272 : Captive

DORY

I grunt as my body hurts from all the beating I got today. Even my back hurts as I try to rest it against the dirty wall.

The stench is overwhelming. It’s a nauseating mix of decay, sweat, and something I can’t quite place. Maybe urine. Ew!

I gag as I try to breathe through the thick, heavy air. The cell is small and cramped, the walls damp and moldy. Cobwebs dangle from the ceiling, and rats scurry across the filthy floor.

The light is dim, filtering through a small, barred window high up on the wall. It casts eerie shadows that dance and flicker across the grimy walls. A single, rusted bucket sits in the corner, its contents a murky, foul-smelling liquid. I shudder at the thought of having to drink from it.

I’m trapped. A prisoner in this disgusting, filthy dungeon. And I have no idea how I’m going to escape.

“Sweetie, are you alright?” A faint sound breaks through the silence of my cell. It’s a voice, soft and hesitant. I strain to hear it better, my heart pounding in my che