The Dungeon

Kidnappers splashed some water on Zed's face to wake him up… Zed woke up and looked sideways…

"Gasp! Where am I?", he got muddled. He was locked up in a cell.

Zed saw a shadow approaching him, got alarmed. He peered upwards and saw a lady standing in front of him….

She had a beautiful pair of golden eyes and shining red locks. She was Madam Rose, a lady with the lamp. She glared at him; as a predator to his prey. Zed got shivers down his spines, he got petrified.

Rose studied Zed. She was mesmerised by his beauty. "Emerald eyes, black hair and a handsome face. Indeed, a fine product!"

"P-Product?! What product?!!" Zed got flustered.

"You don't need to know more. You just have to know that you are a very fine product!"

Zed was terrified. Her voice sent shivers down his spine. "W-Wait!! Wait! What are you going to do to me?" he questioned.

"Well, it depends on the buyer." Rose mumbled.

Madam Rose was leaving the room. When he saw her leaving, the panic-stricken Zed rushed to her and plead her to take him out of the cell...

"P-Please! Please don't leave me here alone! It's very dark in here. I'm scared of the dark."

After the occurrence of his parents' death, the dark nights would always jog his memories of his parents' death…

"Shut up and stay inside like a good boy…", her tranquil voice reached Zed's ears, but it didn't help him settle down.

She left him alone in a dark cell. That place was noiseless. He could only hear his own voice… Zed held back his tears, because he knew that crying wouldn't do any good to him. He tried to bottle up his courage even though; he felt like he could break apart anytime. The cell had only a window from where only a ray of moonlight can escape. He sat under that moonlight, pondering about how to escape from this hell. The dungeon reeked of human faeces and garbage, which made him think he is not the only one who has been here. There were many before him…

*BLECH* *BLECH* *BLARGHH*

Zed couldn't stand the smell anymore. He felt nauseous and threw up.

-- --

After, sometime Mr. Joker work up and looked around…

"Gasp! Hey, what are you up with again?! Where are we?! Are you sleeping in a trashcan??!" Joker was horrified.

"No, we-; I mean, I am being kidnapped"

"HAHAHAHHA…. Are you kidding me?!! Do you want a circus as your wish??"

"NO! I'm being serious! OKAY! You only know how to make fun of others…",

"Okay, okay. I'm sorry. Now, tell me the complete story so that we can figure out something."

Zed told him the entire story, from getting kidnapped to the unexpected meeting with Madam Rose….

Joker said, "Ohh... so they say that you are some kind of product…"

"Yes, I don't know what it means, but I have a bad feeling about this!"

"Of course, this doesn't seem good. So have you figured out something, about how to escape from here?"

"I shouted for help but sadly nobody came. I think we are the only ones here- I mean I am the only one here."

"Yes, yes… I get it... I think we can break this window and break out from here…. Let me go up there and see what's outside the window."

"You can fly??!!" Zed was very surprised when he saw Joker flying.

"Yes, I can, but not for a very long time otherwise my magic will be exhausted."

"Ohh... I see…"

"Eh- Eh-…. We are doomed, kiddo!"

"I'm not a kid!"

"That's not important right now… We are in a huge trouble!"

"What did you see out there??"

"We are under the ground, and there are many guards outside. They will find us immediately if we try to sneak out."

"Ughh… I think we should come up with a plan quickly. I don't know what they'll do to me!"

"I think they are talking about the incident which happened on last night…"

"Can you hear it?"

"Let me try going close to them."

Joker came back with the information, "They were talking about last night's incident and I got a piece of useful information, you are going to be sold at an auction house."

"W-What?! Why?!" Zed got frustrated.

"You should be happy about that!" Joker replied.

"Why should I be?"

"I have a plan and if we work according to that, you will get out of here soon..."

Mr. Joker explained his entire plan to Zed… After hearing his plan, he was reassured, but he was still nervous about carrying out the plan. If anything goes wrong, then he'll have to bear the consequences.

-- --

Next morning; Zed and Mr. Joker were still fast asleep; a well-built guard came to deliver the breakfast to his cell. When he saw Zed in deep sleep, he got furious and shouted at him. He banged on his cell's door and said, "Hey! Wake up! You lazy brat!". After hearing all that screaming, Zed and Mr. Joker got shocked and woke up immediately.

Joker in a low voice, "Should I kill him immediately or cut his limbs and gauge his eyes out of his head and rip off his tongue and then kill him? Which one do you prefer?"

Zed replied to him immediately, in a low voice. "No! Not any of them!"

*CLANG*

He threw the plate on the floor. "Hey, don't talk to yourself, you psycho! Here's you breakfast! Be grateful! You are the only product who is provided with a meal. Others didn't even get a chance to eat for days."

(What?! Are there more children here? I wanted to ask this question to him but I was too scared that no word would come out of my mouth.)

The guard was leaving…... before exiting the cell, he paused and turned back and said, "I'll give you a piece of advice, when Madam Rose comes; smile and don't look into her eyes. Otherwise, you will have to go through the intolerable levels of hardships."

(I don't know why he gave me this tip but I think it's better to follow it because her men know her better than me.)

After looking at the breakfast, Zed recalled his mother. He missed his mother; he missed the food that she used to cook. Joker looked at his sorrowful eyes and asked him, "Why are you so down?! Did something happen?!"

"Nothing. I was just thinking about our plan. If I somehow screw up this plan, then you should make a run for it and join your card mates. Run as far as you can and find a worthy owner."

"Sigh… you were never my owner. I have my own will, if I wanted to go; I would've already left, but it was I who chose you. So, you don't have to feel remorseful and we've got a long way to go you can't just give up yet. Remember, you are going to 'Revive your parents'. If you want them to come back to you, then you have to become strong both mentally and physically, you have to write your own destiny."

Zed bottled up his courage. "Well, I guess now nothing can change. We have to win this fight! Let's go for it and survive till the end!"

-- --

It was getting dark…. Soon Madam Rose arrived, a tall lady with Eagle eyes. Her servant accompanied her; holding a lantern in his hand….

Madam Rose ordered Zed, "Get up. We have to go somewhere tonight."

Zed forced a smile, looked at the ground, and said, "Okay, Miss."

"It's not 'Miss', it's 'Madam Rose'. Now follow me."

"Yes, Madam Rose."

"You are acting weirdly today. Are you up to something? Hmm…", their eyes met, she glared at his eyes.

Zed got nervous, he started sweating, "N-No Madam Rose. Please forgive me for my rude behavior."

"HAHAHAHA…. You are a tough one!... You don't have to apologize."

"Y-Yes…"

"But if you try to escape or make trouble for me tonight, I'll make you suffer. You will wish that you were never born in this world…"

Zed was very frightened, but he had confidence in Joker and his plan. He maintained his composure… "Yes, Madam Rose."