The sound of water dripping down reverberated through the dark and damp prison cell. The smell of mold and piss wafted through the air, mixing in with the asphyxiating sediments of stone and dust. With his back against the disheveled walls and his feet splayed out on the ground, the Otherworlder sat in the prison cell.
Arm over his head, the Otherworlder’s face was devoid of emotion as he shut his eyes in a futile attempt to sleep. ‘Think about it. I’ll keep you well while you think.’ Those were the words princess Amelia had said before shoving him deep into the palace’s cellars, that too in a special zone made just for the princess and her captives.
Say yes or stay in prison forever. That was pretty much what she meant.
Just then, the sounds of footsteps rang outside the cell. A stout man with a mustache came towards the cell and went straight towards the skinny guard keeping watching on him from outside.
“Shift’s over,” the stout man said as he looked around the cells, his eyes falling on the Otherworlder. “What’s this, new guy?”
“Yeah,” the skinny guard replied, his voice shriller than the sound of scratching nails on a blackboard. “The princess said he’s a special guest, needs to get a lot of thinking done.”
“Really now?” the stout man raised his eyebrows as he came closer to the Otherworlder’s cell. The man observed the Otherworlder with thin eyes. “What’s so special about this guy?”
“I don’t know. He looks good, maybe the princess wanted a boytoy hahaha!!” the guard’s personality was just as sickening as his voice.
“If he does need to think, shouldn’t we help him from our side?” the stout man’s face was painted with a smirk as he looked at the Otherworlder with a filthy gaze. “We’ll put him with that.”
“Oh! Hahaha!!” the shrill-voiced guard laughed with widened eyes. “Why didn’t I think of that before!!”
The guard got up with the jangling keys and opened the Otherworlder’s cell. With the stout man in tow, the guard came in and pulled the Otherworlder up with his shoulders. “C’mon, you’re going to be shifted to the VIP cell!!”
This would have been a good chance to beat them up and run away, but not only were the guards trained professionals, the prison was made on a magic circle that blocked all spells. The Otherworlder had no abilities to stand up against them.
The Otherworlder let the two drag him to through the cellars, towards a dark corner of the prison. Spiderwebs and dust filled the walls that lead to the ominous cell at the farthest end of the prisons.
With a sneer, the guards shoved the Otherworlder into the cell and stepped farther back. The Otherworlder fell on the cold stone ground as the darkness of the prison cell filled his sight.
“Think well and fast! Haha!”
The guard left a cackling laugh before backing away with his stout companion. An awful premonition chilled the Otherworlder’s spine as he fervently shook his head around.
A loud shuffling sound rang out.
The Otherworlder snapped his head back just to see a black silhouette disappear in the darkness.
Again!
The Otherworlder couldn’t catch more than the image of a giant thing blend into the darkness.
The Otherworlder stepped back as the sounds increased. He looked left and then right. His eyes darted all around as the sound approached closer.
With a thundering screech, a gigantic, monstrous figure appeared in front of the Otherworlder. A hard black shell, two long antennae, and half a dozen feet.
“AAHHHH!!”
The Otherworlder screamed as he fell on his back. He pushed his arms and scuttled to his back as the giant monster got on all its feet. Its enormous eyes matched with his own as the monster spread its fangs.
A giant cockroach was in his cell.
The Otherworlder froze on the ground and gulped down his nervousness as the cockroach kept staring at him. The straps of steel around the cockroach became visible as the Otherworlder and the cockroach eyed each other.
Suddenly, the cockroach rushed forward, making full use of its six legs to rush to the Otherworlder.
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Before he could even scream, a loud noise rang in the Otherworlder’s ears.
‘Fear not, lad! I come in peace!!’
“Heh?” the Otherworlder thought. The sound was too loud and clear, but he was sure it was in his head. He looked around in confusion as the cockroach stopped in its tracks and looked around.
‘O-oh! Boy, are you capable of perceiving my voice?’
“Who is-” the Otherworlder almost spoke out loud when the cockroach rushed towards him again. Giving him no chance to react, the cockroach pounced on the Otherworlder and covered his mouth with his two front legs.
‘Seize your shouting now! Our custodians will take notice’
Scared and grossed out, the Otherworlder shut his mouth. He thought not shouting was more suspicious, but kept shut.
‘Your words make sense, but this way we can be more discreet.“
Words? What words?
‘But of course, the words you conceive, boy! I can hear your thoughts.’
The Otherworlder tore away from the giant cockroach and shifted to his side. He placed a hand on his chest and took in deep breaths. What was happening here? A giant armored mind-reading cockroach? Had the Otherworlder finally gone mad?
Still shaken, the Otherworlder reached into his pockets and pulled out a coin.
“Guide me, lady luck,” he whispered as he nervously placed the coin on his thumb and flicked it without hesitation.
The coin soared into the sky and swerved back down.
“Heads and I am crazy.”
Making a beautiful arc in the air, the coin fell right on the Otherworlder’s hand.
It was tails
‘Ok, so this gigantic armored psychic cockroach is certainly there.’
The Otherworlder took another deep breath and turned back towards the cockroach who was watching him in amusement.
“What—”
‘I can hear your thoughts, boy.“
The Otherworlder was about to speak, but the cockroach shut him down. With a nod, the Otherworlder thought.
‘What are you?’
The cockroach got on two legs and pointed to its chest with one of its legs.
‘I… am the slayer of a hundred dragons. The bringer of justice, the master of the headless. It is I, the hero of the planet of Cucaracha, the noble warrior, Sir Cockarista vi Cafard! But for now, I am just your cellmate.’
Maybe he was going crazy after all.