My panic was at its all-time highest. I had to keep it together—had to stay calm! But it was hard.
"What's wrong, kid?"
"W-what?!"
His question startled me as the officer's gaze grew sharper.
I swallowed hard, forcing myself to look at him.
"I... I don't have my stuff. It's all gone."
He raised an eyebrow, clearly unconvinced. "What do you mean, 'it's all gone'?"
I tried to play it off, even though my insides were screaming.
"I... I just can't show you my ID right now. Everything's missing... My stuff's gone, alright?"
"..."
"..."
A tense silence ensued between us...
< | X | >
[Police Headquarters' Prison Block]
"Let me go!" I shouted, panic rising in my chest.
I was dragged into the prison section. The place itself was sleek, futuristic, and high-tech. I could even hear the faint hum of machinery from the dull gray metallic walls around me.
The cells themselves were nothing like the old-fashioned bars I had imagined. Instead, each one was seemingly a small room with a solid metal door, concealing whatever was inside. Each cell had its number, which seemed to increase the further we went...
Exactly you'd expect from a future prison structure.
Unfortunately, I wasn't in the right mindset to appreciate the cold, metallic design.
"What's the meaning of this? I didn't do anything illegal!" I shouted again, trying to break free from their grip.
"No need to yell, kid," one of the officers said, waving me off dismissively. "You'll get your chance to explain later."
They kept dragging me further into the complex, unfazed by my attempts to break free.
Eventually... they stopped. I realized we had arrived at what I assumed was my temporary prison cell.
A cell with the number '404' on its door.
For a moment, I thought they were going to shove me inside immediately, but instead... they just stared at the door.
"..."
The two men who had been dragging me stood silently, eyeing the particular prison cell... with a concerned look.
"Is this the right one...?" one of them asked, his voice low but strained.
"... Yup, it's the one."
But there was something in the way they both said it... like they were convinced this was a bad idea.
What was so wrong about this cell...? It looked relatively normal, like any of the others beside it...
However, because of their sudden shift in attitude toward it, the cell suddenly felt ominous in my eyes...!
The first officer hesitated, then glanced at his partner again.
"Are you sure? This is really the one we were told to put him in?"
The second officer exhaled sharply, as if feeling guilty for even putting up with this.
"It's the one. They told us to put him here since no other cells were available at the moment."
I felt the anxiety inside me coil even tighter.
'What's going on...?'
The first officer still wasn't convinced.
"Really...? No OTHER cells available...?"
The second officer looked away for a moment...
"None."
I could feel dread starting to overwhelmed me...!
What the hell was going on with this cell? Why were they hesitating? Was there something in there? A dangerous criminal?!
"Hey! Officers! What are you guys talking about?!" I blurted, my voice coming out more desperate than I intended. "What's wrong with it? Is it a dangerous cell? What's inside? What—"
But neither officer responded to my barrage of questions. They continued to ignore me...
Their silence only pushed me further into panic. I resumed my struggling, trying to break free from their grip! But my attempts were still in vain...!
The second officer punched in a few commands on the control panel next to the door. A futuristic hydro-pump hissed, and with a soft mechanical groan, the door slid open...
And the moment it did, my breath hitched.
Inside the cell was nothing but darkness. Pure darkness.
I couldn't see anything, not even a hint of whatever 'thing' might be lurking inside.
"Please!" I gasped, my voice trembling as my panic reached its peak. "Don't put me in there! I—"
But the officers weren't listening.
Without another word, they shoved me forward, and I stumbled into the dark cell!
"Good luck," one of them muttered before they slammed the door shut behind me.
I immediately stood up from the cold cell's floor. It was pitch dark, but I quickly rushed to the cell door, where I remembered being thrown against!
Bang! Bang!
"Hey! Open the door!"
Bang! Bang!
"Open the door, damn it...!"
I pleaded further for anyone to answer my calls, but no one came... and I was left in the darkness—
But suddenly, the cell room lit up!
"What—?!"
I was surprised and startled by the sudden light, temporarily blinded. But my sight quickly adjusted, and I could finally see the cell door that I had been banging on before. Unfortunately, it would not open for me whatsoever.
But this wasn't my main concern.
What I was worried about wasn't just being locked inside, but...
The thing that was locked inside with me.
My heart was pounding faster and faster with each silent second. It felt like it was about to explode just about any second now. I swallowed hard, the dry lump in my throat making it hard to breathe.
I slowly turned around...
And found nothing.
"Huh?"
There was nothing in here. No person—no 'something' that would pose any danger.
The cell itself was equipped with sleek, futuristic bunk beds attached to the wall. There was a simple metal study table and chair, and then there was a shower facility, sink, and toilet at the corner.
But still... no one was here.
"What...?"
I thought my life was a goner. I thought there was really something inside this cell... but there was nothing. Not even on top of the bunk bed.
"Did those guys prank me...?"
All of my distress slowly calmed down. I was really glad that I wasn't in any apparent danger...
At least for now.
With that being said... I was starting to feel all the fatigue of the day. My muscles ached from the tension and the fear... It felt like my body had been holding its breath for hours. The simplistic bunk bed really seemed enticing, and so I went over and sat on it.
It was surprisingly comfy...
"Hmm?"
A man. A bearded man. His body hung upside down before me, his head at the same level as mine, staring directly into my eyes...
A grin spread from ear to ear.
"Hey, kid... wanna learn the blade?"