The Animal Inside

The Pound

  i taste blood, i feel like my insides are churning uncontrollably.

trying to open my eye, its caked shut.

i reach to my face, and grope about trying to find my barrings.

my fingers are torn and cracked, nails peeled back, blood cakes my hands and face, cuts cover my whole body.

my memory is clouded, and i feel like I'm moving under water, skull throbbing with every heart beat.

my long hair is matted and tangled, i try to run a hand through, and pull out small twigs and a leaf.

it wasn't until this moment when i realize just how cold i am.

to my horror, I'm nude.

wet, shaking, bruised.

shock sets in.

i start screaming uncontrollably.

i clamor to the corner of my dimly lit room.

the floor is wet cobble stone.

the walls are weather worn stone, i see a light, from far above.

the walls slant up gradually, like a cone ending in a iron grate.

in a burst of energy, and desperation i see salvation and claw my way up the stone walls.

i am sickened by the thought that where my bare hands and feet find grip, countless before me etched out these very cracks.

So that i may use them at this moment.

the end is so desperately close, suddenly i cannot continue.

a heavy rod-iron chain tethers both feet to the floor far below.

my muscles tense, my arms flex.

fingers digging deep into the stone, blood seeps from the tips.

the pain is overwhelming.

pulling myself inch by inch closer to freedom.

a shadow rolls across the flickering light, i look up pleadingly, begging for mercy.

my gaze is met by that of a woman.

at first it seemed like the nightmare was coming to a end.

but when i reached my hand up she just stared at me coldly, something seemed so otherworldly about her.

her demeanor was inhuman.

then she turns to speak to a figure unseen to me.

the figure replies, she smirks in response to what was said.

then she lowers herself to a knee, reaching a hand through the bars, and grabs my forearm.

"yes! thank-k y-y-you" i choke out, my throat is so sore and cracked.

i reach for the bars with my other hand.

then her long sharp nails dig deeply into my arm, so fast i let out a yelp in surprise, but she doesn't yield.

her other hand grabs my throat, and roughly turns my head to the side and she examines my collar with a intense look of interest.

my veins are black and popping from the now scarring bite.

they snake out across my body.

she seems somehow pleased to see this.

bending closer to me so we are mere inches from one another, she whispers to me ever so tenderly,