Page 20 of Sadistic Retribution

“Have you been here since you were a child? I am so sorry 6!”

Damn- I can’t begin to imagine being in this place my whole life. The poor girl. As charged for fight or flight as I am, my big, empathetic heart can't help but to twinge for this girl.

“Yes, so little I was. Tiny, small, little. You're new, aren’t you? I can tell.”

“You’re right, I'm new.”

“Well then, you should know—in here—we fight for these comforts.”

“What?” I ask in confusion.

“Fight! Like... kick ass!” She laughs. “Oops, too loud!”

“We have to physically fight? Fight who?”

“Everyone!” she crows. “Now, shhh... they can’t hear us talking!”

“Who are THEY? They all wear masks.”

“No words, 11, nothing, nada...” she trails off, but doesn’t say anything else.

I fall back into my bed with a flop, my mind working overtime. I can’t fight—I’m not trained! Yeah, I’ve fought Destiny, but I don’t know what the hell I’m doing. I'll get destroyed in a ring.

I'm starting to think I’m not making it out of here alive. I am so sick of fighting all the time. Just to stay alive— but for what? More fucking torture? It's not worth it. My stupid mind is simply too strong for me to give up. It's exhausting.

I guess it wouldn’t be so bad to just throw in the towel in the ring and join Valley… at least we would be free together.

I’m pulled from a dreamless sleep by a rude shake.

“Get up, 11!”

I peer up blearily at Horns. “Time to watch a fight. Aren't you excited?”

I sit up stiffly. “Just watch?” The chill in my bones tells me exactly what kind of match this will likely be.

“Yep, for now, anyway. Now—get up!”

“Food first?” I try, my stomach rumbling uncomfortably.

“If you’re good, then you will be fed afterward.”

Fan-fucking-tastic. “I’m up, dammit!” I barely touch the floor before I’m roughly yanked away again.

I’m walked down to the end of a long hallway towards a door. As we approach, I hear voices behind it.

A pretty girl is outside in the hallway, already out of her cell. I see her when I'm let out. She giggles; and I know it’s 6.

“Come with me!” she chirps, and I follow her to a door at the end of the hallway.

She yanks open the door, and I see multiple other girls in various stages of undress. This must be the changing room.

“New girl!” 6 giggles, looking me up and down. “Pretty! You'll look pretty when it’s your turn. Come on—we get to watch together!”

I observe her as we walk. She is gorgeous. Petite, probably not much over five feet tall. Very skinny—I can see her ribs. Straight blonde hair hangs down her back. A peculiar shade of aqua blue in her eyes make them pop. She has a perfect face too, complete with pillowy lips. She looks older than me, but I can’t tell her exact age. She might be in her twenties, possibly younger.

I have to almost jog to keep up with her as she skips to a door at the opposite end of the room. Once she thrusts it open, she pulls me through. I screech to a stop in shock.

It's a mini arena. There's a boxing-type ring in the middle, with windowed rooms along the top. For the powerful people, I assume. Chairs are situated all around the space surrounding the ring. I can see people filling them. There are so many bright lights, it’s hard to make much out. The smell of piss and the sharp tang of blood fills my nose.