It took Felix longer to finish his tasks and though his left hand gave him troubles, he didn’t openly complain. He didn’t want another injury that would hinder him even more. Lunchtime for Arachne came faster than Felix would have hoped. He still had too many tasks to do. <i>I’m not going to have diner today.</i>

        He picked up Arachne’s lunch and pushed the cart to the dungeons. Standing in front of Arachne’s cell were those terrible guards again, the ones that bet whether or not Arachne would eat him. Felix brought his injured hand closer to his chest and he lowered his head. But hoping that these actions would keep them from noticing him, but that was just too much to ask for.

        “Look who is back, still not dead I see,” one of the guards said. “You willing to risk being eaten again? Maybe this time the beast will get an extra snack.”

        “I don’t think it will eat him,” another guard said.

        “Why would you think that?”

        “That monster in there may be a man eater, but I don’t even think it’d put that filth in its mouth. Would you eat something that dirty? Besides, that slave is all skin and bones.”

        “That slave wouldn’t be all that filling to a giant monster.”

        All of the guards laughed.

        Felix didn’t know what angered him more: that fact that his too much of filth to be eaten of the fact that they called Arachne a monster. Anger built up inside him, but he didn’t lash out or say a word. He knew it would only get him into more trouble. Slaves do what they’re told. They are what others say they are. Slaves don’t complain. Fearing his anger might force his facial expression to change, Felix kept his head bowed, but that still didn’t stop them.

        “Aw, did the little slave have an accident?”

        Something stopped the cart. Felix glanced up to see one of the guards clutching the other end of the cart, keeping Felix from moving forward. “Please, I need to feed the creature.”

        “Right, it’s feeding time for that monster. What a waste of perfectly good meat. Lord William is wasting his time with such a monster. He should just kill it and be over with.”

        Felix gripped the cart tighter, tight enough to see the veins and tendons bulge under his skin. His right hand now ached as much as his broken left hand. It took all of Felix’s control to keep a calm voice. “Please, just open the door.”

        The guard let go of the cart after a long moment of silence and opened the door. Felix walked through the entrance, but just as he was passing the guard that opened the door for him, the guard snatched Felix’s left hand and twisted it. Felix screamed and fell to his knees. Though his vision was blurred from the tears, he still saw the guard’s smile.

        “Now, get in there and feed that beast.”

        The guard kicked Felix and the slave tumbled inside. The door slammed as Felix curled into a fetal position on the cold, rocky floor, cradling his hands against his chest. The pain was all that filled his mind. His hand was all he could feel, because the pain ran along his arm and consumed his whole body. He could only see the back of his eyelids. He couldn’t hear Arachne worried whispers calling out to him.