Chapter 3
“…….What day is it now…. I asked myself as I lay on the floor, completely void of any clothing. Has it been two? Three? Or is it down to the last hour?”
My light was still on, so I knew it wasn’t that late. But the only way I could tell time was that miserable clock on the wall. It had moved between where the numbers three and four were on a normal clock. “How long is that?”
Ever since the windows were blocked by some metal slab built into the wall, I didn’t have any sense of day or night. The digital lantern never turns on or off, so all I have is that clock.
I’ve tried everything, from stretching as far as I could to the corners of the room where everything is lined up to pulling frantically at the chains. I couldn’t reach the small refrigerator where the food supply is, so I’ve been starving ever since I was chained in here.
The cold air that flows into the room from the cracks in the windows and the doors keep me shivering, and without any sort of cover for myself, I’ve been cold. “I need to find a way out of these shackles, and fast!” I thought as I sat in a fetal position.
I couldn’t count how many times I looked around the room. But every time I grow more and more hopeless. “Is there a key? Or am I supposed to fiddle with it somehow? Or is it designed so that I could never get out? “
Some time had passed and the clock was not a bit more than halfway around. I guess by that, I figured that four days had passed. I shook frantically, straining my weak brain to think about what to do. My growling stomach and the soreness over my body from sleeping on the cold and hard concrete floor kept me from concentrating on passing this test.
I started to feel around on the floor in hopes of finding some small crack or crevice. I thought that I could find a door perhaps. But with the dim light, I didn’t have any luck. I crawled back to my fetal position, shivering once again from the cold, damp air.
“No, this can’t be happening! If I don’t win this, what would my brother think?” I imagined him looking at me with such disappointment. Then I thought about my mother. I imagined myself, sweeping the floors of Titan while listening to him telling me how much of a disappointment I am. Then I pictured myself in front of the dining hall, naked and chained as I am now, laughing and pointing fingers at me. I started to shake frantically and then grabbed my shackles and shook them as hard as I could. “No! No! I won’t let them do that to me! I will prove to all of them just how much I deserve to be a member of Titan! I will win! I will win! I will win! Hahahahaha!”
I knew I was starting to lose it, but I wouldn’t have known it then. I shook the chains, pulling the shackles against my skin. I was jerking on them so hard that they were starting to leave bruises on my ankles. I grabbed them and tried to pull them apart, but they wouldn’t budge. Then I grabbed the nail that slid in between the hinge holes and tried desperately to pull it out!
Then, just like that, the top of the nail came apart….It took some effort, but it actually separated from the main body…. I pulled the nail out of the socket, and just like that I was able to pull them apart and slide the shackle off my foot.
I sat there for a minute, baffled by the discovery and trying to understand why I didn’t see this earlier. I then did the other side the same way. I had to dig my nail in between the head of the screw and the shackle hinge but it popped out the same way. I was free! They were off and I was free!
“Hahahaha! I did it! YEA!” I shouted as if there were people around! The first thing I did was rush over to the mini fridge. I opened it and stuffed my mouth with as much as I could eat. I was taught to eat with etiquette, but going without food for a few days made me forget about that.
The food was mainly snack but I didn’t care at that point. After filling my belly, I remembered that I was still trapped in this room. I immediately lifted my lantern and shined it towards the metal door. I went over and immediately tried to open it, but it was no use.
“Damn!” I mumbled to myself as I tried to force open the door. But it was tightly secure, not budging a single inch. I looked over the door for any keyhole but I found nothing. Then, I noticed I was really sleepy. Not having much sleep at all, I decided to just take a short nap so I could focus better. I yawned as I dragged my still naked body to the bed. I lifted back the covers and plumped my back down on it.
I turned to my side as I noticed a box of Kleenexes. I felt particularly horny, so I decided to give myself a jerk to ease myself. I massaged my member for some moments, but in no time it was as hard as a rock. The thought of Tim’s figure tied with ropes completely naked got me off. I envisioned myself mounted on top of him, stroking his penis along with my own. But then there was that secretary. My fantasy then put me right beside Tim’s roped body, tied and restrained in the same way. The naked secretary was atop of us, her large, beautiful breasts flapping up and down as she fiercely stroked our helpless members. It was more than I could take. In no time, semen shot up to my chest. Heaving, I grabbed a few Kleenexes and cleaned it off of me. I fell asleep not long afterwards.
It was a dreamless sleep. The bed was really comfortable given how prison-like the room was. When I finally woke up, I got something to eat. Then I decided I still had more time, so I took another nap. I did this quite a few times. But it was when I got up to check the time did I notice my light wasn’t working. I tried to flip the switch a few times, but nothing work. It was then I realized what had happened.
“The lantern that just lit up only has a limited battery life. You may turn it on and off at your pleasure, but when only two days are left, the lantern’s light will go out permanently and you will be without light, at least at nighttime.”
“No....No….how long have I been out? I started to panic. I had remembered that the final two days I had to do without light. How could I be so stupid!!”
But relief came as the metal plate covering the only window in the room came open. I had light, despite it not being much due to the stormy weather. But my heart sunk when I looked at the clock. It was in between the 6 and 7 markers, which meant I had less than a day! Then I heard something behind me. The chains that had once been attached to my leg retracted somewhat to the ceiling, further proving that this was the last day.
I immediately jumped to action and started looking for a way out. I checked everywhere across the room. I looked into the wardrobe and found nothing at all. I opened up every single shelve in the desk I found up the note on, but again nothing. I checked under the bed, nothing. I didn’t know what to do. It looked like I still had time, but I panicked. I couldn’t count the number of times I checked the same places for any clues. I even removed the bed sheets to see if anything was in under them.
Some time had passed. It was getting darker outside. The pulley system had almost retracted the chains to the point of them hanging from the ceiling. I fiddled with my lantern in hopes of finding a way to get it to turn on. But when I flipped it over, I noticed words engraved on the bottom of the lantern’s base:
“People often have to give up something in order to gain something in return. The market is a fine example of this principle. But this can also be applied to the concepts of security and liberty. In anarchy, people have absolute freedom. There is no government to establish order, so there are no rules to abide by. But in return, there is no protection from others that break the rules. The opposite can be said in a strictly governed society. Security may not be much of an issue, but freedoms are slim. Therefore, a balance must be in place. How much freedom would you give up if it meant a secure future? Only an intelligent man could decide that….the iron door awaits your answer, but he won’t wait forever…..”
....What? Should I talk to the Iron door?
I then went over to it and, felling foolish, decided to give it a try.
“Um…so….I guess you’re awaiting my answer, huh? Hehehe… Well, I guess I would give my freedom up for some security. I mean I would hate for someone to get away with murder.”
Nothing happened. After a few moments, I started to panic again. “W..wait, wait, so no I take it back! I mean we really don’t need security, huh? Only the strong survive, right? Yeah! Who need rules with all the freedom in the world! I would just kill anyone that did me wrong!”
But the door didn’t open, once again.
I started to get angry. I slammed my hands on the door and said “I don’t know the answer! Just please let me out! I have thought of everything! Please open the damn door!”
I started banging on it. After some time, I decided to give up. I slid down the door and sat on the floor, shaking at the thought of my fate. “No, I’m not gonna pass this, am I? I’m gonna be a slave for a year! No, this isn’t how it was supposed to turn out! I can’t! I can’t!”
As a tear formed in my eye, I heard the chains connected to the pulley shoot up to a hanging position. I say they were hanging hallway between the floor and the ceiling. I then heard a clicking noise behind me.
I then started connecting the dots. With the inscription, I finally got an idea. To get something, you must give up something…
I slowly walked over to where the chains were hanging. There were two shackles, but only the one was actually connected to my foot earlier. No, this is crazy…
But what did I have to lose at that point? I wasn’t getting anywhere anyways. This might be my only chance…
I grabbed the screw that once held the shackles together and hesitantly locked in one of my wrists. I gulped as I locked in the other one on my other wrist. Now it was just a waiting game.
But I didn’t have to wait long. The chains slowly started to retract into the ceiling. Slowly, the length got shorter and shorter, and eventually I found myself losing my footing as I was slowly pulled from the ground. Pain started shooting through my arms as my weight created tension in my wrist. I started squirming in pain as I was pulled higher up. I didn’t think it would hurt this bad.
“O..ow..owowwoow!” I said aloud. “Please, someone get me down!”
But what hurt me the most was that the iron door still didn’t open! “Ahhh! Why did I think of this crazy idea! Please! Let me down! Please, I’ll do anything! Please this hurts so much.”
I don’t know how long I hanged by my wrists, but it felt like hours! But, to my surprise, the iron door finally opened. I forgot my pain long enough to drop my jaw. Then, the pulley then suddenly released its grip and I fell to the cement floor rather hard, scraping my knee and elbow. I then got to my feet and took the shackles off. I slowly made my way to the iron door, and then went through the doorway. The hall outside was illuminated with candles, and I noticed a small table with a maroon bathrobe folded perfectly sitting atop it. I immediately covered myself with it, and then proceeded down the hall. I can’t believe this is happening.
I then came to a normal, wooden door. But when I opened it, my eyes widened once again. On several gurneys, I saw several boys strapped to them in the same robes as I was wearing, and I noticed one of them was Tim. Observation lamps hovered over them as light hit their restrained bodies. I went over to check on Tim and to free him. “Tim, Tim!” I said, trying to shake his head to get him awake. “Don’t worry, man, I’m here to help!”
As I grabbed one of the buckles, my heart stopped as I was grabbed from behind by several hands. “No, you’re not doing that!” I then felt the familiar stinging in my arms, and I swiftly drifted into a state on unconsciousness.