Page 78 of Nun’s Prayer

“You’ll have to kill me,” I hissed as I raked at his face.

Benjamin punched me three times, and I staggered, and he locked me down.

“No! No!” I shouted at him.

He walked around me, smugness in his mean, piggy eyes. He picked up a barbed flogger and, without warning, hit me hard. The barbs bit into my back and tore my flesh. I shrieked and struggled to get up.

Benjamin repeated his actions, and I spat insults and screamed threats at him. I fell quiet after the tenth lash, unable to speak, the pain so terrible I sank into oblivion.

“There now, don’t you feel better? That initial purge, sinner, did you experience some of the sin leave your body?” His thick fingers ran over my skin as I lay still, pretending to be unconscious. He smeared something on my back and rubbed it in. “Can’t have you getting ill, sinner. We’ve got much to get through. Your path won’t be easy, but we’ll make it.”

Benjamin carefully cuffed me to the bed frame and walked away. I closed my eyes and prayed someone would rescue me. I searched for Belladonna, but I couldn’t sense her. All I could feel was pain.

Blue

“There’s no sign of him,” I stated to Kiki as she called for an update.

“You’ll find her. I know you will,” Kiki assured me.

“It’s been twenty-four hours; Benjamin could be anywhere with her now.”

“He won’t have left the state, Blue. He’s wanted Nun for a while. Search for hidden places, somewhere he can hide a trailer and truck. Nun is the jewel in his crown, and he knows she’s dangerous. Benjamin will want to tame her a little before he drives off with her,” Kiki argued.

“I can’t bear to imagine what he’s doing to her. I saw the photos,” I stated.

“We have Stitch and Belladonna; they’ll be able to help her. Just find her,” Kiki urged.

“Love you,” I said and cut the call.

“I think Kiki’s correct. He’ll want to enjoy Nun a bit. He’s hiding in state,” Priest remarked, looking as tired as I felt. We’d snatched a few hours of sleep and were now contemplating our next move.

“There’re a lot of open spaces out there,” I replied.

“Then we search them one by one,” Priest gritted out.

I nodded. “We don’t stop until we’ve found her.”

Nun

I screamed as the cane came down on my soles repeatedly. Benjamin woke me up, made me pray for an hour, and gave me a stale piece of bread and a cup of water. He’d then dragged me into the shower again and repeated yesterday’s actions. Was it a day ago or more? I’d lost track of time. He now had me tied down to a bench and was whipping my legs and feet with a cane.

I wouldn’t be able to walk, and that was the point. Benjamin wanted to ensure I couldn’t escape. The cane came down continuously as I screamed. I couldn’t avoid it, and I felt the blood pouring from my wounds. Benjamin prayed as he lashed me, and I shook my head in disbelief at his double standards.

I was going to gut this fat pig alive. A particularly harsh blow across my soles made me black out once more.

This time when I woke, I was uncuffed, and that was Benjamin’s fatal mistake. I didn’t care if my feet and legs were raw flesh. Years of compartmentalising agony while surviving Reverend Mother Mary Agnes had taught me lessons. I blanked my mind and envisioned the pain as a living snake. I grabbed its neck and imagined a box; I shoved the snake into it and locked it. Then I wrapped a chain around it and put bricks on top and beside it to ensure the snake couldn’t escape.

I sat up gingerly.

My body was sore and sluggish, but I could move. I placed my feet on the ground; they stung again, but they could take my weight. I was in the small bedroom, and I silently moved backwards towards the torture room. It held weapons I could use. Deep down, I knew I had mere minutes. I was running on adrenaline, and that wouldn’t last forever. I grabbed a sharp blade and tested it. It would do.

Slowly and quietly, I made my way back to the bedroom, ignoring the bloody footprints. I peered into the trophy room, saw it was empty, and slipped through. I didn’t bother looking for clothes. Escape was the priority. I heard the TV next door and quickly peeked past the doorframe.

Benjamin was asleep on the sofa, and I hesitated. Did I stab him or make a break for it? If I got close and he woke up, I didn’t have the strength to fight him off. Decision made, I slipped through the room, my back to the wall and into the SUV’s room. Now I had to open a door without Benjamin catching me. I knew the doors squeaked, and I’d have to be fast.

I nudged the lower bolt, and it moved soundlessly. The upper one let out a small clank, and I froze as Benjamin produced a snuffling noise.

Taking a deep breath, I slammed the door open with a loud creak and bang and began moving. I jumped down and landed hard.