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You couldn’t tell how long you had been there. You didn’t know what day it was or even what day you had been captured. The days continued to blur as time passed.
When you had first been captured, you were foolish enough to believe that there was an escape. That there was a light at the end of the dreadful, dark tunnel. You recently came to the conclusion that all hope was false. Hope was futile in a place like this.
Each time the door opened, your body trembled with the knowledge of what that creaking door meant. It meant pain. And each time the door opened after, you were left on the floor usually bloody and bruised.
Lying on the floor with aching limbs, you often wondered when death would befall you.
You woke up to a loud bang. The ground and walls shook. You wondered if this was the end. Trying to get up, you noticed that you could barely hold your own weight. You were trembling with how weak you were. Your body ached and your skull was pounding. Maybe this was really the end. The door burst open and your body tensed. Surely they wouldn’t beat you more whilst there were explosions happening everywhere above ground.
A man in a funny outfit came rushing in. His eyes widened upon seeing you.
“Team, I found ’em,” he said. The ground shook again and the man cursed under his breath. “We’ve gotta get you outta here before the entire building collapses.”
“It’s no use,” you muttered, completely devoid of all hope. Just who was this man and why was he so delusional? There was no escape other than death. With the explosions happening above, you hoped with all your being that the building would collapse on top of you. Screw anything and everything else.
“C’mon we’ve gotta go!”
You groaned as he helped you up. You were in too much pain to escape. The sweet release of death was so close, and you didn’t want to escape. For however long you had been trapped here, you ached for death’s touch. And now that it was there, you didn’t want to let it go.
On shaking legs you stood, the only thing holding you up was the man who was adamant about getting you to safety when all you wanted was to succumb to the dark hold of death.
“Can I carry you?”
“No, ‘m fine,” you muttered. You weren’t fine. Not by a long shot. But you didn’t want his hands on you anymore. Maybe he’d leave without you if you went too slow. Maybe he’d realise that you were a lost cause.
He frowned, but he did let go of you. He backed up a little, watching you like a hawk. His eyes didn’t leave you as you stumbled to the door.
Your vision faded to black before you made it out the door. You hoped this was what it felt like to finally be in death’s arms.
When you woke up, you were greeted by a sterile white room. It was worlds apart from the cell you were being kept in. You weren’t sure whether you should be relieved or not. Sure you were finally out. But what was the point? Your family was long gone; your captors told you themselves. No one would take you in and you’d probably end up homeless and in debt.
You heard your name and turned to see a familiar face. You had to be hallucinating. He was dead. He was supposed to be dead. They told you he was dead.
But there he was, his unforgettable goatee, eye bags, wrinkled suit and all. His hair was a bit overgrown as was his beard. He looked so tired. It was as if an invisible weight was holding him down. You’d never seen him look so defeated.
“I missed you so much, baby,” he all but sobbed. Your dad was there. Tony Stark was alive and… well you wished you could say he was well, but his entire demeanour spoke volumes.
“You…” you coughed, throat unbearably dry. “You’re alive?”
You waited for the rug to be pulled from underneath you. For this to all turn out to be one sick dream or hallucination. But he grabbed your hand and held it tight. “I’m here, honey, I’m okay, you’re here, you’re safe,” he muttered over and over again as if trying to convince himself. He’d never forgive himself for letting you get snatched. He was supposed to be a hero. He was supposed to protect. Yet he failed to protect one of the most important people in his life.
“I’m so sorry, I’m so sorry, please forgive me.”
“There’s nothing to forgive.”