Trapped

He tried to cover up for the fear he’d shown just moments earlier. He’d lost his wits. His fatigue had won out. Now, though, his anger and disgust came rushing right back.

He couldn’t move, sadly. He was still in pain. He wanted to hurt the boy. He hated him with a burning passion. He was ready to break every bone in his body. When the boy offered him water after that experiment, all he had wanted to do was tear him to shreds. He couldn’t help it.

But then the memory of what happened earlier came rushing back. He lost himself in it. He forgot about the experiment. All he remembered was the boy kneeling in front of him in an unintentionally suggestive position. The boy’s reaction to the situation was etched into his mind. His own reaction was stuck in his mind.

He’d liked seeing the boy down and not in the usual ‘down’. He couldn’t see himself standing over this boy while the kid lay bleeding on the floor. That was one thing that swayed him. He couldn’t understand why he was seeing himself murdering every other monster in this building while the mere thought of killing this single boy was a scene of pure horror.

The scientist turned back to him with a grim look on his face. He watched Zalen carefully as he drank the water given to him. He followed the boy’s orders and drank slowly.

Ryker stepped before him, holding his hand up to the elf’s face. The gesture made Zalen jerk back, his water sloshing over the side of his cup as he glared at the guy standing before him. He resisted the urge to snap something vicious his way.

Ryker didn’t stop, though. He stepped closer and closer, his fingertips nearly brushing Zalen’s cheek. Zalen leaned back as far as he could. He didn’t want to be touched by this man.

“Stop moving, Zalen,” Ryker sighed, catching the elf’s hand and pressing the other to the blonde’s cheek.

“Don’t touch me,” Zalen growled through clenched teeth.

“Sorry, can’t help it,” Ryker sighed.

He reached his hand up, pressing it to Zalen’s forehead. Zalen sat tensely, waiting for the boy to let him go. He wasn’t happy about the contact. He hated being touched by strangers and this boy was more than just a stranger.

“You’re warm,” the boy mumbled. Zalen blinked twice.

“What?”

“I said you are warm,” Ryker replied.

“Well I’m warm blooded,” Zalen replied matter-of-factly. Ryker rolled his eyes.

“Really, Zalen, stop-”

“Do not call me that,” Zalen snapped. “You are not my friend nor are you someone I love. Only people I know and love could call me Zalen. Call me by whatever fucking number they assigned me. Keep this as formal as possible.”

The boy stepped aside, clearly taken aback by this. The elf kept his glare on the boy, pulling his forehead away from the monster’s hand. He ignored Ryker’s hurt expression and turned away.

“What else are you going to do to me? Cut me open?” the elf snapped.

“No,” the scientist denied meekly.

Zalen scoffed, crossing his arms over his chest as a precaution. The thought made him shudder. The possibility of it becoming a reality was that much worse.

Ryker stared at him, dismayed. The elf sat hunched over and met his gaze firmly. His grip around his torso was incredibly tight.

“I’m not doing anything else today,” Ryker replied softly.

The elf didn’t relax. He was expecting the boy to pounce on him the second he moved his arms. He wouldn’t let that happen. He wouldn’t get the best of him.

Ryker sat down on the table by the elf, sighing. He buried his face in his hands for a moment before looking out the window. It was pitch black outside. Squinting, Zalen would be lucky to see a bird in the night sky.

“I’m sorry I have to do this to you,” Ryker mumbled as he got up and grabbed the chain that had been wrapped around Zalen’s wrists and neck earlier.

“What are you doing?” Zalen frowned, leaning away.

“I have to put these back on you. Protocol,” Ryker replied numbly.

“You’re not putting those back on me,” the elf seethed, yanking his arms behind his back.

“I have to,” his scientist murmured. “You have no idea how much I wish this wasn’t necessary but it is. I can’t break this rule. I’d be discovered.”

“So what?” Zalen retorted. “It’s not like the loss of one monster will be the end of the damn world.”

Ryker flinched, staring at the ground in silence as the elf bashed him. He deserved all of it. He was at fault for the many elven deaths since the ‘research’ started. Zalen, though, seemed to realise the cruelty in his voice. He felt a surge of regret, watching the scientist’s reaction.

“I’m sorry,” he murmured.

The action hadn’t even registered. He’d been planning to keep his mouth shut and watch the boy suffer. The boy had the right to suffer for all the crap he’d done. The words had slipped out without consent, though. They had the boy smiling weakly at him, his eyes glinting in the dim light.

“Don’t be,” Ryker replied. “It wouldn’t make a difference if I were dead other than the fact that one elf would be lasting longer and suffering less. It wouldn’t make a difference at all.”

Zalen knew this best. He was the boy’s ‘lab rat’, after all. The boy had proved himself. He was nearly caring.

“Where do you have to take me?”

“Nowhere,” Ryker replied. “It’s just that the runners of this hell hole usually walk around and check each cell one time to make sure the elves are chained. It’s a ‘safety precaution’. I’ll take it off after their rounds.”

Zalen stared at the ceiling before giving a disgruntled sigh. Ryker glared at the chain in his hands before stepping forward and wrapping it around the elf’s wrists and neck. Zalen ignored the cool metal, feeling way too vulnerable with it around his wrists.

“Go in there,” Ryker murmured, motioning to the cell behind them.

Zalen walked into it and sat down on the ground, his knees against his chest. He watched as Ryker closed the barred door and locked it. Ryker looked through the bars, his gaze locking with Zalen.

“I promise you,” he whispered, “I will get you out of here."