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Did she try to protect me? Oh, my god. The thought alone makes me sicker than this place. I’ll never forgive myself. I should’ve done more.
Those curved black pointed horns came to mind, along with his milky white eyes and tall frame. It sends a chill down my spine. The rolling forest as I ran laid out before my eyes. How didn’t I get away? I was precise. I replay the events and come up with ways for me to avoid this—my capture. Maybe I could've run faster. I avoided him well enough.
Perhaps take an extra turn and fight harder. Taking a life never came to mind before, but knowing they have my sister. It seems like it would've been the best choice if I had the chance, resources, and opportunity. I should’ve done more. There was more I could have done.
Just as the thought crosses my mind, I push it aside. Dwelling on my failures wouldn't get me anywhere. I have to focus on the positive. The kids got away. That's what matters. They were saved. That has to count for something, right?
It has to. It's one of the last things I have left to cling to. If me being here gives them a chance. I’ll take that any day.
I take a breath and look around me. The women huddle in small groups. There are so many of us here. Most were shivering. Whether it was from fear or the wet conditions was a mystery. It could even be both. We need a plan. I can’t just sit here. I have to do something—anything.
There’s a metal bowl of water on the floor. I grab it and pass it around for everyone to get a small drink. After it’s empty, I run it across the bars as loud as possible.
“Hey! Guards!”
“Oh, my god, Cora. What are you doing?” she says, trying to pull me back from the bars.
“Getting answers. We need to know what’s going on.”
She sighs, “Fuck it. What do we have to lose?”
That was one way to look at it, but I still have a lot to lose. People who depend on me—are waiting for me. Matt and Beth are waiting, and I won’t disappoint them. I’ll get Laura, and we’ll get back to them.
I continue my campaign to everyone’s dismay. It could end badly, but that’s what we were expecting since being tossed in these cells. When the wooden door finally crashes into the wall, my throat is almost sore.
Two hulking guards rush in, glaring at my antics. They stop in front of me, hoping I will quit. They hoped wrong.
“About time. What are the two of you doing out there? Sleeping on the job,” I yell, tapping the bowl.
One of them snatches the bowl and throws it across the room. The women push to the back of the cell. I hold my position at the bars.
“You can drink your piss now,” he says with an irritated smirk. I grip the bars so tight that my hands sting. This may be the craziest thing I’ve done. “Shut your mouth, human, or—”
“I’m sure your threat would’ve been so frightening. Can we skip that?” I say.
He frowns and leans closer to the cell. So close, I can feel his breath fan my face. I don’t know what was worse. The shit smell or his breath assaulting my face. This could be its own brand of torture.
“You got a lot of nerve,” he says.
“The woman you took from here. Where is she?” He looks at his partner, and they share a glance. “What are you going to do with us,” I press.
“You don’t get to ask questions around here. Shut it or suffer,” he yells, “That goes for all of you.”
“Fine, something easy. Where are we? You know that, don’t you,” I ask.
“So neither of you have any answers,” a woman behind me asks.
It sparks a chain reaction among the group. Soon others join in hurling questions at them. Some approach the cell door right next to me.
“Bring us someone who does know then,” I say.
He glares at me and smacks the bar next to my face. The ringing sound echoes in my ear, but I stay strong.The guards whisper among themselves, then make a hasty retreat. The door slams so hard that I think it will fall off the hinges the next time someone opens it.
I check around the cell for anything that we could use. Why wait for answers if we could escape and get them ourselves? As the others keep making noise, I shake the small bench, and it wobbles. One of the legs is loose. An idea comes to mind, and I rush over to the cell door.
This could work.
12
