Scarlet Soul

Chapter 1: Convict

Edrich did not dislike the dim lighting in the cell. The lack of illumination allowed him to imagine a starry night where the gray ceiling was and two moons instead of the small candles standing shyly by the door. The wooden shelf identified by one of the guards as a bed provided him with the means necessary to watch this scenery while lying on his back and enjoying the illusion he created to escape a boring reality.

Despite his young age, it was not the first time the boy found himself behind bars: he had already been framed for murder in the past. Regardless, saying that Edrich was accustomed to the concept of confinement would have been a lie; the heavy atmosphere, the stuffy air and the chill that ran down his spine every time he dared think one hour into the future... they were all becoming increasingly unbearable. He was, as much as he wished he could deny it, a mere human. The boy was just as terrified as anyone else would be in this situation.

Edrich was the only person locked up in seclusion. The prisoners brought there with him were separated into groups of four and put in larger cells with better conditions- cold water, fresh air, sunlight, food and company. The boy was granted none of the privileges listed above: there was no window in his cell to allow even a single ray of light to infiltrate the room or let the cold spring air inside. No food or water were provided and no man even walked past his room during the whole period he was sealed in it.

The prisoner knew very well that he was the one to bring said misery upon himself. Had he not been a slave to his curse, he would have (at the very least) found himself in a cell with three others and with the supplies he needed to survive. Edrich was sleep-deprived, injured, hungry and upset; he almost wished that the guards would come for him next.

Almost. As said thought popped into his mind, a guard unlocked the heavy door and Edrich realized that he was completely unprepared. The penalty for murder was crystallization and even a fool could tell that a body as weak as his would not be able to withstand it. For most, it was just a final warning; for him, it was the death sentence.

"Get up." The man who was to lead him to his death (quite literally) was the one who suggested that the boy is separated from the other captives. When all prisoners arrived in the prison, their names were asked of them: some gave their real ones, some lied, but the only person who refused to reply was Edrich.

When they hit him, he screamed. When they electrocuted him, he cried. When they asked for his name again, he said nothing. The frustrated men who failed to force a single word out of a thirteen year-old could not bear the humiliation. After a short debate, they had him thrown into the tiniest cell the prison had to offer. Edrich had no visitors since, which was why he did not know how to react to the guard pulling him towards the corridor sloppily.

At this point, the guard didn't even attempt to make the boy speak. He did not know whether Edrich was extremely stubborn or simply stupid and frankly, he couldn't care less. This child was to die either way. There truly was no reason for him to state his name, for names were a valuable thing in this world- after all, knowing one's name was the first step to controlling them.

And so, the two walked through the dark halls of the dungeon. There were countless obstacles on the ground and the guard leading Edrich could not help but wonder how the boy never tripped over any of them- he refused to believe that the boy could see much through the thick cover of his blue hoodie. Edrich walked with his chin pointing downwards but there was still some vague hint of pride in the way he moved, grace that was unnatural for a boy his age. Even when faced with death he somehow seemed dignified.

The tall man was slightly alarmed by the boy's ghost-like presence. There was something... Terribly grim about the child, but he couldn't put his finger on it. It was days later that he finally realized what it was: it was the silence that accompanied his steps, the calm and slow breaths leaving his nose. Generally, it was as if the child was already dead.