My conscience slowly returns as a dull pain pounds my skull numbingly. I feel tired and dizzy, it's hard to make out certain shapes due to my blurry vision. A sudden cramp stabs my entire calf and my breath shortens as I grunt in pain, my jaw clenching. I reach down to my leg only to be stopped by tight, cold, heavy, steel chains bound to my ankles and wrists.

I look around the small, lowly lit room. Near the cement roof is a small rectangular window with rusty steel bars enclosing it. A dull green coats sections of the wall and ground. I reach my hand out to realize the soft green on the walls is fussy moss. It squishes underneath my finger tips and cushions my hand comfortably. My eyes move up again trying to focus on the steel door which lays ahead of me. Without notice my eyes shut and I fall back into an effortless asleep once again. Blackness enclosing me in an endless empty abyss.

When my eyes open again I feel my head spinning out of control. The ground moves like waves under my body and I can feel my heart rate quicken along with my breath. It's stuffy in the room and is hard to breath. A thirst scratches at my throat, I feel like I have glue in my mouth from my thick saliva. I haven't replenished the water in my body which I lost while running. Even my severely dehydrated self can tell that I need water if I want to see tomorrow.

Cramp spasms through my muscles and I let out a little breathy scream. I try to subside the pain with a distraction so I bite my lip hoping that will help. It doesn't. I let a frustrated grunt pass my lips as I rest my head on the wall behind me, my eyes starting to shut again. I'm so tired. When I let them fall I try to stay sitting up, despite my attempts I collapse over onto the cool ground.

A low creak comes from in front of me and I don't even bother trying to open my eyes to see what it is. It must be the door.

As steps walk into the room I force myself to pry my eyes open just so I can see a pair of black shoes, I let a small grunt out as I try to sit up. I fail over and over again, returning to the ground each time my dizziness getting the best of me.

The mans feet walk towards me and grabs the collar of my shirt, lifting it up to his face. I instantly recognize the hooded coat, it's the man from the forest. My gaze lazily looks over his body, my eyes defying my commands and closing once again.

When I wake again my skin feels tight and very dry, my breath has picked up substantially since the last time and so has my heart rate. The walls close in on me and space back out like a pumping heart.

The door swings open and there standing is the same man as always. His black hood making his face indistinguishable and black gloves covering his hands.

I let my sunken in eyes rest upon him as I fall in and out of consciousness. He walks towards me... his two fingers are on my neck... pinches my skin, which doesn't fall back down, a sign of sever dehydration. His hand rests over my mouth forcing me to breath out of my nose quickly... than it's all back.

     《《《《《《《《》》》》》》》》

I wake to water dripping down my chin and neck. My head is tilted up and I gulp the substance trustingly before I open my eyes and move my head back down, away from the water. Crouch down is the hooded man cradling my head guiding my cracked lips to the glass of clear water which I assume he brought.

I turn my head away from the water, "I don't want it." My voice cracks out. I lied. I need it.

"You'll die." His abnormally low voice snaps at me frustratedly.

I stare at the glass before looking back at him, "you drink some of it." I say.

He thinks for a second before bringing his lips to the glass and tilts his head back, taking a swig of what's in the cup. He holds his hood down so I still can't see his face, what's up with that?

When he brings the cup back down I reach for it, the chains rattling and the shackles pinching my skin. I grunt and pull my arms back down, I look to see blisters around my wrists, my ankles haven't blistered yet but they're close.

The man reaches his hand behind my head and lifts it up gently to the water which he pours down my dry, sore throat. I pull away after the glass is empty, a dry cough spitting from my mouth. I look up at the man before I feel myself fall towards him, my eyes shutting, the world collapsing, surrendering to the darkness.

      《《《《《《《《》》》》》》》》

This time I feel my chest rise and fall slowly, my breath had returned to its slow and steady state while my heart rate has fallen back to its rhythmic beat.

A cool hand slips behind my neck and guides my head back up again. Water trickles down my throat and I gulp the cool liquid greedily. I'm too tired to open my eyes and I already know who's at my side, the man who always is. The hooded man.

I can feel the last of the water find it's way to the corner of my mouth before running down my chin. His hand, his actual skin, warm and soft slowly brushes against my mouth wiping away the escaped water. His touch is gentle and soothing, calming my restless soul.

My instinct tells me that he wasn't the one who killed Richy or any of our elders. But than that begs the question; who did?

I open my eyes slowly to see the hooded man jerk his hand away from my face and slip his glove on. Quickly he stands up and begins to walk away before stopping at the door to look back at me.

"Thank you," I weakly say.

He nods and leaves the room, shutting the door behind quietly.

I bend over to the ground and lay down on my side, using my arm as a pillow.
For once, my mind floods with in answered questions since I've been chained in here. Where is Issy? Roxy? Danial? Adam? James? Are they okay?

As my head lands on my arm my eyes instinctively fall shut and my mind wanders aimlessly into the unknown.

Are they... dead?