Another one shot, I'm always intrigued by how Ciel was treated during his captivity, his thoughts, his spiral into darkness, a very intriguing prospect, as such, I'm going to write about it.
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I couldn't see the bodies clearly; all I knew was that there was red everywhere, and dark hair, golden locks, fine clothes.
Then I was on my knees, retching up last night's birthday cake.
It couldn't be true, it was some sick joke. Father couldn't die, mother couldn't leave me. We stuck together, a family. The pieces didn't fit together if someone wasn't there.
I had to find them. Then I could tell them about the horrible joke, father would fire the servant behind such a thing, life would go on.
I stood, shaking from the recent expulsion of food.
My vision shook and went dark in flashes, but I ran anyway, using memory for guidance.
"Someone," I gasped. "Hey!"
There wasn't a servant in sight. Where were they? These halls were always so busy.
"Is no one here?" I cried out in desperation.
I tripped and caught myself on my knees, gasping as my throat tightened painfully. Usually when this happened there was a servant nearby, they all had pills that made it easier for me to breathe, but no one was there now.
Suddenly I heard a deep growl, a man's scream, and then a whimper.
"Sebastian?" I ran around the corner, ignoring the painful throat, doing what I could with small breaths.
Deep crimson pooled around the dog, I tripped again and landed in it.
My white sailor suit was now a very different color, and warm.
I looked at the liquid stained on my hands, and gagged. There was nothing left to come up, only clear liquid flowed out of my mouth and mixed with the blood.
"Father? Mother?" I whispered. It wasn't a joke was it? They couldn't be dead yet, they were strong. I had to save them, there had to have been some accident, a broken window, something.
I ran back to the servant's dwellings, gasping, pulling in less air with each breath. "Someone help me!" I screamed through my swollen throat. "Everyone is going to die!"
I pushed open the door to the servant's halls without pausing.
Tanaka. He stood at a turn point in the hall, he would help them, he was our butler, he could do anything.
"Tanaka, help me!" I yelled, already feeling surer that he would make everything okay.
He turned to me, shock on his face. "You should not have come here!" He yelled down the hall.
It was then I noticed his position. In one of his stances for that fighting style he used. Why was that?
"Please escape!" He abandoned his post and ran towards me, his swallow tails flapping behind him. "Ciel sir," I heard a wet thump and Tanaka staggered. "It's too risky for you." He fell at my feet, blood pouring from his mouth.
"Tana…" I cut off when I looked behind him. A burly man stood, grinning wickedly, a huge knife in his blood stained hand. "Well now, what 'ave we here?"
I collapsed unto the carpet beside Tanaka, another warm liquid staining my pants.
No.
He laughed, it made me shiver, made me want to retch again. "We 'ave quite the pretty brat here, now dun't we?"
He turned to the side, and another man stepped out.
No.
He was even larger than the last, carrying a large rounded piece of wood that might once have been a different shade besides the vibrant red that stood out.
I couldn't think, I couldn't move. I wanted to curl up, shrink, turn invisible, run so far that these men would never find me, but my body was like a separate entity, not mine.
The world was a million shades of black and white; the only color that stood out to me was red.
The red pool beneath Tanaka's body, the liquid staining my hands and shirt, the men's weapons.
No!
Sounds were so far, like underwater, only further, colder, like liquid steel stuffed in my ears.
"Shall we keep 'im? He'd fetch a pretty price." I didn't know who spoke, I didn't really care, they were going to kill me, I was going to die. I didn't want to die.
There are some really whims'cal people out there." Another voice said. I didn't think about what they said, it didn't matter; just get it over with already.
My vision swam even more, and then went black.
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My neck hurt. I sat up, and fell back at a jostle, accompanied by a horse's whinny and a harsh word.
It was small, and dark.
I kicked as hard as I could, and was rewarded with a resounding thump.
"Quiet you." Hissed a voice that I associated with a bloody butcher knife.
A strangled scream pushed into my throat as images I would do almost anything to forget came rushing back. It stayed there.
They had gagged my mouth. It was very dirty and tasted of dirt, salt, and bile. I wanted terribly to spit it out. Now that I had noticed it, I could feel the dryness of my mouth, the roughness of my tongue. I wanted to swallow, but the cloth prevented that and soaked up all the saliva I produced, leaving my mouth dry.
I slammed my head into the metal bars as hard as my body allowed. "Hey!" Another cruel hiss. But it didn't matter, I had gotten what I wanted, an escape from this hell, I sank into unconsciousness gratefully.
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"Ooh! This is…" An unfamiliar and far too cheerful voice gasped.
I sat up groggily as another voice, that I unfortunately did recognize, chuckled. "He's rare, huh?"
A plump man looked in on me through steel bars.
Stop it.
His eyes roamed my frame.
Stop it.
He licked his lips in a way that scared me.
Stop, please.
"This is worth more than two people!" He cried, pouring coins into an unseen hand without looking away.
Stop, I'm not some animal you can buy.
"Thanks." The other voice grunted, and then slapped the box as he walked away.
I was carted away, like livestock.
"Now, then," Came the voice of the man who paid for me. It was cruel, I whimpered, it was wrong, how his voice sounded. "Let me give you the mark of a noble beast."
A what? Keys jingled, I thought about running, but strong hands gripped me. Masks unlike any I had ever seen. My legs screamed in pain and I buckled, they hadn't been stretched to a straight position since I had been taken from my house.
They forced me up, slapping hard, muttering harsh words.
It was dim, lit only by flickering candles that were drowning in their own melted wax.
I was shoved unto the table, it was cold, I shivered involuntarily, making those holding me down with suddenly uncomfortably warm hands chuckle darkly.
I thought I saw a warm flickering out of the corner of my eye, something different then candles.
All of a sudden pain ruptured on my lower back, I screamed with all my might, making up for all the screams that had been blocked by the filthy gag.
It burned! All my flesh had to be gone by now, it had to have gone straight through me; it felt like it had pushed straight into my soul.
That was it. A brand, still steaming with boiled blood was waved mockingly in my face as the room ignited in horrible laughter, while I shook and tried to break free.
"See? You became cuter!" A voice boomed.
Let me go!
More hands filthy, disgusting.
Let me go!
More of my clothing ripped off, like rags instead of silk.
Let me out of here!
I sobbed while they tore at me, laughing louder at every scream, the dark room full of only mocking shadows.
I'm hurt!
Pain, all the wrong kinds. What was this? It made me feel dirty, like dying, this man with his pants around his ankles. Stop it, it hurts! Its pain, it's not right!
I'm dirty!
More than one, they took turns, I retched violently several times, they only laughed, giggling and slapping me when I tried to push them away, whips came out, my back must be gone, my spine had to be the only thing left, only leaving me to feel pain for what was no longer there.
I want to go home!
I begged, pleaded, told them that my father would reward them handsomely, all ignored in favor of my pain.
Finally they stopped, instead shoving me towards a rusty cage, the bars wet with disgusting substances.
I tried to fight, but I couldn't move, I ached, I hurt, my body screamed in torment.
But they weren't listening.
I tumbled into the cage, smacking my head against the floor, leaving a smear from my back as I twisted around.
They grabbed my ankle, I kicked, once, and they stabbed my foot, I screamed again, choking on blood from my ravaged throat as they locked the chain around my ankle and shut the door.
I huddled in towards myself, putting my arm in my hands, plunging myself into darkness, trying to focus on memories, lose myself in them; become a part of them, not this nightmare I had been thrown into.
I whispered pleas to God, mother, father, anyone that would listen.
Father, mother, God, please!
I sobbed again, feeling a sharp pain in my back every time I moved.
My stomach hurt, most of the food in it had been pulled back up, and I hadn't eaten in two days.
What a pretty young doll.
I gasped and looked around myself.
The room around my cell was empty, the torturers off to have a good night's sleep I would never get.
Who spoke to me?
You look lonely, would you like some company?
I paused.
"Will you hurt me?" I asked; my voice almost non-existent, blood welling in my mouth again.
A chuckle. No, I only wish to talk, befriend you so to speak.
I sobbed again, a fat tear rolling down my bloody, dirt stained cheek.
Something whisked it away, I wondered…
"Are you an angel?" I whispered.
Call me what you like.
The voice sounded old, wise. There was something else in it that I couldn't place.
I was scared, but less so than when the masked people had been here.
"If it's okay, can I just talk, and you listen?" I asked again, closing my eyes. He couldn't be seen. This angel God had sent me.
If you wish.
I pushed it all out. I told him of my family, my home, my status. My likes, my dislikes, friends, enemies, and all the happiness I had felt. Then, the horror that had begun my nightmare, my pain, my fears, I told it all, giving away my life.
Sounds like quite a life. He said when I had finished.
I nodded, but slowly my lids drooped lower, and lower, until I lost myself in pleasanter times.
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Everyday it was the same.
Pain, three different kinds.
Hunger. There was never any real food. Occasionally, someone would bring me some if I did something with them. Kissing, and further, torture with no fighting.
Nothing was free.
Had it ever been? Or had my father been paying the price for me?
Not that it mattered now.
Pain from the whips, the knives, the hatchets. There were more kids besides me.
I watched as some of them had limbs hacked off, eyes gouged out, occasionally they would take one and place it on a large stone alter in the center of the room.
They would all say words I couldn't understand. I got the feeling I didn't want to.
Pain from being ripped apart from the inside out. More people who would pull down pants or lift up skirts, I stopped seeing it. Pulling into myself, little by little.
Why?
No one ever came to stop it.
No, that's not true. One person came; he joined the children on the floor, unrecognizable while the masks hovered over him. Shrieking and laughing, mutilating him.
None of us would ever get help, would we?
I would end up with the others on the floor, wouldn't I?
Why is there no one?
Why wouldn't God help me? Had I done something to keep him from helping? Was this redemption?
That night I started asking forgiveness for any wrong doing I had ever done, begging for help.
I can help you.
I frowned. "You aren't an angel are you?"
A chuckle. Figured it out finally? What a smart boy.
I snarled. "Just save me already!"
Aren't you forgetting something?
I shivered. This person was definitely no angel. But I didn't care. "What do you want?"
A hum, as though he was considering something. I think I'll wait a little longer first.
"What?" I hissed incredulously. "Why would you watch me in pain when you could help me?
Because I enjoy it. His voice was smug.
"You, you monster!" I screamed, ignoring the now normal taste of blood in my mouth.
Quite the description, boy. I like it.
I clawed the ground, screaming my pain, my fury, my frustration.
No one comes to our rescue.
I began to tell God in my prayers that I would give him anything, anything. In return for lifting me from this hell.
He could have my body my will, my very soul if that was what it took. I just wanted out.
He never answered.
Everyday I was beaten, bruised, humiliated, torn apart, made more and more filthy.
Was he even listening?
Didn't he care about what happened to us? His children? The blessed?
Was he even there?
I thought hard about it. Would he really allow this to go on if he was there? 'All knowing?' Would he be able to watch this and turn a blind eye? A god like that was not a God at all.
There is no such thing as God.
Are you sure?
Shut up.
My my, not speaking are we?
I couldn't if I wanted to, you fiend. My voice is gone, most likely destroyed from being used for screaming every day, every minute, every damn second.
Touchy today, aren't we?
You try being friendly when the whole world has turned against you.
Not the whole world has.
But they have the potential to, and that's just as bad.
Condemning the world yourself? How prideful for a brat like you.
Go to hell.
I'm already there. Would you care to join me?
No. Leave.
I don't want to; this is far too much fun.
Being a coward and watching from the sidelines is fun? Even those masked bastards have more spine than you.
You have quite the mouth, haven't you, brat? Fine then. If you want me to do something, I will.
What? Piss your pants?
And to think I liked that cocky attitude of yours.
A mistake on your part.
Well, try hard.
For what?
I am growing a little bored; there are only so many ways for humans to torture each other without proper equipment. If one of you finds the right way, I'll help that person.
The right way?
To ask me child, I thought you were smart.
You aren't expecting me to be it, are you?
You make it sound like a game of tag. No, I don't. You are smart, but I have never had someone you size or age find the right way.
Guess I'll be the first.
Cheeky little rat.
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They have tied me. I know what it means.
The alter is my fate now, and I still haven't figured out how to get away, with or without that bastards help.
I laugh; they ignore my pathetic insanity, lobbing me easily unto the table.
My body screams as broken ribs shift, mutilated arms wriggle.
Pain I am used to.
Someone, anyone, get me out! I care not what the price is, I'll give anything, just make these men suffer in my place!
Oh?
For once I see the body that belongs to the voice as blood seeps from the neat slice down my body.
Blood red eyes that slit like a cat about to pounce upon prey.
Black leather stiletto's that should be impossible to walk on.
A cloak that acts as shadow, hiding everything and nothing.
Well, aren't you a very small master.
Mocking me even as I win. Still, master is it? I like it.
Masks fall, revealing terrified faces as they take to the walls and cower, many fine clothes becoming soiled.
I want to laugh, they are so pathetic, they think themselves powerful, monstrous. But when faced with a real monster they reveal their true selves.
Germs that don't deserve life. Never did. Sickening.
You have summoned me.
I could only think of one creature that would need to be summoned, and the irony of what I once thought it was makes me snicker.
This fact will not change for eternity.
He speaks as if I care for this. I know what he wants, I'll give it, gladly.
I want no part of a heaven that has abandoned me, to have to look upon a face that could have saved me makes me want to retch.
He is no better than this demon.
What has been sacrificed will never return.
As if I would want it to.
Living in innocence is now a thought that makes me sick. I hate this life, yet I revel in the knowledge it has graced me with.
If there ever was a hypocrite, I was the example for it.
He walked slowly towards me during his little speech, heels clicking, ever growing smile that makes me feel as if there is something wriggling under my skin. Drawing it out as long as he can. Trying to scare me, or maybe hoping I'll die before a true pact is made.
Now choose.
He is right before me. An elegantly curved nail, long and black as sin, touching to his lips, the five on the other hand tapping impatiently against the stained alter I lie on.
I think. What do I want most? Many choices flash before me, but only one rings true.
I smile as blood leaks out of the corner of my mouth.
A new burn has started in my right eye, rivers of blood pour down from it, joining the stream from my mouth.
"This is an order, kill them!" I do not question that my ability to speak has returned, or how I am suddenly free from by bonds, or how all my wounds are gone, save for a slightly throbbing brand.
His smile grows wider than humanly possible, but at the same time, he becomes more human, his frame shifting, skin growing, nails shortening.
He speaks with a voice that is more human than mine, that does not reverberate in my head, quite as much.
"Yes, my lord."
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There ya go. It was kinda hard…. I wanted it to be like the manga, so I used chptr 19 as reference, if you'll notice; there are a lot of quotes from there in this :D
Reviews get chocolate cake!