Life wasn't always quite so grim.
Everything had meaning and a purpose.
I could see the sun as I wished, but even then I barely remember it.
All that I've ever known is this pitch black room.
The only light that seeps through is the slight crack of the door-seem. Even that though gives me a sense of false security. The only thing that it provides is the knowledge that they're on the other side of that door. Everyday they come in, push me to the ground, give me my "bath", drop the tray of food and water in the corner, then leave without a word. This has been my life ever since that fateful day 4 years ago. I just wish that someone could come and save me from this nightmare that has become my life.
When I was swept away from my home I was only eight years old. I don't remember much from that day other than everything was normal up till that point. The wizard that lived in that tower was used as a scary bedtime story to scare children. I never knew that he really existed. The guards swooped into the house. I remember my mother screaming to go and hide. They hit her to the ground. I remember being frozen in fear, tears falling down my cheeks.
One guard ran over, grabbed me into his arms and squeezed me pretty hard. Hard enough that I felt the air being squeezed from me.
"Am I going to have issues with you little bitch!?" He screamed into my face.
I cried harder. He squeezed harder.
"Am I?!" He glared right into my eyes.
I muffled out as best as I could a no. No sound came with it. I shook my head hard. His grip lessened.
"We have the children sir!" Another guard rushed into the room.
"Let's be off then before the Wizard has a melt down." He gruffly pushed out the door. I could see my mother reaching her hand out to me as I was skirted out into the brisk night air. They put what appeared to be a potato sack over my head and threw me to the cart that laid out in the middle of the village. Every bump, every screech of the wooden wheels made me want to screech, but the squeeze from that man kept my mouth shut tight. I had no clue how many other people pushed up against me, but I knew that there were other kids who weren't as quiet as I was.
"If I hear one more FUCKING sniffle I will kill you where you are!" The guard who had grabbed me screamed from somewhere in front of me.
I laid there not even wanting to breathe. The other kids around me who I had played with in the village square many times stifled their cries and screams. I knew the scary strength of that man and wanted no part of that anyway. I laid there for what felt like an eternity. Finally I heard other loud noises in the distance.
"Get the children to their cells!" The main guard yelled.
"Do we take the sacks off their faces sir?" someone yelled from off to my left.
"No you dumbfuck! Just get them off to their cells!" Main guard yelled.
"Sir, yes sir!"
More shuffling of feet than the cart suddenly lurched downwards. I could feel them corralling children off, and then it was my turn.
"Prisoner 234, Prisoner 235…"
I could hear the guard calling off numbers and then a hand was placed onto the top of my head.
"Prisoner 267"
I was then pushed forward, with the sack still on my head I bumped into something in front of me. I could hear a muffled cry from the thing in front of me and assumed it was 266. They marched us onto stone flooring which bit into the soles of my bare feet. Bits and pieces of the sharp stone flooring tore and dug at my feet. I didn't even dare let out a cry for the fear of what might be done to me.
Finally I could hear loud thunks of metal and scraping against the stone. They stopped us from walking forward more and then moved us one by one. I was thrown against the stone floor and could feel the skin from my knees, shins, and hands well up with fresh blood.
"This is your room from now on. Everyone is permitted to take off their hoods."
I tenderly reached up to the thing blocking my face. I fingered at the knot and tried to work it out.
"Fucking now!" The main guard yelled. I tried to do it faster and could hear footsteps walking up towards my door.
"Are you fucking slow? Take it off now!" I felt a hand aggressively land on my head and rip the hood off. In the process taking a few hairs with it in the process. I stifled another cry, and could feel the tears flow faster down my face. I could see the burly man with a scar that covered one eye.
"I'm your warden" he gleaned at me with his one eye.
"You will address me as such."
Tears poured faster, which I guess he found amusing since his smile turned much wider and brighter.
"Welcome to the Wizards tower." He stormed out and slammed the door behind him.
This was the start of the darkness. This catches you up. Nothing after that. Everyday they come in and repeat what I wrote earlier.