Page 39 of Scarred in Silence

He pulls his hand back, and my body stays on edge.

“It’s a shame,” he says as he walks out of the room, closing the door behind him.

I regulate my breathing again, feeling vulnerable.

I move onto the bed and pull the white comforter over my head. If I fall asleep, I don’t have to think. I don’t have to make choices.

I press my eyes shut tightly, hoping that sleep greets me quickly.

* * *

The sound of arguing outside the bedroom door wakes me. I must have slept all night because the window has early morning light filtering in.

My stomach growls. He never brought me dinner.

I push the thought out of my head, focusing on what I am to do next. I stand up, moving over to the vanity, and I pull the chair over to the window, looking out into the dense forest surrounding me.

Iwonder if there is a creek nearby.

My door swings open, and three men in ski masks ambush me. Before I can react, I am ripped from my chair and thrown down to the floor.

Heavy bodies dig into my back and shove my face into the cool marble. Pain explodes in my cheek from the impact, and the taste of copper pools in my mouth.

I squirm beneath their grip. Screaming as loud as I can. No one hears me.

A hand slaps over my mouth, and I bite down on their flesh, causing them to try to free their hand. I feel the skin pulling between my teeth. I refuse to let go. Fuck this.

He frees his hand, delivering a sharp kick to my ribs.

“Fucking bitch,” he snaps.

I curl over in pain, and my hands and feet are bound together. I’m hog-tied.

I scream some more, hoping someone will save me, but my screams are interrupted when I hear a female laughing from the door frame.

My hair is pulled back, and a piece of fabric is shoved into my mouth. I gag on the rough texture. Tape is slapped over my mouth, securing the fabric.

My bones rattle with fear. What the fuck is happening?

I snap my attention towards the heels clicking loudly on the tile.

“It’s so funny how revenge looks sometimes,” she giggles.

“It looks pathetic on you.”

She steps her heel into my back and I scream in pain. The sharp tip punctures my skin, no doubt leaving a bloodied mark.

She releases her foot, squatting down by my face.

“You would sell for so much more if you didn’t look like a drug whore.”

She rolls her eyes.

Fury building inside of me, as if I am a volcano ready to erupt.

“Do you know why you’re here, Astra?”

I shake my head no. Unable to think about anything other than killing this fucking bitch.