From aliceinwhumperland's Whump Words of the Day prompt: 'Meal Time. Are You Going To Cooperate?' This also appears as a chapter in Whump Collection, apparently I have more to add...
'Meal time. Are you going to cooperate?' the voice leered at him, the ever-present hope that the prisoner may choose not to. The guards took delight in mocking the fallen hero.
But Scott knew the drill by now. Stand up. Be ready. Eat the food. Don't look the guard in the eye. Don't drop the spoon, no matter how much your hand is shaking. Don't drop the food. Don't sit down until you're told to. Don't draw attention to yourself – although he had no hope of this one.
Scott Tracy was a special prisoner, one of note. He'd been special before, a hero – although not one here – and as such he couldn't help but stand out. Being literally head and shoulders above almost everyone else didn't help either. But he had learnt the rules very quickly.
Don't let your guard down for one second.
Don't make a sound.
Don't give them the satisfaction.
Food came once a day – if it came at all – and it was always an indescribable slop. He thought his grandmother's cooking was bad…and that was something else he tried not to do.
Don't think about what's been left behind.
Once, many moons ago, he had been part of a loving family: a father, four brothers, a grandmother, a sister, a friend.
Once, he remembered going through hostage training. Don't dwell on who is at home. That is a weakness they will use to break you.
You are nothing.
You have nothing.
And now, that, at least, was true.
So he stood and waited. He accepted the meal. He ate. He disappointed the guards. He followed the rules. He sat. He waited. He slept. He repeated.
Scott didn't remember how he got here, or even where 'here' was, nor did he know how long he had been here. It felt like forever. There had been beatings. There had been water. There had been electricity. There had been fire. Still, he couldn't remember anything.
He couldn't remember what they wanted. What they asked. If they even ever asked him anything.
He couldn't remember what he had done, but it must have been terrible.
