Chapter Four

Two weeks had passed since Alis found himself in his new home. He sat across the dining table with Mr. Keller, who was absorbed in his newspaper and sipping a coffee. Alis was just starting to get used to things, as he had developed a routine. He was forbidden from going outside, so he spent his days looking through windows, drawing, and trying to read the books on the shelves. He had managed to figure out what a few words meant by asking Mr. Keller, but it was hard to ask him anything. Though there was something that Alis liked about Mr. Keller, it was his soft voice. It was as though he were speaking to a most precious flower, delicate and petite. Alis hadn’t heard him yell in weeks, so he had forgotten how his screams sounded. There was a knock at the door, and Mr. Keller got up, and Alis followed him out of curiosity. Once the door opened, Alis was faced with two large men looking straight at him.

One of them asked, “Are you little Alis?”

Alis nodded, and then Mr. Keller took Alis by the hand, and the two men came inside.

“Do you two need anything before we start?”

The two men said, “No, we’re good.”

Alis found it funny how they both answered at the same time, and he snickered. Mr. Keller opened a door, and Alis realized where they were going immediately. It was the basement, and Alis had snuck down there to explore. There was something off about the place that gave him the creeps, so he never went back there again. With more people, Alis didn’t find the place as terrifying anymore, but the stale air caused him to feel sick. He could swear that he heard water dripping somewhere, but each droplet was inconsistent, and so nothing felt natural. Mr. Keller lit some torches, and the room was illuminated, revealing a metal table in the middle of the room that Alis hadn’t noticed before. Mr. Keller picked up Alis and placed him on the table and began to strap his arms in, and Alis asked, “What are you doing?”

Mr. Keller didn’t answer, and the two men took a seat on the couch and watched with crossed arms. They must have been twins. Mr. Keller brought over a rolling stand with needles on top, and Alis stared at them. He didn’t understand what they were, but they looked sharper than thorns. Memories of having thorns stuck deep in his skin entered his mind, and his breath hitched. Mr. Keller lifted a needle and slowly stuck it in Alis’ arm. Alis cried out with agony, and he watched as red entered the vial. His vision blurred as tears drowned his eyes, but even through his murky vision, he could see Mr. Keller’s smile. He could hear the snickers of the men enter his confused mind, and he heard one of them say, “What a great price for elven blood. Not to mention the bearer is a cutie too.”