Cabin in the Woods

"Do not test me. I don't prefer to leave you to starve but I am perfectly willing to do so. Do you understand?"

Charles was truly frightened now. He didn't know what to do.

"Yes... Master..." he said.

"Good slave," said Jack. "You're learning. Now you're going to apologize to me for attempting to dispute my power over you, and beg me to be my slave. If I think you're sincere enough I'll consider feeding you."

Charles could feel the hunger pangs in his stomach. There was no way he was going to risk missing breakfast as well as dinner. He'd have to play along.

Charles prostrated himself before Jack, his chain jangling as he got into position.

"Please Master I'm so sorry I disputed your power over me. I want to be your slave, please let me be your slave. I'll never do it again."

"You had better not," said Jack. "You won't like the consequences if you do. Stay there."

As though he had a choice.

Jack went over to the dresser and removed what looked like a pile of chains from the top drawer.

"Put these on," he said, handing them to Charles. "They're shackles. One set goes around your ankles, the other around your wrists. Once you've locked them onto yourself I'll let you eat. Of course, if I have to do it, you go hungry."

Charles wasn't going to argue. He untangled the mass of chains, finding what must be the leg shackles first. He attached the cuffs to his ankles, noting that they snapped shut with an integrated lock.

"Hands in front," said Jack.

Charles picked up the second set of shackles and, as instructed, shackled his hands in front of him. Again the integrated locks clicked as they shut.

"Here," said Jack, putting the bowl on the ground in front of Charles. "It's unseasoned brown rice, blended and mixed with a little water. Perfectly edible although I don't know how much flavor it will have. Don't you dare touch the bowl with your hands; you will eat it like a dog."

Charles looked up pleadingly at Jack, but found no sympathy. Slowly, tentatively, he hovered his face over the bowl. He sniffed at it. Jack grabbed his hair and pushed his face into the slop.

"Don't play around. Eat."

Charles started to slurp up the gruel as quickly as he could, frightened that some wrong move might cause Jack to take it away. It didn't taste like anything but he was so starving he didn't care. He cleaned the bowl.

The rice gruel left an awful texture behind in his mouth. Charles desperately wanted to wash it out.

"Master may I please have some water, please?" he asked, looking up pleadingly at Jack.

"If you feel you need a drink of water you have permission to get one for yourself."

"Is the sink unlocked?"

"No. There's plenty of water in the toilet."

"But... I..."

"If I were you I would stop talking before I got myself into any more trouble."

Charles didn't know what to say to improve his situation. There probably wasn't anything. He decided to take Jack's advice and just remain silent for the time being.

Jack knelled down and, removing a key from his pocket, unlocked Charles' collar from the chain tying it to the ground. He did not, however, remove the collar itself.

"Get up," said Jack. "You've got a busy day ahead of you. First thing's first: you need to be punished for your disobedience."

Charles gulped.