The past.
A flash of pain that surrounded Alister’s elbow woke him from a deep sleep. He groaned and rubbed at the throbbing, trying to remember what had made him thrash.
“Death,” he said, his resonating voice a dull echo. He licked his dry cracked lips with a tongue coated with saliva so thick that it was like paste. “You’ve taken them all from me. Do you need to cause me pain as a reminder that you’re still around me?”
Death had come for every one of his family members, and he could do nothing but watch their struggle. They tried to run from the shadowy faceless figure in a ragged cloak. It had eyes that glowed red and a deep, taunting laugh. Sometimes its approach was fast, but most of the time it would take its time and make people suffer. And in the end, death always got its fill.
Shadowy tendrils that reached down from the ceiling commanded Alister’s attention. The way they swayed were like fingers of a skeletal hand reaching out, and that made him forget the pain in his elbow and the contents of his dream.
“What is that?”
Alister rubbed his eyes. Cobwebs that were weighed down by dust and debris waved in the draft.
“Strange. My eyes must be adjusting to the darkness.”
He had lost count of how many days he had been locked inside the small room. His internal clock told him it had been over ninety-six hours.
“Four days.”
He yawned, stretched and sat up. He looked behind himself, and the door to the room was ajar. A small wedge of light was beaming through.
He rushed to his feet and grunted at the stiffness that had settled in his joints.
“Four days of living in my own filth—”
He moved to the door, and though tempted to close it and remain within the safety of the room, he knew he couldn’t. The security of the room had been compromised.
“—for nothing.”
He shifted on his feet and spied what was beyond the room.
Dozens of chairs were stacked, one on top of the other. Odd items were strewn about, and filing cabinets and office desks were piled without care.
Alister moved forward and was stopped by something that snagged his shirt. The steel on the door had been peeled inward and sharp shards stuck out in all directions.
“So now what am I supposed to do?” someone said in the room beyond his.
Alister moved away. His blood warmed and indecision raced through his mind.
“I’ve arranged everything as you instructed.”
Alister tried to push the door closed, but it wouldn’t budge.
“I’m ready to go whenever you are.”
Alister looked at the man with bulging muscles. His eyes were so red they appeared to glow. Just like death’s did.
“How much longer do you need?” Milos asked.
“Where are we going?”
“Don’t you remember?”
As big as that man was, he looked pathetic and weak.
“Remember what?”
“Coming to me last night?”
Alister shook his head. “No.”
“Are you telling me you can’t feel that?”
Alister exited the room and stood next to a stack of desks. The floor was dirt, and each step stirred dust.
“What are you talking about?”
“Look at your hands.”
Deep lacerations covered both hands. The wounds were jagged and filled with dried blood and grime.
“My God,” Alister said, and he looked at the door.
“That door was intact when we put you inside that room.”
Alister opened and closed his hands. They felt stiff but there was no pain. “I don’t understand.”
“When you came to me last night, I was sleeping by that desk.” He pointed at two desks that had been placed upright and butted together. “You tapped me on my shoulder, and I thought I was dreaming. That’s when you grabbed me, shook me, and got real close to me and said, ‘Boo.’”
“You didn’t hear me trying to get out?” Alister ran his fingertips over the serrated metal.
The muscleman shook his head. “I’ve been keeping watch over you for days making sure you couldn’t get out of that room. But when you got out, I tried to get away from you. But you grabbed my arm and held me still without a problem.” He moved close to Alister and lifted his sleeve. In a clear purple bruise he could see a handprint. “I couldn’t believe how strong you were, and no matter how hard I tried pulling away, I couldn’t loosen your hold.”
Alister felt small next to Milos.
“You told me you were hungry and thirsty and that you would be waiting for your meal in the room and that I shouldn’t keep you waiting.”
Alister looked away. “I don’t remember any of this.”
“When I brought you your meal, you were sitting in the center of the room. Your hands were dripping with blood and that is when I noticed how you had gotten out of the room. I offered you assistance with your wounds, but you denied me, taking only the food and water.”
“How long ago?”
“Several hours.”
“I don’t think you have much time.”
“Yes, I realize that. You instructed me to arrange a place where you would be away from human contact, but also a place where necessities would be provided for you every day. I’ve made such arrangements. We should go now.”