Technical Support

Chapter 34

How long had it been? How much time had passed? How much longer are they going to keep her there?

With no windows or natural light, her construct of time seemed trivial.

Ayano had drifted in and out of consciousness more times than she could count. Forcing herself to stay awake, but ultimately succumbing to the sweet relief of darkness. Every time she awoke, a new wave of pain presented itself.

Since she had been kidnapped and brought to the warehouse, she had amassed several more broken bones, numerous burn marks, new cuts, bruises, and scars.

Her energy was already at its last resources, having no food or water to replenish her life force.

In retrospect, Ayano probably should have behaved differently to ensure her own safety to an extent but she didn't regret a single thing.

Throughout the torture, she hadn't uttered a single sound of discomfort. No yells, no shouts, no grunts, no cries. It was the most difficult endeavor she had ever embarked on, her lips covered with dry blood from her biting into and breaking the skin to keep from shouting. It was lucky that she hadn't bitten off her tongue by now. She wasn't even sure how she managed to pull through it all. Probably the adrenaline.

It might have been a foolish thing to do, but she would sooner kill herself before giving them the pleasure of hearing her scream.

They could do whatever they wanted to her.

In fact, she was so determined not to show them weakness that in their last visit, she had laughed in their faces. With each punch, each kick, each cut, Ayano laughed harder, goading them. Not only that, but it also had probably helped to keep her mind off of the pain.

It was because of this insubordination that Ayano was currently hanging, suspended from the ceiling. A thick rope was looped around her neck, the coarseness digging into her skin.

Her body had been raised just barely enough that she wouldn't be hung to death, the tips of her toes scraping against the floor here and there as her body lightly swung from her efforts in trying to get her feet to fully touch the ground.

Her throat was burning, air circulation becoming increasingly scarce. Drops of blood fell to the floor as her wrists behind her bled. The rope around them cut into the skin as she futilely tried setting her hands free.

She was in agony.

Ayano had welcomed darkness repeatedly to escape the pain, but she couldn't this time. If she did, there was a good chance that the darkness would become eternal.

Suddenly, the rope was cut from a thrown knife. Her body crumpled to the ground. Her mind was incredibly foggy, but she faintly heard a crunching sound as her body made contact with the concrete.

Amazingly, she managed to hold it together, preventing a scream of pain from being released. Even if she had tried, she doubted any sound would come through, given how dry her throat was.

The loop of the noose was still wrapped tightly around her neck, but it was far better than before.

"Rise and shine, sweetheart." She heard a dull voice say.

Rise and shine? Was it morning? Which morning? How many mornings had passed?

Ayano didn't even have the energy to raise her head to look at the man. Her body simply laid there, motionless. She felt several footsteps nearing her body.

"Ohhh! You poor thing! Here, let me get that for you!" Toga exclaimed. Ayano felt immediate relief as the rope was cut, air finally flowing properly. The knife had actually nicked her throat in the process, but it was such a small feeling compared to what they had already put her through that Ayano barely even noticed.