Wild Space

♥40♥

I jolted up all of a sudden from the deep slumber that I was in. Looking around; I felt my head burn and my body squeak in protest. I didn't get time to register anything since the harsh lights automated upon my movements blinked few beeps into the alarm system; I believe that was an alarm since ice cold water sprayed onto me as soon as the beeps stopped, numbing me even further.

I gasped from the sudden shock, unable to breathe and think at all. By reflux, I pulled my hands to rub water off from my face but they were tied tight onto the chair I am in. My legs were tied too.

Feeling trapped, I looked around to find myself in some kind of dark basement with no windows and no other lights apart from the one straight at my face. The harsh light was dimming the possible view of what the room might contain.

I didn't have to wait for long since the door somewhere near to me was burst open and few hurried footsteps were heard. I tried to squint and look but the light didn't let me see visibly.

A very fat man with a cigar in his lips walked to me leisurely.

"Pardon me for doing this to you, pumpkin," the way he said that last word, irritated my stomach. "I hope you are in good condition." He paused dramatically to drag in a long smoke and then looked up as he exhaled it in circles. "Oh, the light might be killing you. How do you like it? It's my invention. Sometimes, I don't get people to answer my questions, you see, and all those times, ice cold water have helped me. Did I bother you?" he smoked another one and blew it on my face.

I didn't turn away and I didn't answer back. He smiled knowingly. "Ah, Tom always said too highly about you. I always did warn him but he was too promising, too full of words when it came to you." he circled around me. His fat squelching under the loose pajamas he wore.

"You see, it's a good thing he accompanied me into his partnership but he thinks I am right in command to him and yes, I have stayed like that. I have benefits because of that. But, I have my own share of power too. It's not like he is the boss of me. However, I shouldn't take the entire spotlight; that wouldn't do well. No, I shouldn't do that. After all, loyalty written in blood is powerful than words. Unfortunately, I have signed an oath to him in blood and our own spit. A common handshake in our line of business," he paused in front of me and looked at me harshly.

He changed the lights by clapping his hands. The harsh light was gone and the room flooded with glaring lights. I looked around and indeed it was a basement but more like a torture chamber with the different set of tools and things hanging around. There was a steel cot in the father end and a skeleton hanging in the far-off wall. Was that thing real?

I looked straight into his eyes. He tsk'd. "Don't look so furious and sharp; I can snap you like a twig you stupid cu*t. I can harm you in ways you might not have dreamt. Don't test my patience."

Yes, this is what I wanted. I wanted to know if he was as patient and as mindful as Tom or not. To break one from that sort of power is really difficult. You see, the mind has a weird way of giving us powers when our body demands it. Survival instincts kick in a dire condition not because we are brave and strong. Everyone has that because our fragile body is made up of survival atoms that help us survive in any dire condition if physical harm is not there. However, if fear overcomes the adrenaline surge, we tend to succumb to the predicament, losing our self into the tragic situation.

Thus, right now, I was analyzing him. I understood him as the panther, Louise; and if I am right, he is the same Louise related to the death of Seb's parents.

Because the lights were evened out, I looked around and indeed this fat piece of waste had walked in with an army of seven, fully armed; as if a bonded helpless girl could walk free without bullets through this basement full of armed guards; what a joke.