Keep Walking...

Chapter 2

The gold flecks in the green eyes of this man hold my stare, he look curious, but something in his eyes tells me a story of madness.

"You know that the games we play here are nothing more than a bit of fun, however, they will mark your standing."

He eagerly pulls out a piece of paper, it is difficult to see from my distance.

"There are fourteen slots, only the lucky fourteen shall be part of this great league of heroes."

He refers to his club as a league of heroes? Why was I summoned here by this idiot? I have no interest in his club.

"Our first test is one of the mind, you will be kept alone and try to keep control to the best of your ability."

Hardly an introduction and he already wants to drive us all mad.

He looks to cardia, whom is staring with great interest. He smiles and proceeds with his little speech.

"Our first of many shall be the young man at the back."

Man? oh! me...

I heave a sigh.

Many people start to laugh and cheer as I make my way up. To them I look like a rebellious teen and various whisper about how they could do better.

"I will gladly accept the challenge, after all, it's all in good fun." I say as my eyes scan over the crowd to my best friend. Cardia is cheering and laughing more than anyone. She has such innocent eyes when she smiles, and warms the heart with nothing but her light chirping voice.

I am broken from my thoughts as a wall of the throne room, behind the great elderly tapestries, is forced back to reveal the door to a chamber. I am pushed in with precise aim and stumble back into a chair. It is thick stone, attached to the floor. I get a good look at the place. A single burning torch lights the whole room, and in the far corner are...medical tools? Suddenly, I am forced hard against the chair and bound with rope. I try to fight away, but my weak physical form gives the people above me the upper hand. I am shut in the room. As I continue to look, I see that every part of the room is a box carved into another.

It doesn't take long before I start to hear something. The sound of gurgling fills the room along with... a heartbeat... my own heartbeat. The sounds are my organs, shifting and working under my flesh. The grotesque sound of my body are followed by hissing as a sweet scented gas fills the room. It quickly begins to burn the lungs though I do not drown in it. I try to call out for help when I realize why the gas is filling the room. my voice exit as nothing more that a pained squeak, they took my voice!

I struggle in my bindings, hoping I can get them undone, but to no avail. My head aches with a lack of oxygen and the light of the torch begins to flicker beside me. My eyes burn and start to burst with hallucinations of snakes instead of ropes. I hear my sweat drip to the floor and my heart begin to race. The snakes feel more than real now, my chest is being restricted by the reptilian beasts.

My mind has a fleeting image. A word for the times of peril, not unlike that I suffer now. Choked by the gas, uttering a single gasp, all goes black.