And now Halter's got to do some things...
Recap: He's been kidnapped, and held in a small room!!
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I let out a tight breath as the door opens again. The man enters again, along with another one with a softer face.
The man who took me smirks. “You can walk quietly, or we can carry you. Which would you prefer?”
I relax my grip on the knife and shove it into the pocket of the jacket. “I’ll walk.”
They flanked me as we walked down a darkened hallway, the wooden floor echoing underfoot. Then we emerged into a wide open cavern.
My eyes flickered around it, searching for the best way out. There’s none except for the pair of massive iron doors at the other end. They’re probably locked. I look up. I can climb trees reasonably well, so maybe I could climb to an exit up there?
Nope. The arched ceiling doesn’t appear to have any exits. I shrug, shivering at the colder air. Haven’t these people heard of indoor heaters?
It was much, much larger than the room I’d been in previously, and is brightly lit. A jumble of ropes and scaffolding waits in one corner. Other than the line of targets to my left, that’s the only thing in the room.
The man nudges me. “You’re fine. Go do whatever you want.”
I wanted to go home. I shiver in the chilly air, glad he told me to wear the jacket.
It didn’t look like that was an option. I study the mostly empty room for a while before selecting something.
That scaffolding-rope mess in the corner. I head over to it, studying the contraption.
It’s tall, and looks unwieldy. I step back, wondering what it’s for. Probably not for reading. I hear someone call out, “That’s for climbing on, kid!”
I bound onto the first level and feel it sway beneath me. It feels unsteady enough that I want to get off. But I think it might help me gain some respect.
So I stay on the unsteady structure and look for a way to go higher. I grasp one of the ropes and attempt to hoist myself up.
The rope burns my hands as I slide downwards, unable to carry my own weight. I guess I’m not as good at climbing as I thought I was. I have to learn how. There were mountains and the chasm that were likely between here and home.
I step away from the rope and survey the mess. To the top.
A hand on my shoulder distracts me from my goal. “Kid, you’ll need to use muscles you don’t have to get up there. Don’t waste your strength.”
It’s embarrassing to realize he’s right. But that doesn’t mean I want to believe it. I look back up. Seven stories high, and I can’t even get off the first one. I’ll have to wait for this one.
I sigh, jumping off the scaffolding. The pocketknife slaps against my hip. I pull it out, flicking the blade open.
The man points at a piece of wood riddled with gashes. “See if you can make it stick in there.”
I looked at it. Twelve meters away, and smaller than I would have liked. Okay. If I do this, would he let me go?
I fling the knife at the wood, watch it turn once in the air and then strike the target hilt first. It bounces back.
The man smirks, sliding a hand into his pocket. “Don’t feel too bad. It was only the worst technique I’ve ever seen.”
I go to pick up the knife. It had folded up on itself sometime between leaving my hand and landing on the ground, so I’m not sure if it was me missing or the knife failing.
The man motions for me to sit, and I do. “You’ll do nicely. We’ve got three months anyways.”
I didn’t want to do nicely. I wanted to go back to Remembrance, to Issac and Elizabeth. I glance at the door. He and the other one are the only ones in the room. I knew I was faster than the others my age. Time to go.
He grabs my arm as I attempt to rise. “You’re never getting out, understand?”
I knew the answer he was expecting- affirmative. But I was feeling rather annoyed at myself, so I said, “No.” The most rebellion I could get into a single word.
He growls quietly and hoists me off my feet. “We’ll fix that.”
I’m dragged down the hall and flung back into the room, the lock clicking into place. Keeping me captive.
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