𝐓𝐰𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐅𝐚𝐭𝐞 ⸙

1.4 𓆩ᥫ᭡𓆪

Liam's night in the cellar was the bleakest hours of his life. His fingers throbbed enough to keep him awake for most of the night. If it weren't for the light streaming under the door at the top of the stairs, the darkness might have driven him mad.

He curled up against the corner of the room, shivering, and trying not to move his broken fingers.

Liam thought about his family and how worried they would be. He could picture his uncle sitting on the porch with a torch and his aunt yelling his name all through the night. They might have called the police, though Liam doubted they would check the institute.

After what felt like hours and hours and hours, Liam sat up and dared to stretch. He could barely see anything around him. The hard-concrete floor wasn't difficult to feel, reminding him of the grubby dungeons he was in.

He blinked in the darkness, seeing only the shapes of bars and the sharp stairs leading to a door that had been closed for hours. Liam guessed he had been in the cellar for more than seven hours. He wondered when the sun would rise, or whether he had missed it, or whether he would ever see the sunrise again.

He didn't have to think for long to find out. Soon after he sat up, a key rummaged in the lock. Liam pressed his back to the wall when light flooded.

The cellar, and a tall figure drifted silently down the stairs. Liam squinted in the light until he saw a familiar face. A woman with half a shaved head, dreadlocks resting neatly on one side, and curious eyes staring at Liam from the other side of the bars.

"Human," she said like she wasn't one of them, and shoved another key in the rusty lock. "It's time for you to go home."

Relief swamped Liam, and he felt warm tears prick the sides of his eyes. He blinked them away and cautiously stood up. He was thirsty, hungry, and bursting for the toilet. Though Liam didn't dare speak a word, not after what happened to his poor fingers. He hesitated in the corner as the woman pulled the bar door back and gave him room to pass.

"Come," she said, "I'll take you to the gates."

Still, Liam paused. He feared that as soon as he was close, she would hurt him too.

The woman could tell he was still terrified as he clutched his injured hand. "My name's Baela," she said with a smile. "What's yours?"

Her smile was sincere, unlike Jaiden's demonic grin. "I-I'm Liam" he whispered.

"Liam," Baela repeated, nodding slowly. "It's a pretty name."

Liam took a little step closer and Baela stepped further out of the way.

"I'm sorry that Jaiden did that to you. You should have been sent home yesterday. Will you phone the police and report us?"

Liam didn't expect her to ask. "No," he said, quickly shaking his head. He had to please her. If he angered anyone from the institute, Liam could say goodbye to the rest of his fingers.

Eventually, he gave himself enough courage to follow her up the stairs and back through the room full of red interior and board-games.

The sky outside was a display of oranges and pinks from the early morning sun. The air was crisp on Liam's skin and being outside let him hope for freedom. He didn't know when he would see the sun again. Being in the cellar filled him with horrible thoughts about the fate of his future.

Baela escorted him around the side of the building, towards the front. The vast old building went on and on and on. Guards now stood on the outside of every door they passed. Their eyes followed Liam with dead stares.

"So, why did you break in last night?" Baela asked, kicking her boots against the odd stone they passed.

"I was running from people" Liam spoke quietly, as always.