You are being trapped.

“I’ve got a plan.” He whispered from the next room over. Our beds shared a very thin wall, and the vent just above our head helped. He had kept me alive these past weeks just by talking with me.

               “What do you have in mind this time Theo?” I questioned. He devised a new plan each day, although our days and nights were completely messed up as we didn’t have a window to the outside world in our little cells. They may not have been made of concrete, but they are just as good as. The cameras watched our every move, and if we so much as pushed on the walls, a loud ear-shattering alarm came on, resulting in us curling up on the floor, covering our heads until it stopped.

 “We could tunnel out with our spoons, then run for it.”

               “Really? Like Shawshank redemption?” I snapped back.

               “Yeah, it worked for them.”

               “That was a movie, and they weren’t watched in their cell.”

               “It could be worth a try.” He said hopefully.

               “Well, I guess. We haven’t had our ears bleed in a few days.”
               The door slammed down the hall, and heavying footsteps moved door to door, throwing up the small hatch and shoving food through to each of the captured. They pounded on my door, indicating that today was my day for testing, which meant I didn’t get food.

               “Tough break, kiddo.” Said Theo as he received his nasty protein bar.

               “Yeah, well, we knew my day was coming again. I seem to be their favorite.”

“You are just special, Ridley. I don’t know what I would do without you.” He confessed.

“Oh, you would probably just talk less.” I chuckled with what little happiness I had left after being captured, tortured, and tormented for the last month. I’ve tried to scratch a mark on the wall each time we received protein bars. We were only allowed to eat one time each day.

“Without you, I would have given in weeks ago.” He whispered.

“Stand tall, man. You can handle this until we escape. I know you can.” I comforted him.

“How are you so positive, and it’s your turn?”

“Because I have a plan this time,” I spoke a little too loud with excitement.

“You? But you never have a plan. Well, what is it?” His interest was fully peaked.

“I’ll let you know when I come back.” I hoped it would help him hold on. Also, I needed to do some research as they dragged me down the hall to torture and experiment on me.

“No. You can’t make me wait that long. Sometimes they keep you for days.” He whined.

“Yes, but my plan is not all the way formed just yet. I should have said I have an idea of a plan, but not all the details are there yet.” I explained.

“Are you serious? You have a for-real plan, not a dream?” He questioned.

“Yes, we are going to get out of here.”

The door banged open down the hall; a crowd of footsteps followed, moving towards me. My breath quickened, my muscles tensed, and fear set in.

Theo spoke just before my door opened. “You’ve got this. I will always wait for you.”

Tears streamed down my face as the large masked men grabbed me from the bed, dragging me up to my feet even though my legs didn’t have the strength to move. They rearranged for a better grip to carry me to the scream room. Which was named after what happens inside.
The door slammed behind me. I needed to stay alert to create every detail of my plan. I had to escape. There was a deadbolt lock on the outside of our doors. If I could get out, I could unlock Theo’s and not even need a key.

The dreaded room was on the other side of the large house. They pushed me through to a metal chair in the middle of a large room full of stains, mainly red/brown, depending on how old there were. They strapped my wrists and ankles to the metal chair. The cold burned my bare skin, that was not covered by the short cloth shorts and no-sleeved cotton shirt I wore. The straps cut into me as I pulled, and they tightened.

The needles in my arms started with blood draws that seemed to drain the life from me or what little I had left. Then the multi-colored injections began with torturess effects. My body throbbed with my heartbeat, which drummed in my ears, taking my hearing. My skin burned red as blisters formed, covering all my exposed skin. The blisters grew till my skin burst from the pressure. My screams filled the room and traveled through the house. The pain became too intense as my skin peeled off with each busted blister. I allowed the sweet darkness to take me to escape.

I woke still strapped to the metal chair. My bare, exposed skin shivered. However, the blisters were gone, and new skin had formed. Their experiments must be getting better for my skin to heal that fast because I knew I hadn’t been here for that long as the blood on my chair hadn't dried yet. A strange surge of strength pulsed as a man in a white lab coat walked in. He actually looked me in the face. They usually only study my body as a tool, not as a human.

“Hey, I’m glad you woke up. Now, you can tell me how you feel without using probes and medicine.” He whispered close to me as he began tugging and examining my skin.

“Um…” I squeaked out. My throat burned for water. I gave a raspy, labored cough.

“I got you. Let me see if I can get you a drink.” He left the room, allowing me to take it all in a bit better before the questions and testing started again.