Julian's Struggle – Alternative Universe
TW: Blood, Gore, Post-Torture, Trauma
Raspy and shuddering breaths rung loudly throughout the forest, mixed in with pained grunts and low whines, the shuffling of feet through leaves was all too familiar to the redhead at this point. The smell of blood overwhelmed his senses, the foul taste of iron had stayed present in his mouth for days now, his cheeks caked with tears and crusted blood from the times that he'd bitten through his lip, wrists and forearms covered with various bruises, all of which were in different stages of healing.
He let out a strangled cry as he was pushed against one of the tall trees, feeling the gash on his leg be pressed against the unevenly textured bark of it, eyes screwing themselves shut as he forced tears back, breath hitching to keep back another whine of agonizing pain. 'Do not let them have the satisfaction,' he thought to himself. 'It isn't worth it.'
Although unsure of how long he had been in confinement, he knew that they weren't actually that far from the place he was previously held in, as his captors were never ones for patience- he figured that out the hard way. Too many times had he tried to hold back until he was at his breaking point, despite knowing that they'd only hurt him more in order to make him scream. His throat always felt scratchy, hoarse, and raw- his eyelids were always heavy, as was his body, though he usually felt lightheaded from the constant loss of blood. His captors never went through the proper procedure of cutting off the blood flow after making their marks, and it irked him to no end- he deserved good treatment!
As the person holding his wrists noticed his restraint, they pushed his leg harder against the bark, being sure to lift him slightly to tear more of the already-raw flesh; Julian's body shook with unreleased adrenaline as it attempted to numb the pain on its own, blood soaking through the already stiff pant leg and warming it. He hated this, teeth biting straight through his lower lip's first layer of skin instantly, more blood pooling into his mouth and adding onto the foul taste. He tried to suck in a sharp breath, though felt sharper pains jolt though his abdomen, forcing the air from his lungs. What the hell had they done to him, and why hadn't he noticed until now?
"That's enough, dammit!" Julian began, his eyes just barely opening before he tried to look back, and get a look at his attackers. In an instant, he was thrown against the ground, shoulders hitting the ground with a sharp 'crack'. More pain.
"You don't get to tell me what to do, street-rat, the only thing allowed to leave that pretty mouth is screaming."
The person hovering over his broken figure put a heavy boot on his chest, pushing down and forcing the breath from Julian yet again. Their face contoured into that of anger and confusion, pushing down again and hearing a sickening 'snap', which made them ease up on the pressure.
"Why the hell won't you die already?! Stupid doctor, you don't know when to give up, do you?"
Julian let out a soft chuckle with the little breath he was able to suck in after the pressure let up, cold eyes staring upwards at their disgusting bland features, lips quirking upwards into something of a smile, though it was snarky, broken- empty.
"Death cast her gaze on a wretch like me and turned away, leaving me on this plain of purgatory." His head turned to the side as he watched them walk off, laughing loudly in spite- he sounded ever so slightly…off. "I suppose I can't escape this life just yet, can I?"