Battle Born Vagabond

Chapter 27:Withholding: Sr Chief Petty Officer Trevor Harrison:03/29/5007

Another day another challenge to survive as they torture or neglect. I don't know how many of us are still alive. Only 30 left on this bombing run, it was supposed to be quick 24 hours or less. I don't know how many days it's been. I wake up to a blinding light on my face I try to roll over.

A woman walks in wearing a full military uniform armored holding a key and a pistol but no helmet so I can see her ugly face, I think to myself that I would not want to wake up to that the next morning. She unlocks my arms but leaves my legs shackled to the cement floor. "Stand up. Diaper off." I take off my diaper and I throw it into a nearby bucket. "Wipe yourself. You know where they go."

I clean myself. "Am I getting a shower today?" I start to put on another diaper that is also provided by her.

She undoes my shackles but indicates for me to stay seated, "Tomorrow if you survive. Today you get 15 minutes to eat" She hands me a small loaf of rye bread some cheese and some beer. "We are going to have some fun for your interrogation, this was thought of by Queen Marie specifically because your nation shut her out when she asked for help, she wants revenge. You will get a riddle. Solve the riddle, give information and save your life. Doesn't that sound wonderful?"

I ask about my brothers in arms, "Am I the only one?"

She negotiates, "Will it get you to give more information today?"

"Yes."

She gives me a short run down, "We captured 12 of you. seven of you have died in our care in our attempts to get the information we want. This challenge, they panicked, we grow tired of you people being stupid. You may begin eating when I leave the room. Any questions?"

"How will I be told what the riddle is?"

"The slot in the door will open and you will be told the riddle. After that, it begins." She leaves and turns the lights off again.

I eat my food and 15 minutes feels like a very long time. The light flashes overhead, I go to the slot.

A woman is speaking to me in a wispy tone of voice, "A well-lit place, will lead to salvation. A message caused by the tide that only the sun sees. The strong will suffer withholding, the weak will have dry rewards. Fairy tales are found written on the walls. In the dark they are evading, a shadow caused by the light. When the night falls one of two things will have happened, will you run into the fear or die trying."

I do not understand all of it, "Can you repeat that?"

That same woman from before answers me, "It will be on repeat the whole time you are in there." She closes the flap in the door with a metal bang.

Speakers that I don't see turn on in the room it's her voice again in her wispy tone, "A well-lit place, will lead to salvation. A message caused by the tide that only the sun sees. The strong will suffer withholding, the weak will have dry rewards. Fairy tales are found written on the walls. In the dark, they are evading a shadow caused by the light. When the night falls one of two things will have happened, will you run into the fear or die trying."

Water pours in the room and it pools in a corner. I knock on the door, "hey guys there's a leak. I'm glad to have water but it probably needs to be fixed." I cup my hands and I start drinking as much water as I want. I get my fill but it continues to come in, the light dims so it's not a blinding light. I just sit on the corner opposite of the water coming it. The pool is starting to get pretty big and it's showing no signs of stopping. "Hey, guys there's water coming in." I start to not feel very well, I fall asleep in the corner. I wake up to water going in my mouth from a second spout above me, I get up and look around the light is almost gone. "What the fuck? I don't understand! Guys, the water is up to my thigh. What is going on? Why are you ignoring me?"