Its been roughly fifteen hours since Fourth was dragged from the boat and taken from Raion and Baskia. Fourth is now starting to wake, he positions himself upward against the wall, touching the large bump that had formed on his head. "What is this place? Where am I at?" He groggily says.
Over on the other side of Fourth was younger looking girl, with the room barely lit, Fourth could not make out the image of her. He just knew from the sound of her voice alone, she was much younger than he was.
"Shh, quiet over there. Do you want them to come back?"
"Who to come back? Where am I?" He pushes his hand up off the ground, standing up, he wobbles and catches himself against the wall. Damn whoever that was that knocked me out, hit me real hard. Still feeling dizzy.
"You are down under Dusty Lake." The girl says to Fourth.
"Under? As in under."
The girl stares dumbfounded at Fourth, her mouth drops opened, "Didn't you just answer your own question?"
All these questions are racing through Fourths mind, unable to figure out which one is the most important; he blurts them out all at once, not allowing the young girl a chance to answer one before he blurts out another question. "How we would have been turned to dust, and first off, where's the water? How is this even a thing?!"
"Again, please shut up. I don't have time to explain every little detail to you."
"But.."
"I said shut up!" Screams the girl at the top of her lungs, shoving Fourth back down to the ground, she looks at him with detest in her eyes; meanwhile Fourth is trying to wrap his head around everything that is happening. But before any one of them can do anything more, footsteps are heard approaching them. They get louder and louder with each step.
"Do you hear that?" It sounds like someone, no something is coming. These footsteps, why does it sound like they're walking on water.
"Shit, they're coming. Do as I say. Pretend you're asleep."
"But why?" Fourth again lays himself against the wall across from the girl.
"Just God damn do it. Now."
The girl rushes to lay down, turning her body towards the wall, she closes her eyes tightly; her breathing becomes shallower with each footstep that draws near, eventually her breathing is that of a soft whisper.
Whatever is coming this way, does appear all that powerful, I dont sense much magic coming from it, hold on.. there two of them. What are they?
Fourth slumps his body against the wall, shutting his eyes. Though he can sense theres no immediate danger, his body is still tense, his breathing is shaky alongside his hands are trembling. Pull yourself together. I can just picture it now.. Raion making fun of me for being like this.
In the distance the foot steps grew nearer, a faint shadow of a figure appeared slightly on the wall, wrapping itself around the corner of the hall. "I thought I heard something down here." Says the figure as it approaches the cell where Fourth and the young girl were being held captive.
"How could you have? They're dead, you see, they're not moving." It picks up a small rock laying on the ground, throwing it at Fourth. The rock hits Fourth on the shoulder, he holds his breath at the moment of impact, being sure not to flinch, then the falls off of him, rolling on to the ground on to the ground. "See. Nothing."
The two figures turn away from the cell,as that happens, Fourth opens his eye slightly, just enough for him to make out whats in front of him.
"But I swear I heard this vile human we caught was talking." It turns, back to look at Fourth, who tightly shuts his eyes.
"I told you they're dead. The dead can't talk."
"Okay, well, when are we going to eat them?"
The atmosphere in the room becomes still and silent but only for a moment. The figures have yet again turned their backs away from Fourth and the young girl. Fourth in pure terror and shock, can feel his hands and legs starting to tremble, and his eyes are bulging open in terror. He's looking right at the girl who seems to have this blank expression on her face.
"Master says at the end of the blood feast, we shall carve open these insolent low lives with the symbol of our freedom, and then we shall drink the blood from their veins."
"What about eating their organs? Are we still going to get to do that ?"
"Yes, but as you know, we save the hearts for our master. One day, his plan will come full force. Now, come, we must get ready."
They then walk back down the hall, turning that same corner as to which they come, leaving Fourth and the girl alone in their cell again.
"Fuck! Fucking Christ, what was that!?" He says jumping up from the ground, he takes the back of his hand wipes the few drops of sweat that had formed underneath his hair.
"Did you see those things? They... they werent human. It was like a species I have never seen, I thought the foot steps sounded odd. They are some subspecies of a fish. "
"We are their dinner. In two weeks' time, we will be fish food."
"How can you seem so calm about this?! We are going to get eaten! By fucking fish. This is supposed to be the other way around!"
"I have been here for three months, counting down the days till it happens. I was in shock, and for the past month, I tried to escape, but nothing. I pretend to be dead because it gives me a little bit of hope for what awaits me. Well, us now."
Fourth tightly grabs at the cell bars, aggressively shaking and kicking them. "We have to try something, anything at all! I can't wait here for two whole fucking weeks." He stops, taking in a deep breath, and wailing out, "Waiting to die!"
"I've told you there's no escape, no one is coming for you. Whatever friends you had, they're long gone. If they didn't see you get pulled in, they probably assume you fell over and the water turned you to dust. Or maybe just maybe they witnessed you get pulled down and they tried to save you, but as time went on. They and you faced the reality that they're never coming to rescue you."
"I still need to try. You may have given up all hope, but I havent. Im justing getting started here, I have friends and someone dear and close to me, waiting for me. Im not gonna just give up that easily. If you no longer have the hope and ambition left, I'll have enough for the both of us."
The young girl doesn't say a word, she sits there watching Fourth as he attempts to find any form of escape. Hours have now passed by.
"Have you given up yet?" Says the girl.
"No, not until my hands ache, I can no longer stand, and I'm on the ground puking my guts out. It will be when I give up. Till then, I'm still trying." Says Fourth with so much resolve in his voice.
Mere moments later, theres the same footsteps approaching Fourth and the girl.
"I think I hear something. I suggest you play dead." The girl like clock work, closes her eyes and lies lifeless on the ground. She had gotten so good at playing dead, you would have thought she was.
"Play dead? Why haven't I thought of this before! If they already think we are dead, then why are we in these cells? Fourth begins pacing back and forth in the cell, thinking of the reasoning and possibilities as to why these creatures would have him and the girl locked up.
"I haven't thought of it like that." Says the young girl.
Fourth stops dead in his tracks and asks the young girl, "What would they do if they found me alive?"
"I'm not sure."
"Then let's find out now, shall we?" Fourth says turning his head back to the girl with a devilishly amusing smile plastered on his face.
"Don't do this! You dont want to do this, listen to me!"
Laughing hysterically, Fourth turns back to face the cell bars. "Play dead, my friend, we have company coming."
The odd fish like creatures have now walked around to the holding cells and is in shock at to what he's witnessing. "This can't be how? You're still alive?"
"The better question is what are you afraid of? Why keep the dead locked up inside these cages if you know we're already dead?"
"The dead will rise when he rises. We must keep you in check."
"He? Who is he?" Fourth turns to look over at the girl. She gives him a look to say she's just as confused as he is.
The fish creature goes to unlock the cell door. "Come now," he firmly grabs hold of Fourth's arm with his wet and slippery fish hands and pulls him out of the cell. "You, there girl! Don't try anything, I've got my eye on you.
At the moment, Fourth thought to himself, He actually does just have his eye on him, I'm thinking of stuff like this when I'm probably going to be fish food for these fucking hybrids.
One of the fish creatures eyes were gone, all that was left was an empty hollow hole with prominent scaring around.
"Let's go follow me." He leads Fourth out of the cell. And follows behind the other fish creature.
"You're not going to make it back here! I just know it. I'll be left here to die alone!"
Fourth stares back at the girl and could see that she was terrified of what would happen to Fourth.
I could see the fear in her eyes. All that talk of nothing matters suddenly came flooding back to her. She didn't want to be left alone again. She was terrified.
The fish creature hit the back of Fourth's head, nearly knocking him forward. "Did we tell you to stop moving?"
With a deadpanned expression he answers the fish creature "Actually, no, you didn't."
"Don't get smart with us!"
The fish creature shoves Fourth against the wall, the side of his body smacking into it with a loud thump.
"I was merely just answering the question you asked." Fourth positions himself upright and in front of the fish creatures, holding onto the side of his arm.
"We never asked you a question!" The other fish creatures yells intently at Fourth.
"I just asked him one.", says the first fish creature.
"You did when?"
"Just a few minutes ago!"
In such a confidence and serious matter, he responds with, "That wasn't a question!"
"It was so!!!" Shouts the first fish creature.
"Why don't we ask him?" The second gish creature grabs Fourth by his wrist, pulling him in closer, while twisting his wrist back. "So whis right here, huh?"
Damn bastard doesnt have to twist my arm, its not going to help him get his response. No matter who I agree with, Im fucked either way. No sense in making things even more complex. Ill stick with the simple way out.
"Fine, but I know I'm right." The first fish creature says as he rolls his eyes back, crossing his arms over one another. He stands there acting all snooty, knowing he is right.
Fourth stared dumbfounded at these two arguing over what a question was. I can't believe these are the things that will potentially kill me.
A good few seconds have past, Fourth pulls his wrist away from the fish creature, glaring at him as his wrist gets loosened. The fish creature too shocked to realize what happened, just stands there.
Meanwhile, as this commotion is happening, the girl in the cell is watching every last moment.
He is powerful
Fourth now free of the fish creature has begun to answer their supposed question.
"I must say that what he asked was a question, and I answered his question. So, therefore, he is correct in all of this, and you there" ,he points at the second fish, "have the brain the size of a goldfish."
"Why, thanks, that truly means a lot to me."
Well, I rest my case. "Ah, you're welcome…" A puzzled look forms onto Fourths face. These two are idiots.
"Enough of this fucking around. Let's get going, we can't keep the boss waiting."