The Torture Chamber

At the outset, I must declare that this is not a work of fiction but is reality, from viewpoint of a sterile mind.

How many days it has been since I was captured, I do not know. The torture sessions increased both in intensity and regularity. My body was bloody from numerous abuses it had withstood and the mind battered from the continuous interrogation sessions.

As I got ready for the next round of one such torture sessions, otherwise cleverly disguised as pre-placement talks, in this dungeon pit which is otherwise called a management institute, I saw that today it is going to be different. Today, my torturer was the notorious 2J. I turned in to my sightless eye, and in place of it, there was the all consuming flame. I fed all my emotions, feelings, hurt, pain, into the flame, and let it consume everything until in the end, there was only the flame. This is how I have been holding on to, even after such excruciating torments from the hands of my torturers.

It was my sentry duty that day, for inmates are given responsibility - but I was being detained in the torture chamber , C-11. An hour remains till the other inmates noticed that I have slacked from my duties. At this place, duty is heavier then mountain, death lighter than feather (WOT reference). Would they end this torture in time to serve my duties? Can I survive after this even to care about my duties?

A small pain crept up the mind... The flame flickered. The flame needs fuel to sustain it, and as such I faltered a moment and let the fuels supply waver. I threw in everything into the flame. There was nothing but the flame. The flame and I was one.

For how many hours it continued thus, I do not know, but it was long. Even as I was one with the flame, 2J used the dreaded Credo upon me. In answer my body convulsed in reaction, my mind reacted sharply and the flame flickered. It was a mistake, the Credo nearly overpowered me but the flame was not yet out. I ignored the pain and threw it into the flame - but to my ruin, it didn't burn - the pain was nonflammable. It flickered once more before it finally died, unable to sustain without any fuel. With it the oneness was lost; reigniting would be futile as there no longer remained any fuel to sustain it. All the previous inflictions of the torture tided over me, my screams were muted by the intensity of the Credo. I could not hold on anymore - my strength was fading. Alas! all my efforts will be for naught, if I fail now. Suddenly there was a bright flash of light but the next moment, darkness took over me.

As I opened my eyes, I was surprised to find myself alive. It seems I was out only for a few moments but within those few moments many things must have happened. The torture had stopped and the torturers gone. My rescuer was nowhere to be seen. With tired legs, I dragged myself to the sentry position, thinking what must have happened when I was blacked out.

[This was written during one the pre-placement talks as it continued to drag on and on]