Silver's eyes fluttered open to darkness. Her head throbbed with a dull persistent ache. The taste of metal lingered on her tongue and her limbs felt heavy as though weights had been strapped to every joint.
She tried to move but thick ropes bit into her wrists and ankles pinning her to a hard wooden chair. The coarse fibers scraped against her skin with every futile twist.
A low mechanical hum filled the room. She looked down. A thin tube snaked from the inside of her elbow connected to a small sinister machine perched on a metal stand beside her.
The device clicked and whirred softly as it drew dark red blood from her vein in slow rhythmic pulses. A clear collection bag hung below already half full. Silver stared at the setup in raw shock. Her breath hitched. She yanked against the restraints but the ropes held firm.
