It All Led Up to This

Pain.

Pain was the first thing to come to mind when he started coming to. The pain felt like it came from every part of his body. The throbbing, grogginess in his head-- felt like someone used it for soccer practice-- made discerning things a bit more difficult. But he knew he was feeling a lot of pain, it radiated from multiple parts of his body in differing severities.

The next thing he noticed was he was cold. His body was shaking and shivering, albeit a good portion of that was from pain as well, from the cold air ghosting over it. Wait. ALL over his body? He focused as much as he could through the throbbing headache to feel that, yes, the cold air was all over his body. He was naked. He was in pain and naked. The fuck.

He needed to see where he was. He opened his eyes, slowly and his body protested, to be met with darkness. Not the usual dark room darkness where your eyes adjust to see at least basic shapes and things. No, it was the type of darkness that you get when something covers your eyes. He was cold, naked and blindfolded.

He tried moving his arms. He heard clinking and felt something cold and solid slide against his tender wrists. He hissed, the skin there felt raw. He did the same with his legs. The same clinks and clangs could be heard and the same raw tenderness around his ankles could be felt.

He was cold, naked, blindfolded, and shackled.

He was afraid.

No, more than afraid. He was terrified.

His breathing started to pick up, much to the charging of his chest. Maybe a bruised or broken rib? He wasn't a doctor; he just was a scared boy in a horrifying, unknown place.

God, what happened? Why am I here? How am I here? The last thing I remember... was... video games..? Yeah, video games. With the guys. It was getting late, mom wanted me home for dinner. I left. Snowing. I pulled my hat farther down on my head and held my jacket up higher, making it so I could just see in front of me. I think.. I think I heard something.. it just goes black.

Fuck.

This is fucked.

I'm fucked.

His inner recap and downward spiral came to a halt as he heard a locking clicking and, maybe a deadbolt sliding? The creak of hinges. Heavy footsteps getting closer, sounded like they started from above and are descending. Stairs. So, basement, maybe? He feels a bit around with his toes, feeling it scrape against a cold, rough surface, definitely stone or concrete. Most likely basement.

Or dungeon.

He shook his head. Thoughts like that weren't helping his nerves. Though, it definitely feels dungeon-esque. Mostly the shackles and the cold concrete floor.

The footsteps stopped in front of him, maybe a few steps away. He could feel the person's presence looming over him. It was intimidating and he pulled his legs in, covering himself as much as possible, feeling extremely open and vulnerable in front of his assumed captor.

He froze when he heard the deep chuckle of his obviously amused captor. He knew that chuckle. He's heard it so many times before. He licked his dry lips and swallowed the lump in his throat before asking in a trembling voice, "C... Cartman?"

Another amused chuckle followed by the sound of footsteps coming closer. Fingers touched his cold cheeks and then he was blinded by light as the blindfold was removed. "Hello Kalh. Did you have a nice nap?"

Kyle slowly blinked his eyes open, looking up into the sadistic smiling face of Eric Cartman. He glared up defiantly, anger rising. "What the fuck, Cartman?! What am I doing chained up and naked in your basement?" Kyle all but yells at the taller, larger boy.

The smile on Eric's face gets wider and the gleam in his eyes is positively malicious. He crouched down to be eye level with Kyle, his breath washing over the smaller boy, hot against cold skin. "Oh, Kalh, you knew this day was coming eventually. Everything you've done has led you to this moment. To this place. To me.

"It was just a matter of getting things ready for you. It took a while, quite a while, if you must know. Finding things in different places, only buying a few items here or there. Building and installing things discreetly. Though, I'm sure no one would put two and two together in this redneck, mountain town. I just wanted to make sure nothing was left to chance. You're worth it, Kalh."

Kyle's heart sank and his blood ran cold. He looked into Cartman's eyes, seeing something, almost the same psychotic look as when he made Scott eat his parents. Yet, it was a bit different. Something else was underlying. And it scared Kyle shitless. He looked away, not wanting to meet the intense gaze any longer, and finally really took in his surroundings.

It was a basement, Eric's to be exact, but it wasn't the same as it had been last he was here. The little windows were boarded up, the only light coming from the uncovered bulb dangling above head. There was the stairs leading upstairs.

One wall had some weird looking things on them. A few he recognized as whips, paddles, a cane, and some he didn't. Next to the same wall was a weird thing. A wooden four legged thing, wide spread on the bottom, two legs connect at the top at each end of the padded top. Looked like kind of a sitting thing but at the bottom, each leg had a length of chain and a metal cuff. Something told him being on it would be unpleasant. A chair was near it as well as a table and a chest.

The wall opposite of that didn't have too much on the wall. A sink, a tub, and a metal table. The chrome gleamed in the light. Again, more shackles. A table with drawers that looked like it was meant to be in a doctor's office more than this basement. A swivel stool, again, like what you would find at the doctor's office. What looked like a doctor examine bed too. How did Cartman get all this?

He couldn't tell what was behind him but knew there was more floor room since he was fairly close to the stairs, tied up to a support beam.

How long had it been since he was last in this basement? A few years now. How long has this crazy plan of his been in the making? He shuddered and decided he didn't want to know right now.

"Ah, now, now Kalh. You'll play with all these toys soon enough. Right now, you're gonna take another nap. Then we'll play." Cartman said suddenly, smiling like a psychopath as he watches Kyle look around.

Kyle looks back at Cartman, quickly opening his mouth to respond with something scathing when he felt something connect to the side of his head. His vision went black and he faded into unconsciousness.