Chapter two

Splash!!!

It was the contact between the cold water and their bodies that woke up Ndeye and her cellmate with a start, causing them to hurt themselves because of the narrowness of their miserable cell.

_ You brute! Coumba muttered.

_ What did you just say? asked the guard who had just woken them up, looking coldly at her.

_ I just said that you're such a dirty...

_ It's not right to say such things to this guy! Keep quiet! Ndeye said to her friend in a very low voice.

_ She just wanted to know why you woke us up like that, she intervened, putting her hand over her friend's mouth to prevent her from disobeying her and getting them into trouble.

_ And you seriously believe you have the right to do that?

_ It's just that...

_ It's just that nothing! Get out now before I have to help you with force.

_ It's okay. We get it.

They came out one after the other, Coumba still angry at the guard. She still couldn't understand why Ndeye stopped her from cursing at him.

_ How can you accept to obey him like a dog? She asked Ndeye then but in a low voice, once they were on their way.

_ And you, have you forgotten that such an awakening is not the worst? Or is it what you want? She replied.

_ Rah! Except when you voluntarily stir the knife in your wound, you always find a way to be right. That's so unfair cause I wanted to let him know how much I hate him.

_ Because I'm at a point where the pain is only external, the inside can't take any more than it already is. So I've learned to face it.

_ You must be far too far along in your pain to talk about it in such a detached way.

_ A stage I hope you never reach. And that's why I'm trying to keep you from doing some unnecessary things.

_ Stop whispering behind me and come in! The guard ordered them as he stopped in front of the door of the great hall that houses the estate.

They immediately complied and entered to see practically all the slave girls on the estate in it. When Coumba saw them, she immediately panicked and grabbed Ndeye's hand, forcing her forward.

_ You... Are you thinking what I'm thinking? She asked in a whisper, worried.

_ Yes. Baba Yaga** is back from his trip," said Ndeye.

_ At last, you are all here together, came the voice of their worst nightmare, Khadim, the Alpha of Senegal himself.

At the sound of this voice, all the girls except Ndeye began to tremble, the desired effect of Khadim's presence. To further instill terror in them, he circled them like a predator would with a trapped prey to whom he wanted to show his superiority over her by openly taunting her until he was sure they were close to cracking before stopping and coming to stand in front of them. Satisfaction could be seen on his face, but another feeling reigned supreme as if fused with his skin to become one with it: rage. The latter quickly grew in magnitude, making Khadim go and get a whip. This whip was not a common one but a cat with nine tails*** made of leather and metal, especially for his person and which could kill in much less than ten strokes and could thus be used as a white weapon. Wielding it with skill, he returned to face the girls.

_ Where was I? Now that you're all here, I want to know who dared to use the phone in my office to call the African Alpha's team," he said in a calm voice that contrasted with his condition.

There was only silence as Coumba whispered to Ndeye.

_ This... It's me. I was hoping for help.

_ Because of this little fool, a kid who barely got out of his mother's skirt dared to look at me, Khadim, straight in the eye and threaten me," he shouted, letting his rage explode.

_ Doesn't anyone want to declare themselves? he asked.

_ I promise you that I will be less harsh with the guilty party if she denounces herself," he added in a calmer voice.

He then came and stood behind the first girl from his position. Then suddenly a noise echoed through the room, accompanied by drops of blood that splashed onto many of the girls.

Slash!

Khadim had just hit the first girl in the back

_ Was that you? he asked.

The only answer he received was sobs mixed with moans of pain.

Displeased, he gave her a second blow.

_ Was it or was it not you who called? he asked again.

The result was the same reaction, which made him angry.

A third, more violent and merciless blow was administered to the poor girl, who fainted, after screaming like a madwoman that it was not her. Unperturbed by the amount of blood that was on him, he called the guards to take her to be treated or else throw her body into the woods if that wasn't possible.

And while all the others, shaken by the incident, had not yet recovered, he suddenly struck the next one, who had her faculties enough to shout at him almost despite the pain that it was not her to escape from another blow. He then advanced to the third, who began to back away before she could even receive a blow. He then watched her do so, smiling for a moment before he began to move dangerously towards her, aware that she was going to be trapped in the end. When she certainly was, an unhealthy smile played on his lips. Only, just as he was about to strike, he was interrupted by the sound of a voice he had not expected at all.

_ It was me.

Small note:

Baba Yaga**: is a witch in Russian tales, she is known to be a cannibal and to have evil powers.

Cat with nine tails***: it's a torture instrument, a whip to be more precise, very rarely used, and therefore little known.