thirst he felt. He had very little sense of time either; without natural light, it was very hard to judge the time of day.
Occasionally, he heard the TV coming from the next room, but he was too tired to listen to anything being said. He did think he heard his name at one point, though.
He also stopped trying to get Ashton's attention after the first day, it was clear that Ashton had his own ideas.
A lot of feeling in his hands was gone, in addition to Luke feeling achy all over. It was something he just ignored, along with waning headaches that just came and went in his waking moments.
By the end of the third day, Luke thought that he was spending more time passed out, or very nearly unconscious, than he was actually aware of what was going on.
All of this took a huge mental toll on him. He was completely unable to see or hear anything except occasional sounds from the next room, or Ashton going up the stairs.
Luke thought it was the third day, but he did hear unfamiliar and loud voices. He guessed Ashton had invited people over. Luke didn't know that it was the same man who had been Ashton's client. The man who wanted him dead.
It didn't matter though. He couldn't speak up or even try to get anyone's attention. He had given up on everything by now.
The end finally came sometime on the fourth day.