Walls

Earth; Hell. The two realms were more similar than what one would think. Depression and misery ran rampant without remorse. Lives lived without meaning, lacking any sort of prosperity to transcend becoming anything more than a worthless existence. Their dreams, hopes, and aspirations lost to the cruel worlds they were born to.

Chained and gagged the same law imposed itself upon us casting aside our wishes becoming prisoners both figuratively and literally. Forced back the way we came arrived in what looked to be a junkyard, Resa, Leifa and I sat locked in a single cage with Thalia nowhere to be seen amongst the many tents and scrap piles within our sight.

Any noise she could be making was silenced against the sounds of metal on metal and the cacophonous melody of drunken laughter and conversation. The celebration only grows louder with passing time as two new ships land from the sky releasing a new dozen of unfamiliar faces.

The group of women disappeared inside the largest encampment lining down the middle of the road, emerging with Takata mere moments later making their way to where we sat waiting in the back.

Takata

"What I tell ya, three real beauties deserving of your time. I'd say they more than qualify for premium pricing, Jai."

Jai

"I'll need more than just speculation from their appearance if you want top dollar. I want a show, an entertaining display of strength and abilities."

Takata

"Now...at this hour?"

Jai

"At night. Such ruckus would warrant all types of unwanted eyes. I do however wish to play with the girl, her eyes are like an untrained dog as if she'd attack me the moment we're alone. Breaking that determination should be enough to relieve my boredom until nightfall."

Takata

"That's fine, I guess. You are our highest-paying buyer. Just don't cheat us for the price for your damages."

Jai

"I've been fair thus far, haven't I?"

Accompanying the shrug of his shoulders with a light chuckle the man slid a ring of keys down his arm using a colored black and blue one to undo the three locks.

The woman threw her hand in pulling Leifa by the hair violently as she whimpered and struggled hopelessly unable to use anything in her aid to resist.

The tug of war between the two pulls Jai further into the cage making her bend forward to fit inside, the force behind each pull increases in force until Leifa's head snaps back into Jai's.

An angry shrill filled the cage as the woman removes a brown whip from her waist, her deep blue eyes glazed with fury, the weapon cracked toward Leifa who lied a few feet away.

The intended strike slimly struck Resa across the face; the use of his body propelling them out of the way leaving a window of opportunity I used my chained hands and bashed her with my cuffed hands just under the chin sending us tumbling out into the sand.

The contrast of the cold cellar to the hot sand was drastic, balancing without the use of hands was nigh impossible on the coarse ground, scolding sand burned my eyes as I squirmed around aimlessly like a blind mouse in the dark.

What followed next didn't make the situation any more hopeful, a suffocating pressure came over me as my head was sunk under the sand. Violent strikes followed brutal and relentless, each strike of the heel threatening to split my skull as I prayed for oxygen.

Everything began to fade into silence slowly succumbing to asphyxiation, the peaceful sense of stillness casting me into a long slumber.

_________

???

"...mm...m...h... huh? I can't move..."

My arms and legs felt numb but the little movement I managed indicated something was bounding my limbs. Sounds of talking reached where I was trapped yet the voices were unfamiliar to me. I strained my ears as hard as possible; footsteps, the clinking of glass, the roar of fire, various sounds came through, none of them reassuring in the slightest.

A cold shiver traveled down my spine the moment I heard a door slam shut. I couldn't see or hear the culprit but instead felt them, a cold hand grasped firmly around my hands lifting me off the ground with ease while the other held my face studying it with deep interest.

Tak

"I could already tell you were pretty, but you're much more breathtaking when awake, go figure. Still...your eyes are the most mesmerizing thing about you, yet I can't remember where I've seen them."

"...What's up, no thanks for the compliment? Don't tell me you're tight-lipped too?"

"Does it matter?" I snapped back vilely, eyes watering from the sheer stench of their breath. The way they breathed, the texture of their hands, the sound of them taking in my scent. Even without the ability to see it was easy to tell my captive was male.

Things became bleaker by the second the longer his actions continued; my resolve crumbling to dust as I found my bark lacking any bite the next words out of me were uncharacteristically quiet.

Thalia

"Where is my family?"

Tak

"Family? So you are a packaged deal, should've guessed. The way your siblings clung to each other in their time of need was desperate, such pathetic feelings of devotion and self-sacrifice could only belong to those who share blood."

"However, on another note, I can charge the family kin pack, if she buys everyone included... assuming the three of them survive the night."

"You on the other hand don't have a hair on your head to fret about; rather, you're my possession like my other spoils of war."

He laughed pushing his weight onto me the next second yanking away the clothes covering my neck as something hot scorched my fair skin.

I kicked and shrieked; my eyes flowed with tears as the scent of burning flesh wafted under my nose.

Time passed until the roaring heat grew harsh and frigid like the emotions that held my heart captive a time before this.

I sobbed in the vacant dark room, hand clasped over the scar branded into me as my cries became harsh coughs that made me tremble in shame.

The only solace to console me was the relief that no one would see my tears; the bravado I spoke to my brother was nowhere to be found. All that lied on the floor was the powerless me that had always dwelled inside, together those thoughts accompanied me as I dreamt about similar words of the past in despair.

END