KC tossed and turned, the weight of the day's events pressing down on him. His father's sudden appearance, the wrenching separation from his mother, the long journey to this unfamiliar place - it all swirled in his mind, driving sleep away.
Unable to bear the confinement any longer, he slipped out of bed and tried the door. His heart leapt as the handle turned smoothly in his grasp, a flicker of hope sparking in his chest. The urge to explore, to find an escape from this nightmare, propelled him forward.
He stepped into the cool, damp corridor, the rough-hewn walls stretching out before him. The air hung heavy with silence, broken only by the faint sounds of revelry from somewhere above. KC moved cautiously, his bare feet making no sound on the cold concrete.
As he navigated the labyrinth of doors and shadows, strange noises caught his attention. Grunts, gasps, a steady rhythmic thumping. They grew louder as he approached a door left slightly ajar near the end of the hall. Dread knotted his stomach, but curiosity drew him closer.
He peered through the gap, his world shattering at the sight that greeted him. His father, naked and grunting like a beast, a woman pinned beneath him. Her face contorted in pain, eyes glazed and distant. A shocked gasp escaped KC's lips before he could stop it, the sound seeming to echo in the damp corridor.
His father's head snapped up, eyes locking onto KC. A cruel, mocking smile spread across his face. "Ah, my son," he said, his voice slicing through the shock. "Come in, come in. I will show you how to handle a woman.”
KC stumbled back, his heart pounding, only to collide with the solid mass of one of his father's guards. The man's hand clamped down on his shoulder, fingers digging into his flesh as he shoved him roughly into the room.
“Please," he managed, his voice barely above a whisper. "I don't want to see this."
His father's laughter cut deep, harsh and grating. "You're just like your mother. Weak. Soft. But don't worry, boy. We'll fix that."
KC's mind raced, searching for a way out. But the guard's grip was firm, a silent warning against any attempt at escape.
He closed his eyes, trying to shut out the horror before him. But even in the darkness, he could hear everything - the grunts, the slap of flesh on flesh, the woman's muffled whimpers. Bile rose in his throat, hot and bitter.
A sharp crack jerked his eyes open, the woman's yelp of pain ringing in his ears. His father's fist hovered, poised to strike again.
"Watch, or the next sound she makes will be her last," his father warned, his voice low and dangerous.
KC's cheeks burned with shame and anger, hot tears stinging his eyes. The woman's gaze met his, a silent plea for mercy, for salvation. But there was nothing he could do.
Fe
"You see?" he said, his voice thick with perverse pride. "This is what it means to be a man. To take what you want, when you want it. Remember this lesson."
KC said nothing, his tongue leaden in his mouth, his throat tight with unshed tears. The guard hauled him out of the room, half-dragging him back to his quarters. The lock clicked behind him with heavy finality.
KC's small frame trembled uncontrollably on the thin, worn mattress, his muffled sobs echoing in the oppressive darkness of the room. His fingers, white-knuckled and desperate, clutched at his mother's necklace, the metal now cold and foreign against his skin. The pungent smell of sweat, tears, and the room's musty air filled his nostrils, a suffocating reminder of his inescapable nightmare.