“Is there a chance I could possibly get a shower someday… like soon… maybe?” I goaded, completely unfazed by their need to instill fear in me. I wasn’t scared of them. I knew I should’ve been, and there was probably something seriously fucked up in my brain for me not to be, but they hadn’t done anything other than belittle me.
“A golden shower maybe?” the man joked, even though I was sure he wasn’t kidding.
“No thank you, asshole…” I muttered under my breath throwing myself against the dirt covered wall. Where were we exactly? There was no way they could keep me in here forever. Someday, I would have to be released, right? Or would they keep me down her? Would they kill me? Anxiety crept up on me fast. What if I was really down here forever?
I dug my nails into the dirt as if to root myself into the wall. I would be okay. I could do this. I was strong. I knew what I was up against. My breaths were coming in and out at an outrageous pace, my chest heaving with every inhale as I sunk to the ground. My chest felt as if at any second, my lungs were going to collapse, the dirt surrounding me becoming the last thing I would ever see.
“Calm down, Piccolo.” I heard those words every time I closed my eyes. His deep voice basked me in a river of heat. Just thinking about him caused my heart to beat erratically.
I could do this—I had to do this. Standing up, I paced the small hole. How the hell did I get down here anyway? They probably fucking threw me… wouldn’t put it past them.
I needed to find a way out. I needed to do something even if it was dangerous, even if it provoked them to take action. If I didn’t, I surely would die down here.
Quietness surrounded me. The only sounds heard were the chirping of the birds and my own heartbeat. Where the hell did they go? No fucking way would they walk away leaving me here.
“Hey, fuckers, let me out of here,” I screamed. It wasn’t useless really. Yeah, my voice might hurt, but talking would annoy the fuck out of them, and eventually, one of them would have to come down here and do something about it. Then again, maybe all the noise would get someone’s attention.
“You are all a bunch of cowards. You think you are a man because you can keep me in this hole?” I continued on, my voice holding so much anger and hate, if I didn’t know I was the person screaming, I would think it was someone else.
Silence loomed, and instead of it doing something to calm me, it just pushed me closer and closer to the edge of boiling.
“Answer me, cowards. I’ve taken on bigger fucking men than you. You’re all sad excuses of the Mafia, FBI, or whatever the fuck it is you do…” I was really fucking close to kicking rocks, which was great since that’s all I could fucking kick—rocks or dirt.
More silence, great. I huffed out a breath just before I heard his disgusting voice. “You are really fucking mouthy…”
He had no clue. “Come down here and say that. We’ll see how mouthy I can be…” I was baiting him, and though he had the mask in place, and I could hardly make out his eyes, I knew there wasn’t much of a chance he would take the bait.
“Now I understand why your dad and Alzerro wanted to get fucking rid of you.” His words hit me harder than expected. I loved my dad more than anything. He was the last person alive I could run to if I needed something. I kept telling myself maybe he just screwed up and found himself in the wrong place at the wrong time. The truth of the matter though—I knew he was the problem. What I didn’t know was if my father was in the FBI, and no one was giving me answers.
“My dad never wanted to get rid of me, and even if Alzerro doesn’t come for me, I’m going to get out of this fucking hole, and when I do, you better be running.” I knew, when faced with danger, being fearless was what I needed. If I were anything but fearless, I would grow weak, my mind would enclose on me, and the worries and doubts would eat away at anything left.
“That’s great and all, but until the moment comes, do you think you could possibly keep your yap shut?” Was he seriously asking me that?
“Fuck no, I can’t.” I all but snarled, and then I started screaming random words, names, lyrics, you name it and it was coming from my mouth in a haze.
“Shut the fuck up!” he growled. I could hear him rustling around with something, and I truthfully hoped he was going to let me out.
“Nope. I think the world would love to hear my voice.” I spoke loudly just to push him over the edge he was barely hanging onto.
“Fuck…” he growled. I jumped back as a ladder tumbled down the side of the hole. Was this real? Was he really giving me a way to get out?