AllFreeNovel
Share Us
The idea of death felt more like a reward than a punishment. It was freedom from her torments. The rapid churning of her brain would cease into the stillness she craved—preferred—over the senseless chaos of her life. Ari wished for death. Expiration at the wretched hands of a grim reaper named Lady Katrina.
Light filled the room. It wasn’t the red glow. This time, accompanied by the hum of a dying ballast, a light flickered as phosphorus particles danced to life inside a fluorescent tube above.
Ari pressed her palms into her burning retinas. At first, the slit between her eyelids allowed her to cast a cursory glance, gathering her bearings. It was nothing more than a small cell with four walls. A prison cell without bars or windows, only two cameras. She recoiled from their eyes. More so, the eyes of an audience gawking at her body, her vulnerability.
The click of the lock cut through the silence. A woman’s form, cloaked in a dark cape, entered through the door in the corner like a supernatural entity floating toward her. Lady Katrina always had a flair for the dramatic, with a haunting succubus mask covering her face.
“It’s time for an introduction. The world is growing bored with you sitting around, doing nothing but groaning under the tickle of electroplay.”
Ari’s frustration mounted. Her groans were not those of sex but of hunger. “It’s been days. I need food and water. Please.”
“And I’m supposed to have a conscience. Make sure my little prisoner here is well nourished. Were you expecting some Michelin star meals while you’re here?” The hideous laugh seeped out from under the mask.
Indignation rose within her. “And I thought you were someone to admire. What’s stopping me from revealing your name for the world to hear?”
“Lady Katrina? Did you really think that was my name? Such innocence. I noticed it when I saw you for the first time. Do you remember? It was at that moment I knew you’d be my next victim. You were a tender little vixen. So full of hope. Then, I learned of your deception and it made me realize that you and I are so much alike. Shall I count the ways?”
Anger roiled. “We are nothing alike!”
A long finger waved before Ari like an upside-down pendulum. She stepped forward and dragged her nail across Ari’s cheek. “There’s no need to shout when we are having a civilized conversation. Save that for when I impale your asshole. For now, let’s chat.”
Lady Katrina pressed her hand onto Ari’s shoulder, pushing her downward until her kneecaps popped as if they tore through her skin.
“You, my darling, are a liar. You lied your way into my world, pretending to be something you are not. On top of that, you manipulated those around you into thinking you were this impressionable submissive, wanting to earn a little cash. All this for what?”
“And how does that make us alike?”
She gave a half chuckle. “Dare I mention her name?”
“No!”
“Oh, Dylan. Dylan. Dylan. God, I want to turn her over my knee and ram my fist up her ass. Maybe that is why I took you now instead of waiting. I got a little jealous when you got the girl, and I didn’t. Tell me, Ariel, is her cunt just as tasty as yours?”
“You wouldn’t know either way.”
“Oh, you oblivious child. You were the first of fifty, all in one day. A majestic feat for my birthday, if I might say so myself. Just one of my many personas. God, it was just so erotic to see her pining over you while I dipped my tongue into your twat.”
The realization of how deep the corruption and lies went hit her like a freight train. People with power controlled perception. Rules and consent were only window dressing. A cloak from the outside world and even the law. Ari’s mission shifted from discovery to survival. To stay alive, she needed to find a way out.
She’d start with a confession. “I faked it! So you didn’t even hit fifty. Ha!”
“Don’t you think I knew that? That’s why they always say, “And one to grow on.” Trust me, you were just a pawn to use and discard. It came with a bonus. Like I said, I got to taste that sweet cunt before she did. Now I understand why she likes you so much. You’re quite delicious.”
“Fuck you!”
Lady Katrina ignored her outburst. “Now, Miss Delgado, we’ll get down to business.”
From the treasure chest of items, Lady Katrina retrieved a long, narrow item swaddled in velvet. She tore away the cradling material to relieve a long barbed sword, over fifteen inches, attached to a harness. An assault weapon disguised as a sex toy.
Terror filled Ari’s eyes, and her face ghosted to a pale white when the blood drained from her features. Panic propelled her backward, clawing her way until she hit the wall. Her nails bent back until they snapped off as she tore at the padded wall, ripping through it until she reached the cement wall underneath. The idea of being impaled by the deadly penis terrorized her to such a degree that losing fingernails paled in comparison.
“Introductions. I’d like to introduce you to your fans. They are the ones who are donating to this little fundraiser of ours.” Lady Katrina paused a moment, giving time for the adrenaline to simmer in Ari’s veins. “Orphans. Yes. Children whose parents were killed by drunk drivers. That’s a cause that is close to home, isn’t Ariel?”
At that moment, Ari would have preferred death by the killer dildo than for her mother to be mentioned in that room. A tear fell, reminding Ari how sheltered her life had once been. The day that driver took her mother away forced Ari out into the cruel world. Alone. Without her mother’s protective embrace, she had fallen into the sordid world of sex, crime, and violence. Another tear fell, tracing a line of dirt down her cheek.
“It’s such a tragedy when it was at the hands of—”
Lady Katrina’s taunting words carried a revelation, one Ari didn’t want to hear. Hands pressed tight on her ears, she closed her eyes and hummed a tune to drown out what she never wanted to know. She never inquired about the identity of the driver of the other vehicle. The knowledge of her mother’s killer might have caused her to seek revenge. Instead, she remained ignorant, which had served her well.
