I don’t have any names or aims for this here bit, but it was too long to justify posting it as a blurb. It’s just kind of a descent into Stockholm Syndrome. Happy thoughts.

Chapter 1

Footsteps entered the room without hesitation. Their firm, proud sound giving away who they belonged to if there was any question to begin with. When finally reaching their destination, a figured silhouetted against the glass front of the small case. After pushing a few buttons on a small watch, the glass shimmered to reveal a young boy crushed into a corner, chained.

Time ticked by moment by moment as both waited for the other to show signs of conversation. After the seconds spread into more than a few minutes, the elder of the two spoke. His voice rang clear as his footstep had on their approach, echoing in the silence.

“Hello, little one. How are we today?” There was an obvious taunt in the voice, knowing the true answer.

The boy behind the glass failed to suppress a violent flinch at the loud noise after his long last in silence. It had been days, maybe weeks, without sound. The reintroduction of voice was both a pain and relief, but there was no reply.

“Well then, I’m glad to see that you are enjoying your ‘room’.”

There was a slight growl in response so low the man almost missed it if not for his enhanced hearing.

“Tsk tsk,” The man chuckled lightly, “It seems you require more ‘alone-time’ than I first assumed; a few more weeks perhaps. We can’t have you disrespecting your teacher, now can we?”

The reaction was immediate. The boy jumped off the floor and rushed towards the man, a whimpering plea escaping his dry lips. He came as far as the chains would allow, enough for his hands to fully press into the glass.

The man looked into those impossible, blue eyes. They held a broken glaze yet, to the man’s delight, retained their fire firmly lit in the shadows.

When the man made no move to relieve any of the boy’s fears, another plea tore through the silence. “Please, I’m sorry!”

The response was a chuckle. “Hit a sore spot did I? Well, I don’t see the harm in letting you out for a few hours.” He mused.

Light broke through the boy’s eyes as his whole demeanor seemed to brighten with hope. He nodded vigorously, pulling at the chains’ hold on him to move closer.

Lips pulled into a dark smile as the man saw how truly broken the boy was becoming. “Perhaps I will check my schedule for the day after tomorrow, or this weekend. I am very busy as you may imagine and I can’t be slacking off on my duties for a troublesome boy, now can I?”

The faint hope in the boy’s eyes shattered like the frail light he had held onto for so long. He shook his head slowly, trying to understand. It was only moments before realization hit him. Fighting against the chains, the boy pulled and pleaded for freedom, for another chance, a promise of obedience, but it all fell on deaf ears. Without a second thought, the man reestablished the sound-proof, one way mirror to replace the glass.

Guiltless, the man’s sure steps walked out of the lab and into his study where he sat as the large desk harboring his computer. Typing quickly, he activated the camera hidden in the boy’s case and watched his prize break before his eyes.

The boy was still pounding on the glass, though it was now a mirror only reflecting the sole being in the case. When he tired, the boy’s fist slid down the mirror as he fell to his knees. Shoulders shook, telling the viewer that the boy was crying.

Smirking proudly, the man continued to watch as the boy let his hand fall into his lap followed by tears, tracking down his young face. It was at least ten to twenty minutes before the boy made another move which was to slowly back his way into the corner he was first seen in. He brought up his knees and hugged them tightly, burying his face to hide behind them.

Heart wrenching as the sight was, the viewer felt another smirk split his face. He turned triumphantly away from the monitor and made his way to his private chambers. Readying for bed, one thought rang through his mind accompanied by that last sight of the boy. He smiled.

Soon.

Reverse View

Time passed second by second to keep the world in motion. People knew to abide by the rules the clock presented as life went on.

Only one being disregarded this as he sat timelessly in his prison. Curled into a ball, bound by his chains in the corner as usual, the boy listened to the deafening silence in the darkness. Occasionally, he heard breathing, but after a time of false excitement, he knew it was his own light breaths accompanying him in the quiet.

It had been days, maybe weeks that he had been abandoned. For a time, his captor would provide meager plates of food into the room if for no other purpose than to keep the boy alive. Despite his desire to rebel against the man’s wishes, the boy couldn’t help but devour every last crumb available before the plate was taken away.

It was on one particular stretch of time between meals that there was a shift in the way his breathing would hit the walls. Something had changed, but he had been fooled too many times to bear losing what ounce of hope he had left.

“Hello, little one. How are we today?”

The boy knew the voice was spoken at a normal level, but he couldn’t help but flinch at the volume it presented after so long in silence. He longed to run towards the voice and beg it to fill the painful silence, but he knew it would hurt to hear until he could get re-accustom to sound. Regardless of his desires, the boy stayed quiet.

“Well then, I’m glad to see that you are enjoying your ‘room’.” The voice teased cruelty.

Against his better judgment, a low growl passed his dry lips. A faint plea arose that the man hadn’t heard, but even that small request was denied.

“Tsk, tsk. It seems you require more ‘alone time’ than I first assumed; a few more weeks perhaps.” The boy’s heart lurched at the man’s words as he continued. “We can’t have you disrespecting you teacher, now can we?”

His heart leapt into his throat. Jumping up, he let his legs carry him as far as they could with the chains’ restraint, whimpering pathetically in an attempt to beg. Their eye met, but the man made no move of reassurance so the boy took it further.

“Please, I’m sorry!” His broken voice echoed in the dark room.

The cruel man laughed deeply at his actions. “Hit a sore spot, did I? Well, I don’t see the harm in letting you out for a few hours.”

The hope the boy had clutched for all this time flared brightly as the mention of freedom. He couldn’t help pulling the chains taut to get closer and nodding excitedly.

Another smile darkened the man’s face. “Perhaps I will check my schedule for the day after tomorrow, or this weekend. I am very busy as you may imagine and I can’t be slacking off on my duties for a troublesome boy, now can I?”

The light and hope shattered as the words hit him. He shook his head slowly, trying to understand. What he realized had him pulling harder on the chains, leaving bruises on his skin as he pounded his fists against the glass. He found himself begging for freedom, promising to obey if given just one more chance.

Without a care, the man returned the glass to the mirror, forcing the broken boy to face his reflection. He pounded on the glass until all of his energy faded into pained acceptance. Falling on his knees, he let his fist slide down the glass as his tears began to fall.

Time passed before the boy could force himself to move again. Scooting his way across the floor, he crushed himself into the corner he so often occupied and wrapped his arms around his pulled up knees burying his face behind them.

He had been so close. Freedom was right there, dangled in front of his eyes then ripped away faster than he could reach for it. The hope he had gripped had shattered and there was nothing he could do to get it back.

He had been so close.

Chapter 2

It was time.

He was sure to wait another week before considering the boy’s freedom, but it took so little thought. He was as anxious for his obedient little apprentice as the boy was about getting out of that room. His steps, while their usual firmness, held a slight lightness to them.

He was finally ready.

Without care to the boy’s reintroduction to light as a consequence of being in the dark for so long, he threw the door open and flipped the switch to brighten the room.

Even from behind the mirror, the boy flinched and hid his eyes.

Not missing a beat, he turned off the soundproof mirror in favor of the two-way glass. Unable to hide a small smirk, he waited for the boy to acknowledge his presence before speaking. To his delight, the teen peeked above his knees at his captor- no, his teacher.

“Good morning, little one.”

The boy, again, flinched at the deafening sound though his voice was as low as he could manage.

There was no wait for an answer. “I have made a decision this morning that you would be most interested in. Would you like to hear it?”

Hesitantly, the boy nodded. His head lifted a bit more to fully face the man’s with eyes full of fear and confusion.

“I am going to let you out.” The news didn’t hit the unwavering boy as the man had hoped, but it only took moments to recall the last time he mentioned freedom. Giving a deep chuckle that caused the boy to cringe, the teacher explained. “I am talking about now, little one. Would you like to come out?”

Rising quickly, the boy nodded, but stayed safely in his corner.

With a short nod in response, the small hatch-like door on the front of the glass that was only visible when opened was released. Stepping into the room, the man slowly approached the boy who couldn’t help but back into the wall behind him. When hands made contact with his skin he whimpered and squeezed his eyes shut.

At the sound of clanking metal, the boy carefully opened his eyes to find the chains that had held him for so long were gone. He raised his arms to cautiously look at his wrists as if afraid it would all be a dream or a lie. To his delight, he could see the pale, if but a bit reddened skin that the cuffs once hid.

The man waited for the boy to look at him for answers before gently taking the boy’s arm and leading him out of the room. It took a second for the teen to cross the threshold, but his face betrayed the relief and happiness he felt at being out.

Without hesitation, the man continued to lead the boy through the lab, into the study, and then into the hallway. It wasn’t a surprise that he could let the boy’s arm go and have him follow his teacher like a frightened puppy. After passing a few doors, they stopped and the elder of the two led the younger into an elaborate bedroom.

With dark blue walls and ceiling, the room resembled the sky complete with small dots for stars scattered around. The soft carpet was a light brown highlighted by the dark, wood furniture. It included a large dresser, a side table, a large bed, and a desk accompanied by a black office chair. A door attached to the neighboring wall of the main door offered a bathroom as another door on the wall shared with the bed revealed a fully stocked closet.

The boy stood in awe of what was offered him after so long in the small, empty space.

He affectionately ruffled the boy’s hair before gently pushing him into the room. “I will send the butler to collect you when dinner is ready. I’m sure you will find something to fill your time with.”

There was a quick nod of assurance from the boy, faintly afraid to be left alone again, but he stayed quiet.

Sure enough, time passed quickly. The teen showered, cleaned himself up a bit, and found himself stuttering at his choice of clothing. It had been so long since he had last changed clothes. Choosing quickly for fear of being late to dinner, he opted for a black T-shirt and dark, navy jeans.

Running a comb through his hair, he could easily see that it had grown. It was almost down to his neck whereas he preferred to keep it short. Maybe he could ask the man if he could cut it. No! he thought quickly. He wouldn’t ask for anything. His teacher let him out; that’s all he wanted.