My eyes dart open, yet I cant see anything. It is dark. Quiet.
I shift in my chair, but Im unable to move.
Im tied down to the chair, my mouth taped shut.
I am cold. They've taken my gear, leaving me in only my old prison clothes.
My breathing quickens as I realize situation I find myself stuck in.
"MMMmm! mmMMm!"
I try to scream, but only my muffled and quiet voice comes out.
Although I cant see it, the space around me seems tight.
I shift again, harder this time. I feel my elbow bump into something, a wall. Shifting again, my teeth clench as I try to move my injured arm, feeling the wall to my right
I try to rock in my chair, my back colliding with the wall behind me. Then I realize it.
A closet.
They've stuffed me in a damn closet.
I try to use my strength, attempting to somehow rip the rope as if I was Thoris, or a superhuman just like him.
Of course I fail.
Annoyed I lean back in my chair again. This time though, I get an idea.
I begin to rock. Slowly and carefully. Forward. backward. Forward. Backward.
The wooden floorboards creak as I wobble, but I keep going.
Crash.
I fall forward Straight onto my face and injured arm.
"MMMMmmm!" I groan.
An unbearable wave of pain flashes over me, as a hot liquid seems to release from my arm, once again staining my already dirtied clothing with even more blood.
I try to grip my wound with my other hand, but I am tied down. All I am able to do is release a few tears, and groan in pain.
The chair is now horizontal, my head awkwardly pressed forward against the ground and door, with my injured arm leaning against the wall.
I look like an idiot...
My head pressed against the floor with my buttocks in the air. If anyone saw me like this, I'd probably die from embarrassment
Trying to move, I realize my grim situation. Im stuck.
Then I hear something.
Footsteps.
I watch in horror as lights turn on beyond the door and the footsteps get ever closer.
Eventually, they stop. But the persons shadow creeps in under the door. I hold my breath, my heart stammering.
Then, a key rattles in the lock
I close my eyes.
Creakkk
I hear the door slowly open.
Then for a moment, there was nothing. Only silence.
"Pfft" my captor laughs, "You look like a dumbass."
Reluctantly I open my eyes, but I can only see my warden's boots.
"Could you help me out here?" I ask annoyed.
I suppose I could she says, releasing a sly chuckle.
After a few moments, I hear the sound of a knife cutting rope.
I wince in pain from my shoulder as I'm dragged out from under the chair and out of the closet into the hallway.
"There," she says, releasing a small sigh as she drops my body.
I groan as my body hits the cold floor of the hallway, the sudden stretch and movement of limbs sending a jolt of pain from my wounded arm.
I wince, cupping my wound as I roll over onto my black, blinking rapidly against the hallway's bright lights.
She stands over me, but for a moment, I dont recognize her. Then it hits.
"Jenny?"
The woman smiles.
"Yes Achilles, it's been a while."
I quickly jump to my feet, ignoring my wounded arm. excitement and hope seems to run through every part of my body.
"Thank god. I thought I was about to get tortured or something." I say releasing a sigh of relief.
You were, but luckily I was here and able to convince Whiskey to let me talk to you first.
"Whiskey?" I ask, feeling the gears turn in my brain.
"Yeah, I found him a few days ago and he remembered me from our meeting, taking me in. He runs this small village."
I nod. This must be what those guys from the watchtower were talking about when they said Whiskey was camping nearby.
"Follow me." She says, her voice sounding more serious.
I listen to her, following her as she walks down the hallway.
"How's your arm?" she asks, giving me a worried look.
"It hurts whenever I try to move it." I respond, still cupping the wound with my other hand.
"It seems like it started bleeding again after my little incident in the closet."
She doesn't respond.
"Do you know if anyone else from the gang is here?" I ask, quickening my pace a little.
"No. I still have no idea where they are or if they are still alive." she responds.
"Whiskey told me that we can look for them later, right now we are preparing for war." she responds seriously.
I nod.
They are still in conflict with the Colonel and his men.
She leads me down an intricate wooden staircase, the old boards groaning under our weight with every step. The old walls are lined with photos and paintings that must've been taken many years ago. This building was old.
At the bottom, the stairs seem to open into a wide, dimly lit living room. Here, I can see the broken door and windows. It was here where our shootout occurred.
Here, a small group of people sit and stand around the fire. Just like Jenny, they seem to be wearing some sort of homemade headband made from some sort of fabric. They wear an assortment of armor, some similar, some older, and some newer compared to my vest.
They stare at me as I past, some of their faces neutral others full of worry and even anger.
I keep my head low, trying my best to avoid eye contact as we move deeper into the town hall.
Moving through a doorway, we enter another long hallway.
"I understand that shooting me was probably due to a misunderstanding between all of us," I say, releasing an uneasy chuckle. "but was knocking me out and stuffing me in a closet really necessary?"
She smiles.
"Other than me, and maybe even whiskey and a couple of his men from the meeting, no one else has any idea of who you are. Plus, you fired a gun at all of us. We needed to show some force with you."
Her smile turns into a bit of laughter as she continues.
"We had no idea you'd get stuck in that position in the closet." she says, continuing to chuckle as she leads me to the door at the end of the hallway.
All I am able to do is shake my head with shame.
Reaching the door at the end of the hallway, Jenny pauses. I can hear the faint murmur of voices, but as soon as Jenny knocks, everything goes quiet.
Then I hear it, Whiskey's voice.
"Come in."