The Numbed Boy (Ticci Toby x Reader)

A Warm Welcome?

I was led out of the dark room, soon finding myself walking down a long, dark hallway, my captor's gloved hands on my tied wrists. I kept my eyes straight ahead, being sure to show the masked person behind me that I was no threat trying to escape, because 1) I didn't wanna die and 2) there was no way to escape. The hallway seemed to stretch on forever until we finally reached the end; I found myself face to face with a dark oak door. My captor reached ahead of me and turned the rusting doorknob before pushing open the door. The loud squeak that emitted from its rusting hinges made me cringe.

I expected to be led into the dark room but was suddenly pushed in.
I yelped as I stumbled, quickly regaining my balance and looking over my shoulder.

"Please don't leave me here," I managed to whisper before my captor pulled the door close. I listened to their footsteps recede back to where we came from before I crept over to the door, turning around and reaching my tied hand toward the door knob. My chest began to tighten as I attempted to turn it, only to find that it was locked from the other side.

My eyes swept over the empty space before me before my gaze landed on a single window on the side of the room. I quickly shuffled over to it, looking through it's dirtied glass. It was nighttime, meaning I had been unconscious all day. My eyes adjusted to the darkness outside before I made out the shape of trees below, which also meant I was somewhere in the forest. And high up for sure.

I contemplated jumping out and risking two broken legs before the hair on the back of my neck rose up as I felt someone's, or something's, gaze upon me. I looked to the corner of the room, my eyes barely making out the dark shape of a tall, lean figure. Before I could even back up against the window, unbearable pain shot through my head as static began to fill my vision.

I yelled out in pain as my knees buckled beneath me, causing me to fall. I expected to feel my knees hit the hardwood floor, but I was met with the feeling of grass and dead leaves.
The pain in my head began to subside as I caught my breath and lifted up my head, finding myself on a path in a dark forest. I moved my hands, relieved to find that that were no longer restrained by a rope. I grabbed a handfull of the grass beneath me before pushing myself to my feet.

I wrapped my arms around myself as I frantically looked at my surroundings; I was in the forest, surrounded by dying trees as the full moon provided comfort with its light. I was shivering. Not because I was cold, but because I was afraid. So, So afraid. I stood there for a few more moments before the feeling of being watched washed over me. Slowly, I began to walk, the sound of crunching leaves beneath my feet reaching my ears. Soon, my slow pace turned into a jog, which then turned into a sprint.

I felt tears begin to fall down my face as I ran faster than I had ever ran before, jumping over roots and running around trees. Where I was going, I didn't know. I just needed to get out of here and find help. Out of the corner of my eye, between the passing trees, I saw the tall, dark figure I had encountered in the room.

Panic filled my chest as I pushed myself to run faster, my legs burning as I quietly wheezed. Because of the tears beginning to block my vision, I didn't see a small root sticking up from the ground. Before I knew it, I had a mouthful of grass as a shot of pain travelled up my arm. Unable to move, I lied there, feeling the coldness of the earth beneath my helpless body as I awaited certain death.

"Look at me, child," said a chorus of hissing voices as I tensed up.

Slowly, I opened my eyes and looked up, seeing the lean figure I was so terrified of. It's white, blank face stayed on me as I carefully sat up, my arm and knees slightly numb from the impact.

"I will not hurt you," the hissing voices then said; they sounded like the combination of children's, women's, and men's voices.
"You only have one purpose here, girl. You are my vessel. You are OUR human vessel. No harm will be brought upon you as long as you do what is told of you."

A long moment of silence passed before I quietly whimpered. Pathetic, I know.

"I want to go home," I whispered.

"This is your home. Here, you are but a link between this and the human world. You will do as I ask of you until you are disposed of. Then, shall you be set free."

Link? Set free? What the hell was happening?

"Please... Tell me where I am. And what you mean..." I quietly pleaded as I kept my eyes on the figure's white face.

Instead of being given an answer, pain suddenly flooded my head as static filled my vision once again. Hoping I would finally wake up from this terrible nightmare, I fell back down, letting a scream escape my throat.

Everything went dark before the feeling of cold wood met my skin. I slightly opened my eyes, finding myself in the same, dark room as my head throbbed from the pain.