Scream

The chain that had bound me to the wall now tied me to Rain, who was instructed to teach me. Rain did her best, but the ever-present attendant made doing the daily chores extremely difficult. She hampered our actions whenever she could and punished us when we fell outside the allotted schedule.

If a dish wasn’t washed to her expectations, the attendant would break it at our feet and make us clean it up by hand even if the pieces were sharp. If dinner didn’t taste just right, it was dumped over our heads regardless of the temperature, often burning our faces. Sometimes, we were allowed to keep the spilled food when we cleaned it off the floor. We would always share with the others, and they would share with us when they could, though we were constantly pitted against each other. The basement was home now to eleven kidnapped children, all with pale blonde hair.

Lyra, the one who had asked Rain if everything was okay my first night here, had said that the Alpha was looking for the Silverwolf. She also said not to let them know who, if any of us, was the beast of legend.

“As long as we keep them guessing, we all live.” I didn’t like the sound of that one bit. I had thought this place couldn’t get any worse. I was wrong.

The beatings grew worse and for seemingly for no reason. One wrong glance would result in being kicked until I spat up blood. A wrong comment, and my head would be bashed against the nearest hard surface. I didn’t understand what I was doing wrong. I tried so hard to do everything just as they told me to so as to avoid the abuse. Nothing made it better. Nothing made it stop. Then Rain told me what they were doing.

“Sometimes they can get a wolf to shift if subjected to enough pain or torment. Once they do, and that wolf’s pelt isn’t silver, they kill her. Never let them see your wolf. For all our sake.” I knew that Rain had told Lyra my secret, because every morning they helped me rub dirt into my hair to disguise the color, to make it seem more like the pale blond of the other girls.

Time passed like this for a while. One month, two, six, a year, then three years. I learned the chores and routines. I learned how to absorb the impact of a kick or punch tho minimize damage. Surely, this would be the worst they would force me to endure.

I was even more wrong.

“The Alpha wants to see you, bitch.” The pack Beta declared , stomping through the garden bed Rain and I were planting. He hauled me up by my elbow nearly wrenching my arm from its socket. He motioned over the attendant who wordlessly unchained me from Rain.

“Mustn't keep him waiting.” Before we left the wiry male kicked Rain in the face, sending her sprawling on her back. “And fix this garden." He snapped as if he weren't the one who had ruined all our hard works. "It’s atrocious!” With that he pulled me away.

The grip he had on my elbow hurt, but I knew better by now than to complain. Nothing was said as we circled to the rear of the building. I wasn’t allowed back here so I didn't know what lurked down the dark tunnel we approached that reeked of blood, and fear, and death, but I had an idea. I knew that I did not not want to go down there.

A whine escaped my lips and I started trying to pull away. “No.” I whispered.

“You’re not going anywhere, bitch.” The Beta snarled, dragging me along.

“No!” I twisted and yanked on my arm, clawing at his hand. Nothing I could do would stop him. Down into the grave, into the dark, into the pit of fear. Into the underworld, we descended. My breaths came in panicked gasps, shorter and faster as the stench of decay closed over me. Something, or someone, had died down here. We came to a silver reinforced door and as the Beta knocked, I cast one final terror filled glance up the incline to the tiny speck of daylight and whimpered.

If there had been anything in my stomach it would have made an unpleasant recurrence when the door creaked open releasing a ghastly cloud of putrid rotting flesh. I dry heaved and tried breathing through my mouth. That was even worse. Now, I could taste death. The smell coated my tongue, clogging my throat like thousands of wriggling maggots.

My legs gave out under me and I dropped like a sack of potatoes. This did nothing to slow the pack Beta. He merely started dragging me behind him.

Dim flickering lights swung from the ceiling casting long dancing shadows over the rows and rows of cells we passed. Most were empty, but a few had ragged excuses for people chained to the wall. I thought one of them might have been dead, they stank so badly, until they let out a wet rattling cough that shook their emaciated body.

At the end of the corridor waited another door, one that opened into a torture chamber. Tools and knives lined the walls, most of them looked to be at least partially silver. An examination table stood at the center of the room, blooming like fungus from blood stained cement.

“How long have you been with us, Little Silver?” The Alpha asked, stepping slowly around the table. I knew that whatever they had planned for me was going to be bad. They only ever called us Little Silver before being especially cruel.

The Beta shook me. “Answer him, bitch.”

I whimpered but choked out an answer the best I could. “Three years, Sir.” He nodded and picked something up off a tray on a small rolling table.

He played with the object, it was small, I could tell that much, as he strode towards us. “And in those three years you’ve seen us shift, yes?” I whimpered but nodded. “So tell me Little Silver,” The Alpha crouched in front of me and I saw that he held a key. “Why don’t you show us your wolf?”

He grinned and reached out to snag the collar around my throat. The spikes bit into my neck, making me cry out in pain, and then it was gone. The Alpha stepped back, collar in one hand. He nodded, and his Beta hauled me to my feet.

“Up you get.” Wobbly legs locked at the knee, keeping me standing, then rough hands started pulling my clothes off. Terror kept me rooted in place, frozen like a marble statue.

“Shift for us, Little Silver.”

It was an order but not one that I wanted to obey. I remembered what Lyra had said. I would not… I could not put the others in danger like that. I also remembered the scars that littered hers and Rain’s skin. They would try to torture me into shifting.

I curled in on myself the best I could, shaking my head. “I can’t.” I whispered.

The Alpha grinned, toothy and predatory. He liked it when we said no. He liked breaking us. “Put her on the table.” He was truly a monster. The Beta hauled me to the table, having no trouble regardless of how much I struggled.

“No, please, no!” Tears burned in my eyes, and I could smell the stench of my fear. I didn't want to go on the table. I didn’t want them to cut me with the silver knives. I couldn’t betray the others, but I was so scared. I just wanted my dad. I just wanted to go home.

"Bide your time, Little One." Silver's voice rose from the depths of my mind like mist rising off a mountain. "I will shield you from what pain I can, but you must be strong. We can get through this."

Only slightly comforted, I was hoisted, still kicking, onto the table where the two men worked quickly to secure my wrists and ankles with thick leather straps.

“Last chance, Little Silver. All you need to do is shift. You can end this at any time.” The Alpha peered down at me, a sadistic glint in his eye. I bit my lip, silent tears streaming down my cheeks. I shook my head. “As you wish.” A heavy muzzle was placed over my mouth to muffle the screams soon to come.

And scream I did.