The Amazing Misadventures of This and That

Fleeting rays of light shone through metal bars in the walls, put there for the sole purpose of mocking me. They served no physical purpose, they were only a statement; "I will show you what you can never have again."

I could hear footsteps echoing hollowly. It was only a matter of time before...

The metal door swung open, crashed into the wall, and shook the entire cell. The force caused dirt and asbestos to rain from the ceiling, coating my food tray in something wholly more appetizing than what was currently there. She stood before me, a riding crop in her hand and a scowl on her face. "You haven't written a blog today, Alex."

The words got caught in my throat. I wanted to reply, but my eyes had locked with her own; I was transfixed by the firestorm of hatred she called a soul that writhed in her otherwise dead eyes. "I...I mean, no, I haven't, but--"

"Why not? That's your job, Alex. Your only job. You're taking advantage of my hospitality..." Her eyes sunk, looking over the riding crop with a glimpse of adoration. "Am I going to have to take another finger from you?"

"No!" I interjected as I tried desperately to hide my fingers, "I only have so many of those, and they're essential to my blogging needs!" I cowered further into the corner. I could sense I said something to upset her.

Her voice was calm. "No. Do you know what's essential to your blogging needs?" She brought her face close to mine. I could smell despair on her breath. "Content."

I flinched, and my whole body contorted to protect my emaciated form. She laughed coldly in a voice that bellowed with the might of the underworld. "Content," she repeated, pacing back and forth and snapping the riding crop into her palm. "We need content to attract an audience. You do want an audience don't you?"

"Wh--yes, I mean...I think I do..."

"Of course you do. It would make me happy. And don't you want to make me happy?"

My lip curled in disgust. "My friends will notice I'm gone," I muttered meekly. "Eventually, they'll realize I'm missing!"

"What friends? You have no friends. You are the scum of the earth."

"I do, too! I have ten of them!"

"Nine," she jeered, producing a severed finger from her pocket. "Defy me again, and that number will continue to decrease."

I inhaled deeply, suppressing the rebellion I had built up for so long. It just wasn't worth it anymore. She had broken me.

"That's what I thought you'd say. Now, my post? I'd like it by this afternoon." The door slammed behind her as she left.

The room was still and silent, save for the scurrying of rats along the edge of the walls. All that remained was an empty shell of a human, a laptop, and the fleeting light of hope.

-Alex