Chapter Text
Mark drifted in and out of consciousness, his mind sluggish, his body unbearably heavy. A dull ache pulsed at the base of his skull, and his limbs refused to move the way they should. Something was wrong.
His eyelids fluttered open, and his breath hitched.
The room around him was unfamiliar. The soft lighting, the sleek furniture, the neat kitchenette—it didn’t feel like a prison. It felt… prepared. Designed. But then he tried to move his leg, and a sharp jolt of panic shot through his chest.
Something was holding him down.
Mark’s breath quickened as he looked down, his stomach twisting at the sight of the thick metal shackle wrapped around his ankle. His pulse roared in his ears as he gave a weak tug, his fingers fumbling against the cold steel. The chain rattled ominously, unmoving.
No. No, no, no.
His chest tightened, breaths coming in shallow gasps as he pushed himself up on shaking arms. His head swam, and the room tilted dangerously, but he forced himself to focus. He wasn’t dreaming. He wasn’t hallucinating.
He was trapped.
The soft creak of a door opening sent his heart pounding. Mark’s head snapped toward the sound, his entire body trembling as Cesar stepped inside, carrying a tray of food. The scent of eggs and toast wafted toward him, but the mere thought of eating made his stomach churn.
Cesar smiled—soft, almost affectionate. “You’re awake.”
Mark pressed himself against the headboard, his breath coming in short, panicked gasps. His fingers curled into the bedsheets, knuckles white.
“Please,” he whispered, his voice barely more than a breath. “Please, just—just let me go.”
“You need to eat first.”
Mark swallowed hard, his throat dry. “I don’t—I don’t understand. Why am I here? Why are you doing this?”
Cesar set the tray down on the nightstand, moving with an unsettling calm. “Because you need to be safe.”
Safe? Mark’s vision blurred with unshed tears. His hands trembled as he gripped the sheets tighter, his mind racing with the terrifying reality of his situation.
He shook his head frantically. “I—I won’t tell anyone. I swear, I won’t—”
Cesar sighed, stepping closer. Mark flinched, pressing himself further against the headboard.
“You’re not a prisoner.”
Mark squeezed his eyes shut, willing himself to wake up from this nightmare. But when he opened them, Cesar was still there. The shackle still there. And no one was coming to save him.