"Never trust strangers," my parents used to say when I was a child, and they were absolutely right. Trust is hard to earn, yet I had chosen to trust complete strangers. Perhaps because they were the first not trying to kill me or because they seemed cooperative and diplomatic, I decided to put my trust in them. A grave mistake.
The collar clinging to my neck was a constant reminder of my errors. The pressure on my neck made me feel foolish and anxious, fearing I might never see my parents again. Yet, I couldn't afford tears; instead, I needed to appear strong and hold onto hope that tomorrow might smile upon me again. I had to be cooperative and submissive, maybe—just maybe—earn the trust of my captors.
The prison they brought me to, at that moment unbeknownst to me, would become my room for a long while. The place was surprisingly spacious and empty. Walls, floor, and ceiling were of a monotonous gray. The room was dimly lit by various white bulbs in every corner, along with another four at the center. The only inlet for fresh air was through the keyhole in the double doors.
The place was poorly furnished, with a huge mattress in the far corner. Adjacent to the wall, there was a large watering trough, similar to what a cow would drink from. In the other corner, next to the bed, there was a hole in the ground, presumably my personal toilet. No windows or any way to see outside. The keyhole led to a gray wall, making me think there was another room before mine. Double security, maybe?
I approached the watering trough filled with water and scrutinized my reflection once again, but more intently. This moment differed from the first when I was dizzy from Mibreg's magical barrier; I wasn't wearing the collar for protection and couldn't see myself clearly.
The non-human face was the first thing that met me. Fifteen sharp, wide teeth on the lower jaw perfectly interlocked with fourteen on the upper. Additionally, four long horns protruded from my head like a reindeer's, the two front ones shorter than the two rear. The gaze in my eyes was terrifying, seeming to scornfully observe the world. No wonder the terror I instilled in others, as they say the eyes are the windows to the soul, and mine seemed to reflect hell, entirely yellow like fire burning into eternity. My two nostrils were deep, emitting smoke every time I exhaled.
Terrified by my appearance, I stepped away from the trough. However, the fear didn't last long, almost instantly vanishing as if by magic. I wasn't human and couldn't afford moments of fear, sadness, and despair typical of humans in these situations. I was incapable of feeling despair in this situation. Any fear that arose disappeared instantly. I had lost the ability to feel those negative emotions. Yet, I worried this lack of emotions might also affect my ability to love and appreciate life. During Elora's rescue, I felt pity and empathy, making me think maybe only negative thoughts had been blocked. There was still hope for me, I repeated to myself over and over in my head; but even that feeling vanished.
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The sharp sound of metal opening next to the watering trough snapped me out of my reverie. The wall slid open, revealing a rectangle. However, it was quite small to escape through. From that opening, I could appreciate the thickness of the walls, thicker than my tail, which was already quite wide. This made me think I couldn't break them down with my body as I had done with the barn door I escaped from, which was thinner than these walls.
A large tray came in with something that had a scent that stirred my appetite. The wall closed again, and I approached the tray to see it better, barely visible because the view was blocked by the trough. What I saw made me rush to the hole to vomit from disgust.
"Grrr," I growled in disgust.
On the tray lay a skinned, dead animal. It provoked a nausea in me like I had never experienced before, but after vomiting, I began to desire those pieces with all my being. Still, I didn't dare approach them. The animal was something I'd never seen in my world. It had the appearance of a bull but was different, possessing six legs, two more than a common cow. It was evident that it had been prepared meticulously, as they had removed everything inedible, like the presumably furry skin, hooves, and the head with its tough skull. The sight before me was that of a dismembered corpse.
Yet, I had never desired to eat something as intensely as I did that animal. My stomach growled in anticipation of what was about to happen. I didn't want to, but my body wouldn't obey; it began to move toward the tray. My head approached it, and my mouth opened unannounced. Saliva dripped like tears; my stomach was crying with happiness.
What happened next was something I never thought I'd do: eat raw meat. The animal was perfectly prepared; there was no blood inside, ready to be cooked. Despite being unseasoned, it tasted like the best food I had ever tried in my life. The bones crunched when I chewed, but I didn't mind and continued devouring the poor animal. I couldn't stop; I only finished when the tray was completely clean, licking it clean, even the tongue not leaving a single piece behind. Despite eating so much, it felt too little.
When I finished eating, I approached the trough to drink water. The water had a different taste from tap water, earthy, but I didn't mind and continued drinking until it was empty. After drinking and eating, I realized what I had done and felt bad about myself. However, that feeling lasted shorter than the animal I devoured.
Satiated by the food, tiredness took over. I lay on the huge mattress, closed my eyes, and fell asleep, hoping that the next day would be better than this one. What were the Drakontos really? That was my final reflection before sinking into a deep slumber.
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