Sleep Depravation May Cause Hallucinations

It's dark and I'm alone. The ground is cold and hard against my thin shorts. Where am I? Why am I here? My head hurts like hell and I'm bound at the ankles and wrists.

Time passes, I don't know how much, before I hear heavy footsteps. They're getting closer and I feel a quiet whimper escape my lips. A light goes on and I'm finally able to take in my surroundings. I see four walls of solid concrete, a staircase, and an old cot next to me. Then my gaze rests on the giant figure in the corner next to a light switch and I want to scream in fear.

He's evil. That is a fact that is all too obvious from the look in his eyes. The dark orbs of sadistic crime leer at me as he steps toward me. I shrink back against the thin object that I'm tied to, a pipe I think. No way to be sure since I can't turn my head to see it. My eyes are locked on this person, whoever he is. I can barely hear over the warnings screaming in my head, but suddenly what they're saying becomes clearer as he lunges at me. The clarity lasts for mere seconds as he smashes my head against the poll and my vision becomes blurry.

Part of me is trying to stay awake, but a larger part of me is trying to make me slip into the darkness as I'm transferred to the cot and my wrists are tied to the headboard. He undresses me and the part of me that was trying to stay awake wishes it would have listened to the smarter part. The only thing that can be heard in the time afterwards are my screams and his disturbing grunts as he takes advantage of me. It feels like my soul is shattering and all I'm trying to do is make the pain disappear. Only after what seems like hours of endless torture, I'm able to black out.

I awaken in your arms and the movement of you carrying me away from that place is like I'm an infant being cradled to sleep. You're mouth is moving and there's a vague humming noise that I assume must be your voice, but I'm still groggy and I have no idea where we are. There are other people around, people in uniforms who are talking back to you. What are they talking about, what are you saying to them?

My hearing becomes a little clearer and I manage to get the gist of the situation. He was your brother and he wanted you to finish me off. You didn't though, you waited until he was gone and you saved me. You're my hero, thank you so much.

I gasp loudly as I wake up in my bed, covered in a cold sweat. It's dark and I'm alone, but my bed is warm and comfortable. What happened to the concrete, the rope that bound me? What happened to the pain and the torture? God, it felt so real. But it was a dream, just a nightmare. You...you were the dream. You're not really here. You were a prince.

A prince that will never save me.