Elements-Paused

Fourteen

I've been sitting in this cold, dark cell for what feels like hours. My hands are tied behind my back but I'm not tied to anything. The person who spoke to me hasn't spoken and I feel like they are gone, but I don't make any noise just in case they do slit my throat.

"She's in there." The same person says. I don't turn to see who it is because all I see is black and very faint outlines of things. I hear heavy footsteps coming closer to me.

"Look at me." Someone orders. His voice is full of darkness. I don't turn to look at anyone because I can't and I don't want to. My head feels heavy and it hurts to move it. I keep looking at the faint outline of a wall.

"Look at me!" They say again. I shake my head slightly which causes me to wince and try to move away. They grab me by the shoulders and jerk me to look at them. I cringe at my head. I see a faint outline of a body in front of me.

"That's better." They say. "Now, tell me where Christin is."

"Who?" I ask confused, my voice weird.

"Christin Waker. You know her!" They yell at me in my face.

Christin Waker? Who's that? I ask myself. I remember someone mentioning that name to me but can't picture who.

"I don't know who that is." I say to the ghost of a face.

"You know exactly who she is." They spit.

"No I don't!" I spit back at them. They stay silent then they shove me to the ground.

"Useless." They say as they move away from. I stay on the ground waiting for them to leave.

Who's Christin Waker? I ask my thoughts as my cell door slams shut.

"Psst." I stay laying on the ground with my hands tied behind my back.

"Psst." I hear. My head shoots up and looks around at the darkness to find the voice.

"Psst." It comes again. I move towards my right and bump into a wall.

"Hello?" I ask quietly,

"Madi?" The voice asks. I recognize the voice and picture a white headed girl.

"Winter?" I whisper excitedly through the thin stone wall.

"Yes it me." Winter says. "Where are we?"

"I have no idea, but someone came and asked me about Christin Waker. I have no idea who that is." I explain to her. She sucks in a breath and doesn't answer. "Winter?" I ask. The next thing I hear is screams coming from behind the wall.

"Sorry!! Please!!" I hear Winter beg.

"Winter!!" I scream.

"Shut up!" The same voice orders.

I disobey and keep screaming for Winter.

"Quiet!!" The voice orders. I quickly stop screaming and so does Winter. "So much better. Now tell me about Christin Waker."

"I...don't know.......anything!" Winter says in between sobs.

"One of you has to!" The voice says. I hear a thud and hear a door slam shut and Winters quiet sobs.

"I need information before killing them." The voice says as I hear footsteps fading away.

•*•*•

It feels like days being trapped in here. The same person comes in and asks me who Christin Waker is and then when I don't share anything they shove me to the ground and goes to Winter. He does the same but hurts her. Then after he leaves, Winter and I talk as quietly as possible until someone different comes in and gives us water and some mushy food.

"Open the doors!" The same voice orders. I get ready to be picked up and questioned. They pick me up and their grip tightens.

"Put me down!" I scream at him. He doesn't listen and carries me somewhere. I hear Winter call for me. He then drops me to my feet and my knees buckle.

"Stand up and follow!" They order. I stager to my feet and try to follow. I bump into a wall and fall to the hard floor. I push myself up again and try to focus my eyes. I can finally see clearer outlines of walls and people. I see someone walking away and follow them. I try to find any exits but we just keep walking. I start to hear heavy footsteps behind me and turn around to see two people walking behind me.

"In hear." The person deep voice says and pushes me into another cell. He comes in to and pick me up for our normal routine. But instead of pushing me to the ground after him questioning me, he grabs a shape from his pocket and slices my forearm. I try to hold back my tears but the scream comes. He cuts again in the same spot and I try to wiggle out of his grasp. Tears end up escaping my eyes and fall down my cheeks.

"Hold still!" He orders. I keep moving and he cuts right beside the bigger cut.

"AHHHH!!!" I scream at the top of my lungs as my vision gets blurry.

"It isn't here." The person says and drops me to the ground. He walks out and slams the door. I lay on the floor breathing heavy.

"Are you ok?" A quiet voice asks. I turn my head to look around for the voice.

"What?" My voice cracks.

"Are you ok?" The voice replies. The voice is higher pitched and more angel like than the deep voices I have been hearing.

"Yeah-no." I say turning my head the other way. I see a figure against a wall.

"You'll be ok." They assure me.

"Who are you?" I ask.

"My names Emerson. I'm an Earth. I'm a slave for him. I am kept in here to sleep and then during the day I do things for him. Who are you?" Emerson says.

That's cruel.

"My names Madilyn, umm.....can you see in here?" I ask.

"No. Only Darks can see in the dark really well." She replies. I start to think of her answer to my questions. "You're probably wondering how I can see.....well the Darks that work here use their darkness on my eyes to help me navigate the hallways and see."

"How long have you been a slave?" I ask out of curiosity.

"My whole life. I think I was born here and my mother died so I took over her job as soon as I could and I have no idea who my father is but I hope he is alive so maybe I can meet him one day." Emerson explains.

"You two shut up." A voice orders from outside the cell.

"You got it Rodger." Emerson says enthusiastically. I hear a deep chuckle from the Rodger person. My eyelids start to close when something is heard. The door opens and someone throws in a girl. I see a glimpse of white and know immediately it's Winter. She lays of the ground sobbing quietly and the door slams shut. I wait for a few seconds to speak.

"Winter." I say. Her head shoots up and looks around. "It's me Winter." I say.

"Madi?" She says.

"Who's this Madi person? Isn't her name Madilyn?" Emerson asks.

"Who's there?" Winter asks panicked.

"Her names Emerson. She's a slave." I say to Winter and Emerson explains everything.

"Shut up!" Rodger orders.

"Got it!" Emerson says. I hear her trying to get to the ground. I soon make out that she is attached to the wall with handcuffs. I then turn my head to see Winter on the ground already, with her hands behind her back, trying to sleep. I do the same and my eyes shut this time.

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