The sun rose gently, bathed the Geovane farm with a golden light. The morning calm was only a fragile mask hiding the palpable tensions that were running in each individual. Inside one of the barns where Lorry's family had found refuge, the first movements betrayed a tormented night's sleep. Luva, the young orphan who worked on the farm, shyly approached their shelter, a food set in hand.

  She struck gently at the wooden door before entering. Lorry's mother, still shaken by recent events, thanked her in a trembling voice. Lorry's father, meanwhile, was seated in a corner, lost in his thoughts, his dark and fixed gaze. Lorry's younger sister, still traumatized by the previous night, clung to her brother, seeking a source of comfort.

  Lorry, meanwhile, seemed tense, but determined. After sharing the meal in silence, he rose suddenly, his mind agitated by a single thought: he had to see Rose.

  A quest for Rose

  After tidying up his plate, Lorry turned to Luva.

  - Do you know where is Rose? he asked, his deep voice but imbued with a strange sweetness.

  - Yes, she's at Geovane with her mother, Luva replied, looking down slightly. I can take you there if you want.

  Lorry nodded, whispering a simple "thank you". They crossed the courtyard of the farm, carefully avoiding the eyes of others. The tension in the air was palpable. Each step seemed to resonate in the heavy silence that surrounded the farm.

  In front of Geovane's house, Lorry hesitated for a moment before hitting. The door opened, revealing the farmer with a chisel face, visibly surprised to see Lorry.

  -What do you want, kid? he growled, crossing his arms.

  "I come to see Rose," replied Lorry with controlled insurance.

  Geovane looked at him for a long time before departing to let him in. Lorry followed Geovane inside, where the air was imbued with a smell of wood and old herbs. In a small room, he found Rose seated next to his mother, Margaret, who still seemed weak but conscious.

  An exchange of emotions

  When Rose saw Lornry, a mixture of emotions crossed his face: surprise, relief, and deep sadness. She got up suddenly and hugged him, silent tears flowing on her cheeks.

  -Lorry ... Thank you for coming, she whispered.

  Lorry, slightly caught up in the end, clumsily tapped his back before deviating slightly.- How are you, you and your mother? he asked gently.

  Rose looked down, wiping her tears.

  - We survive ... But I can't help but think of my father ... It's my fault, Lorry. I couldn't save him ...

  Lorry frowned, feeling a dull anger against Vince. He put a comforting hand on Rose's shoulder.

  - It's not your fault. Vince is responsible for all of this. And believe me, he will pay.

  Rose looked up at him, looking for a splendor of sincerity in his words.

  - Do you really think we can stop it? This monster destroys everything in its path ...

  Lorry nodded, his gaze hardened by an unshakable determination.

  - We have to try. I can't stay my arms crossed while he continues to destroy lives. Grim is still in his hands. I made him a promise, pink. I don't plan to go back.

  Under the starry sky

  After exchanging a few additional words, Rose proposed to go out to take the air. They found themselves in the adjacent field on the farm, under a clear sky dotted with stars. The sweet night breeze seemed to attenuate, if only a little, the weight that weighed on their shoulders.

  Rose sat in the grass, fixing the sky.

  -Sometimes I wonder if my father knew it would end like that ... she said, her barely audible voice.

  Lorry sat down next to her, arms crossed.

  - He knew what he was doing was right. That’s all that matters, he replied.

  Rose turned his head towards him, his brilliant look in the light of the moon.

  - You have this same fire in you, Lorry. But ... Have you ever thought about what it could cost you?

  Lorry stayed silent for a moment, staring at the horizon.

  - All. It could cost me everything. But staying passive is losing in advance.

  A long silence settled together, only interrupted by the whisper of the wind. Finally, Rose took a deep inspiration.

  -So let's do it. If you really want to fight against Vince, I will be by your side.

  Lorry looked at her, surprised but grateful. He nodded.

  - We are going to need all the possible support. Thank you, Rose.

  A promise engraved in the heartThey decided to seal their alliance with a promise. Lorry held out his hand towards Rose.

  -Promise me that we will go to the end, whatever happens.

  Rose put her hand in hers, a mixture of fear and determination in her eyes.

  - I promise you, Lorry.

  They remained there for a moment, their symbolic alliance marking a turning point in their fight against Vince. But in the shade, an unknown silhouette observed the scene, a sinister smile on the lips.Grim, chained in the oppressive darkness of his cell, fogled between reality and a world of tortured dreams. Each breath was an effort, each thought a battle. The cold of the chains bites his skin, but the most intense pain came from his mind, where shadows of the past and broken hopes assaulted him tirelessly.

  ---

  The first movements in the shadows

  Noises resonated in the corridor: heavy steps, a raking door. But Grim did not look up. He was exhausted, emptied of all strength, his muscles tense by the blows received the day before. However, his mind was still stirring.

  He saw his house again, the smiling faces of his brothers and sisters, the sweet voice of his mother who called him at the table. These memories were like fireflies in an endless night: bright, but impossible to catch.

  "Grim, where are you?" he suddenly heard in his head.

  It was Lorry's voice, followed by that of Stanley, who laughed, mocking but warm.

  "You still dream, Grim? Hit, we have a plan to do."

  Grim wanted to answer, but his mouth remained closed. The scene disappeared, replaced by an icy laugh, that of Vince Whitmore.

  ---

  Hatred fueled by hunger and thirst

  A guard entered, carrying a bucket of ice water. Without warning, he threw it on Grim. The cold water awakened her bruised body, but the pain she caused left her breath.

  "Always alive, huh?" mudded the guard.

  Grim did not answer.

  "Do you think someone will come and save yourself? None of your friends know where you are. And even if they knew, they would not last fire against Vince."

  These words, although intended to break his morale, bounded Grim's anger.

  "They will come," he whispered, his voice weak but firm.

  The guard laughed.

  "You are pathetic. Look at yourself. Chained like a dog."Hallucinations: the return of ghosts

  When the silence fell, Grim plunged again in his thoughts. This time, he found himself facing Lornry, surrounded by their brothers and sisters, laughing and playing in a field. But their happiness was interrupted by the shadow of Vince.

  The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

  "Lorry! Grim!" cried Vince in this vision, his voice stoning as a divine threat.

  The children dispersed, but Grim stayed frozen. Lorry grabbed her arm.

  "Don't stay there, grim! Make yourself!"

  "I can't," replied Grim, his legs seeming to the ground.

  In the vision, Vince approached, threatening, while Grim woke up with a start.

  ---

  A brutal confrontation with the guards

  The guards later returned to the day. This time, there were three of them, wearing sticks and whips.

  "It's a little time to lose with you," said one of them, a cruel smile on the face.

  Grim fixed them, his eyes burning of hatred.

  "Do what you want. I'm still here."

  The blows began, brutal and tirelessly. Grim yelled, but refused to beg.

  A young guard, away, looked away.

  "Stop!" he cried suddenly.

  The others turned around, surprised.

  "He's going to die if you continue. It makes no sense."

  One of the guards approached the young man.

  "So what's already dead. Do you want to join him?"

  The young guard cleaned his fists but retreated, helpless.

  ---

  The entrance to Vince Whitmore

  When the guards left the room, Vince appeared, always impeccable in his costume. He looked at Grim with cold indifference.

  "Grim Williams. The indomitable hero ofoppressed. "

  Grim fixed it without saying a word, his breathless breathing.

  "Do you know what I like about you, Grim?" Asked Vince, approaching. "It is this illusion that you have to be able to make a difference. It's almost ... touching."

  "And you, Vince," retorted Grim, "you know what I hate at home? Everything."

  An icy smile crossed the face of Vince.

  "You can hate as much as you want. But what you feel doesn't matter. You are here, under my control, and your friends will join you soon."

  Grim hugged his teeth.

  "They will come for me, and when they do, you and everything you represent will fall."

  Vince laughs slowly.

  "Courageous words for a chained man. But you will see, Grim. Everyone has a breakdown. Even you."

  He left the room, leaving Grim alone in the dark.

  ---

  Symbolism of chains and resilience

  In the dark, Grim felt the chains against his skin. They were no longer just a physical weight; They had become the symbol of his mind in struggle.

  He whispered, almost inaudible:

  "I won't fall. Not for you, Vince. Not for anyone."

  ---

  Conclusion: a flame that refuses to go out

  While silence fell, Grim closed his eyes. Lorry's visions, Stanley, Rose and her mother returned, but this time, they were more comforting than English.

  "I will find you," he thought, the determination revived despite everything.A beginning in the darkness

  The night enveloped the warehouse of Vince Whitmore of a heavy silence, barely disturbed by the low grinks of the chains which held Grim. Always attached, the young man struggled with his thoughts, haunted by growing anger towards the society that had broken him. Each blow, each insult, each deprivation of water or food nourished its hatred. But that night, something changed. Grim felt an interior transformation, an emerging fire fueled by the promise of revenge and the refusal to give in to those who had locked him.

  Grim was seeing the faces in his dreams again: Stanley, his brother in arms, smiling and free, encouraged him to hold on. Lorry, with his eyes filled with determination, handed him a hand. Rose, a mixture of sadness and reproach in the gaze, seemed to beg him to stay alive. These hallucinations gave him reasons to continue, but they left him so deeply disturbed. Why did he see these images? Was it his mind that played tricks on him, or did these visions carry a message?

  ---

  An unlikely meeting

  As he thought about it, the door grave suddenly. Grim stiffens, ready to undergo a new humiliation on the part of the guards. But this time, the silhouette that appeared in the pale light of the lamp was different. It was the young guard who had tried to defend him earlier. An unusual shyness marked his gestures as he advanced with care, carrying a bag.

  -Grim, he whispered, as if he feared being heard.

  -What are you doing here? replied Grim, suspicious but curious.

  The young man put the bag at his feet and took out a piece of bread and a bottle of water.

  - I thought you would need that.

  Grim frowned. He was not used to such a goodness gesture.

  - For what?? What do you want from me?

  The young guard knelt, his face lit by the weak light of the lamp he had brought.

  - I saw what they did to you. What they do to everyone, he whispered. They took my family to me, as they took your freedom. I can't endure that.

  Grim remained silent, observing the eyes filled with young guard pain.A moment of vulnerability

  Grim sighed.

  - You know, I'm not sure I am the one you think. I just wanted to protect my friends, my family. But now I'm here, and they ... I don't even know if they are still alive.

  The young guard put a hesitant hand on Grim's shoulder.

  - They are there, somewhere. And they count on you, whether you know it or not.

  These words touched Grim deeply, reviving a spark that he thought was extinct.

  ---

  Details on Vince

  The guard leaned closer, speaking in a low voice.

  - Vince is more vulnerable than you think. He has enemies everywhere, even among his own men. But it is also ruthless. If you are opposed to him, there will be no going back.

  Grim smiled bitterly.

  - Do you think I still have something to lose?

  The guard nodded, respecting the determination in Grim's eyes.

  ---

  An implicit promise and threat

  Before leaving, the gardener murmured:

  - If we do this, we have to be ready for anything. I will come back tomorrow with a plan. Don't do anything stupid by then.

  Grim looked at him, the lamp projecting shadows into his cell.

  - Take care of yourself, whispered Grim.

  As the door closed, Grim felt a strange combination of hope and fear. He knew that a dangerous path opened in front of him, but for the first time for a long time, he was not alone.

  ---

  Dramatic conclusion

  In the silence that followed, Grim hugged the lamp against him, his mind haunted by the faces of those he had lost. He thought of Stanley, Lorry, and even Rose, and promised that if he came out alive from this hell, he would change everything, even if it means becoming what society feared the most: an outlaw with a cause.The night was a living entity in the warehouse. Each cracking of the wood, each whistling of the wind against the cracked walls seemed to make fun of Grim, attached to the wall like a defeated beast. The stagnant air smelled of mold and rust, impregnating its nostrils with unpleasant insistence.

  It had been days that he had not seen daylight. His chains, rubbing against his skin, had left open wounds that burned each movement. However, physical pain was nothing compared to the agony of his mind.

  Grim was seeing the face of rose, this mixture of softness and strength that had inspired her so much. He heard Stanley's laughter resonating in his memory, a distant echo of an era when everything still seemed possible.

  But these happy memories quickly dissolved, replaced by others, darker: the fire that had consumed their house, the cries of his mother, and finally, the impassive face of Vince Whitmore when he had given the order to reduce them to nothing.

  "Why am I still alive?" asked Grim. He knew the answer. He was alive because he refused to die under the rules of Vince.

  The creak of the metal door interrupted its thoughts. Grim straightened his head slightly, his chains clicking weakly.

  Alan entered, a plate in his hand, his eyes nervously scrutinizing the surroundings before closing the door behind him.

  "Are you still here?" Grim asked in a hoarse voice.

  "I had to make sure you had something to eat," replied Alan, placing the plate on the dusty floor.

  Grim observed the young man. He was skinny, his poorly adjusted uniform hung on his frail body. However, there was an intensity in his eyes that intrigued Grim.

  "You risk big when coming here," said Grim, his noticeable distrust.

  Alan shrugged. "Someone has to do what is right."

  Grim sketched a bitter smile. "What is right? In this world, it does not exist."

  After a moment of silence, AlanSits at a cautious distance. "Tell me about you," he said, breaking the tension.

  Grim fixed him, skeptical. "Why are you interested?"

  "Because I want to understand. Why are you still fighting when everything seems lost."

  Grim hesitated, but sincerity in Alan's voice ends up convincing him. He spoke of his childhood, his brothers and sisters, and the promise made to Stanley. He told how they had survived together, building dreams in a broken world.

  Alan was listening carefully, fascinated by Grim's resilience. When Grim said Rose, Alan noticed a change in his tone.

  "She was the light in all this chaos," murmured Grim. "And now this light is extinct."

  Alan remained silent, absorbing Grim's words. Then he decided to share his own past.

  "Before all that, my family had a farm. A little quiet life. Until Vince decides that our lands were his." He stopped, his voice trembling slightly. "They burned our house. My mother did not survive."

  Grim felt a familiar anger getting into him. "And you, do you work for this man?!"

  Alan lowered his head. "I didn't have a choice. But that doesn't mean I'm on my side."

  Grim fixed Alan, his piercing eyes seeming to read in his soul. "If you really want to change things, start by helping me get out of here."

  Alan slowly nodded. "I think about a plan, but it will not be easy. The guards are everywhere, and Vince is starting to suspect something."

  Grim sighed. "We don't have the luxury to wait. The slower, the more they tighten their grip."

  Alan sketched a sad smile. "I know. I will start by watching the guards' rounds. There must be a flaw in their safety."

  ---

  An imminent threat

  Alan revealed that he had heard the guards talking about an imminent execution. "They plan to give you an example," he whispered, the palpable fear in his voice.

  Grim hugged his fists. "So you have to act quickly. If I have to die, I want it to be fighting."Alan hesitated, but he ended up acquiesce. "I will find a means."

  ---

  Symbol and promise

  While Alan got up to leave, Grim stopped him. "Wait. Your name?"

  Alan turned, a weak smile on the face. "Alan. Alan Ross."

  Grim repeated the name, as if it were a symbol of hope. "Thank you, Alan. Don't let me fall."

  Alan nodded and left the room, leaving Grim alone with his thoughts.

  "I will go out from here," murmured Grim, his shiny eyes of determination. "And I will make this world change, at all costs."

  ---