Flogged

"Dad, why did you take Mum to the hospital?" my curious five-year-old self had asked, tugging at his sleeve, my small fingers gripping the fabric of his shirt with innocent urgency.

"Guess what, baby?" Mum interjected, her radiant smile lighting up the room like the sun breaking through clouds.

"You're going to be a big sister!" Dad announced, his voice filled with joy as he lifted me high and spun me around. I squealed in delight, my laughter ringing like a sweet melody. When he set me down, I turned to Mum, who was beaming, her eyes sparkling with love as she watched my happiness.

"Can we name her Ash, Mum?" I clapped my hands in excitement, my heart racing with the thrill of possibility. Mum's smile softened as she leaned down, cupping my chin with a tender touch, her fingers warm against my skin.

"How do you know it's a baby sister?" she teased, playfully pinching my cheeks and rubbing her nose against mine. I frowned, puffing out my cheeks as I folded my little arms defiantly.

"I just know, Mum! Because I don't want a baby brother," I declared, stamping my foot lightly, my determination palpable. "I want a baby sister so we can share names, dresses, and our room. We'll be the best sisters ever—inseparable! She'll call me the best big sister in the world, and I'll never leave her side. Not ever!" I turned to Dad, tugging at his hand for agreement. "Doesn't it sound perfect, Daddy?"

He squatted to my height, placing his hands gently on my tiny shoulders, his grip reassuring. "It sounds wonderful, baby. But you must pray to God to give you a baby sister, alright?"

"I will, Daddy! I promise! I love you, Mum, Daddy, and my little Ash!" I said, kissing Mum's tummy and grinning with pure joy, my heart swelling with love.

Mum smiled and placed a hand over mine, her touch grounding me. "She'll be so lucky to have you, my sweet Araya," she whispered, her voice thick with emotion. Dad ruffled my hair, and together we shared a warm family hug that felt like the happiest moment in the world, a cocoon of love and safety.

---

Replaying that memory in my mind brought a flood of tears, each drop a reminder of the warmth that now felt like a distant dream, shattered by the nightmare I was living in.

"I need to see Ash," I whispered to myself, my voice cracking under the weight of despair. "I have to get to her." My body trembled as I stumbled to my feet, each movement a struggle against the chains of my captivity. I slammed my fists against the door, desperation fueling my actions, my knuckles raw and aching.

"Let me out!" I screamed, my voice hoarse and raw, echoing off the cold, unforgiving walls. "Please, I'm begging you! I need to see my sister! I'll do anything—just let me go!"

The door burst open with such force that I was thrown backward, my head slamming onto the cold marble floor. Pain exploded through my skull, and blood trickled down my forehead, mingling with the metallic taste of fear in my mouth.

He walked in, his devilish smirk spreading across his face like poison. Erickson Dragon—the man who had turned my life into a living hell.

I crawled toward him, my body weak and trembling, desperation clawing at my insides. Grasping at his legs, I begged, my voice choked with anguish. "Please, sir... let me go. I have a sister to care for—Ash is all alone. She needs me. I'm begging you... please..." My vision blurred as pain, migraines, and dizziness threatened to consume me. Tears streamed down my cheeks, glistening like diamonds against my pale skin as I pleaded.

He looked down at me with cold, unfeeling eyes, a predator surveying its prey, before grabbing a fistful of my hair, yanking me upward with merciless force. I cried out in pain, struggling against his iron grip, but it was futile. His bloodshot eyes burned into mine, filled with rage and an unrelenting darkness that sent shivers down my spine.

"Did I not warn you about being a bad girl?" he growled, his voice a low, menacing snarl that reverberated through the air. "And now you must face the consequences."

He shoved me back, and I staggered, barely catching myself before collapsing. My head throbbed where it had struck the wall, but the physical pain was nothing compared to the terror coursing through me.

He stepped closer, his predatory gaze locking onto me, his presence suffocating. "You've been a naughty little doll for far too long," he said, pulling a glass whip into view. The jagged shards embedded in it glinted menacingly, reflecting the dim light like shards of broken dreams. I flinched, horror paralyzing me as I stared at the cruel weapon, my heart racing in my chest.

"You'll be punished, Elizabeth Kathryn Stewarts," he sneered, his voice dripping with venom. "Rule number one: Do not make a fuss when Erickson Dragon is in the room. Do you understand me?" His roar reverberated through the room, shaking me to my core.

"Y-yes, sir," I stammered, my voice barely audible, trembling like a leaf in a storm. His smirk widened, a twisted satisfaction dancing in his eyes, and he snaked an arm around my waist, pulling me closer. His hot breath brushed against my ear as he bit my earlobe and whispered, "Good girl."

Before I could react, he slammed me against the wall, and my head hit the hard surface again. Pain shot through me, but he showed no mercy, his grip unyielding.

"You remind me of her," he said, his voice tinged with bitterness and anguish, a flicker of something deeper lurking beneath his sadistic exterior. "So vulnerable, so delicate. But do you know what disgusts me the most about you?" His grip tightened, and his voice rose with fury. "You dated that fool—Jason Hardley! The most notorious criminal in my circle. Were you blind to his deceit? Or were you just another one of his pawns?"

I stared at him, stunned by the revelation, my mind racing to process the connection between Jason and this monster. The weight of his words pressed down on me, suffocating.

"You'll regret defying me," he spat, raising the glass whip high. It came down with a sickening crack, slicing through my skin. Agonizing pain tore through me as I screamed, my vision going white with the shock.

He struck again and again, each lash ripping into my flesh, the sharp sting mingling with the warmth of blood pooling around me. "I hate punishing girls, but you make it so damn hard for me!" he yelled, his voice filled with twisted satisfaction, a dark thrill coursing through him.

"Please stop! I'm sorry—I’ll be good! I won’t disobey you again!" I cried, my voice breaking, desperation clawing at my throat.

But he didn't stop. The whip came down harder, the jagged glass tearing deeper. Blood pooled around me, and my body grew limp, the world fading into a blur of pain and darkness. My cries faded into silence as I lay motionless on the floor, teetering on the edge of consciousness.

Erickson crouched beside me, his eyes gleaming with sadistic pleasure, a predator savoring its kill.