~Sam~
It was night already. I could tell by the darkness of the whole room. I blamed myself for not trusting my instincts but I knew all hope wasn't lost.
My stomach growled loudly when I perceived the savoury smell of Jollof rice from someone entering the room.
I couldn't make out whose face it was since it was dark. As he came closer, I noticed it was that guy that brought me in here- Kane.
He bolted the door and came towards me.

I felt annoyed when I remembered how I passed out. "It must have been him that drugged me from behind", I thought. He came close enough to me and removed the gag from my mouth.
"Shh. Don't make noise. I'm not here to harm you. You heard what Tiger said, you will not eat till you stop breathing. I don't know much about you but something tells me to help you. Here, I've brought you some food. Sorry, I can't unchain you at the moment. Please allow me to feed you", he said, bringing up some food near my mouth.

My heart raced. "Could this be my opportunity to get myself out of here? To call for help. Should I ignore Kane and shout? On second thought, I imagined the consequences of my actions. He would just knock me out with something before my voice could escape the door.

However, I couldn't also deny the fact that I was hungry. "This might be my last chance to consume something", I thought. But how can I trust him this easily? What if their game plan had changed, and they wanted to get rid of me fast by poisoning me?

I looked at the food in front of me, unsure of what to do. The aroma of the spices wafted up and tickled my nostrils, making my stomach growl. "Should I eat it or not?"

Then suddenly, an idea popped into my mind. "Why not ask him to take a handful himself?". I could see the steam rising from the dish, creating a mesmerizing dance in the air.

I looked at him, his eyes bore this honest look, but I was never going to let my instincts down again. "Why not go ahead and eat some yourself? How sure am I that you didn't poison it?" The clinking of the cutlery on the plate created a tense atmosphere as I tried to maintain a stern voice.

He looked at me and chuckled. "I didn't expect you to ask me that, despite the growl in your stomach," he said. The sound of his laughter resonated in the room, mingling with the darkness in the room.

He took two spoons of rice and ate, proving nothing was inside. The clatter of the spoon against the plate echoed in the room as he scooped up the rice.

"If I've wanted to poison you, I could have forced it directly into your throat. While taking the stress?" he mused, his voice a low hum amidst the other sounds in the room.

After I was assured in my mind that it wasn't poison, I ate every single bit of it as he fed them to me. I was really hungry. The sound of my chewing mingled with the clinking of the utensils as he served me.

He watched me with concern as I gulped the water he offered speedily. The sound of the water being poured into the glass reverberated in the room, mixing with the murmurs of the distant conversations outside.

"Why did you humiliate Tiger like that? Don't you know what he's capable of doing?" he asked, his voice breaking through the ambience.

I didn't need anyone to tell me that Tiger was the nickname of Titus. "What a bossy name!" I thought. The thought was almost drowned out by the rustle of the fabric as I shifted on the floor, my butt aching because of constant sitting.

"He fouled me. That's why?" I answered briefly, a slight rise in my tone. The tension was palpable in my voice, reverberating in the room.

Kane just shook his head. "Anyway, in your next life. If someone like Tiger should foul you, you should just wait for the referee's intervention," he said, as he gagged me back and left with the plate. The sound of his footsteps faded into the distance, leaving behind the lingering aroma of the meal.

~Kane~
As I came out, I saw Tiger standing beside the weathered wooden door. The warm rays of the flickering bulb cast a golden glow around him, creating a dramatic silhouette against the rusty hinges. My heart skipped a beat, and the sound of the clattering plate shattered the peaceful evening air. As I bent down to pick up the plates, I could feel the cold, hard ground beneath my fingertips while the distant sound of chirping birds filled my ears.

Different thoughts raced through my mind. The scent of freshly cut grass mingled with the earthy aroma of wet soil after a recent rain. "What if Tiger had overheard our discussion? He will just skin me alive," I thought, my mind racing like a wild horse. My thoughts came to a halt when I noticed the tiny earbud nestled within Tiger's left ear. A sense of relief washed over me, and I couldn't help but smile knowingly to myself as I stood up with the plates and went straight to keep them outside. Tiger gave me a confused look, but I gave him a reassuring smile.

When I was back, every member of our room was already present. I didn't care to join in whatever taunting they were doing to Sam. I just lay on my bed, thinking about how useless I was to this cult group. The musty smell of old books and a hint of lavender from a nearby sachet filled the air. "Tiger has bitten me. Now, I will have to make him pay for disregarding me," I thought, my mind clouded with a mix of anger and determination.