Rose's Thorns

Hell

Marina's POV If I had my diary, I would write down the word numb as what I am feeling right now because there's no better word in my limited vocabulary for the emptiness I feel inside.

My face is swollen and I may have more than a few splits and contusions on my body but the ache, the ache that made me beg in court this morning was gone.

I guess it had something to do with the pills the doctor had forced down my throat or the shame and embarrassment of being told to strip just a door away from a court full of people infront of a stranger to examine me and confirm my story or perhaps it was the uncertainty of what was to befall me after quite unexpectedly, Judge Orson had returned from the long break and had announced that I would be held captive in Orson's villa.

I watched as the gates to the biggest house I've ever seen in my life open, calling it a house would be an insult but I do not care. I have heard all this, all of this beauty, this elegance, this wealth has only one occupant and dozens and dozens of guards and I wonder how much more can life break my heart?

It's no wonder the Judge was so confident he would be able to keep a murder suspect for one and half month with no harm done, not that I am planning on doing anything reckless, I wouldn't want to bite the hand that fed me, would I?

People have this misconception of the streets, they think we have no manners and that we are uncultured. Well, we are uncultured if being cultured entails going to school and dressing in expensive attires but if it is about all life can give and take, I think we are the most cultured of all. We give respect to thou who deserves it and loyalty to thou who earns it. In 45 days, Judge Orson may sentence me to death but the last thing I will do is harm him that pulled me out of that hell and had gone against all the opinions of the likes of him that were against keeping somebody who is charged with murder of the newly re-elected mayor in his house, he had only listened to my shameless plea and had granted me mercy.

Today marks the second week since my life had turned upside down, I was arrested for the murder of the newly re-elected mayor, Albert Banks who was apparently found dead in his guest house. Once the police had arrived in front of the city hall we converted to our home, we had all scrambled thinking it was the routine raid but once we were outside, we discovered we were surrounded with forces in different uniforms holding different firearms and a helicopter was right above our heads.

"Police!!" One man had screamed the microphone against his mouth.

"Put your hands where I can see them, we are here for just one person but if you don't cooperate, we wouldn't resist to blow your heads."

Immediately he said that, our hands went up but my heart fell, with the way their eyes were on me, I had no doubt they had come for me.

"Marina, you are under arrest for the murder of the newly re-elected mayor Albert Banks."

My world seemed to stop just for a while before it began to spin really fast. This was no petty crime and I wouldn't be sleeping in jail for just a few days. I looked behind me, at my friends that had become family, at the home I was finally loving, at the streets I was abandoned as a baby, as the streets I was raised, rejected, scorned at and I realized, this may be the last time I will ever see any of this again.

"Move forward, your hands where I can see them." Chris said, a wicked smile on his face.

He was about to be in his control and all those years of unsatisfied lust, getting rejected and insulted by me, he was going to get his revenge in ways I didn't want to imagine.

" Welcome to hell beautiful." He whispered once I was close enough then twisted my arm behind my back making me almost yell in pain.

"Good girl, keep your screams. You are going to need it." He said while cuffing my hands. He then pushed me roughly into the car barely allowing me to get a glimpse of the world I was leaving.

The last two weeks have been more than hell, every breath was a punishment and with every sun set came Chris and his friends. I would be striped, beaten and molested until I begged for mercy feeding their egos. Everyday, I prayed for a way out even if it meant being executed, anything that will stop this torture and finally Three days ago, I was told I had a visitor and I had thought it was one of my friends until I was taken to a room where a man in suit sat.

"You must be Marina." He said, barely glancing at me.

"I am." I answered, my mouth aching with every movement. Chris had slapped me so hard yesterday and it was still sore.

"I am the lawyer assigned to you. Your case is scheduled to be heard in two days, so I will like your cooperation. As you can tell we are behind Schedule."

Despite his judgemental stares, his detached voice, it being clear that his presence was just a formality the decision has already been made, I was happy my prayers have been answered so I smiled ignoring the pain.

"Thank you." I whispered