It was all psychological. Kieren almost wanted the pain, if it meant no longer he would have to face this.
Alfred -Kieren was never going to see Batman the same way again- didn't touch him for the rest of the evening. After cutting off Kieren's finger, he spent the rest of his time talking.
Just talking.
Nothing in particular. He talked about his favourite films, his favourite books and songs and jokes. He talked about the dog he owned when he was seventeen, a shitzu named Bobby.
But as he talked, he held Kieren's severed pinkie in his hands, idly playing with, picking his teeth with it, sniffing it, until finally he took a pair of surgical scissors, held the pinkie in between the blades and snipped it in half.
He continued talking about Bobby even as Kieren mutely watched the mutilated pinkie fall to the floor. So much for the hope of attaching it back to his hand.
Alfred then yawned, stating it was late and he wanted to go to sleep. "Tomorrow is a big day," he chirped. "Best to get our rest."
He picked up a knife, a long, thin, stabbing sort of knife, and held the tip right at Kieren's throat, right beneath his chin. Threat made, he started undoing the restraints.
Kieren thought about shoving forward, allowing the knife to go into his throat- it was not as if it could kill him- then thought better of it. It could still cut into his spine; it was long enough. The way it was angled, it could also be lodged under his brain.
There was no way Alfred could get that sort of accuracy but Kieren kept still. He hated to admit it, the fear kept him still.
Once he was done, Alfred straightened. He held the knife unwavering.
"You know," he said. "I read a lot of your activism online. Your arguments, your bullshit... a lot of you claim you're better than humans. That God gave you a second chance, that you're some kind of advance species. But do you know what I've realized about you all, both live and undead?"
He bent down, getting close to Kieren's face. The knife dug in the slightest, making Kieren hiss.
"None of you want to die."
With that, he pulled back. He reached down with his free hand, grabbed Kieren by the back of his neck, and dragged him out of the room.
()
In a small room just down the hall, Alfred shackled Kieren to the wall. His arms were raised above his head, a long, thin strip of metal holding his wrists against the wall. In this position he could sit or squat. If he tried to stand, he would only topple down, exacerbating his shoulders.
"See you in the morning," Alfred bid goodnight.
He didn't turn off the light, which Kieren was thankful for. Kieren has never been fearful of the dark, though the circumstances in question probably has given him a whole new set of phobias to worry about.
Even more, he wasn't alone.
There were two others there, chained in a similar fashion. A woman, another PDS sufferer, who was jolted awake when Alfred brought Kieren in. She watched in silence as he was chained, her grey eyes wide and curious. She didn't look to be harmed, from what Kieren could tell. There were rips in her dress, holes in her stockings. No makeup either, except for a hint of lipstick swiped on the side of her mouth.
The other was a man, a live man, just barely though. He had multiple wounds, bruises and cuts all over his face and body. His tattered clothes were stained with his blood. Every breath was a struggle for him, wet and deep. His eyes were open but nobody was home.
"He's been here before I was brought here," the woman said sympathetically. "I don't know how much longer he'll last."
"How... how long have you been here?" Kieren asked, his eyes unable to stray from the poor man.
"I don't know. I was grabbed on Wednesday."
Kieren bit his lip. "It's Saturday now."
"Fuck," she said. "It feels longer."
"Has he hurt you?"
She shook her head. "Hasn't even gotten me off this wall yet. But him," she nodded towards the man. "Takes him in the morning, he does. All I hear are... screams. He goes for an hour, sometimes two, if I'm counting right. Brings him back, chains him up. I don't even know his name."
"What's your name?" Kieren asked.
The woman seemed startled by the question. She smiled sadly. "Lydia."
Kieren nodded to her. "Kieren."