The Darkness Within

23 - Torture and Fever-Dreams

A/n: As the title suggests, this chapter has torture. If that makes you uncomfortable or triggers you, you are free to skip it.

Days came and went in her cold and wet cell. Ciara's infection persisted despite the best efforts of the timid female she now shared her cell will. Most of the time she was too weak to do anything, even when food was brought, so she had not talked to the female hardly at all except when she was screaming out in pain as the female cleaned her wounds.

The door clanged open, pulling Ciara from her thoughts of the strange dreams she's been having. Most were similar to the first one she had, taking place in the neverending field of magical grass. Those dreams were her only reprieve from the weakness and pain and darkness of her waking hours.

There was the familiar sound of a tray being placed on the ground before the door was shut loudly, the sound echoing through the cell. The mouse-like steps of the female sounded and she brought the plate over.

"It's oatmeal this time," the female says like she always does. Ciara nodded her head, letting the female know she understood. The food was never great, sometimes even borderline inedible, but she ate whatever the female made her eat. She was so sick at that point that half the time she'd throw the food back up shortly after, but she tried.

"Open," the female's soft voice said and Ciara did as she was told. Cold, wet, oatmeal met her tongue but it was one of the nicer-tasting things she had eaten for days and she scarfed it down.

Once Ciara was done being fed like a child, the female moved away and ate her own half of the food.

Not even ten minutes later, the door was thrown open once more. The sound of two heavy footsteps echoed through the room and approached Ciara. Clicking chains were heard, and while her cuffs and collar stayed on, she could feel they had been disconnected from the rest of the chains. The beings she assumed to be demons grabbed her roughly by the shoulders and hauled her up, she cried out in pain from her shoulder and thigh and wickedly cruel laughter met her ears.

She was dragged out of the cold cell and heard the door slam closed behind them as she was dragged down the halls. A door, less loud than her cell's door, opened. Shortly after entering the room, she was thrown into a chair. Her body was too weak and sick for her to do anything but sit there and wait for whatever this would be.

The door opened once more, more heavy footsteps sounding. She was starting to hate how loud the demons were, it radiated dominance and power that she knew they did not deserve anymore.

"Hello again," the female who had captured her said with fake sweetness. Ciara did not respond. "I think introductions are in order, I'm Bacia and you are Ciara, yes?"

Again, Ciara did not respond.

"Well then," the female said, sounding annoyed. "Let's start with what you are, little girl."

When she didn't respond, a strong punch to her gut knocked the wind out of her and she heard a few ugly cracks from the impact. Breathing became painful and she wheezed air back into her lungs.

"You will answer my questions or I will torture them out of you," the female said, some of that supernatural growl entering her words.

"No," Ciara spat back at the female demon.

The sound of a blade being unsheathed was heard and Ciara knew what was coming. Cold metal touched the skin of her face near her ear and she didn't give the female the satisfaction of her pulling away. The blade pressed into her skin and a drop of her blood dripped down her face. She would not make a sound.

"You think you can stay quiet?" the demon asked and Ciara could hear the female circle her. "We shall see."

The shackles on Ciara's wrists were grabbed roughly and she felt her hands be placed on a table. There was a click and when she attempted to pull her hands back, the shackles prevented her from pulling away.