The Quil: Captured

A forced dryness takes over my mouth as something tickles the base of my tongue, I gag. My lungs claw at the back of my throat, grasping for air. I breathe through my nose, the smell of blood takes my brain, but the uncomfortable choking sensation dulls. A damp and sour cloth pulls at the corners of my mouth, further aggravating my already sensitive skin. My vision is losing focus but the darkness is so thick I'm not sure if it's dizziness or a hidden sunset. The ghost of a gale of wind slams the wall I sit against, pain rushes down my spine pushing what little air I had out in a gasp.

I inhale through my nose again, my sense of smell assaulted with rust and blood, but there was air- stale and dusty air. My insides turned, my stomach lurched and rough bile burned like acid and clung to the cloth like a man clinging to rope on a cliff. The taste of missed meals lingered in my mouth. A salty tear fell to my cracked lips, Help me.

A surge of strength went through my body and I threw my weight forward as hard as I could. The wooden flooring groaned and a small pop echoed through the room. I pulled at my arms in vain causing the plastic of my binds to cut further into partially healed wounds. I cried out against moist fabric. Screaming with all I could. I wanted fury, I wanted power, but my face grew wet with desperate tears.

Heavy boot falls cracked through the room from the right. A deep sigh came from above me, "A'right, a'right, up we go." Rough hands grabbed at my binds, liquid heat oozed from my wrists in return for the pressure applied. I cried out and was thrown roughly back in response, my head snapping back against soft wood creating black spots in my vision.

"Don't werry love, you'll get yers soon enough." A dark chuckle mockingly danced in my ears. His bones popped as he crouched in front of me, his large shoulders played pedestal to a small bald head and all I could see in the darkness were his yellow eyes and white teeth. He wasn't smiling at me, it was more of a grimace as he studied me. "Not sure why she wants ya ayneeweay." His calloused palms were rough as he took my chin in his hand, "Eh." he shoved my face to the left, with a groan and another pop he was back on his feet.

I kicked at him as he walked over me, he smacked my foot away only grumbling in response, "Slag."

I let a muffled scream loose, "Awe shut et."

I screamed again, swinging my heels down on the floor causing a small break in the wood. My head fell back against a rotting wall while tears-falling vicitm to gravity- rolled down my cheeks. How long would I be in this hell?

With a quick step my way, a swing of his hand, and a slapping sound that never registered- things went completely black.

***

"She's in the dining room." Heavy boots shook the wooden floor and woke me from unconsiousness. A light clicking of heels traveled with the deep belowing sound creating a nasty harmony that sent chills up my spine as I waited to see who came through the doorway.

Red.

That is all I will remember of her, of course there is the giant man all in black next to her, but all I will rember of him is his sand paper hands. She was tall, I'm not sure if it was that way because of her heels or because of my point of view from the floor, but it seemed like she could stand her ground against the man beside her. Her face was soft and her eyes were harsh. It was like looking at an elegant picture frame wrapped delicately around a painting of angry flames, the fire destroyed any kindness that could have found life in her round cheek bones. If I had seen her on the street, I would have thought her beautiful- not enough to turn heads, but enough to strike jealousy in my stomach.

However, we aren't on street passing by one another, never to see each other again. She was my captor and her eyes had the devil dancing in them.

She released me from her gaze and turned to the dark man, "You're sure she's the one?" He shrugged in response, that didn't please the demon woman. "Why would you take her without being sure!" There was unnatural fear in the undertones of her voice, a small bit of panic that just didn't fit.

A figure came up behind them, the shadows hid his face but I could see a glimmer of the green apple he brought to his lips. There was a fresh crunch and rude response, "Your crystal thing responded to her, she didn't put up much of a fight though."

With a click and a crack, she adjusted her position, opening to my third guest, "What do you mean, 'responded to her?" And just as quickly as the shadow had come, the apple man was gone.

An odd moment passed, the red woman crossed her arms and took the time to study me once more. She must not have found anything too interesting because her eyes only grew angrier. In a world of pictures and internet, you'd think she would recognize me, I wonder if the glamor I was able to scribble out when I realized I was being followed was still in place. I might just luck out of this one.

A sharp pain interrupted my thoughts, I jerked to the right as a late response. The shadow was back and he had thrown a rock at my side. No blood had been drawn thankfully, but I was going to bruise. With a clunk, it rolled to my right and stopped hard agains the wall. The three evils watched as it sat next to me, it looked like quartz. Typical magic crystal looking thing. The followers of Cronos seem to be losing their touch though, because it did nothing in my presence. My glamor isn't that powerful, I can't trick the powers of gods. The red woman sighed, "How did it react to her?" she was impatient now, as was I. A new kind of panic entered my stomach: what would they do with me when she decides I am useless?

The man in black responded, "It-ya know... it did tha thing." I am surprised her glare did not set him ablaze, "It became smokey fer a moment."

Her hands came to her face before sliding to rest on the back of her neck, "Were you, by any chance, in a crowd?" neither man responded, the shadow hunched and the man in black averted his gaze. "Get rid of her."

Fuck.