But there’s no point in dwelling on what we can’t change, so instead of throwing a tantrum like Little Miss Violet Herring who’s beating her hands against the floorboards, I curl up on the wall, which is now beneath me, thankful that I’ll no longer have to sleep stretched with my body hanging.
Asha presses her head against my back, scooting as close to me as she can.
“Things can’t get much worse, can they?” she says with a sniffle.
“I don’t see how they can.”
3
ELENA
Daylight wakes me.
Terrified voices speak in hushed whispers. Throughout the night, four more women have perished. Now that we’re no longer in such shock, the others are quietly mourning the loss of their friends.
As horrible as it sounds, I can’t find it in myself to care. It’s not that I hated any of them. I never knew them. Some openly looked down on me, others simply ignored me. Their deaths hold no weight in my mind. All I care about is survival.
My throat burns. We desperately need water, and I mean more than just the ladle-full they give us. I’d drink from a pig trough if one was in front of me.
Fortunately, I see one of our captors entering, but he doesn’t have a bucket in his hand.
He’s not looking at the damage as the men had yesterday or talking in those foreign sounds. He charges in, walking down the center, his lip curled in a sneer as he gazes at each of us.
My heart nearly thumps its way out of my chest, but relief comes when his eyes travel from me to Asha to Meg, then further down the line. I’m pretty sure that whoever he’s looking for will not enjoy what he intends to do.
Once he’s inspected each of us, he walks with purpose back in my direction, stopping in front of me.
No—dear God, no…
He takes out a key ring and bends, fitting a key into the bracket that’s anchoring me to the chain, releasing my shackles from the wall. Then, his shoulder launches into my gut, and I fold over.
No, no, no—
He walks a few feet, stops at a damaged crate, and slams my body over it. My dress is yanked up, and my underclothes ripped off.
Fuck—this is bad…
His heavy hand presses against my back, disallowing me from moving and forcing the air from my lungs. I’m about to get taken in the most brutal way possible, all while being unable to breathe.
I’m fairly certain that this is how I’ll die.
The whole time, he speaks harsh syllables as though he’s angry. Like I’ve done something wrong.
“P-p-l-lease…”I stutter out, hoping for mercy.
But just as I’m sure he’s going to ram himself into me, I hear a female’s shrill cry.
The weight of the hand is removed.
THUMP!
At first, I’m stunned, but as startled voices rise, I look over and see my captor on the ground and Meg beating him with her leg.
He eyes her angrily, and she looks at me, desperate from fear.
He’s easily three times my size. There’s no way I can help her. He’d kill me.
Like you aren’t dead already…