adjective ~ unable to see

POLLUX

It was dark.

Again.

Every day in this place, it was always dark.

At first, I panicked. My arms were shackled, and wolf and clothes were gone. There was a distinct emptiness between the two of us, and then my eyes... I was blind, but I couldn't feel anything covering my head. There was a dampness on my skin that I was privy too, but everything felt... normal.

I had no idea where I was or how I got there. But then my memories came back, and I remember Harriet betraying me.

She must've not been a friend this whole time. Was she planted in my way to entice me? Did they have my face strung up on a wanted poster?

Why me?

Then, as the realisation that I cannot trust anybody settled in, so did the cold in my bones. I ached everywhere and slowly started to lose hope. The more that hope vanished, the further away from reality I fell. My solitary boredom was making me feral. Something was around my wrists, and a taut chain bound me to the ground.

I was going insane sitting here in the dark. How did they take my sight? What did they do to me?

I was getting thirsty, and my shouting for help silenced me. Lack of hydration was settling in, and I was growing weary, my mind dizzy. I wasn't sure if I was up or down; the darkness surrounding me was my only companion.

As time passed in silent darkness and my mind spiralled, things eventually happened. I soon learnt to use my other senses. Hearing was impossible beyond whatever room I was in, and my sense of smell only got me so far. However, then doors opened, and people started to enter. But even then, I could not see.

They'd enchanted me, I was certain of it. Or I just didn't have eyeballs at all.

Either way...

These odd-scented people would force me to the ground as they stabbed me with something to immobilise me. I would scream and fight. I would lash out and curse murder for them to let go of me.

I declared my innocence, begged for mercy.

I told them I wouldn't ever tell a soul what was happening if they just let me go.

I think I broke somebody's shoulder, or nose, I wasn't too sure.

They tied down my ankles next.

If I wanted to piss, I had to ask permission. But my throat was hoarse from shouting, and sore from lack of nutrients.

I threatened them with a venomous tone so sharp it shocked me as it escaped.

But nothing worked.

Nothing stopped them.

If they had to paralyse my fight, it took me days to move after. Eventually they broke a bone, and it silenced me, as I realise how overpowered I was.

I soon learnt to not fight them.

For days, hours, weeks, however long I have been here, I learned the hard way.

I needed my health, and what little strength I had left, to get out of here.

Speaking of...

The door opened, scraping across the floor. Only one person entered today, a sign that I think they trusted me. That or they recognised the lack of fight in my bones. But to be fair, between the broken shoulder, the stabs of needles, and the fact my hands and feet were shackled, they didn't give me a lot of options.

As the scent of my blood filled the room like every time it did, I just let them take it. And I've learnt that letting them take it without restraint gave me benefits.

The moment the needle slipped from my skin, I sighed with relief.

That was today done. It was swift, despite being non-consensual.

"Food." The male voice grunted. "Eat it."

I blindly fumbled, grabbing whatever was forced at me. There was a clatter of a hard tray, and I couldn't help but find it interesting how they gave me something that could be used as a weapon today.

The food felt firm, yet doughy, and bringing it to my nose, I found it was bread with something dairy inside of it. Although stale, it sated the growing pains in my hunger. My stomach clenched at the sustenance, unhappy with the emptiness I felt inside.

It has been a while since I tasted something better than butter and bread.

Water came next, a cup forced into my hand that I drank leisurely. It was never enough; only the right amount to keep me alive. They wanted me to want more; food was a weapon, and these people knew it.

The aches in my bones grew as the hours passed. Force to the ground, I couldn't move. They didn't want to taint my blood with medicines, so I lay aching every night as I slept. But at least I was fed.

At least I wasn't dead.

Yet.

***

Something was different.

They were getting lazy.

The past few times that they have sucked my life source from my body, they didn't even seem to care. They left the door open the past three times; I could feel the breeze on my skin and hear voices down the hallway. The smell of food grew stronger too; and I recognised beef and gravy today.

But I didn't get to try it.

Today they didn't even hesitate in their approach, not afraid of me anymore. I knew I wasn't a large male, and hardly the most intimidating out there, but come on, I could still bite them.

I felt sorry for the girl that drew my blood as she sucked in a sharp breath. But she also untied my ankles. She didn't even hurt me, and actually took care of the needle as it entered my skin. And yet, she may die just like I may. It could go either way.

Thanks to the food and the constant supply of water, it was almost being like in a hotel.

I just needed a bed and a bath, and it would be no different!

Inwardly rolling my eyes, I could practically taste the freedom on my tongue.

Just another rest, another day or two, and I could get out of here.

***

Today was it.

I was going to get out of here.

The moment that door opened came the muted scent of the person tending to me. I tensed, ready to fight my way out of it. But then more came, and as the room filled with various heartbeats and scents, my fight dimmed.

I wasn't Phoenix, or Sean. I couldn't fight four of them.

Two pairs of hands grasped me by the armpit, forcing me to stand on wobbly legs. I hissed, trying to jerk away from them as my broken bones screamed in protest.

I couldn't stand for long; I learnt that the hard way last night.

Another kicked out the back of my knees and, with a startled cry, my knees hit the floor. The person behind me snickered. Inhaling deeply, I noted the four different male scents. All the scents here were strange, but they all had a similarity. They must use the same scent muter to make it harder for me to recognise them; or for them to be found.

"Let me go." I murmured.

But they ignored me, shouting loudly amongst themselves as they dragged me down the halls. My feet were bare and scraped the floor painfully, my shoulder burning with strain. I couldn't catch my footing; they were moving too quickly.

My blindless plagued my soul, a heavy horror that left me vulnerable.

I didn't like it when they forced me into a room that echoed, and pushed my hands onto a cold surface. Fingers spread, I felt around as much as I could, finding it was tiled. And then something miraculous happened; they removed a shackle.

I acted as quickly as I could, pulling back my arm and shooting it forward into the heavy breath of the person beside me. With a startled shout, they collapsed to the floor. My lips curled into a sadistic grin, about to move away before somebody else collided into my back. I hit the floor with a groan, and they pulled my arms behind my back, their knee digging into my shoulder blades.

"You fucking move and I will break the other one." He spat.

"Where am I?" I hissed, wincing.

He chuckled. "That doesn't matter."

The growl in his voice spoke warning, and I tensed as his nails dug into my wrists.

"Careful." Somebody else warned. "You break him, then his blood will get worse again."

Again?

"What have you done to me?" I growled.

The cuffs on my wrists burned again, but I cared little for silver. Thankfully, lycan blood seemed to repel it better than werewolf blood.

"Your sight or your obvious lack of control?" The sturdier voice chuckled. "Pollux, you don't have to worry about such things."

"How do you know who I am?"

"I would be a fool not to." He humoured. "Everybody knows who you and your entire family are. When we heard you were on 'vacation' we thought we'd try to find you. You move fast, Pollux, but it didn't take us long to find you. You grew lazy."

Something about his voice... It seemed so very... familiar.

"I wasn't running from anything." I hissed.

"You seemed to leave Arleybay with that intention in mind." He stated.

Arleybay.

My blood ran cold with the reminder, and my mind screamed at me to listen. But then the man on my back moved and heaved me up with a pained shout. The scent of a human male invaded my senses, vulgar and warm, as he grew dangerously close to my face. His hand curled into my hair, tugging it to the side until I couldn't move.

"Your sacrifices will do us all a favour, Pollux." He murmured, and I flinched. "You should do well to shut up before it gets worse."

Sacrifice? I wasn't sacrificing anything but my fucking honour.

I wish I could spit in his face, or kick him in the balls. I wish I could do something, but with my mouth as dry as a brick, my arms tied and my legs weak, I was fucked.

"Clean him up."

Someone yanked my head backwards, and I recognised him moving away. I honed onto his scent as he left the room, trying to force my nose to pick up the hidden scent. Completely oblivious to what the two men were doing to me, I didn't snap back into reality until my boxers were removed.

"What the fuck!"

"Oh, shut up. We will not touch you."

I could picture the eye roll and growled sharply. "Then why am I fucking naked? And tied to a fucking chair?"

"Makes this easier."

Makes what easier?

My head was yanked backwards again, my internal question answered as a buzzing filled the air. Horror settled in my stomach, and I jerked in my chair as it grew near.

"No, please." I begged. "Please don't."

The man behind me chuckled, my gift flaring at my panic. It wanted out; it wanted to be free. It wanted to recognise these people. But even in my panic, I wouldn't let it. I swallowed that lump in my throat, trashing in the chair to escape.

"Stay still or I'll scalp you." One hissed, pushing my bare shoulder into the chair.

Tears brimmed in my eyes as the buzzing vibrated my skull. My entire worth shattered as my hair crumbled to the floor. I felt it brush my shoulders with a faint goodbye, leaving me cold and lonely. With my head shaved and my mind exposed, I slumped forwards.

"See, didn't take long once you sat still." The same one laughed. "Now, bath time."

Naked, vulnerable and now drenched, somebody forced a pair of trousers up my damp legs. I robotically let them change me, all too aware of the breeze on my scalp.

They cut my hair and took my dignity. I was exposed and used as nothing more than a source of... whatever the fuck they wanted. Blood? Power? Medicine? Were they experimenting on me?

Either way, as they locked me back in my dark room with nobody but myself and my quiet wolf, I realised perhaps I wouldn't get out of this after all.