Story Ideas and Writing Prompts

Writing Prompt #7: Imprisoned

Trigger warning; first-person vavue account of assault in the last few paragraphs. You have been warned
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It was a normal morning, -was it morning?- and the guard -he, she? I could never tell.- outside had replaced the soft candlelight with the harsh, bright light of a lantern, slashing through the shadowy dregs of sleep seeping through my mind, leaving me awake and alone once more in the cold stone box of my home. I'd been here so long -days, months, years, decades?- but I didn't bother keeping track anymore. The first few times I scratched marks into the walls the floor, the wooden frame that made my bed, they'd be gone as soon as I woke. I sat up on my cot, and remained still, despite the rumbling growl in my stomach that had been growing louder over the last few sleeps.

How long had it been since I ate? I couldn't remember. I opened my mouth, and said to the guard, "I need food." Or I tried to, anyway. All that came out was a clattering, chattering wheeze, like the wind blowing a out of tune wind chime. -Did wind chimes need to be tuned?- I paused for a moment, mulling this thought over, mentally shaking myself when my stomach growled again.

I glared down at my torso, it's hunger had ruined my musings. What had I been thinking about? But then my head snapped upward at the creaking screech as the guard pushed upon the iron gate, and threw another prisoner inside. This person -male?- was pleading with the guard, and I frowned as their frantic voice -what words were these? What was their meaning? When had I last heard words?- echoed and rebounded from every wall of the nearly empty cell. The guard ignored him, returning to their place beside the door. The newcomer continued his pleading tears flowing down his face, leaving tracks in the dirt marring his face.

I felt myself stand, and I slunk towards this man, this sobbing mess who entered MY cell and ruined MY silence with his whimpering. I felt. . . Hatred? Yes, hatred. The warm flames filled me, burning away inside my head and filling my nose and mouth with smoke.

He seemed not to notice me, but I continued forward none the less, feeling my complaining stomach fill with excitement. "Food. Food! foodfoodfood" it seemed to cry, and I began to growl with it, pulling my teeth back from my long sharp teeth, and I felt glee as the man slowly turned to face me, his terror silencing him for just a moment before he whipped around to redouble his assault on the iron gates, and I pounced.

My tail thrashed from side to side in a frenzy, my ears flat against my head.

My fangs and claws ripped into the man, shredding him, allowing me to feast.

And then, I was satiated.