CHAPTER 3
1070 Words
Number 42’s POV
I almost snorted. These rags weren't what you could call clothes, but I managed to suppress the sarcasm I longed to spit at her and did as she asked.
Her face lit up at the sight of my naked body.
"You healed well! Wonderful! I'm running low on ingredients, so like all good suppliers, I must replenish the stocks. Only the highest quality ingredients will do." She continued merrily.
"Everything that I have sold in relation to you has received the most excellent feedback. It's so wonderful to have you as source material. My reputation is simply unbeaten, thanks to you."
I felt the voice inside growl in anger and it reverberated lowly in the depths of my chest. The audacity of this woman.
She frowned, almost as if she had heard the growl. If she had, then I was well and truly f****d.
"Well, number 42, that wasn't very friendly. Perhaps I'll play a little before i harvest from you this time." She cackled as she advanced towards me.
I felt the ghost of fear begin to rise as she came closer and I knew from past experience there was no escape from whatever she had planned for me.
She dragged me by the hair to the cold steel slab that lay in the middle of the room and smiled sweetly as she cast her magic that would hold me in place.
I could feel the pit of despair growing in my stomach again. I didn't know how much longer I could live like this.
As she sliced away at the skin on my arms happily, filling her little jars with pieces of my flesh, I laid there in silence. She wouldn't have the satisfaction of my screams, my terror or my tears.
My torturer moved to the other side of the table and inspected the areas that she was going to assault next. Before she could make the next incision, the lights went out.
I was surrounded by darkness once again.
I could hear her muttering about incompetence under her breath as the lights in the corridor began to flash alternately between white and red.
?She stashed her tools on the side and looked longingly at the area she had been about to slice into. She exhaled heavily before fixing a bright smile on her face.
"I'm not done with you yet, sweetling. I'll be back soon. Don't miss me too much!" She tittered happily, blowing me a kiss as she exited out the door and hurried down the corridor.
The spell she had cast remained in place, as I was unable to move. It was like being glued to the surface below you and compressed with a weight that you couldn't possibly hope to remove.
I wasn't sure how long I lay there, but the relentless flashing red light continued and gradually the sounds of snarling carried up the corridor.
I frowned.
That wasn't normal. It was always quiet.
I found myself able to lift my head and gradually the weight on my arms decreased and I was able to sit up.
'Well, this is new.'
"Indeed. I wonder whats going on."
My head snapped up at movement outside in the corridor.
The windows were mirrored and one way, I could see out, but the people outside couldn't see in.
The violent beating that the red-eyed brutes were taking in the corridor though was not something that I expected to see.
I watched open mouthed as the brute's face was smashed against the window, before he slid down slowly, revealing the aggressor as some sort of half wolf, half man. It sniffed the air tentatively before barrelling off to the left towards the cells.
My heart raced. Was this is it? Was this my chance to escape?
I crept along the corridors as quietly as I could.
The sounds of mayhem floated up behind me occasionally as I navigated this maze of corridors and rooms. The bodies of the henchmen littered the floors and blood splattered up the walls.
I couldn't imagine what was happening, and I don't think I wanted to find out.
'Perhaps she finally took someone who she shouldn't have.' The voice inside me whispered gleefully.
I snorted.
Wouldn't that be justice? I thought to myself ironically.
I had been there too long to think that the rescue was for me. I hoped they were successful in retrieving whoever it was.
I prayed that they made the b***h pay.
A door lay open in front of me, the enticing promise of light shining confidently from beyond.
'We should go that way. It smells fresh.' ?The voice said confidently.
"How would you know what fresh smells like? We've been here so long." I said sarcastically
'You might not remember. But I do. As if it were yesterday.' The voice whispered, full of nostalgia.
Dutifully, I approached the door, stepping over lifeless bodies and ascended the steps carefully.
A steady breeze wafted gently against my face as I pushed back the fear of running into my torturer as I attempted my escape.
I emerged into a light so bright that I again had to cover my eyes.
?As the air tinged with the acrid smell of smoke and the sounds of intense battle assaulted my senses, I tried to get my bearings, looking around cautiously.
?There were skirmishes as far as I could see. The only clear path that I could make out was towards a densely wooded area that was fenced off with a heavy metal panels, at least three times as tall as I.
My heart was beating furiously in my chest as I began to make my way over as quickly as I could, praying that I went unnoticed.
As I got closer to the panels, I saw an opening further up. The only issue was that there were multiple forms fighting furiously not too far away, the Primal growls and flashes of magic discharging reverberating in the area.
With any luck, they were too distracted to see me.
As I crouched close to the ground, making myself as small as possible, I edged closer. Slowly.
The enormous wolves and half wolf, half man beasts fought viciously, destroying the henchman and magic users that faced off against them effortlessly.
'Just a little more. We can make this.'
Suddenly, the huge white wolf turned to stare at the position I stood.
- Writer
