sovereign |18+

C H A P T E R | T W O

I woke up with a aches all over my body, the one from my head hurting especially. I must have hit the ground hard. Purple bruises started to form on my legs as I looked down, tiny scratches followed by dry blood.

With my attention focused on my legs I failed to acknowledge the small metal bars enclosed around me. I was in a cage. A dog cage to be exact. Looking around I could see multiple cages stacked on top of each other some empty some not. I don't even understand how I didn't hear the sounds of screaming, pleading and soft cries from the cages that were occupied.

I couldn't see much at all to be honest, the room wasn't lit very well I could just make out what was a few meters in front of me. But judging on how their cry's echoed I assumed the room would stretch for miles.

Fuck.

I really got myself into shit this time. I don't even remember how I got here.

My chest started to hyperventilate I didn't know what to do, I panicked. My hands grabbed hold of the mental bars, shaking them hoping it would do at least something. I vigorously shook the cage bars trying to bend the metal just enough to squeeze my body through. My hands became raw against the rough metal,  little cuts bleeding, embedded with splinters of metal.

"I've tried it, no point." A voice deadpanned below me. A sigh followed, "there's no escaping love, you just have to wait until your chosen".

Chosen. What the fuck did that mean. "Chosen?" I asked shakily. My breathless voice from panicking becoming more confused. "Where am I? Who are you?"

The voice below me didn't sound old it was masculine yet it sounded prepubescent, they couldn't be more than 14. "I'm Alex or 29647 to be exact."  He said those numbers effortlessly like they'd be burnt into his brain. "You are 32791, they label you before you come in. Makes it easier for them to bet on you, you see. This place is the-the box."

Alex or 29647, spoke as if this was normal. His voice never revealed fear yet the stubble at the end made me realise he truly did fear this place. My skin grew cold and my face sunk. I was trapped. I was going to die. We we're going to die.

I wish I stayed in fucking bed.

The boy below me started to move, a small crack in the base of the plastic floor opened just wide enough for me to see his blue eye looking at me. I couldn't see his face only his eye as it traveled up and down my body inspecting every inch. Shifting uncomfortably on the spot I debated whether to poke his eye for looking at me for so long. Or to do the same as him. Look through the crack and see who was beneath me. 

Looking through the crack I could see a serve  underweight boy with blue eyes. His hair was covered in dirty I presume it's blonde when clean yet right now it was matted and covered in soil and blood. His bones protruded out his skin almost a skeleton, tears forming , was I going to end up like him. Scars littered his body along with bruises and fresh cuts. How was he breathing.

He started to chuckle "I know, it's a sight to see isn't it." He waved his hand at his body "all this, I'd be overwhelmed too" wiggling his eyebrows.

How the fuck was he making jokes,  when he looks like that. Is he insane. He's practically dead. My mouth must have been open wide and shock in my eyes as he said "if I don't joke I'll cry and I'd rather not." He smiled yet it didn't reach his eyes. I could see he was in pain. This poor boy. He shouldn't be here.

"How-how did you end up here." I managed to spit out, still in shock.

"I'm guessing the same as you, you heard the voice in the woods and got curious." He sighed "big mistake, right."

He just laid there as he spoke looking out the cage into the dark room. I didn't know it was possible to feel so alone yet surrounded by hundreds.

"They play that to lure you in, until they capture you and place you here till your ready."

"Ready?" I repeated

"Yes. The box is a underground fighting ring. They capture people like me and you and place bets on who will win. They love to make the fights unfair though, just so one always dies brutally." The pain in Alex's eyes was clear as day. I didn't want to know what he done to survive but I don't blame him. He was a child, for hells sake we both was. I didn't know him for long at all but I wanted to get him out of here. I will get us out of here.

Yet fate had other plans as his cage door opened and a small man dragged Alex out my his blonde dirty hair. His facade broke and his cries erupted. "Please..please...please." He begged as the man dragged him out the cage tears streaming down his face hiccups interrupting his sobs. He was just a baby.

Alex's screams were still audible even when he disappeared into the darkness of the room. My silent cries gliding down my face as my heart ached at the sight that boy being dragged to his death. Knowing I'm next.

Please vote, it helps a lot. This story is starting off slow I just want a really good character development.

Should I do a character list?

-sliver