Bounty Hunter

Zinnia

Mumbles, light laugher and sobs filled the room, though, to me, they seemed like a distant echo. My blurry eyes could hardly phantom all the movements above me. My breathing was faint.

Turning or moving my body felt like an exhausting task. My entire body, right to my fingers, had gone numb. Next to me, I hear cries and I struggled to turn my head the other direction. With a blurry vision, my gaze locks with deep black eyes as empty as mine. Who is she and what did she do to merit such fate as me? I wondered in that instant.

Tears ran down either side of her eyes as she moved. I closed my eyes and allowed the darkness take me to a faraway place. I yelled out in pain when something burned into my skin. I cried out when the burn left from my left thigh to my right and began climbing to my naked body. I yelp with each sound of cigar cresting into my skin.

“Ah! She likes it. Keep going,” I hear a voice say, his tone full of excitement. I open my mouth to speak, to beg them to stop, that I’d learned my lesson and I will never try to escape again, but all that came out was a silent sob. Not only did my body hurt from being tossed around, my skin itself cried out for help from being repeatedly etched with a burning cigar.

“Please, stop,” I found my voice and muffled out. And the burning did stop, temporarily. Someone leaned into me, bringing his ear closer to my mouth. I whispered again; “please stop,” The man pulled back from me and looked at his friends, back at me and then at his friends again.

“She says she wants more,” he yelled out at the top of his voice and they all burst into a fit of laughter. Tears welled up my eyes. I shook my head abruptly and repeatedly in a bid to voice out my denial.

Within seconds, my legs were being spread apart and something – that wasn’t of human, was shoved inside my body. I gulped at the alien and large object pushing in and out of me.

“Yeah, that’s right. Take it bitch,” the men screamed, deriving more pleasure from my discomfort and pain. As if it wasn’t enough, they began pouring liquids of all sorts all over me, making it impossible for me to breathe.

I turned my head to the side and coughed, fleetingly forgetting about what was happening to my downer body. Right now, all I could focus on was breathing. Fuck that! Why should I? Perhaps, if I just allowed the liquid invade my nostrils, sink into my lungs, it would end my misery for ever. But, these men, as cruel and vicious as they are, wouldn’t give me the one thing I longed for. When they noticed I no longer reacted to what they were doing with my body and I was slowly passing out, they stopped. One appeared next to me and abruptly slapped my chin, forcing me awake.

“Fucking bitch! We aren’t done with you, you better stay awake,” the man warned. However, I could barely keep my eyes open. “Think dying is going to stop us? I would still use your body how I see fit! I paid good money for you and Reed owes me his life,” another man growled before the assault resumed.

Everything still. The movements in the room. The laughter. The sobs. My breathing. My visions. Every. Fucking. Thing. My body, which was now nothing other than trash, was left to perish in the cold floor of the foyer. I opened my mouth and as calmly as possible, I struggled to breathe through my mouth.

Then, I opened my eyes, and closed it right back. The relief that wafted through me came as a jolt. They were all gone. Or, so I thought. I turned my worn out body towards the silhouette next to me.

“Hey…,” the words came out my mouth in a gruntled sound. I stretched out my hand and poked her sides. She didn’t move. Immediately, panic enveloped me. Not wanting to relent my efforts, I poked her again. And again. And again. And again. Until my hand ached. Reality hit me. She was dead. There was a dead body next to me. Those men had used her body to their satisfaction.

However, I didn’t feel any remorse. I didn’t feel pity for her. Hell, I’d just suffered the same fate as her. The only emotion I strongly felt right now, was jealousy. Death was the only thing I longed for. Death was the only thing I prayed for every damn fucking night being locked here. Yet, even the universe didn’t think I was worthy of that. What was so special about her that she got the only thing I so desperately wanted.

And so, I burst into tears. Tears because even death didn’t find me worthy. Tears because I realised Roman was the only person who could end my misery, and he wouldn’t do it until he’d destroyed every single part of me. And even then, he would still find ways to torture me.

My thoughts were cut short when I opened my eyes and through my tear-stained gazed, I saw Roman. He stood above me, his composure poised and hands tucked in his pocket. I saw the smile on his face. He was pleased at himself.

“Get rid of that,” he spoke and then stooped to my lever. “My little flower, have you learned your lesson?” He asks and I let out a sob. “Have you seen what awaits you when you try to escape?” He adds. I tear my gaze away from him. My hatred for him more than anything I’ve ever felt.

“Why do you even try? There’s nothing out there for you. The man you call Saviour has long deserted you. Why suffer through this my wrath for someone who has long given up on you?” Roman mocks.

Then, he rose to his feet and spoke one last time. “I have been kind enough towards you, Zinnia, but you keep testing my patience. Tonight was just a little taste of what awaits you should you ever pull that staunt again,” and with that, he walked away, leaving me alone in the foyer to perish.

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