Drip, drip, drip…1997, 1998, 1999…

The chains dug into his wrist, causing them to bleed and to become infected. Scabs no longer forming, leaving a feasting ground for the maggots. He could no longer feel the mind numbing pain from his wounds. At first he was afraid of the pain, he did his best to not move his arms, even slightly, for fear that the pain would be too great and he would faint again. But now, he missed the pain, he desperately wanted to feel the pain once again. If he could feel pain, he could sleep. And sleep was everything to Ha’rad these days. If he could sleep, the pain would stop and he would no longer feel the numbing cold and the insatiable hunger. His stomach growled, reminding him of the maggots feasting on his flesh.

How come they could eat, but he could not? How come he was cold, but they were not? Despite the overwhelming hatred he felt for the maggots, he could not imagine a life without them. They were his friends, his best friends! The only ones he could talk to, the only ones that would not leave him! He in fact, loved them! He wished to be closer to them, to be one of them. He no longer found humor or misery in the fact that he wished to be a maggot, only imaginations of what it would be like to be a maggot.

Tears began to cascade down his dirty blood stained cheeks.

He needed to count, back to counting!

Drip, drip, drip….2001, 2002, 2003..

He had to be diligent when counting or else he would think of other things. Bad things… Like a life outside of his hole. Or his little sister and brother... No! That was bad..very bad!

He did not want to cry, he could not waste the precious liquids. He licked his cracked lips as they bled, the burning no longer bothering him. He needed the drips of precious water, every single one of them was precious!

Drip, drip, drip….2004, 2005, 2006..

Out of the corner of his eye, there was something that he had forgotten. Something that he missed, yet scorned.

Light..

It burned! It hurt! But, it was beautiful and warm... He wanted to bathe in its angelic light, to be enveloped by its comforting glow.

Step...step..step..

No! No! No! Ha’rad wanted to scream, but nothing came out! Ha’rad was afraid of making even the slightest sound because he would hear it! And he would hurt him! Hurt him in ways that left scars that could not be seen and could not be healed.

It hurt! Everything hurt!

He struggled, but he did not have the strength to move.

Ha’rad looked at the maggots, surely they would help! They were his friends! He pleaded over and over again! But, nothing.

2007, 200…

The numbers were no more. He was here..

A tall figure blocked the light that Ha’rad now cursed for leading him here.

The tall figure stepped into the cell, adorned in extravagant armor. It glistened just from the trace amount of light that struck it. Revealing a deep red symbol that depicted the severed head of the Demon Lord. The man was tall and robust, resembling a tower that peered down at everything. His beautiful black hair, and well defined features would make even the greatest sculptor green in envy. A stark contrast to the damp and weary environment that he found himself in. If you gazed into the man’s eyes, it would appear that lightning continuously traveled inside of them, this was proof of his royal lineage. His eyes filled with scorn, disgust, and contempt as soon as they made contact with the being known as Ha’rad.

He was bare naked, reeking of excrement and covered in filth. A few strands of gray hair covered his head, and only one cracked horn remained on top of his head. The color of his skin could only be called black, the color of the filth that covered him.

Ha’rad closed his eyes, silently praying for the man to leave. No longer caring about the precious liquids that escaped his eyes and lower half.

No more! No more! Ha’rad wanted to say, but no words were capable of leaving his mouth. What few teeth he had left, he tried to bite his tongue with. But, he did not possess the strength necessary to do so. Please?! He pleaded. For anyone, anything to save him! The numbers! They would surely save him!

2008, 2009, 20…

A silent scream escaped Ha’rad’s mouth as the man released his cuffs. Just being near the man made Ha’rad’s wounds ache and burn. He could feel the pain even in his bones.

The man grabbed the last horn that Ha’rad had left, and began to drag him to a place unknown. His skin peeling and staining the filthy ground with his blood.

Ha’rad cursed them! He cursed his little sister, his brother, his mother, the maggots, the numbers, all of them! They all abandoned him in the end! All that he had left was the pain and fear that he felt. Those would never leave him.