The Countdown

Chapter Two

    I woke with a start. There was a constant banging going off in my head, perfectly in sync with my throbbing body.

    The hard dirt under me sent shivers through my body. My skin felt like it was on fire and the freezing room only made the contrast more painful. The broken bone of my left elbow felt tight.

    The gate rattled, a slot opening for the guard to slip a plate of food in.

    "Eat up, wench."

    Dragging my body up slowly as to not throw up whatever was left in my stomach, I crawled over to the food. It was a small portion, which I was used to, but it was also covered in grime. Two chunks of bread with moldy slices of cheese sat on the dingy platter.

    I sighed, pulling the bread apart to get to the safer middle portion. I chewed slowly, wanting to make the food last and not wanting to end up throwing it back up.

    I didn't know when I would get more and what condition it would be in so I saved a small part of the bread in my tunic pocket.

    Once finished, I huddled up in the corner of the room where shadows were cast. It was quite warm outside, plenty warm enough to wear a thin tunic that is, but the dungeon was a whole other story. There was no heat. I was almost surprised I couldn't see my breath when I exhaled.

    A single barred and glassed window sat atop me. It was too high to look straight through but it cast a little light into the room.

    The man came back sometime later to collect the trays. I had moved mine back from the slot so he had to open the gate, grumbling as he did so.

    When he bent to pick it up and realized I had eaten very little, he sneered, "Spoiled brat. You should be thankful you received anything."

    He hauled me up by my elbow, a yelp ripping from my throat. I begged, "Stop, please, stop."

    He looked confused then smirked, "Got a hurt arm, do ya? You'll need that to heal before the King decides your completely useless." At that, he shoved me back down but not before giving my arm a quick squeeze.

    I whimpered, tears falling from my eyes. The throbbing intensified until it was all I could focus on. I barely even heard the man's chuckle and the locking of the gate.

    Curled into a ball, I tried to even out my breathing. My body burned and I struggled to make out my surroundings.

    After what felt like hours, the pain eased slightly. I ripped a piece of my tunic and tried wrapping it around my arm. It was hard to do with only one hand but I managed. The cut on my forehead needed to be cleaned badly, too, as brown and green caked it but I had nothing to do so with. Fabric only worked so much when I had no water.

    A caw brought my attention to the small window. The sun was going down, a bright cotton candy sky seeming to mock my situation. Five Ravens sat on the top of a building I could just barely see. One by one, more flew in to meet up with the others until there was nine in total.

    They were so beautiful. Their silhouettes sat against the breathtaking backdrop. Their cawing calmed me slightly.

    I wonder what it would be like to be a bird. Being free and being able to fly away whenever I please. They have no mother who steals their food or punishes them. They aren't locked away in a cage left to rot.

    They're free. That's something so far out of my reach I struggle to even dream about it.

//

    Shivers wracked my body as I opened my eyes. It took a second to adjust as there was very little light, the only source being from a torch down the hall.