a void in the heart - void stiles¹

14

MALENAS POV

I woke up gasping for breath. My face was covered in a sweaty sheen. It was a dream. Just a dream. Even so, I feel moisture gathering behind my eye. I blink in surprise as I feel the tear roll down my cheek. I go to wipe it away, the restraints stopping me and I sigh.

I look down and see there's a new plate of food laying in front of me, waiting to be touched. I reach for the food for the first time and find that its mouldy bread and watery soup, holding back a gag, I pick up the bread and sniff it. It smells wretched and the smell alone is enough to make me sick. I throw it aside and reach for the soup. I sniff it and it smells edible enough. I grab the spoon from the tray and cautiously scoop the soup up and with great struggle bring it to my mouth. I almost groan in satisfaction, it was really fucking good soup. I hadn't eaten anything in so long and now I was even considering the mouldy bread. I downed the soup in a mere minute and found myself still hungry afterwards. For the first time in days I had hope.

***

I managed to get through the next two days just fine. Eating as I receive the food and sleeping through the delivery of each meal. My dream was not forgotten as voices still purged me whilst I slept. But it wasn't until I heard footsteps echoing behind me for the first time since I had been taken that I felt any sort of unease.

"Hello?" I called out. There was a clarity to my voice that must've returned as I had been eating. "Is it time for my next meal?" I ask.

"No." Says a voice I don't recognise. "We're trying something new." The voice comes from just beside my left ear and it makes me flinch.

I stay quite debating the words. They could've meant a lot of different things.

"Now Malena," the voice murmured quietly. "Why don't you show us what you can really do?"

"I can't do anything." I reply, my response is barely louder than a whisper. "You already told me that."

I recoil backwards as I feel a heat across my face, quickly followed by a sting. The unknown person had slapped me, right across the face. I look too where the hand had come from and can't help but feel surprised.

"You hit me." I say to the darkness.

"Yes, thank you for your observation dipshit, I did hit you." The voice hisses. "Now show us what you can do."

I shift in my seat so I'm facing the voice. "I don't do anything dipshit." I sneer back. As the words fall from my mouth I realise it was a mistake.

This time I don't get slapped, I get a fist to my cheekbone. I hear the person grunt at the force used behind the punch. Another blow lands in the same place again, then another. Once the unknown person is done they step back a bit.

"You've got a killer punch mate, they're karate kid worthy." I say groggily, I can feel blood spill down my face and into my mouth as I say the words.

"Would you like another example of what will happen if you keep lying?" The mysterious person asks.

I spit the blood and mucus in my throat at the direction the voice comes from. If I'm going to get a beating might as well go down with a fight, right?

This time I anticipate a punch that never lands. The other person is quiet for a second then they laugh.

"Ooh you are quite feisty aren't you?" The voice laughs. "Gerrard was right."

At the mention of Gerrard something stirs inside me.

"Gerrard Argent?" I question the voice with hostility lacing my tone.

This time I got a kick and a punch.

"You'll forget you heard that name if you have any will at all to live." The voice hisses.

I gasp for breath as I feel the true effect of the punches and kicks begin to settle, and the adrenaline wears off.

"Someone deal with her." The voice says lazily. "I want to be alerted straight away if anything changes. We will not fail, not again." I hear the heavy echo of footsteps made for the door. I can't resist myself as I call after him.

"Seems a bit much to leave someone else to deal with your mess. What, are you a toddler?" I ask after him.

The footsteps stop and then I hear them advancing toward me again.

"You'll learn, Malena, that there is a time and place." The voice says surprisingly calm. I feel another blow straight to my temple that begins to cause me to fade me in and out of consciousness.

"I look forward to the day when you become a moulded murder-weapon. The day when the supernatural in you won't be able to be contained anymore and you'll see what a true monster you are." The voice whispers.

Before I can question him further, I black out.

***

I dream of being punched, repeatedly, in the same spot, unable to stop the blows that fall recklessly. I feel nothing but pain but at least I am no longer haunted by the images of my friends, possessed and inhumane. I feel repeated blows to my cheeks and forehead until all I can see is red. Blood is everywhere pouring from my temple, my cheeks, my brow. It's inescapable, and I hear the voice call for my death. When I gasp awake there is no plate of food, no cup of water awaiting me to drink it, maybe a form of punishment or maybe because no one could actually be bothered looking after me. I can feel the dry blood on my face cracking as I move my jaw around. As soon as I have the opportunity to blink myself awake and groan at my injuries, I hear a clang of the door flying open and hitting the wall.

I brace myself for what I will get this time, surely another beating or some kind of punishment for the way I acted. I hear a shuffle and a shout of protest and then something falling to the floor with a loud thump. I straightened up in my seat straighter, putting as much distance as I could between me and the unknown violence, of course this was nearly impossible as I was still chained to my chair.

"Malena?" The voice calls. The voice is familiar to me. Familiar enough for me to think I'm crazy and still dreaming. "Oh my god. Malena! Thank fucking god." The person runs forward to me and wraps their arms around me in a tight hug and I'm hit with the familiar musky scent of rain and wet wood.

"Stiles." I gasp . The person pulls back slightly to look at me.

"Not stiles." He says offering me a lopsided grin. "Void."

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I really dont like this chapter, but I cant like delete it because its important to the plot, so I rewrote it instead. not much changed bu whatever

love yall xxx