The Chronicles of Andrainea: Darkness Falls

Drip. Drip. Drip. The constant drip drove me crazy. I did not know what time it was or how long I had been here. All I knew was that drip. That slow, steady drip. I slowly turned my head to see the source of my misery and all I saw was the puddle of liquid the drip formed. I finally turned my head upwards and a few feet above my head was where the drip was coming from. I saw the crack that ran the length of the cell I was in and could see where a wider crack was. As if the person who was here before me tried to pry out the aging cement to escape but all it done was create more misery for me.



I was more aware now of my surroundings. I could feel the scrape of the cold, rough cement beneath my naked body. I was numb from the cold and so I felt none of the bite the floor had. I slowly rolled from my side to my back and looked up at the only light illuminating my cell. If you could call it a light. The light was so dim that it cast long shadows all over my cell. It would flicker ever so often. Threatening to go out at any moment and leaving me in the solid, thick darkness.



I willed it to stay on. I could handle anything but the darkness. Strange things tended happen with the lights went out. I could hear the screams of others as "The Doctor" worked his twisted magic above me and I could smell the unwashed bodies that were all around me in the different cells. Sometimes if I was to close to the bars the other cellmates would try pull my hair out or try to bite me in the darkness. I tried very hard to keep myself in the center, but sometimes after the visiting with "The Doctor" I was to weak to crawl from the area they slung me to and I paid dearly for each time I did not.



My body was littered with scars and you could begin to see the bones protruding from my body. I didn\'t know how much more I could take. With each passing day that I did not meet up to "The Doctor\'s" standards I went without food and drink. I couldn\'t even remember now how many times I failed and how many times I passed. I didn\'t even know how many days truly passed if it wasn\'t for the moments of silence when I heard the others sleeping or when the guards would pass up and down the halls for the last time of the night. That was my only indication of time. Other than that, I had no idea how much time had past.



A shrill scream of a young woman was heard directly above me and I shuddered as I heard the others react. Some started singing. Others started banging themselves against their cells. Still others started howling and growling. As if they knew the pain the woman suffered and couldn\'t stand to hear her scream. It threw them into such violent mad fits that a lot of times the guards had to hose them down. I could almost here the clanking of keys and the order to turn on the hose. Any moment now water would come spurting out at high speeds. Knocking the restless prisoners down and quieting their rambunctious behavior.



"Hey, you forgot one." I heard one say.



"Heh. That one is about gone. The doctor had high hopes for that one." The other one said.



"Well, then it would make no difference if you sprayed it or not." Another said.



I heard the voices no more as I felt the cold water spray into my cage. I could almost feel it trying to shove my body up against the cold back wall of the cell I was in. I tried to will myself not to move. Just to take what they dished and pretend I cared not what they did. Eventually they would tire of my lack of reaction and leave me alone. It was like that every day. Spray me. Try to get a reaction. Which I would give none and then they would just leave. The other cellmates would laugh in the that twisted, maniacal way that told me they had truly lost their minds and I would just lay there drenched awaiting for death to claim me.



Yet, death never came and it only got worse. Each day I was here I was abused more and more. Some of the men would rape me before slinging me back into my cell. Others would beat me until I was nothing more than a bloody mess. Some even went so far as burning my skin and even cutting intricate patterns on me.



Of course each time they did I would heal. If I passed anything it was the accelerated healing part. I always healed. It did not matter how much damage was done to me. I always fucking healed. I wanted to die so badly, but I began to realize it was that healing ability that kept me breathing each day. I hated it. I cursed my fate and prayed that maybe one day "The Doctor" would screw up and just kill me all ready.



I could almost understand how the others turned to madness. It was an escape from the curse you were given. "The Doctor" called them gifts and I could almost laugh at the very thought of the word. Each one of us was cursed with an ability none had wanted and a life none had chosen.



I began to hear more shuffling and I heard the dreaded voice of my nightmares just beyond the door that lead to our cell area. I could also hear crying of the woman that was just experimented on and her begging not to throw her in here with us. That we were animals, mongrels and I could believe her. Each one of us was stripped bare. We wore no clothing, except the leather collars we were never to remove. The collars had tags that gave the doctors and guards a way to recognize whom "The Doctor" wanted next.



I didn\'t want to look as they brought the woman in. I could still hear her pitiful cries and her resistance into our own brand of hell. I almost smirked when she drew near my cell and I could hear her gasp. I knew she saw me. Broken and naked on the floor. I knew she could smell my unclean body and see all the scars upon myself. I might could heal, but they poured hot salt into my wounds to make sure I scared right pretty for them.



I could no longer resist and turned my glazed over brown eyes towards the woman. She was almost pretty this one. She had long blond hair, pink, pouty lips, and a figure most super models would kill to have. I wondered what she failed to be thrown down here with us? She was to clean and to perfect looking.



Oh well, time down here will rob her of that near perfection she sported and obviously coveted. Soon she will look like the rest of us. Broken, bare, and mad. I can almost hear her screams now and see the look on her face as she watched her body wither away to nothingness. She might be one of the few lucky ones and die before "The Doctor" could finish his experiments on.



I slowly began to register that they had not moved from my holding place and I slowly looked away. Hoping my lost interest will make them move away and leave me alone. Then I heard the words I dreaded to hear spoken softly and evenly.



"Bring this one to me. I have a new experiment I want to try." I heard him say.



"Yes sir. What cell would you like this one in?" I heard a guard say.



"This very cell. I have big plans for X." I could almost hear him grin in his twisted way that he does when he gets a particularly nasty idea.



I tried not to scream or even move when they opened my cell door. I heard the loud groaning of the door. As if it had not been opened in years and maybe that was true. I didn\'t know how long I was left here to rot in this place. I could feel rough hands grab on to me tightly and force me to my feet. I didn\'t resist, but I didn\'t make it easy on them either.



I would be punished. This I knew, but I didn\'t care any longer. All I wanted was death and yet, I knew "The Doctor" wouldn\'t grant me such a thing. I was his \'favorite\' toy here and I despised the label. I used the anger that was churning hotly in my stomach to fuel enough energy to get one arm loose and punch one of the guards in the face. I punched him so hard I felt the splattering of blood from his broken nose spray all over me.



I slightly slumped from the shear pleasure of it and I heard "The Doctor" chuckle softly. I turned my gaze to him as I slightly swayed on my feet.



"One day... I will kill you." I croaked out through a voice that sounded rough from miss use.



"Oh, I look forward to it my dear. However, I doubt very seriously it will happen, but all the same... you will be punished for this."



"Bring it." I croaked a reply as I watched the other guard get up angrily while holding his now broken nose.