Unravel

A scream filled the air, the tortured noise resounding through the abandoned buildings. Somewhere off in the distance, I'm sure some birds flew off in fear. I don't blame them. I would too if I could...

Another scream ripped from my throat as the cigar clipper was clenched around my finger again. Fun fact: I can regrow my limbs. It hurt, but they kept growing back. Yay me. Deep in my mind, I wished that they wouldn't so that my captors would just kill me already. Everything hurt and whenever I regenerated something, it was just a matter of time before it was cut off again.

I've been held here for so long now, all I knew was pain and screams and the sadistic laughs from the men who chained me to this chair. I assumed that Mr. Stark would have saved me by now, but it's already been days... My thoughts betrayed me and played images of him lazing around on a fancy beach somewhere with the other Avengers.

No. No, they would never do that to me. They would never forget about me. They had to be coming for me, they wouldn't leave me here. They were coming. They had to be...

Every time the door opened, I expected to see Mr. Stark standing there and apologizing for taking so long; or Captain America coming to break off my chains and call me son; maybe even Thor in all his Norse god glory... It just hurt so much more when it wasn't any of them.

"What's one thousand minus seven?" The man asked, moving around the side of my chair. I had learned early on that this was a tactic for keeping me sane through their torture, used only when they thought I was on the brink of losing it. I thought it was a joke at first... I had told them I hated math, and I'd much prefer a science question. They pulled out a tooth in response(which grew back in a day).

"N-Nine hundred and th-three..."

"Count backwards to one."

My breathing was ragged as I closed my eyes tightly, wishing to be anywhere than here as I started counting.

"Kill them..."

My eyes opened, the demonic voice ringing in my mind. What was that...?

"You pathetic child, kill them that hurt you."

"Wh-Who...?"

"Count!"

Another crunch and another scream, but no more strange voice. Was I really starting to lose it? Was the torture finally mounting up too high for my mind and destroying me? Was the counting failing? I was surprised it lasted this long.

The man left me, my 'session' finished for today. I was able to rest until my body healed at the bare minimum tomorrow. God, why didn't they just kill me already? They didn't even ask me questions! They just came in and tortured me then left. How was I supposed to get out of this if they didn't even ask questions?

"Why do you not kill them?"

I opened my eyes again, blinking as I looked around. I was no longer chained to the chair or in the room with blood everywhere. I was somewhere surrounded by red for as far as I could see. I turned around in a circle, trying to figure out what was happening. I didn't hurt... I wasn't bleeding and bruised either.

"I can do it for you."

My eyes drifted upward, seeing a figure in front of me that was covered in shadows.

"Who are you?" I was surprised by how strong my voice sounded. Like I hadn't just been screaming for days.

"I am you." They stepped out of the darkness, letting me get a look at their face. It was me... That was my body, but the whites of my eyes were black with red slits in the middle. "I will help you."