Barb-wired Mask
Ty was jolted from his thoughts by a sharp slap on the back of his head. One of the guards scolded sternly, "Who gave you permission to halt?"
Startled, Ty's face registered bewilderment, a single tear tracing a path down his cheek. For a fleeting moment, he was lost in a flood of memories, each one brimming with a joy that vanished as swiftly as it appeared, plunging him back into the harshness of his current reality.
"Apologies, sir," Ty stammered, his voice a mix of confusion and sorrow. "I was momentarily lost in thought. It won't happen again." Before he could regain his composure, another shove on his shoulder came, the guard's voice harsh and dismissive, "Just shut up and keep moving, you monster."