Chapter 1

Number 42’s POV

His glowing red eyes narrowed at me in the rotting sockets of his face and I quickly turned back to face the direction we were heading in.

My stomach filled with dread as we approached a door I was all too familiar with. I knew exactly what to expect, and my stomach sank.

I was pushed roughly over the threshold and shoved forwards again. The shove was stronger this time, and I fell to my knees, unable to brace my fall with my arms as the brutish guard still had hold of the chains.

My face hit the floor at speed and I heard as well as felt a sickening crunch as my the right side of my face bounced on the tiled floor.

“Ah! How quaint. Bowing to your Mistress already and I haven’t even begun yet.”

I wanted to cry from the pain that exploded across my face, but I didn’t want to give her the satisfaction. She enjoyed the reactions. Every single one of them.

The fear, the tears, the begging. It only seemed to encourage her, so I maintained my composure as I shuffled backwards, using all my strength to force myself upright.

“You two are dismissed. Oh! Remove her chains fully before you go. I need her mobile for this. When you’re done, head to the perimeter. There seems to be an issue that they’re struggling to take care of and I really don’t want to be bothered with it right now.” Her voice was commanding and smooth as velvet, and they rushed to obey.

I kept my eyes downcast as they left the room and shut the door behind them. My chains hung by the door, ready for reattachment when she had finished whatever atrocity she had dreamed up this time.

‘I will take over when it’s too much. I will not let you suffer.’

I didn’t reply. My internal acknowledgement was usually enough.

I didn’t want this bitch to know about the voice. If it truly was another facet to myself, that was bound for whatever reason, I didn’t want that taken from me too.

She had taken everything else.

I watched her slow, deliberate footsteps out of the corner of my eye as she circled me leisurely.

I was sure it was designed to intimidate the people at her feet, and if I wasn’t able to shut myself down so completely, I’m sure it would have been effective on me, too. I was so numb to it now. Her posturing had no effect.

Finally, her immaculate black patent stilettos stopped in front of me and she crouched low, grabbing my chin with her bony, elegantly manicured fingers and forcing my head upwards so that she could study my face.

I avoided eye contact as much as I could, but she tightened her grip painfully until I met her gaze with my own.

Her chiseled face, with its high cheekbones, had an ethereal beauty only enhanced by the stark contrast of her white skin and raven black curls that cascaded gently downwards, framing her face.

Her long lashes fluttered prettily, encasing eyes as black as night. A smirk spread slowly across her crimson lips.

“Number 42. We meet again.” She whispered almost seductively.

She stood rapidly, keeping my chin in her vice like grip and forced me to stand at the same time. She examined me slowly, her eyes trailing the length of my body before travelling slowly back to my face.

“I shouldn’t have favorites,” she said, releasing my chin abruptly as she pushed me backwards and took a step back.

She folded her arms across her floor length black silk dress and regarded me cooly.

“But you, 42. Why have I not succeeded in breaking you yet?” she mused, beginning to pace, the sharp clicking of her heels stark in the silence, punctuating her words.

“I still see that fire in you. No matter how depraved or violent the experiments I concoct, you still will not break.” She stopped suddenly and whirled to face me, pointing accusingly at me.

“I’m beginning to think you enjoy it.” She smirked before laughing.

The laughter was like a thousand shards of glass piercing my heart.

Her expression turned serious and her face darkened.

“Remove your clothes.” she barked, narrowing her eyes at me.

I almost snorted. These rags weren’t what you could call clothes, but I managed to suppress the sarcasm I longed to spit at her and did as she asked.

Her face lit up at the sight of my naked body.

“You healed well! Wonderful! I’m running low on ingredients, so like all good suppliers, I must replenish the stocks. Only the highest quality ingredients will do.” She continued merrily.

“Everything that I have sold in relation to you has received the most excellent feedback. It’s so wonderful to have you as source material. My reputation is simply unbeaten, thanks to you.”

I felt the voice inside growl in anger and it reverberated lowly in the depths of my chest. The audacity of this woman.

She frowned, almost as if she had heard the growl. If she had, then I was well and truly fucked.

“Well, number 42, that wasn’t very friendly. Perhaps I’ll play a little before I harvest from you this time.” She cackled as she advanced towards me.

I felt the ghost of fear begin to rise as she came closer and I knew from past experience there was no escape from whatever she had planned for me.

She dragged me by the hair to the cold steel slab that lay in the middle of the room and smiled sweetly as she cast her magic that would hold me in place.

I could feel the pit of despair growing in my stomach again. I didn’t know how much longer I could live like this.

As she sliced away at the skin on my arms happily, filling her little jars with pieces of my flesh, I laid there in silence. She wouldn’t have the satisfaction of my screams, my terror or my tears.

My torturer moved to the other side of the table and inspected the areas that she was going to assault next. Before she could make the next incision, the lights went out.

I was surrounded by darkness once again.