Chapter 1- Torture

The Howling- Within Temptation

"We've been seeing what you wanted, got us cornered right now
Fallen asleep from our vanity, might cost us our lives
I hear they're getting closer
Their howls are sending chills down my spine
And time is running out now
They're coming down the hills from behind

When we start killing
It's all coming down right now
From the nightmare we've created,
I want to be awakened somehow

When we start killing it all will be falling down
From the Hell that we're in
All we are is fading away
When we start killing...

We've been searching all night long but there's no trace to be found
It's like they all have just vanished but I know they're around
I feel they're getting closer
Their howls are sending chills down my spine
And time is running out now
They're coming down the hills from behind

When we start killing
It's all coming down right now
From the nightmare we've created
I want to be awakened somehow

When we start killing it all will be falling down
From the Hell that we're in
All we are is fading away
When we start killing...
When we start killing...

I feel they're getting closer
Their howls are sending chills down my spine
And time is running out now
They're coming down the hills from behind

The sun is rising
The screams have gone
Too many have fallen
Few still stand tall
Is this the ending of what we've begun?
Will we remember what we've done wrong?

.

...

.
The six year old girl smiled and looked up at her brother with shining gray eyes, a huge smile lighting her face. He gave her hand a small squeeze and pulled her gently alongside him, following their parents slowly. The girl started humming a light happy tune as she skipped along. When they finally reached their home they all filed through the door, unaware of what waited as they chatted about what they were going to do for dinner. The little girl released her brothers hand and ran through the house towards the living room, where she switched on the television, calling out for them to join her. That was when she saw them. Sitting against the wall, watching her with cold eyes. She froze, her eyes becoming locked with a pair of dark blue ones, barely visible above the black scarf over the face. They stood, eying each other, before a slight movement of another broke their trance.
Time froze for a moment, in which she blinked desperately. Then, without warning, the man stood. She screamed. There was a flurry of movement, and then harsh hands pulled her to the ground. She let out an ear- splitting shriek, which was cut off quickly. And then, she knew nothing.

..

...

...

..

Her once- shining burnt orange locks hung loosely, arms bound tight behind her chair. She no longer fought to keep her head up, fear and pain bowing her down. Her eyes were closed against the glare of the lights that were directly before her, against the heat that scorched her skin and ripped the breath from her lungs. She could feel blood trickle down her collarbones, could taste its metallic tang on her tongue, could feel torrents slipping down her broken body. It was pure agony that pulsed through her body, tears blurring her fading vision. Her muscles cramped and she had to stifle a cry of pain as she felt yet another blade meet the tender skin of her adolescent stomach. It was torture. There was no other word for what she was being put through, and her mind seemed keen on reminding her of it. She no longer knew the time, the day, where she was, her own name... She only knew pain. Why was she here? Why did it hurt? Nothing passed before her eyes as she saw white. The loud hum in her ears holding out everything.

The lights dimmed. The heat recessed. And then, that horrid voice returned, demanding.
"Where is it?"

She felt relief as the pain receded for the moment, her eyes fluttering open, a blurry mesh of colors becoming more and more clear. She blinked, and finally saw. A man, and a woman. Strapped with equal tightness to chairs of their own, looking only slightly disheveled, their eyes glazed and empty. Did she know them? Were they important? Were they waiting, knowing that soon, they would be in the same agony?

She blinked again. This time another figure came to her, slightly pushed away from the other two. A young man. Beaten and bloodied, he was struggling against his bonds desperately, trying to break free. His head was down as he strained against the ropes and cuffs holding him down, his dark, shaggy hair obscuring his face. Was he scared? Did he wish to escape the pain that she was going through? She could tell, even through her blurred eyes and her pain- shot brain, that it was impossible. He was bound too tightly. She could see slight shadowy figures surrounding them, preventing escape. Didn't he see? He was stuck, so why try? What could drive him to struggle so?

Her ears started to clear slightly, as the pain faded more. The ringing dimmed, and other sounds were filtered into her tired brain. Someone was screaming. Was it the boy before her? What was he yelling? She strained her ears, trying to make her muddled senses work. At first only unintelligible, muffled syllables reached her. Then slowly, she heard.
"-me... let go!... off of h... Hime!... ease!... No..."

Another pain shot through her as she felt the flame lick at the skin of her wrist. She flinched, her eyes widening as she finally saw the boys face. She knew him. His face as familiar to her as her own. Her mouth opened as she tried to force words out, to respond to his now- desperately screaming plea.

"Orihime! No! Please! Stop hurting her!"

She heard a dry chuckle next to her ear, and heard another voice chime in. "He wants us to stop. Isn't that cute? He thinks his pleading will make it." She felt the flat side of the knife against her cheek, pulling her head to the side slightly as the man behind her snickered. "Such a pretty face," He cooed. "I wonder, what would happen, if I scarred this skin?" Horror flitted through her veins as her eyes locked with her brothers, and she was only awarded a moment to see his eyes widen drastically, his mouth opening in a desperate yell, before she felt the blade shred her skin. Once, twice. A third time. Pain. Blood welled up, running down her cheek, mixing with her tears to form a red river. A sob broke through her chest, the first sound she remembered making. Her cheek stung viciously, the cuts burning slightly where her salty tears ran over them. Her mouth opened in another sob, this time starting to form a word. A few more choking attempts, and she managed to grind out his name, feeling it grate painfully against her raw throat.

"Sora."

His eyes widened marginally as he heard her voice, and he started to struggle all the more desperately, wishing to go to her. A lone tear escaped his eye as he watched the blood drip down her now- marred face. She choked out his name, again, and again, desperate. She could feel her memories slipping, and she chanted that single word, begging, hoping to not forget them.
Some distant part of her mind realized that the man and the woman to her left were her parents, but she could not tear her gaze from her brother's figure to look at them. Once again, that slithering voice washed over her as the man hissed in amusement.

"Would you look at that... She wants her brother to save her. Sora..." He tapped the knife on the back of her chair, making small clinks as he contemplated something. "Do you like his name, child? Hmm... I could make it, so that you never part with that name again. Would that make you happy?" Forbidding washed through the air, as cold metal was pressed to her throat. "How about your neck? Such nice, smooth skin... I think it would look good here. Hard place to miss, there isn't it? Ohh.. it will be very bloody as well... I can't wait." His voice, twisted and sadistic, sent shivers down her spine, and she gasped as the point finally pressed to her neck.

She felt her skin split and rip as he slowly, tortuously drug the knife through her body, carving out a symbol. So long, it seemed to take, as the pain doubled, and redoubled itself. His screams beginning to reverberate through her ears as he watched the first letter carved. The knife finally left her skin, and a large, bloody letter was left, forever to be etched into her. 'S' Then next, the blade returning. 'O' Pain was all she knew now, she could no longer hear his voice, the ringing returning. 'R' Her vision blurred, and she started to feel faint. Finally, the last letter was the most excruciating. 'A'

It was done. Carved perfectly in jagged letters across her throat. 'SORA' She heard it, then. The choked sob that was coming from in front of her, and she looked. Tears were streaming down his face, and agony only allowed her those last few moments to see, to hear, to speak. The last words she said, the last thing they heard, before her consciousness finally broke, and she fell into darkness.

"Don't cry Nii-chan."

There was silence.

..

...

..
.

This is my first story Ive uploaded, so please be kind in your reviews. This chapter is just setting the scene for the rest of the story, so it may be a bit confusing right now. I want to make this a fairly long story, and with my ideas always broadening, I hope that some of you like it. Please tell me your thoughts.