The Land After Tomorrow (Completed)

Chapter 20: The Lunatic

Drew shivered in the darkness. The cold concrete floor crept up his bones radiating goosebumps throughout his body. His stomach ached in pain. He felt it turn with unagreeable satisfaction. It pushed up into his throat making him gag on an acid that burned along his throat. Drew's body felt empty without food or water to nourish him. His body grew weak and unstable disintegrating before him. He curled up in the corner of the room holding tightly on his stomach churning.

Drew wanted to close his eyes and sleep the pain away, but the gagging of his stomach refused him. It made him keep fighting. He wanted to break down and cry from the pain, but he refused to show Raz his weakness.

I will not break. He won't break me.

Another gag sent Drew hurling over spitting out acid and fluid. Drew moaned falling back onto his side and curling back up into a ball.

Only a couple hours left. Few hours....I think.

Drew looked down at the hole that used to shine light through the darkness of the basement. It was dark outside, because nothing shone through to give light to his suffering. When he was first thrown in, there was light coming from the outside. At first, the only suffering was boredom and the nightmares that were left to haunt his own mind. Then, the light came back around and that's when his stomach started to scream and fight. The second full day finally came. At this point, that's when the gaging began and the struggle to sleep. All Drew could think about was the constant need to puke and gag an acid that contained nothing but emptiness.

It was now darkness and it was close to two and a half days of torture. No one came to check on him, not once. He could have been dead for all they knew, but they knew he wouldn't stop fighting. He would live and fight.

The darkness crept upon him, haunting him. He was stuck within his mind unable to break free of the pain that torments him. He heard the voice of the man that burned alive screaming inside his own mind. It called out to Drew, screeching and rattling inside his mind. He ducked his head further down into his stomach to try and comfort the pain that haunted him. It was a waste of effort for the screams only got louder and stronger.

Drew looked out towards the darkness of the basement to a shadowy figure inching closer towards him. Only the figure's outline could be seen, because it too was hidden by the darkness. Drew remained still and silent watching the figure approach him. He was too weak to call out to the figure remaining curled up in the corner grasping onto an unbearable pain.

The figure approached, a light flared up from its body making the whole room visible. Drew now saw its face staring down at him. It was the man. His eyes were full of fire glistening along them. It stared intently down at Drew with the fire entrancing him. He couldn't move or scream, he only stared. Fire flamed from every part of the man's body. Then, the screams began echoing along the walls of the room. Drew tried to cover his ears but noticed a bright flame coming from his own hands.

Drew screamed shaking his hands forcefully to try to douse the fire that lied upon him. He rolled on the ground as the flame followed him.

A hand touched his shoulder and Drew opened his eyes back to darkness. Looking down at his body, any signs of a fire were not present. There was no fire and no burn marks along his skin. Drew breathed heavily confused on what had transpired. He looked around the room searching for the man that was on fire, but he wasn't there. Flustered, Drew looked into the one who held his shoulder. Mark had squatted next to Drew holding onto his shoulder to awaken him from a nightmare.