Days had passed, a rotten stench engulfed the area around, the prisoners in the surrounding cells soon became bothered by its disgustingly fishy aroma.
Nobody wanted to bat an eye, but a single man, closest to the smell.
"H-hey guards! C-can you do something about this s-smell?!"
The man waited… All he could hear was the sudden silence from the prisoners around, not desiring involvement from the man's shout.
Suddenly he could hear multiple footsteps approaching from down the hall, then they stopped…
Three men appeared in front of a cell to see a thin man with dusty long brown hair, he looked malnourished just as every prisoner did. His ribs extruded through his skin, he was more of a stick than a man… one of the worst cases in this prison.
One of the men stepped directly in front of the cell bars, he sported a metal helmet, with a long piece of brown scrap that covered his body, a guard's attire, normal for such a shabby place.
The guard looked at the man who stood in the corner of his cell trying to avoid where the smell was coming from.
"Was that you who yelled?"
The man slowly turned around, his hand covering his nose.
He revealed his scratchy voice.
"Y-yes sir…"
The guard looked over into the cell just next to the man's, looking at the boy's decaying corpse flattened on the floor.
"Hey 16, I got news for you, it looks like I got a job for you, and if you don't do it your head is coming off."
The two guards behind the one in front stood there looking at the body, it was mutilated, dents covered the corpse, it was like a raisin, dried of all its juices.
The two quickly batted their eyes away, their stomachs turned weak.
"Y-yes I'll do it."
The guard began to laugh at 16's 'willingness' to work.
"Haha! You hear that rookies?"
The guard turned around, and looked at the two guards, obviously not doing so well.
"This guy really likes to work huh?"
It was no question, nobody liked the man, he always acted so cocky and arrogant, those who spent their life close to him knew this.
"Haha, they always do sir."
"Hehe Always!"
The guard turned back towards the cell then glared back over to where 16 was, staring him down.
"Anyways 16! Your job is to dispose of the kid's body, you're going to have a new friend here today and we need a cell to be open, you understand?"
"Y-yes sir."
The man seemed pleased.
"Alright, so get to it!"
The guard reached down to his waistband and grabbed a ring of keys from his left hip. He slowly twisted the metal ring, releasing it from his waistband.
He first walked over to cell 15, then grabbed onto one of the keys, he stuck it in the lock, and opened the door to the kid's cell. He walked back towards the door to cell 16, repeating the same thing.
Both doors were open, the guard waved, gesturing for 16 to remove himself.
"Alright you two, watch him, if he tries to pull something, break his fucking neck."
The two responded simultaneously.
"Yes sir."
16 slowly exited his cell, the guards watched as he limped slowly down the hall, then into the boy's cell.
He approached the boy's body which lay near the bed, still on the ground from the guards beating.
He gagged.
With no other choice, he bent down then grabbed the body, he threw the light corpse over his shoulder, adjusting it to his frail back.
He turned around, then slowly approached the guards, stopping just before them, he glanced up.
"H-how do you want me to get rid of his b-body?"
"That's not our job now is it?"
"…"
He began making his way out the cell, the two guards waited for him, watching his every move. He turned left and saw two guards in the distance on both sides of a big wooden door, guarding it at all times. He began walking towards them, and the guards followed suit.
Nearly a minute later they met the door. He looked up, the guards in front of the door were staring at him, both silent.
"…"
One of the guards behind suddenly stepped in front of 16 meeting their gazes firsthand.
"It's okay, we are watching this one, just keep an eye on the other prisoners here alright?"
The guards only nodded.
"Now let us through."
The guard on the left reached down to his pocket, then retrieved his hand. He held a small silver key which he inserted into the door's small lock, letting the three of them into the main building.
After the door was cleared, one of the guards suddenly pushed 16 from the back, causing him to stumble forward, almost losing his balance for a second.
"Hey, look down, I don't want you getting any ideas about escaping."
"O-ok."
"Keep walking then turn when I tell you to."
The guard began walking in front of him, 16 slowly followed him, he was stuck between the two guards.
They were well trained, prepared for any situation, and escape or even an assault, anything, the guards were ready.
The guard in front of him suddenly stopped. 16 bumped into his chest, almost sending him backwards. The guard didn't react.
"Turn right and keep walking forward, soon there will be a small window, you can just throw his body out the window, and give it to the beasts who roam just outside."
He turned his body to the right as commanded, but was confused why they were helping him since they wouldn't help him before.
"Y-you said you w-wouldn't help me."
"Shut your mouth 16! Walk!"
"…"
He began walking down the corridor, and slowly an area of light appeared on the ground in front of him. The light kept growing, then 16 looked up, before him he noticed a small window, with two twisted steel bars blocking anything from coming in.
He flipped the boys' body over to his right shoulder, and slowly inched directly next to the window. He turned his body, he began to tilt to his right, and the boy suddenly began sliding off his shoulder.
The boy split the window, landing on a patch of grass just outside.
16 suddenly turned back towards the window, wanting to admire the outside he rarely got to see, but he noticed a blonde haired man being escorted, carrying shackles around his ankles, his face looked clean, and he showed no struggle walking with shackles.
A very dashing presence.
The man slowly approached the entrance, 3 guards surrounded the man, guiding him inside the prison. He stared at the man for a second, then the man locked eyes with him, flashing a slight smile.
Suddenly 16 was nudged in the back, he lost his balance, and fell forward.
His forehead struck the metal bars, causing blood to slowly spill down to his eyes, overlapping his vision with a red tint.
"Stop staring outside, you worried about the body stinking up the place? Don't worry some animal will probably make a feast of the body."
He stepped away from the window, blood began dripping down the side of his face, creating small drops on the ground that grew longer as he moved.
The man he saw outside seemed different to him, how did he get caught? He didn't know, only questions flooded his mind, the pain was not a worry of his, only the man outside.
"Now back to your cell, and close your eyes this time before I close them myself."
At that time, the man outside entered the prison, he was forced to blind himself through a white cloth that created artifacts in his vision. He was pulled by a rope around his neck, a sort of leash that the guards made to keep captives in check.
"Hey move it, get in the cell!"
The guard pushed the man from behind just as he stepped into the cell, the cell was the same as the boy left it.
"Oh my, what is this stench?"
The man looked below where he stood, the ground was a dark color, different from the rest of the cell, he looked towards the flat mattress on the side, and noticed small red spots on the side.
"What happened here?"
"No talking!" the guard shouted, "What is your name?"
The guard suddenly began approaching the man in the cell, he walked towards him then stopped, right in front of him, anticipating the man's response.
"It's Le-"
The guard lifted his right arm, sending it towards the man, striking him in the face. The man stumbled back, and vigorously smashed into the wall behind him.
"Shut the hell up, you're number 51! You belong to us now!"
The guard turned around, then walked back, exiting the cell,
He turned around, then grabbed the side of the door, slamming it shut causing an echo in the hall, then he locked it quickly.
"Enjoy your stay."
The man had a disgusting grin on his face.
The guard turned and began making his way back down the hall, leaving 51 standing in his dirty new abode. 51 looked around again, dirt covered the whole cell, the walls, the floor, the mattress, everything…
He seemed displeased, he couldn't recall ever living in such an improper situation before.
"What a dirty place."
Minutes passed, and suddenly he heard a door squeal at the end of the hall. He heard a man's loud voice from afar.
"Keep walking!"
Loud footsteps came from down the hall, it took a few seconds to reach him, but as soon as they did, three men passed by his cell, one of them glancing at him as he passed by. He noticed the man, his face was red, covered in blood, a wound sat just above his right eye, still freshly crimson from an injury.
The sounding footsteps suddenly stopped in front of the cell next to his, and a loud thud could be heard, soon followed by the sound of the door slamming shut, causing a loud metallic echo throughout the cell hall.
A pair of keys began to jangle, then two of the men walked by his cell, not giving him a single glance as they quickly passed.
51 approached the front of his cell, he walked towards the wall on the right side, leaned against it close to the metal bars that stood at the entrance.
"Hey neighbor, how long have you been here?"
16 in the cell next to him, suddenly jolted up, his eyes widened, he was still. He didn't know anyone willing to talk to him at the prison besides the guards.
He approached the front of his cell, getting closer to try and hear the man better.
"M-me?"
"Yeah you."
16 didn't know if he should respond, but this question sparked a thought in his mind. He pondered for a long moment, but only began to question his memory.
"I-I don't know…"
"Long enough that you can't remember huh?"
He looked down at his feet, looking gloomy.
"y-yeah" 16 responded, "w-who are you?"
"Just someone who admires the stars."
His gloomy face grew to confusion, not understanding what the man meant.
"T-the stars? T-the ones in the s-sky?"
"You are correct," 51 responded, "Anyways, what's your name?"
"I-I'm 16."
He batted an eye.
"That's a very different number than mine."
A prisoner's number is solely determined by the time they arrived in the prison, the man being number 51 means he was the 51st prisoner, and the same applies to 16 and the others.
"So Mr. 16, do you know why this cell is covered in this dried blood?"
"Yeah, some kid died there, number fif-fifteen."
"Was that the kid you threw out that window earlier?"
"Y-yeah."
51 started to ponder, thinking it must have been fate for so many coincidences to line up, the numbers 15 and 51, opposites, things lined up too perfectly.
"How fitting, my number is the opposite of his, number 15 to number 51, quite an interesting coincidence don't you think?"
16 seemed confused, but he didn't really care for this man's ramblings.
"W-what about that is interesting?"
51 sighed deeply.
"I was guided here in search of someone, maybe that kid was the someone I've been looking for."
51 began to pace around his cell, thinking about the reason for him coming to this area.
"Hey whatever your name is, is there anyone who stands out at this place, any prisoners?"
No one stood out, the only unique characteristics about the prisoners were their looks, some existed as humans, others as beasts, nobody acted out of line, in fear of the guards and the warden, only rumors of the warden have spread, but no one alive has met him, making him a symbol of fear, for those stuck here.
"N-no, nobody wants to stand out, they'll get beaten."
"What about the kid, did he do anything to stand out?"
"H-he ignored the guard, h-he was born here, so I guess he couldn't handle the suffering anymore."
51's eyes opened wide, he thought about how hard it must have been for 15, a kid trapped in a cell with little recollection of the outside world, his only home being the familiar dirt on the walls he woke up to everyday.
"That kid was born here? What happened to his parents?"
"H-his mom… k-killed."
The two became silent…
"... I assume his father died as well?"
"I'm not sure."
Silence swept over the two and 51 started pacing around his cell again, stuck in thought.
"... I'm going to destroy this place." He suddenly proclaimed.
"W-what!.. Already?"
16 seemed very surprised.
"As I said before I admire the stars, I don't know why, but I am willing to bet that kid is the reason I have been guided here by them."
"B-but you were captured, h-how are you going to get past the g-guards?".
51 smirked.
"I let them catch me, and right now I don't want to be in this nasty cell."
He looked around his disgusting cell, a slight stench stuck around, but was slowly getting aired out.
"Even though there is no real reason as to why I think the kid is the reason why I am here, I feel a connection to him."
He glanced down at the floor, looking at the stain made from the kid's blood. After seeing this aftermath below him, he decided that the chance was worth taking, this kid could truly be the one he was guided to, but it wasn't a guarantee, he knew nothing was certain, but he was against the conditions of his cell.
"After seeing him, I thought he may have just been unlucky, but hearing about him, I realized he has lived a life of despair, the opposite of me. Even though it is early, I am again willing to bet he is the reason why I am here."
He suddenly reached his right arm through the cell bars, unaware that 16 couldn't see it.
"So how about it? Do you want your freedom Mr. 16?"
A question he already knew the answer to.
"O-of course, but h-how can I trust you?"
He sighed.
"Do you know anything about the stars?."
16 looked up, only to see the dirty ceiling.
"N-no, I barely know anything about my past, I don't think I would know about something so far away."
51 smiled and then withdrew his hand from the bars.
"Then, let me teach you something about them."
"W-what?"
51 approached the center of his cell, he turned around, and faced the door that stood at the entrance. He closed his eyes, he put his hands together at his waistline, then opened them. A small yellow orb of light gathered in between his hands, his face slowly started to turn gold…
At that time, 16 became confused, noise stopped coming from the cell next door, he was unsure… he thought the man was setting a bluff…
"Enlighten!"
The orb dispersed and a wave of light rushed towards the door, knocking it off its hinges, eventually hitting the wall on the other side, the man disappeared.
His actions echoed through the hall, alerting the guards and prisoners.
The guards at the door quickly rushed over to the cell, they looked inside, scanning every inch of the room…
51 was no longer there…