In Our Darkest Hour {NeverShoutNever!, The Ready Set}
“Is there someone there?” Jordan heard what he thought might be a footstep, and struggled against the ropes binding his wrists behind his back and to the wooden chair. There was no reply, but he heard the sound again a second later, turning his head to the side. “Please talk to me! I can’t take much more of this!” He shouted. He felt tears sting at his eyes, beginning to wet the dark cloth that had been tied over his eyes for the past god knows how many days. He had been taken captive, deprived of sight nonstop since, for no reason at all, as far as he knew. No one had spoken to him, either, just pushed him around, forced him to eat, drink, go to the bathroom, all without words or sight.
Jordan waited, holding his breath in hopes of hearing the sound again, but there was nothing. He sighed and slumped back down in the chair, his tears soaking the cloth. He was starting to go mad, the lack of sight, the complete closure from the real world…he had no idea where he was, what they were trying to do to him, nor why they were trying to do this. He shook, weeping until, suddenly, he heard another sound - this one louder.
“Wh-who’s there?” he asked, sure that there was no way he was imagining it this time.
“Shh.” He felt a hand placed over his mouth and he instantly began to struggle against it. “Stop that!” the voice said in an urgent whisper. “I’m not going to hurt you, I’m here to help you, but you need to be quiet or I can’t do that! I’m going to take my hand away, but you have to whisper, okay?” Jordan nodded instantly, fear still very much present inside of him as the hand was removed from his mouth.
“Who are you?” he whispered, turning his head in the direction that he thought the voice was coming from.
“My name’s Christofer,” he said softly, removing the blindfold. Jordan blinked, not used to even the dim light in the room. “Are you alright?” Christofer asked, instantly noticing the rapid blinking.
“I don’t think so,” Jordan whispered. “How long have I been here?”
“I don’t know,” Christofer stated. “I didn’t know about this until just now or I swear to god I would have done something sooner.”
“Who are you?” Jordan asked again.
“I’m the son of the man who did this to you, but please don’t hold that against me, I’m not trying to hurt you, I’m trying to help you. I overheard my father talking on the phone about a science experiment in the basement, I came to check it out and I saw you. Please, trust me…”
“I can’t.” Jordan shook his head. “Everything that’s happened since I’ve been here has been a mindfuck. I can’t trust anyone!”
“Shh!” Christofer reminded him. “And please, try to trust me…what choice to do you really have? If I’m trustworthy, I can get you out of here…isn’t that a risk you’re willing to take?”
“I don’t know,” he whispered.
“Look into my eyes,” Christofer stated, kneeling down to the boy’s level. “I’m not going to hurt you, I’m going to get you out of here. Please, just let me help you.”
“I…” Jordan paused for a moment before nodding slowly. “Alright.”
“What’s your name?” Christofer asked as he moved behind the chair and began to untie the knot binding Jordan’s wrists.
“J-Jordan,” Jordan whispered.
“Alright, well it’s okay, Jordan, they’re not gonna hurt you anymore, okay? I’m here for you.”
“Why are you doing this for me?” Jordan asked.
“Because this is so monumentally fucked up.” Christofer sighed, pulling the ropes away and extending his hand to Jordan. “Let’s get you out of here.”
“Thank you.” Jordan sighed, taking Christofer’s hand, getting up out of the chair. He expected Christofer to let go once he was up, but he didn’t, he held tight to Jordan’s hand, leading him from the basement, and then from the house. “I…I don’t know where I am,” Jordan whispered, expecting Christofer to just turn him loose.
“I assumed as much.” Christofer nodded, squeezing Jordan’s hand as he began to walk down the road. “I’ll take you to the police station.”
“You don’t have to do that…”
“I want to,” Christofer said softly. “From what I’ve gathered, you’ve been through a lot. It’s not fair that you should have to suffer this on your own. I want to help you.”
“Thank you…” Jordan moved closer to Christofer as they walked, only feeling more relaxed when Christofer let go of his hand and moved his arm around Jordan’s shoulders, pulling him just a bit closer. Having the other boy there made him feel safer than he had in days, and while both boys knew that it was going to take a long time for Jordan to recover from the torment he had been subjected to, Christofer’s comfort was, for the time being, all that Jordan needed.