Drip. . .

Drip.

Drip.

Drip.

The sound of dripping water came rhythmically and periodically, forming an entire symphony of sounds.

The sound of water was both gentle and persistent, like the sound of water tipping from a high point, meeting the low points down below. With enough time, it would wear away even the steadiest of minds, like a single dripping point meeting rock for years on end.

The gentle sounds came from above head, and it was the sound that Alec woke up to.

The entire place was awash with the sounds of water meeting rock, having various points of water dripping with different intensities.

His arms were aching, and so were his wrists, more from being stretched excessively than from damage.

Blearily, Alec blinked his eyes and forced them to open, and despite the dim lighting in the place, his eyes still burned more than they should. They felt crusty, and he had to blink more than once to get the usual clarity back.