Aidi's consciousness drifted in and out like waves crashing against jagged rocks. Each time her mind came back to clarity, the weight of the drug still lingered, leaving her body numb and her thoughts sluggish. It was like trying to walk through thick fog, each step uncertain, each movement more difficult than the last.
She could feel the cold, hard surface of the chair beneath her, the chains digging into her skin. Her arms ached from being stretched too long, the muscles stiff and sore. The air around her was heavy, almost suffocating, and the silence that enveloped her only added to the growing sense of dread.
She wasn't sure how long she had been there—hours? Days? The passage of time felt like an illusion, lost in the drug-induced haze. But one thing was certain: Hetri had not left her alone for long. Every so often, he or one of his guards would return, testing her resolve, feeding her pain, pushing her closer to the edge. But every time, Aidi resisted. She couldn't give in.
The door creaked open once again, breaking the oppressive silence. Aidi's eyes flickered toward it, though her vision was still blurry from the drug. Hetri's tall figure filled the doorway, dark and imposing, his eyes cold as usual. But this time, something about him seemed different—more focused, more calculated. He stepped into the room without his usual smirk, his expression unreadable.
"You're still awake, huh?" Hetri's voice was low, almost measured. "I thought the drug would have put you under by now."
Aidi didn't respond. She refused to show him any more weakness than she already had. Her throat burned from the silence, but she fought to keep it together. She wouldn't let him see the cracks forming inside her.
Hetri walked slowly toward her, his boots echoing in the small, dimly lit room. He crouched down in front of her, leaning in close, and for a moment, Aidi could almost feel the weight of his gaze on her like a physical force.
"You know," he said softly, "you're more stubborn than I thought. Most people would have cracked by now. They would have begged me for mercy. But not you. You're different. You fight, even when you know it's pointless."
Aidi didn't flinch. She refused to let him see how close she was to breaking. Her heart pounded in her chest, and her breath came in shallow gasps, but she kept her head held high.
"You'll break eventually," Hetri continued, his tone almost... reflective. "Everyone does. I've seen it happen before. You'll give in. You'll beg me to stop. And when that happens, I'll make it end quickly. I'm not a cruel man. I'll make sure you don't suffer for too long."
Aidi's pulse quickened, but she kept her eyes on him. Her mind was screaming at her to hold on, to keep fighting. She couldn't give him the satisfaction of seeing her fear.
"I won't give in," she whispered hoarsely, though the words felt fragile in her throat. "You can't make me."
Hetri's lips twisted into a thin smile, but there was no amusement in his eyes. "Maybe you're right," he said, standing up straight again. "Maybe you won't break the way most do. But that doesn't mean I won't find other ways to make you see the truth."
He paused, his gaze hardening as he studied her for a long moment. Then, without warning, he motioned for the guards to approach. One of them pulled a small, metallic device from his pocket. Aidi's heart skipped a beat when she realized what it was.
A small shock device. Used to force compliance.
She had heard of them before. They were often used on prisoners—those who refused to cooperate, who fought too hard. The electricity was painful, not enough to kill, but enough to make anyone beg for it to stop.
Aidi's stomach churned as they attached the device to her neck. The cold metal was a shock to her system, and before she could brace herself, Hetri nodded to the guard.
The shock hit her like a bolt of lightning, searing through her muscles. Her whole body spasmed involuntarily, a strangled cry escaping her throat despite herself. Her vision blurred as the pain coursed through her veins, each second feeling like an eternity.
She couldn't breathe. Couldn't think. All that existed was the raw, burning pain.
Just as she thought she might pass out from the intensity, the current stopped. Aidi gasped for air, her chest heaving as her body trembled violently. Her limbs felt like jelly, and she could barely keep her head up. But through the haze of pain, she felt something else—a spark of rage igniting deep inside her.
Hetri watched her, his face impassive, like a scientist observing his subject in a lab. "See? That wasn't so bad, was it?"
Her heart was racing, her entire body sore, but Aidi still managed to lift her head. Her eyes locked onto Hetri's, burning with defiance.
"You think that's going to break me?" she spat, her voice shaky but resolute. "You think that will make me beg? You're wrong. You don't know who I am."
Hetri didn't respond right away. Instead, he took a step back, as if considering her words. There was a flicker of something—perhaps respect?—but it was gone as quickly as it had appeared.
"You're right about one thing," Hetri said, his voice low and cold. "I don't know who you are. But I'm going to find out. I'll make you tell me."
He gave a sharp nod to the guards, who immediately began to remove the shock device from her neck. "Let's see how long your pride lasts, Aidi," Hetri murmured. "Because the real pain is yet to come."
As the door slammed shut behind them, Aidi was left alone again, her body trembling from the shock. But in the depths of the pain, something inside her burned even brighter.
This isn't over.
She wouldn't give up. Not to him. Not to anyone.