His Prize

Chapter 3: I Have No Master

I wake up with my face pressing against the white floor.

I slowly push myself up to a sitting position. My torso aches with every movement.

He's gone.

My wrists are still chained, but they're long enough that I can move around the room. They must be able to change the lengths as they like.

I gulp down water from the sink, then wash my hands and face. Oh, I've missed working plumbing.

I assess my options. That two-way mirror looks like a potential way out. I walk towards it, but the wrist chains prevent me from getting close.

I let out a long sigh. I guess I won't be going anywhere for a while.

Since I'm stuck here, I might as well tend to my wounds. I remove my shirt, making sure to keep my bare chest hidden from the camera and creep mirror.

I run my fingers along my ribs. Three are broken. The bruises on my stomach are blue, but they should heal. Using the mirror, I inspect my stinging shoulder blades. The skin is raw, bleeding and covered in dirt. That can't be ignored.

I learnt a thing or two about taking care of myself while living in the ruins. I tear off a piece of material near the bottom of my shirt, ripping it up into long thin pieces. After tying them together, and washing them thoroughly, my makeshift bandage is ready.

My skin stings as I carefully clean my shoulder blades. I tightly wrap the shirt-bandage under my arms and around the wounds. Putting my shirt back on, I notice my stomach is now showing. Being a little colder is worth reducing the chance of an infection.

I inspect the sink, looking for any removable parts that I could use as a weapon. Finding nothing, I eventually give up. I make myself comfortable on the floor.

Time passes slowly in this static room. I try to get some sleep using my arm as a pillow.

* * * * * * * *

I'm roughly awoken as my arm-pillow is ripped out from under me. I hear gears turning as the chains retract back into the wall. They stop when they are less than an inch long, locking my wrists in place. I'm back in the Y-position from before.

The door opens with a loud clank and Alex strides inside, kicking the door closed behind him.

"So," he begins, "after thinking about it, I realised that your name is of no importance. Since you are my pet, I will name you."

"I'm no-one's pet," I spit back under my breath, half hoping he won't hear. I don't want to be attacked again.

"Oh, but you are, human. And you will respect me as your owner."

On the bright side, listening to his bullshit is more entertaining than staring at the mirror all day.

"Now, what to name you?" he ponders with his hand on his chin. "Hmm... how about... Insect? Yes, Insect suits you perfectly, being the pest that your kind are."

"That was the best you could come up with over an entire day?"

His face flashes with rage, and he punches me in the gut. "Watch yourself, human!" Looks like he already ditched Insect.

"You will respect me! You will follow my orders, and you will address me as 'Master'. Understand?"

"Or what?"

"Or you will die."

It's an empty threat. He already said that once I'm 'tamed' he'll get rid of me, and I highly doubt that 'getting rid of me' allows me to keep my life.

I muster up all the strength I have for my response. "I will never call you master."

My cheek stings from his slap. "You insolent little... When I'm done, you'll beg for mercy."

I glare.

He punches my face, causing my skull to bounce painfully off the wall. Before I know what's going on, my legs feel as if they're on fire. He lands blow after blow against them. I grind my teeth together, failing to hold back cries of pain.

After a few minutes, which feel more like hours, he relents. He leaves the room, locking the door behind him.

The chains recede from the wall, and I collapse onto the floor. The pain is too much to push myself up. I close my eyes and just let my body rest.

Published: 17 Oct. Edits: 21 Nov; 26 Nov; 07 Jan; 26 Feb