The Pitt.

Page one.

Elliot.

     I'm scared. Whimpering somewhat, my slender fingers grasped the cold bars in front of me, my face pressed into them. I winced at the movement, my knuckles still bloodied and sore. I had used my shirt to wrap them up, but it wasn't helping any when it came to the pain. "Please... I can't move." My soft voice begged, my throat burning from the four simple words.

     I tried my best to move from my squatting position, but I couldn't. My head pressed against the top of the cage, and my bare skin pressed against the cold metal at all sides. I wouldn't cry, I refused. Eventually, I managed to fit my thin legs through the front of the enclosure, finally able to actually sit flat on my butt. My knees burned. I had been like that all night long.

     The icy bars pressed against my thighs, squeezing them just enough that I knew it would be a struggle to pull them out, but not impossible. I was deathly skinny, and they took that into account when they picked this trap out of all the others. I did what I was told to do. I killed the boy, I did it, his dried blood still crusted to my skin in disgusting black blotches. So why was I being treated like this? Where was my father?

     I wasn't sure how long I'd stayed in the cage, but I know it was well over two days, Maybe three. Gods, my bones ached. I just wanted to go the home I was promised. This wasn't right, it wasn't right! A loud scream left my lips as I hit my forehead hard against the bars. The scream caused my already burning throat to throb, and I went into a coughing fit, which angered me even more.

     "Geez, kid, quiet down, would ya?" A deep voice interrupted from the back of the dark room. I didn't know anyone else was in here, I couldn't see anything but piles of different sized cages all around me, and the dim glow of a light I assumed was coming from under the door. My body tensed as I searched for the voice. I suppose they could tell I was wary because they cleared their throat making it easier for me to follow their voice. "I'm behind you, pup."

      "When.. When did you.. you get in here?" I stuttered, my voice weak, and scratchy from the lack of water. Besides the kids in The Pitt, I had never spoken to any besides my trainer, I was not allowed to. I was worried I'd be punished for speaking out of turn.

      "They put me in here when you were asleep." The voice grumbled. It took me ages, but I eventually managed back into my squatting position, figuring out a way to turn my body around. My eyes instantly met empty ones, a male considerably larger than I sat in a much larger cage across from me.

      He stared at me silently as I took in his appearance. Like me, he was dressed only in jeans but he had boots on, and he had dried blood on his lip, his entire body covered in dark tattoos. "You gonna say something?" The man growled, interrupting the silence. I let out a squeak, hitting my head against the top of the cage in surprise, instantly regretting it.

      "Ow.." I complained, reaching my hand up as best as I could to rub the injured area. The man was glaring now, a sigh leaving his lips as he crossed his arms over his chest, stretching out his long legs. Why did he get so much room? Clearing my throat my green eyes wide as I watched the male look me over. "Are you.. Are you a monster?" I asked quietly, blinking as I waited for a response. The male looked incredibly annoyed.

      "You're the one covered in blood." He accused causing me to frown, scratching at the dried blood on my face in an attempt to rid myself of it, but it only clunked up under my nails.