KELLER
Time is the most valuable commodity in this world.
You can never ask for more. You can never get it back.
Life rushes by you in a blink of an eye, time eating you up whole.
But the funny thing about being captured and held prisoner?Timeis on your side.
You have a chance to observe, to take mental notes, to think about every second and how you would take advantage of your opponent’s mistakes.
Time actually slows down, and if you’re smart, you’ll use every minute to plan for the precise second you’ll seek your revenge.
And that’s exactly what I’ve been doing.
Every sound, every scent, every word uttered, I’ve committed to memory. I’ve replayed words over and over in my head so when I get out of here, I’m ready to use my knowledge against them.
Footsteps clop down the stone hallway toward my door, indicating a visitor.
I crunch down in the hay, curled like a feeble ball, shivering and pathetic.
Metal skeleton keys unlock the door. Two clicks.
The wooden, metal-bound door creaks open, flooding my meager cell with light, casting a hollow spotlight on me.
“Pitiful as always,” my keeper’s voice says. He’s the one appointed to take care of me. A peon with a distinct accent, the one who does the dirty work like feed me and empty the hole that is my toilet.
He’s harmless but helpful. Because after listening to him for several weeks now, I’ve been able to narrow down exactly where he’s from.
South Arkham.
“We need to hose you down. Fuck.” He walks over to me and sets a metal plate of food on the ground along with some water.
I remain still, softly breathing, slowing down my heart rate. He toes me with his foot, pushing me a few times.
“You alive?” he asks.
I grumble something unintelligible.
“Good. The boss wouldn’t want you dead.” I feel him lean closer. “Has the blood dried on your back?” He shines a light on me, and I remain as still as I can while he checks the whip marks from last night.
The first time they sent Banamaor in, I radiated with pain for days. Pain delivered by his evil hands, and pain from being stolen from my girl.
Now the only pain I feel is the distance from Lilly.Fuck, I miss her.
However,I don’t allow myself more than a few minutes a day to think of her. I need to remain focused.
Pain from missing her propels me forward.
Thispain gives me strength.
“Fuck, you stink.” He backs away. “The boss will be happy to know you’re more pathetic than ever. He has you just where he wants you.”
See, a peon.
Saying shit he shouldn’t be saying to me.
“If it were up to me, I’d just get rid of you, but the sadistic side to the boss loves seeing you weak.” He shakes his head and turns away.
