Troy's Last Chance

Chapter 4- Rhode

The distant water leak chimed eerily. It echoed through the chamber, resounding wall to wall to the next, in an endless vibration. I thought maybe the real drops came from some pipes just beyond the steep staircase leading to the dungeons. That was nearly half a mile away.

I sat on a shredded couch that pinched my thigh whenever I shifted. Itchy red rashes already formed over the wounds that had only just begun to heal. This transformed them into ghastly forces of nature. My wrists also prickled with the sensation of those bristly ropes the guards used to haul me here. Discomfort was an understatement.

Wow, they're a real pain in the ass.

I buried my face in my hands. For all I knew, I was stuck here for eternity. I set my hands on the couch. Something squishy and wet kneaded between my fingertips. Quickly, my arm drew back. I was considering the Hang Tree as a better option than this. Reminded me of that sketchy motel with leaky pipes and strange noises you hear next door all night.

The prison cell was simple. It had few components, probably because the guards didn't want their convicts to get any ideas. Someone clever could turn even a rubber ball into something deadly.

There was a tin pale in one corner that I assumed was the makeshift urinal. Then, this couch that smelled of mildew and stale alcohol. Several other cells surrounded mine, all practically identical except missing one major piece- only mine contained a human being.

Not a kind soul left me anything even remotely edible, besides a cup of water with specks of dirt in it. My stomach growled constantly. I was ravenous. I knew I must have been fasting for over a day and a half, completely unintentional. I needed something to fill that empty void in my stomach. But it remained a starving tomb.

Everything happened so fast. I still couldn't recall anything pre-river awakening. A massive wave of panic engulfed me all over again. My heart exploded with fury, pity for my current circumstances, and sorrow. But, beneath it all- there was a flicker of elation and feverish excitement. The charge was only glowing, but I could tell it was flourishing.

A small noise sounded from outside the cell. The step of a shoe. I glanced up to see two guards emerging from around the corner. One I recognized, he was one of the two that contributed to my imprisonment. He had umber skin, and from what I remember, he was quiet and fairly timid then.

Now, he looked like an entirely separate person. A menacing grin stretched across his face. His eyes reeked of a vile scheme. Shivers ran down my spine. I immediately inched toward the wall until my back was pressed against it. I couldn't care less about the other guard. He seemed clumsy and oddly puzzled.

The first one leisurely walked to my cage, unlocked it, stepped inside, and swung it closed. And when the wildered one stayed, looking unsure of what to do next, the other waved him away.

I wanted to shout at him as he turned the corner, "Get back here! Don't leave me alone with this nutjob!" But my lips remained shut. My mouth instantly went dry.

"What do you want?" I murmured, resembling a whisper. Don't show your fear, I reminded myself. Regardless, my unease was displayed plainly for all to see.

"Nothing in particular, just female presence."

"No. Stay away from me," my voice came out raspy and I scolded myself for not sounding more cool. I eased my hand into pocket, grasping the stone that I discovered earlier that day. My fingers crawled over it until I clenched it with my fist, hardly careful about cutting my own palm. Considering the rest of my scrapes, I didn't see the difference.

He only moved closer. He reached for my face. The hell?- then he stopped abruptly, his hand hovering mid-air. Tears filled his eyes, but didn't come rolling down his cheeks like a thin stream. It was as if time itself ceased to proceed. My heart raced.