ESMERALDA 3
Opening my eyes, I stiffen. I must have fallen asleep after speaking to Dag. Dag! What a strange name. I wonder if it's short for something else? I heard him speaking to the other guy he called Tor. What they said made me want to give myself up to them and say to hell with everything, but perseverance has me holding back. At least talking to him calms me. I don’t know if it’s because he is similar to me, but all I know is that I want to trust him, even though trusting anyone is a mistake.
Sitting up, I groan. The cold has penetrated right through to my very bones, making me feel completely frozen. I can hear the world around me, which tells me that it must be early morning when everyone is on their way to work. Leaning my head back against the wall, I close my eyes. It’s no use trying to hear if there is anyone approaching, as there is so much noise outside at this time. Even if there was, it would be muffled by all the other noise.
Taking the haversack, I slide it over my shoulder as I stand, my legs feel cramped from the position I was lying in the whole night, and my stomach is grumbling in hunger but there is nothing to be done about that as I need to ration the dried biltong I have. Taking in a deep breath, I open the door slightly to peep out, and there doesn’t seem to be anyone outside, so I slide out and make my way as quietly as I can around the building, trying to find a good spot for me to spend another night, as I can’t go outside tonight with everyone looking for me.
Hearing a scraping noise, I stop, my senses on alert, but the noise stops and I relax a minute later. The two homeless men that live here must be out by now, so there shouldn’t be anyone here now. Moving towards the far corner of the building, I find a spot that looks out onto the main road and an area behind a short wall. It’s perfect to hide behind from anyone that might come into the building. It’s also quite a distance from the two homeless men, which gives me time to hear them approaching. Standing by the window, I look out at the clear sky, hoping that my life was different, and I could be out there enjoying the sun.
When I look down from the sky to the road, I see two men walking by the tattoos and their clothes I would say they belong to a gang. It doesn’t mean that they are from the Desperados, but any gang is bad news to me. Snapping back before they see me standing here, I feel my heart racing. Did they see me? I step back slowly, then crouch. I know that if I get caught by any of the gangs, they will send me back to the Desperados. If I am sent back there, it won’t matter if Sean is gone. They will still make me pay for betraying them until they finally kill me. I can hear my own breathing as I wait to hear any type of steps inside the building, but after about twenty minutes of silence, I relax.
I know that I am paranoid, but when someone has as many people as I have after me, there is a tendency to be more cautious than normal. Sliding down until I’m sitting on the ground, my head leans back against the wall. Maybe I should take a chance and just go with Dag? Maybe the Elementals can protect me. After all, how much worse can it be? Taking in a deep breath, I stand, turning towards the broken window. Now that I know where I can hide tonight, I need to see if there is anyone that will employ me, even if just temporarily.
Sliding my leg out the window, I pull my body through and then stiffen. Something is not right. My head snaps around only to come face to face with one of the men that was walking up the road earlier. My heart feels like it has just stopped, my stomach knots to the point of nausea.
“Well, well, look who it is!” he says in a sarcastic tone. “You just made me rich, Gringa.” His hand clamps down on my arm, pulling me the rest of the way out, the window scraping against my thigh. The other guy that was walking with him comes around the corner of the building. When he sees me, he gives us a toothless smile.
“You were right, bro; it was the chick,” he states.
“Yeah… finally,” the one that is holding my arms says as he pushes me forward, “I’m tired of looking for this bitch.” I pull at my arms, but to no avail. What can I do? I would rather die than go back to the torture which I endured at the hands of the Desperados.
“Help!” I scream. “Help!”
The one that isn’t holding my arms steps forward and slaps me hard across the face. “Shut your face, or I’ll make you.” He sneers.
“Esmeralda?” I hear Dag, he’s still close, and he heard me. “Esmeralda, where are you?” I can hear the desperation in his voice and his rage. I don’t really know this man, but just his voice calms something inside of me.
“Corner of church and…” I start to say, only to be once again slapped. This one is harder. It cracks my lip that begins to bleed. The iron taste of blood coats my tongue.
“I told you to fucking shut up,” the guy says again in anger.
My arms are burning where the other one is holding me as my face pounds in pain. They are now both dragging me out of the yard and towards the street. Even though it’s a busy morning, no one is going to try to stop them or help me. Everyone knows not to get involved with the gangs. The police don’t do anything, so the only hope I have of any kind of help is from Dag. But how is he going to find me if he doesn’t even know where I am?
“Help me,” I scream. I’m hoping that Dag will hear me and somehow come to my rescue, even though I don’t know what one man is going to do against these two. My hoodie drops back, which has my hair falling in front of my face, obscuring the way. They must have a car close by because I know the Desperados headquarters, and that’s nearly outside of Cape Town.
“Move,” one of them screams as I fight them. They might take me back and torture me, but I won’t make it easy for them. I can feel his nails digging into my arm. The strength he is using will definitely leave bruising, but that is minimal compared to what I will surely endure before the day is over.
“Let go of her!”
We come to a sudden stop at that statement. Even though I’ve heard Dag’s voice before, it’s different when it’s coming from right in front of me. I feel a chill course through my body at the deadly tone in his voice. I can’t see him because of the hair on my face, and even though I blow at it, I can’t make him out.
“Stay out of this Elemental. This is none of your business,” the one that slapped me says, but I can hear a tinge of fear in his voice.
“She is MINE!”
I gasp at his sharp tone as the one that slapped me suddenly starts making a gurgling sound.
“Therefore, she’s my business.” His voice is now right next to me.
I can feel the tremors coursing through the other man that is holding my arm with such strength that I swear he’ll cut the blood circulation if he doesn’t let up soon. And then suddenly, I’m being pushed forward. His hand has disappeared, and I’m falling. Gasping, I stretch out my hands to stop the fall, but with my hair hanging in my eyes, I hit the ground in one giant crack!
The pain shoots through my arm, and then I hit my head against something. Opening my eyes, I see a man standing over the one that grabbed me. The tears in my eyes blind me, but I can tell the man is tall, much taller than the one that was holding me. Tall and brawny. I blink, but I’m losing consciousness. I try to fight it, but it pulls me down until there is nothing but darkness surrounding me.
***
I don’t know how long I was out, but when I once again regain consciousness, I can hear a heartbeat under my ear and movement. Someone is carrying me. Their strong arms hold me close, and carry me with an ease that talks of nothing but strength. The heat from his body gives me comfort. And then as he steps over something, I cry out as my arm is jolted.
“Fuck.” His deep voice resonates through me, his arms tightening around me. My head is pounding with pain, but not as much as the one in my arm. I must have broken something because the pain is all consuming.