Lucas sat on the cold, hard floor of his room, his back against the wall. The room was small, with stone walls and a single, barred window that let in a sliver of light. It was a prison cell, and Lucas felt like a prisoner.
He looked over at his sister, Alice, who was sitting across from him, her eyes fixed on the floor. She was pale and thin, her eyes sunken from lack of sleep and food. Lucas's heart ached as he looked at her. He had to protect her, no matter what.
When will we be able to escape this place? Lucas thought to himself, his mind racing with plans and possibilities. He had been thinking about it for what felt like an eternity, but he had yet to come up with a solid plan.
The only thing that kept him going was Alice. She was the reason he survived each day, the reason he kept fighting. Lucas smiled weakly at her, trying to reassure her that everything would be okay.
Just then, a harsh voice echoed from outside the room. "Alice, it's time for you to work."
Lucas's heart sank as he watched Alice stand up, her eyes filled with fear. She looked at him, and Lucas tried to smile again, but it was a weak attempt.
"I'll be fine, Lucas," Alice said, her voice barely above a whisper. "I'll be back soon."
Lucas nodded, trying to look braver than he felt. He watched as Alice walked out of the room, the door creaking shut behind her.
As soon as she was gone, Lucas's smile faltered. He felt a wave of anxiety wash over him, his mind racing with worst-case scenarios. What if Alice didn't come back? What if something happened to her?
Lucas pushed the thoughts aside and stood up, pacing back and forth in the small room. He had to think of a way to escape, to get them out of this place. He couldn't just sit around and wait for something to happen.
But as he paced, Lucas couldn't shake off the feeling that time was running out. For him, for Alice, for their freedom.
A short while later, Lucas heard the door to his room open again. A harsh voice called out, "Lucas, it's your time to work."
Lucas stood up, his heart sinking as he walked out of the room. He was led to a storeroom deep in the organization's complex. The member who brought him there pointed to the room and said, "Clean this place. Make sure it's spotless."
Lucas nodded, knowing better than to disobey. He entered the storeroom, the door creaking shut behind him. The room was cluttered with old boxes, broken equipment, and dusty shelves. Lucas sighed inwardly, knowing this would be a long and tiring task.
As he began to clean, Lucas's mind wandered to Alice. He wondered what she was doing, if she was okay. He hoped she wasn't being treated too harshly.
The hours passed slowly, Lucas's back aching from lifting heavy boxes and sweeping the floor. He worked in silence, his only companions the dust and dirt that surrounded him.
As he finished his task, Lucas felt a sense of relief wash over him. He had endured the work, but he knew he couldn't let his guard down. Not in this place.
The door to the storeroom opened, and the member who had assigned him the task looked inside. "Is it done?" he asked gruffly.
Lucas nodded, standing up straight. "Yes, it's clean."
The member nodded, his expression unchanging. "Good. You can go back to your room now."
Lucas walked out of the storeroom, his eyes scanning the corridors for any sign of Alice. As he turned a corner, he heard noises and saw people gathered in one spot. His curiosity got the better of him, and he walked towards the crowd.
As he pushed his way to the front, his heart dropped. Alice was on the ground, her eyes closed, and a pool of blood forming around her head. Lucas's world came crashing down, and he felt like he was going to lose control.
The scene around him became a blur as he stared at Alice's lifeless body. The people around him seemed to be talking, but their voices were muffled and distant. Lucas's mind was racing with thoughts of what had happened, and he felt a wave of anger and grief wash over him.
Suddenly, one of the organization's members stepped forward and shouted, "She made a mistake during training! She paid the price for her failure!"
Lucas's eyes locked onto the member, and he felt a surge of fury. He knew he had to act, to protect Alice, but it was too late. She was gone, and Lucas's world was forever changed.