A pitch black room. Iron bars to the front. Stone walls on all other sides. A small circular hole on the top side of the back wall. Probably to let in air. A stone pedestal rising from the ground, attached to one of the sides. It's a bed. It's got a granny sack for covers. It's a prison cell. There is a half dead malnourished figure in prison rags inside. Long tangled black hairs, long enough to reach his hips, unevenly spread long beard. The prisoner of this cell.
Two guards approach the cell from outside. One of the guards knocks the door with the hilt of his sword.
"Wake up you waste of food, it's time." Says one of the guards. The other one starts opening his cell door.
The prisoner tries to get up, but falls down.
"Tch" the other guard said. "Guess we'll have to drag him over again."
The first guard is disgusted at the thought of it.
"Be grateful that you aren't dead yet, you filthy mutt."
The other guard opens the door. The first guard says, "I don't understand why they are wasting so much of the tax payer's money on keeping these metal humans alive."
The other one replies, "It's not like they are talking anyway. I mean, they just sprout the same old bullshit about ones and zeros everyday and then go back to their cozy little cells. They don't do any work and the government pays for their food. Seriously, be done with them already, it's been four years!"
The guards take hold of the prisoner's legs and start dragging him. His entire torso is still touching the ground.
"Hey." said the first guard.
"What?" said the other.
"You think the new interrogator will be able to make him talk?" the first guard said. This conversation caught the prisoner's attention.
"Nah, he's just gonna sprout his usual nonsense again and get away with it, just like always."
"Hmm... Well, I bet you 100 jins that he'll talk."
"No way he'll talk."
"Well if you are so sure then why don't you accept?"
"Hmph. Sure, why not?"
The guards reach the stairs and stop. They look at each other's face then look at the stares.
"You take him." said the first guard.
"What? No way! I took him last time too."
"You lost to me in rock paper scissors."
"But I did it last time right? It should be your turn now."
"No it shouldn't. Whoever loses is supposed to take him up the stares, that was the deal."
"That was only valid one time."
"No it wasn't."
"Yes it was."
"No it wasn't!"
"Yes it was!"
They both look each other in the eye. Then they sigh.
"Guess we'll have to go another round."
"Yeah, I guess."
"Remind me why we can't just simply drag his ass up the stairs again?"
"Cuz if we do and we break his jaw or something and because of that he isn't able to talk then we'll be the ones in trouble."
"Right..."
The soldiers play rock paper scissors. The first guard loses. He reluctantly takes the prisoner up in his arms and starts walking up the stairs.
The prisoner's long hairs hang upside down from his head as he looks at a fountain through the window.
They arrive at the interrogation room.
"You're late." says the interrogator in an extremely displeased manner as they enter the room.
"Sorry boss, the guy just won't move a muscle on his own." the guards reply as the make the prisoner sit on his chair.
"YOU THINK I HAVE TIME FOR YOUR EXCUCES? GO AWAY NOW! THE NEXT TIME YOU'RE LATE I'LL PERSONALLY CUT YOUR LEGS AND MAIL IT TO YOUR MOTHERS. YOU GUYS HEAR ME?"
"YES SIR!" the guards exclaim and leave in a rush.
Once outside, they talk to each other. "Wow, he's really pissed today." the second guard said.
"Well, the man lost his job to a rookie, he aught to be pissed."
"Yeah. I suppose."
Back inside, the interrogator sips his tea. He smiles at the prisoner. As fake as it can get. Then he speaks.
"You must be pretty happy today. You won't ever have to see my face again."
The prisoner smiles. The interrogator grabs him by the neck.
"Do that again, I dare you."
The prisoner chuckles. Seeing that, the interrogator pulls his hand back. He tries to control his rage as the prisoner starts coughing. Then the prisoner breaks into laughter.
"You metal humans seriously don't care about your own life do you?" asked the interrogator.
"Why should we? What do we have to live for? In fact you'd be doing me a favor by killing me right now. But of course, you people won't even give me that." the prisoner replied.
"See that's what I'm telling you people, but you just don't understand. It'll be so much easier if you do. You can have it all back. Everything you want we can give you, and all you need to do in exchange is tell us how-"
"I ALREADY TOLD YOU EVERYTHING! Or at least I tried to. YOU BARBARIANS JUST WON'T LISTEN. YOUR TINY BRAINS ARE SO SMALL THAT YOU CAN'T EVEN UNDERSTAND BOOLEAN LOGI-"
"YOU DARE CALL US BARBARIANS!? YOU MONKEY WHO CAN'T EVEN USE MAGIC!? Need I remind you that in the great war between your kind and mine, it was your kind that lost. We were the ones who annihilate your kind. Your entire planet against just 3 of our countries and yet, we still won. And what about you? Where are your people now? You don't know? Let me tell you. Every single one of you monkeys right now are either dead, a slave or a prisoner just like you. Still think we are Barbarians?"
The prisoner takes a few seconds to collects his thoughts. Then he replies.
"Of course a scholar would lose to a barbarian in a fist fight. The fact that you turned my people into slaves just furthers my argument."
The interrogator is pissed. But suddenly he calms down.
"You know, this is the last day that I will be in charge of handling you. So whatever happens to you today, as long as you are alive and can talk, it's none of my concern, right?"
The prisoner stares at him seriously. The interrogator grabs his tea cup and gets up. He stands besides the prisoner, holding his tea cup above the prisoner's head. He looks down at the prisoner, the prisoner doesn't flinch. He knows what is about to happen.
A second or two later, a loud scream is heard from the interrogation room.
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End of Chapter 1
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