Don't Ask About My Demons

Pain and Old Memories

The sliding door opened to the interrogation room. "GET YOUR HANDS OFF ME!" Keith's feet squeaked against the floor as he tried to stop himself from being dragged through the doorway. "OR YOU'LL REGRET IT!"

"Don't waste your breath, boy," A woman's voice hissed.

Keith's head whipped around to find the source. The figure pulled down her hood. The woman appeared to be much older than he remembered with three relatively fresh jagged cuts running parallel from her left eye to her chin. What did she say her name was? Hadley? Hagnar? Hag... his eyes narrowed when the realization struck him. "Haggar," Keith muttered.

She smiled, causing the cuts in her face to curve slightly. "Normally my interrogations aren't so personal. But I can make an exception for you." She turned to the guards. "Strap him down!"

Keith struggled in their iron grip as they strapped down his right arm. He clawed at the strap only to have his left arm seized and forced back at an awkward angle. One guard held his arm while the other unlocked the cuffs so that his left arm could be strapped down as well. However, Keith had not given up his struggles. He kicked his legs wildly and smirked when he caught one of the guards in the jaw.

"For Zarkon's sake! Hurry up, will you!" Haggar snapped. She waited impatiently. "Oh confound it! Step back!" The guards did as they were told. Keith paused to glare at Haggar. She scowled, hands hovering over the controls. "You need to learn your place, mutt."

There was a moment of nothing until Keith was struck with the worst pain he had ever felt in his life. He couldn't hold back his scream of agony.

"Will you do as your told? Will you submit to the command of Zarkon, emperor of the Galra?"

"He's no emperor of mine." Keith spat. Another wave of pain threatened to consume him. Keith's heart was racing. His fingers twitched.

"I'm going to ask you one more time. Will you submit?"

"Not on your life." Again, white hot pain shot through his very being. It sent a jolt through his skull and rattled his teeth. Keith grimaced, beads of sweat formed on his brow.

"WILL YOU SUBMIT?" Haggar demanded.

"You're gonna have to try harder than that." Keith panted.

Haggar laughed. "Oh believe me. We're just getting started."
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The Red lion jolted. "Red? You alright?" Lance swept a hand over its surface only to draw back in shock. Red was warm; burning hot, in fact. The lion shuddered again. Lance hopped to his feet. "I'll get Coran! Maybe he knows what's going on!"

A deep growl vibrated from its throat before Lance so much as glanced at the exit.

"What? You don't want me to go?" Lance couldn't quite place how he knew, but the Red lion appeared to be frantic. It was as though she wanted to leave, but she was tethered to the ground. Lance crouched down to look below but there was nothing keeping the Red lion down. "Is it Keith?" He asked. The reply was deafening.
___________________________

The guard threw a half conscious Keith to the floor of his cell before slamming the door closed. He felt as though he was hit by a train going at full speed. Everything hurt. Keith tried to sit up only to fall down again. He rolled over onto his back and took short, shallow breaths due to a pain in his side. Keith was certain that the guard broke one of his ribs. Their abuse was endless. At times, when Keith was certain that he was near death, he was healed only to get abused again. Recent events played over and over in his head as he lay on the cool floor, trying in vain to focus on his breathing. They could have healed him again, if they wanted. But they knew that the pain would be much worse in the morning. They planned to subject him through hours more of bitter torment through the night.