I have returned with the next chapter. Don't worry you will understand what he gives them soon enough. WARNING: TORTURE
I took the knife with trembling fingers and rose gently unbending my knees. I swallowed and glanced at Chloe, who was resolutely staring straight ahead and not making eye contact with me, and took a step down. I hesitated a moment before taking the rest of the stairs at a faster pace. At the bottom I turned and looked up at Tar-Mairon.
"You may kill him as slowly as you wish" He smiled at my jolt of shock. I swallowed turning away from him thinking about the teacher. If I didn't do this then she would die. The orcs are monsters. One for one. And deep down in me, there's a part of me, taking in satisfaction at this unexpected turn of events. I could still remember with perfectly clarity how these orcs had been pushing me around and laughing.
My hand tightened around the knife. I exhaled loudly and tried to stop my free hand from running the other nails across the pad of my thumb in anxiety. Hate assailed me from dark eyes and my hand raised the knife. I can do this. I have to do this. To save the teacher. Just do it fast I told myself several times. He wouldn't hesitate positions reversed. I shut my eyes tightly and stabbed him. I let go feeling the knife sink in and skittered back at the loud squeal. I tripped trying to scramble back farther seeing him thrash around still very alive in the orc guard's grasp. I didn't hit the ground and ceased my movement hearing Tar-Mairon's voice in my ear.
"That is not how to use a knife correctly Haldamire. Allow me to guide you" He steadied me and with one hand still on my shoulder pulled the knife out of the orc. My fingers closed around it again in terror and I felt my trembling stopped by his hand covering mine over the knife. It was too hot. I felt my breathing start to quicken in apprehension. What was happening? Tar-Mairon was speaking to me about where to cut, but it was if through water. Everything after the first few words were lost in a dizzy haze. I wanted to be back in my room. I wanted Chloe. I tried to release the knife, but his grip kept my hand over the knife. I didn't even realize we had plunged the knife back until I felt blood dripping off my hand and when I looked nausea took me. I couldn't throw up. I couldn't. What if it counted as not obeying. He let go and so did I a second later and the orc fell back on the floor. Oh no, he couldn't possibly be.
"Finish him" Tar-Mairon ordered taking out a handkerchief or some other piece of fabric and wiping his hand clean. Fastidiously clean somehow. Despite him managing to spray blood up all the way up to the dais and onto me and Chloe. Not even for the teacher now, or my petty cruel vengeance, he didn't deserve to live in such agony. Or even if he did, I couldn't allow it. The thought of ending its suffering urged me into pulling out the knife faster, but at the horrific spray of blood across me as the knife slipped, my courage faltered. My heartbeat filled my hearing with a rushing sound and I stood frozen in time for a moment blood pounding through my body. I couldn't let my eyes close this time. He might already have died if I wasn't such a coward. I hated myself in that moment and used the resulting anger to stab as hard as I could right where his heart was. The hall was utterly silent and I let go of the knife with a scream of fury. That scream seemed contain everything. Fury at the situation, fury at Tar-Mairon, fury at being here, and fury at myself. He breathed no more and I couldn't help the relieved sigh that escaped. Anger swelled up in me, but the fear was a stronger force.
I turned back to Tar-Mairon, my back to the rest of the hall, and sank to my knees and bowed formally again forehead barely touching my hands in front flat on the floor.
"You may rise now. Follow with Airawende" I looked up from the floor in surprise at Gothmog's voice instead of Tar-Mairon. I swiveled my head around catching him exiting the hall. Loud screeches and laughter had once again filled the hall. I can't even say when it started up again. I refused to look back at the creatures in the hall. I had enough terror to stalk my dreams forever without adding more. Gothmog was halfway down the steps with Chloe trailing a step behind him. I stood up and shifted from foot to foot testing to make sure they could carry me. The teacher could afford us to make no mistakes like collapsing on the way out. Chloe intertwined her fingers with mine and I fell into step beside her. Why had Tar-Mairon left? I thought he was going to take me with him. I felt Chloe occasionally tighten her fingers, but I was too distracted to guess if it was fear or comfort as the cause. My mind was on the orc. What had I done? I'm a murderer. There was blood on my hands literally and figuratively. I was a killer. Tears dripped down my cheeks. I blinked trying desperately to get rid of the moisture.
"Go in. I will return for you later Airawende" He said motioning us into some room. I felt Chloe dither a moment in uncertainty, but I plowed on dragging her with me. Who cares what they do to us now. I'm a murderer.
"Come and lay down here Haldamire. Here Airawende." Tar-Mairon was holding two shots in his hand. It distracted me from my ruminating as momentary terror took hold. Airawende released my hand and gave me a fright filled look as she sat down. What was in those? I peered at it, but it was hard to make out the color from this distance. Whatever it was the color was very dark. He went to Airawende first and pushed her back gently until she was laying down. She tried to jerk her arm away, but stilled after a he spoke a few words to her. I saw her close her eyes and wince as the needle pushed into her arm.
"It's burning me!" she screamed startling me into action. I bolted over to her and grabbed her arm trying to find where the needle entered.
"Go lay down Haldamire. Now. This is your final warning" Tar-Mairon said. Fear won out and I loathed my cowardice as I slunk back to my spot and laid down. I still looked over at her in trepidation and fear. She was sobbing, waling, and making jerky movements. Dread filled me as Tar-Mairon moved towards me with the other shot. I would hurt twice over if I fought and he would still inject me. Is he poisoning us? What is it? My hands clenched involuntarily into tight fists.
"Haldamire, this should be a temporary discomfort." He smiled reassuring at me, but it seemed even less assuring.
"Please, please don't" I begged terrified.
"Hush now little one. This is for your benefit."
"Please. Please. Please no" I choked out as he ran a finger down my arm looking for a good vein. He didn't bother replying and just readied the needle, content with a spot on the inside of my elbow. I bit my lip so hard could feel blood well up as my teeth pierced it, but it was nothing compared to the agony of the next moment. Fire raced down my arm and into my body in seconds. I screamed and my head hit the stone where I was laying hard enough to stun me. I laid in intense agony unable to form words. Tar-Mairon patted my head gently and moved away. What was happening? It was so hot, it was burning, MY BODY WAS BURNING. I'm going to die. I tried to look for Chloe, but couldn't see anything and panic asserted itself in the fire. When would this fire burn out? Does it ever end? My mind was losing itself to a haze of fiery pain and disoriented I fell back into a state of a half awareness.