"WHAT ARE YOU DOING!!!"
Xavier shouts as he is dragged into the basement area of the building by the masked men.
"HEY!!!"
He shouts
"HEY!!!!"
"LET GO OF ME!!!!"
"LET--"
"ARGH!!!"
He exclaims in pain as he is thrown to the ground in an empty cell
"WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU'RE DOING!!!!"
He continues to shout as the masked men lock the cell and start to leave.
"HEY!!!!"
He shouts
"HEY!!!!!"
He shouts
"THIS HAS TO BE A MISTAKE!!!"
He shouts
"I WANT TO SPEAK TO KEITH!!!"
He shouts after them.
"HEY!!!!!!"
("BAM!!!!!!!!")
"TCH!!!"
Xavier exclaims as the door to the basement is slammed shut.
"…"
"DON'T…"
He begins to say looking at the ground his hair falling over his crestfallen face
"LeAvE Me…"
Xavier says sombrely,
Clutching his chest and sliding to the floor on his knees as a sharp pain aches his chest
"…"
"…"
-THAT NIGHT-
("CLUNK!!! CLUNK!!!! CLUNK!!!!!!!")
A metal plate is thrown to the ground startling Xavier awake
"…"
-silence-
"…"
"What is that…"
Xavier asks silently from the corner of his cell curled into a ball
"…"
-silence-
"…"
"I see still no response…"
Xavier says sombrely
The masked man heads out leaving the plate the inside the cell
"…"
-silence-
"…"
Xavier crawls to the plate to find a porridge like mesh on the plate that contains fish bones.
"…"
-silence-
"…"
He grits his teeth…
But proceeds to eats it
Scooping every spoonful with his bare hands…
-The Next Morning-
("FWAAAAA!!!!!!")
"AAH!!!"
Xavier exclaims springing awake!
"AAAHH!!!!"
"HEY!!"
"HEY QUIT IT!!!!"
He shouts as he awoken by force!!!
The feeling of ice cold water hitting his body at full pressure his first experience of morning in the cell.
"AAAH--HEY--WHOA!!!!"
Xavier exclaims slipping and falling over all the water now in the cell
("BAAMMM!!!!!!)
"HEY!!!!"
"STAY BACK!!!!!!"
"HEY!!!!!!"
Xavier shouts as his cell is opened and one of the masked men comes in and pins him down
("FWAAAAA!!!!!!!!!")
Stripping him naked while the other man continues to hose him down.
"HEY!!!!!"
Xavier shouts
"HEY!!!!!!!"
He shouts
"IF KEITH AND JACOB FIND OUT ABOUT THIS I SWEAR!!!!"
"…"
He shouts to no response.
"HEY!!!!!!!"
Xavier shouts once more as the men just get up and leave.
Leaving Xavier cold, naked and with wet clothes.
"HEY!!!!!!!"
He shouts
"…."
-silence-
"…"
"hey…"
Xavier mumbles sorrowfully, curling up into a ball shivering
"…."
-silence-
"…"
And so the cycle began.
Every morning.
Xavier would be hosed down and had his body inspected by the mute masked men…
Every dinner.
He'd receive the only meal he was privy to.
The disgusting mesh porridge without a utensil to use…
Every day.
He'd ask to meet Keith and Jacob.
("…")
But never was there a response from the masked men.
("…")
The behaved like robots
Programmed to do one thing and one thing only.
Tend to his meals and make sure he was clean to stir clear of any illnesses.
And despite there being other cells
He was the only prisoner….
The only time things would divert from this routine was when…
For instance…
He withheld from eating.
At which point his cell door would be opened and he was force fed.
And if he resisted…
He was whipped senseless by the masked men.
He had taken to calling them 'The Watchers'…
And despite his good health being one of their program functions.
They didn't seem to care if he was bruised.
Seems their only prerogative was making sure he was alive.
The same thing would happen whenever he'd sleep away from the cell doors to avoid his unfortunate 'morning showers'.
Whipped.
Senselessly so as he shivered and was hosed down.
The icy cold water and sting of the belt on his body as early as 4 in the morning brought a whole new understanding of the word pain to Xavier.
At first he cried.
So much so that he felt he'd run out of tears since his only source of drinkable water was the one used to hose him down.
His heart would tighten and his body would stiffen but shiver at the same time.
The welts would hurt all throughout the day and as they got exposed to the cold breeze of the night...
He could never sleep.
The pain only intensifying as open wound met cruel mother nature.
So he would cry again.
But never out loud.
Because the last time he did the watchers returned and beat him near half to death.
He was sore for a day…
Then a week…
Then months…
This was his new life.
His new normal…
For five months.
-5 MONTHS LATER-
("CLUNK!!! CLUNK!!!! CLUNK!!!!!!!")
"…"
The plate hits the ground and before it even settles Xavier is on it like a wild animal.
"…"
-silence-
"…"
Xavier and the 'watchers' share a silent stare before they head off …
"…"
-silence-
"…"
Xavier eats in silence before retreating to his corner.
"…"
("BAM!!!!!!!")
The door swings open once more.
(hiccup) "Hey…"
The voice of an elderly gentleman can be heard as the cell next to Xavier's is opened
(hiccup) "Hey now you don't have to be so rough with me I promised the old man I'd pay..."
The man says
(hiccup)
"WHOAA!!!"
The man exclaims as he is tossed into the cell by the watchers.
"Hey! Hey… hey… now is that any way to treat your elder's."
(hiccup)
The man says dazed
("BAM!!!!!!!")
His door is slammed shut
(hiccup) "Sheesh…"
The man exclaims
"The people on this continent huh…"
He says as he retreats to settle at the back of his cell
Leaning against the wall and pulling out a small bottle from his robe.
(drinking) "…"
"hm…"
The old man exclaims as catching a glimpse of Xavier
"WHOA!!!"
(choking) "ACK!!!!"
(coughing) "Sweet all-knowing hey you scared the crap outta me!"
The man says
(hiccup) "If you're there then say something."
"Sheesh."
He says
"…"
-silence-
"…"
(hiccup) "Hmm…."
The man exclaims curiously as he gives Xavier shadow a quick look over
"Here it'll help with the pain."
He shouts tossing his bottle into Xavier's cell.
"…"
-silence-
"…"
However, Xavier only sits there in silence not approaching the bottle.
(hiccup) "C'mon man if you're not going to take the bottle you should throw it back."
The man says frustrated
"What's with this continent."
He says frustrated when he notices Xavier still isn't approaching the bottle.
"Fine I'll get it myself."
The man mumbles
He stands up and starts to approach the bottle when he sees Xavier clearly for the first time
Hair?
A mess, frizzy and overgrown…
Clothes?
Rugged, torn and dirty…
Body?
Well as you'd imagine skinny.
Like he'd barely have the strength to lift his own fingers…
And his eyes…
Dead.
And staring straight at him.
"Tch…"
The man exclaims at the sight of Xavier.
(hiccup) "How long you been here for."
The man says pulling the bottle from Xavier's cell and relaxing against his cell bars before taking a sip.
"…"
-silence-
"…"
However, Xavier continues the silent game
Not responding to the man's question and simply staring at him
(drinks)
"aaaah!!!"
The man exclaims in satisfaction after taking a big gulp from the bottle
(hiccup)
"Even in this drab old place your taste is a luxury."
He says grinning to the bottle.
"…"
-silence-
"…"
(hiccup) "Well!"
The man shouts standing up
"Now that I'm done with this might as well be on my way out now."
He says dusting himself off.
"HEY!!!!"
He shouts
"HEY!!! MR MASKED MAN!!!!!"
He shouts
"HE--"
"i wouldn't do that if I were you…"
The man is interrupted by a cold,dry voice
"Well."
(hiccup)
"…"
-silence-
"Would you look at that. So you can talk…"
The man says grinning and facing Xavier's cell.
"I appreciate the advice kid…"
(hiccup)
He says
"But what's it to ya?"
He asks
"See i've already overstayed my welcome…"
He says
"People like me?"
(hiccup)
"We ddon't belong in places like this."
He says grinning
"…"
-silence
"…"
"…I wasn't saying that for you…"
("!!!!!!!!!BAM!!!!!!!!!")
Just then.
The basement door swings open!
"Aha!!"
The man exclaims satisfied
"Would you look at that."
He says
(hiccup) "Realized your mistake and come to correct it ehy??"
He says happily
"Well don't worry about it just open the cell now and--"
He begins to say when he looks over at Xavier's cell and notices the boy stiff shielding his head and shivering in the corner…
"Huh??"
He exclaims confused
"Wait wait wait…"
("CLUNK!!!!")
"HEY I SAID JUST HOLD ON A SEC--"
("PAA!!!!!!!!!")
"ACK!!!!"
The man exclaims in pains as he is whipped senseless by the watcher.
But it's not just him…
Xavier too.
As the night fades.
The man's screams fill out the building…
-Later-
(panting) "haaaa…."
"…"
(panting) "haaaaa…"
"…"
The man gasps for air
"Well that sure knocked me sober."
He says staring at the ceiling from the cell floor.
"…"
-silence-
"…"
"Hey kid…"
The man says
"Tell me something."
He says
"Just what does a kid like you need to go through to not even scream once as he beaten senseless."
He says
"…."
"Nevermind, its fine you don't need to answer that…"
-silence-
"…"
"Sorry about that."
He says sombrely
"…"
-silence-
"…"
"if you're sorry then make sure it doesn't happen again."
Xavier responds softly, picking his shirt off the ground and limping back to his corner
"…"
"Understood."
The man responds
"haha."
"HAHAHAHA!!!"
He breaks out into a sudden laughter awkwardly face palming himself as Xavier watches him silently.
"…"
"Argh. Aaaaahhh…"
The man exclaims trying to sit up
"Here drink this."
The man says tossing another bottle to Xavier.
"…"
"am a minor I don't …"
"Do you really think those rules apply to this little world of ours."
The man says gesturing to the cell bars
"…"
"Drink it."
He says
"It'll help with the pain…"
He says as Xavier picks up the bottle
(Takes a big gulp)
(coughs)
"Hey… not all in one go."
The man says
"Sheesh…"
He says
(coughs) "… thank you…"
Xavier responds
"Yeah… yeah don't mention it."
The Man says as Xavier tosses the bottle back
"…"
-silence-
"…"
"Now that we've shared a bottled I guess that makes us brothers."
The man says smirking
"…"
"So allow me to introduce myself."
He says standing up
"Todo Kennt, at your service."
He says getting up and bowing to Xavier.
"…"
-silence-
"…"
(Still bowing) "Tch."
"Hey now everyone knows it's common courtesy to say your name after someone introduces themselves."
Todo says still bowing
"HEY KID!!!!"
"…"
"xavier."
Todo shouts to a low response from Xavier
"Why oughta--"
"…"
"What?"
Todo asks again not having heard him
"i said xavier."
Xavier repeats
"my name.""
"it's xavier grey."
He says
"also don't you think you're a little too old for us to be brothers?"
He says
"Why this little--"
"haha…"
Todo begins to talk but stops himself when he hears Xavier chuckle
"Huh??"
Todo exclaims
"…"
-silence-
"…"
"Hmph…"
Todo exclaims with a satisfied smile on his face as he watches Xavier
A new morning dawns in the cells!!!
"…"
"…"
-To Be Continued-