Survival Of The Fittest

Chapter 4

All I remembered was pain. My head pounded, I felt warm blood drizzle down my face. I tried to move my hands to stop it, but they were restrained. I forced my eyes open and looked towards my hands. They were held out to my sides, tied by tight ropes that hung from the ceiling. I looked around the room. I was locked in what looked like a prison cell. I groaned and struggled to my feet, somewhat resting my tired arms.
"HELLO?!" I called to the silent air.
No reply was yelled back. That just worried me. I tugged on the ropes restraining me, desperately trying to release myself.
"HELP!" I yelled, hope slowly chipping away in my mind.
"No one can hear you, you know that right?" A voice chuckled softly.
I frowned and took a step back, slightly surprised. That's when I saw him. Reed. Disgust crept over my face. "Not happy to see me?" He smirked.
"You have no idea" I sneered.
"Well get used to it. I'm now your guard. Everyone else had a reason not to...Well mostly everyone. Some guys...we didn't necessarily trust." He shrugged.
"We?" I frowned.
"The council" He replied like I already knew everything there was to know about this.
"The council?"
"They decide everything around here"
"Oh...I thought that lady just ran her anarchy and everyone just kinda went with it." I replied blankly.
Surprisingly, he laughed. "Sometimes it feels that way though."
He ran his fingers through his hair. Why did he have to look like that? I silently asked myself. He looked up at me and raised an eyebrow. Embarrassed, I quickly looked away and cringed. "You're blushing." Reed laughed.
I wanted to punch him more than anything now. Him and his perfect face.
Time passed. I don't know how much, but it passed. Reed remained standing there. He left every now and then, but always returned. "Can you please release my arms?" I asked almost as a plea.
My arms felt like they were on fire, pain followed every small movement.
"Why? You're just going to try and escape again." Reed frowned.
"I won't. I promise."
"I don't trust you." He said calmly.
"Please. That's all I ask. For like 20 minutes even." I begged.
Reed tilted his head slightly to the side and looked at me. He seemed to be considering it. "Please" I said softer this time.
He let out a long sigh and stepped towards the cell. "Don't make me regret this."
Relief flooded over me. He opened the cell, and started to unite my wrists. His fingers seemed to linger on my skin, before briefly continuing. When he finished I hugged him. Out of thanks of course. But I hugged him. I felt him stiffen and he pulled away. "Oh sorry.." I said softly.
"It's fine..." He replied quickly, but quickly stepped away from me.
He stepped out of the cell, and closed it almost instantly. I stretched my arms and let them lay at my sides. I rested my head on the rough stone floor, and let out a large sigh. I started to think long and hard about my home before. I thought about my friends, my enemies, and my family. At least what's left of it. My thoughts trailed to a boy who I guess was my boyfriend. His name was Jace. He was the first guy I ever kissed. I was young. Dumb. And supposedly in love. I was completely smitten with him back home, but now I looked at our relationship from a new angle. He didn't love me. He probably never would. He was just using me. Playing with my feeling I guess. I never really picked up on any warning signs, he always had an excuse. But my stupid head believed him. He most likely had a bunch of other girls twirled around his fingers, strung by compliments and attention. I took a quick glance at Reed, only to make eye contact. I quickly turned my head away, but wanted to look back. So to occupy myself, I started to count.

~ ~ ~

I counted myself to sleep, because when I woke up, the small amount of light had left the cell, leaving me to assume it was nighttime. I yawned and sat up. I looked to the front of the cage. Reed wasn't where he was supposed to be. Instead a different man stood there. "H-Hello?" I asked.
The man had been pacing, but stopped to look at me. That's when I noticed the knife. Panic bled through me. The man quickly unlocked the cell, stepped in, and closed it tightly behind him. "REED!" I almost screamed.
I was terrified. Maybe I could use the blades metal, but that was only if I could get it from him. The man gripped the knife tightly, anger buzzing in his eyes. "This is for Elantre" He hissed.
He lunged at me, first kicking me in the stomach, then sending the blade into my shoulder. I screamed and grabbed my shoulder as he removed the blade. It looked like he was about to stab again, but that's when a wonderful. "Aeris?!" Was heard.
The man panicked and ran, leaving the cell door open. Blood pooled around me. Pain was all I felt.
"Aces and spades..." I heard Reeds voice gasp.
My vision became spotty. I saw his face lean over me. His gently lifted me off the ground. He said something. I didn't know what it was. I could only focus on not dying. My eyelids fluttered. My head seemed to go all fuzzy. That's when a wave of black hit me.