When the Darkest Secrets are all White

Chapter 11 - Contempt Cracks Composure

"Please..."

The voice begged, echoing across the expanse unimpeded. The reverb was hollow, empty. A simile for the help this voice would not receive.

It was alone.

"Can't you see this is already over!" the voice spat, blood coating the floor.

The voice's owner tried to bring his muscular body upwards but immediately fell to the floor as if gravity itself was admonishing him.

"I concede! You hear me, you freak?! I concede!"

The man's voice fell on deaf ears. The room was deserted. Completely blank. Completely white.

Except for one outlier against the inanimate walls.

The masterpiece could hear this man's cries perfectly clear; it was understanding them - was the issue.

You're so loud, the boy thought. Why are you screaming?

The man in front of him had beaten Kiyotaka plenty of times when he was an infant. Kiyotaka could clearly remember every single wide-reaching kick that connected with the side of his cranium, knocking him unconscious.

Why don't you just fight back?

Kiyotaka surveyed the man in front of him once more. His once olive tan skin was clammy, pale, and sickly. His face was coated with blood, spit, and snot, all congealing to create a disgusting mess. It didn't compliment the swollen shut left eye or missing front tooth. His face was an amalgamation of bruises and cuts, matching the rest of his forlorn body. The man's long combat pants covered his legs, showing no skin, but it was evident that he lacked the energy to stand. His working arm supported his half-crumpled state, whilst his other much more disfigured purple wrist was held over his chest, as if to protect his torso.

It's useless.

A resounding tap disrupted the momentary blanket of silence. Followed by another shortly after.

"S-stop!"

Tap. Tap. Tap.

"Stay back! It's over! You win!"

The rhythmic tapping stalled. The proprietor of the echoing taps cast his gaze towards an ordinarily looking corner of the white room. Waiting.

The petrified yet relieved man followed the young boy's gaze and was left greatly confused.

"Verbal cues do not suffice." Came the apathetic voice from that very corner. "Continue."

Kiyotaka's death-calling taps continued unabated.

"No, no, no! Stop!"

The man pleaded desperately as he shuffled back in great distress. His movements were slow and sluggish due to his internal and external injuries. If fully fit his escape would've lasted a lot longer, However, due to the previous circumstances he was trying to elevate his body from the ground only just making it onto all fours.

Just fight back. The boy thought as he drove his foot upwards into the man's stomach.

The man vomited onto the ground on contact and was sent tumbling down to the surface once more.

"Ughhh...ah."

The sound of retching was continuous. It sounded as if he was trying to cough up his own organs. Like his body trying to decontaminate itself of damaged and harmful parts. No time for a single breath, involuntarily choking himself to death.