Hostage (three word Wednesday - dread, grasp, pacify)

This is a continuation of past 3ww short story "Bad to Worse," hope you enjoy.



Ryan awakened to a coarse sound of a heavy iron door being pushed open. Sharp pain spiked from his scalp as he lifted his head. He returned his cheek to the drool on wooden floor, forcing his eyes open. The blur of wooden barrels and crates surrounded him. Straddling the floor did his dizziness little justice, the entire room swayed to and fro. His eyeballs rolled backwards in a desire for unconsciousness.

“Sit up kid, it’s time you eat something.” A male voice spoke from behind him. Ryan squirmed to change angle, rolling onto his back. His face filled with dread when he recognized the unclear image of the weasel-like Carlos.

“Uuunnnhhh fooood?” Ryan said in a weak groan.

Carlos presented a hot dog on a paper plate. Ryan struggled to sit upright; hair brushed his cheeks and fell upon his shoulders. “Whaaa?” he gasped, bringing his hands to the surprisingly long hair. Examining his head as much as handcuffs would allow, he discovered the new mane of dirty blond hair also fell down his back.

“What have you done to me?”

“I think they call it a hair weave,” Carlos was amused, watching Ryan grasp his new extensions and pull wildly, only causing himself further scalp pains. Ryan’s fright deepened when he noticed the black skirt he was wearing only covered twenty percent of his shaven legs. His balance teetered as the room shifted to the ocean waves.

“MY CLOTHES!!” Ryan squealed, pulling at his powder blue halter top.

“Brick thought you had better get used to wearing that sorta stuff. Break you in, I guess.”

“YOU FREAKS! I want my clothes back NOW!”

“I don’t really think you’re in any position to make demands. Now why don’t you be a good girl and eat this hot dog.” Carlos grinned evilly.

“I am NOT a girl!”

“Like I said, the breaking-in stage… now here.”

Ryan eyed the food, feigning disinterest. He tried to hide the fact his stomach was growling. He felt like they were starving him. Perhaps they were. Perhaps he should turn his nose up to the hot dog and starve to death. Ryan sat motionless and scowling. Carlos finally spoke, “Look kid, don’t blame me. I woulda left you dead in a ditch. You ain’t hurting nobody but yourself if you don’t eat. Then again, you lose a few more pounds and you’re gonna be quite a hottie to the auctioneers.”

Ryan swallowed hard. He did not fully know what Carlos meant, but it did not sound good at all. The raging hunger took over. Ryan lunged at the hot dog and devoured it with haste. He did not care about the scattered powder on the meat; he ate viciously and was not satisfied when it was gone.

“Are we on a boat?” Ryan finally spoke after licking the last of the powder from his fingers. Carlos merely smiled.

Ryan’s voice started to slur. “You’re not gonna tell meeee wherrrr weeeeeeerr...” His head fell backward to a thud against the wood floor. A giant man called to Carlos from the doorway, “Did he eat?”

“Yea Brick, he did.”

“You give him both pills?”

“The sedative will keep him pacified. You can see that’s already taken effect.” Carlos motioned to the unconscious cross-dressed boy.

“And the other one?”

Carlos sighed in reluctance, “Yes, I added the estrogen too.”

The two men left the storage room of the ship, closing the heavy iron door in their wake.