Chapter 1
Drip, drip, drip.
That’s all we ever hear until the doctors come. Then we hear screams. Our screams. I don’t remember much before being confined to my 6x4 concrete cell. I only remember darkness and then the dripping sounds that seem to echo around us as if we are standing in a dark, hollow cave and yet I know I’m in no cave. How do I know that? Well I’m not alone. The only upside to this misery is I seem to have made a family. You see I’m number 2 but in the cells next to mine contain 5 others, all who suffer the same but in slightly different ways. We’ve never really met apart from the small hole at the booth of our cell doors which have bars down the gaps, much like the ones that we have each side of our cell. Our only comfort for each other.
“Two? Are you awake?” I look over at my left window gap in my cell to gaze at number 3. He’s always the gentle one. The one who seems to calm us all down, well nearly all of us anyway.
“Yes” I manage to croak out. I’ve only just gained consciousness. It was my turn with the doctors and it was tougher than normal. You would think that after 10 years I would of mastered the pain but it never lessens and they only make it worse.
“You were gone longer than normal. What happened?” Ah it seems 4 is worried. He thinks something is going to change. Our ‘tests’ are becoming more frequent and to be honest, they seem to be more brutal almost like they are loosing patience.
“Nothing new to report. Just a bit of blood and friendly donations. Nothing we haven’t had before, although they were setting up some kind of panel room near the observation room.”
“Well that’s not good” I couldn't help but smile at the obvious sarcasm in that voice. 5 was my sister. It got difficult when you only had two girls amongst a group of four boys.
“Don’t fight. It’s pointless to argue. You know the only way to survive down here is together.” 6 always the voice of wisdom. He had a brilliant mind. Truly he was our strategic leader. All the escape plans we’ve tried have been thanks to him. Hell some almost worked to. My thoughts are interrupted by a warm hand grabbing mine on my right. 1 is laying on his stomach watching me. Always watching me. He never spoke and yet somehow I could always understand him. I can’t see much in the these cells but I can always see his beautiful blue eyes which right now knew I wasn’t fine.
“Okay so I hurt but that really isn’t anything new. You know this is what they do.” I almost laugh at the scowl that takes over his face but instantly tense when I hear the guards heavy footfalls on the damp, cold concrete. Then the jingle of keys alert his presence and his target. My door is swung open and I crawl backwards hoping for a reprieve from the pain but I’m not so lucky. The guard grabs my foot and all but drags me out of my cell and chains my wrists and ankles at the door. I can distantly hear my family banging on their own doors and yelling my name demanding answers as I’m dragged by my arms back down the corridor but the pain is still there from my last ‘visit’ and I don’t have it in me to remain awake through it any longer but I do hope to wake up again if only to fight back for my family one day and escape this living hell.
