People say that a child's laughter is the most beautiful sound a person can hear. But when you are in pitch darkness and the sinister giggle of a young girl is the only noise that your ears take in, it is the most terrifying sound you can imagine. Caleb didn't get a chance to find the girl who made the noise, because by the time he had shut the door behind him, he was on the ground. Several hands were holding him down and, despite his struggles and groans, he couldn't escape before a cloth bag was yanked over his head and torso. The next thing he felt was a painful bang against his skull, and he blacked out.
When Caleb eventually opened his eyes, he found himself squinting at a blinding light hanging from the ceiling. What in the world? Once his eyes had adjusted to the light, he leaned forward - or, at least, as far forward as the ropes around his torso confining him to the chair would allow - and studied the light. It was like someone had captured a tiny version of the Sun and tied it to a rope and left it dangling from the ceiling. Caleb had never seen anything like it.
His awe was interrupted by squeals and protests coming from behind him. Before he had a chance to turn his head towards the sound, a tall, well-built man strode into Caleb's line of sight, his arms wrapped around a small figure who had a bag over their head.
"Who are you?" Caleb growled through gritted teeth at the man. The man merely grinned. It was a menacing grin that flashed two rows of the straightest, whitest teeth that Caleb had ever seen. His own teeth weren't as yellow and crooked as some of his fellow villagers, but they were a terrible sight compared to the teeth of the stranger standing before him. Without saying a word, the man grabbed a handful of the bag in his fist and tore it off of the figure. Caleb's blood ran cold. It was Tanya.
When Caleb eventually opened his eyes, he found himself squinting at a blinding light hanging from the ceiling. What in the world? Once his eyes had adjusted to the light, he leaned forward - or, at least, as far forward as the ropes around his torso confining him to the chair would allow - and studied the light. It was like someone had captured a tiny version of the Sun and tied it to a rope and left it dangling from the ceiling. Caleb had never seen anything like it.
His awe was interrupted by squeals and protests coming from behind him. Before he had a chance to turn his head towards the sound, a tall, well-built man strode into Caleb's line of sight, his arms wrapped around a small figure who had a bag over their head.
"Who are you?" Caleb growled through gritted teeth at the man. The man merely grinned. It was a menacing grin that flashed two rows of the straightest, whitest teeth that Caleb had ever seen. His own teeth weren't as yellow and crooked as some of his fellow villagers, but they were a terrible sight compared to the teeth of the stranger standing before him. Without saying a word, the man grabbed a handful of the bag in his fist and tore it off of the figure. Caleb's blood ran cold. It was Tanya.
