Saving a King

The woman opens her tired eyes. She can not see even a shred of light but, opens her eyes out of habit. She sighs heavily, feeling the cold hard concrete that she is forced to lay on. There are no blankets in here, and her only clothes are the baggy rags draping her shivering body. She has gotten used to the dark, it envelopes her now in comfort, as this will be a forever constant. She has not, however, gotten used to the ever changing voices. She can hear the other women, they are close but, so far away. They talk constantly about their mates. They are cheerful, even in the dark. On edge. That is how she lives, forever fearful, forever apprehensive of the next “visit”. The “visits” are menacing but, never physically harmful to her body. It is the impending dread that she fears. She has never known why she is here, or when she will leave. Today is no different from the rest. She slowly stands to stretch her cold, aching body. She turns, using her outstretched hands to guide her to her “bathroom”. The bathroom, which is just a hole in the floor with a grotesque covering, can be challenging to maneuver to in the dark, even after all these years. The woman completes her business and proceeds to walk around her cage. Exercise, even if limited, is good for the body. A slight clink gets her attention right away. The guard is bringing her food. She stands as far as she can from the door, not wanting to attract attention. The guard is slow to approach, this is unusual. She presses her back against the cold wall as tightly as she can. The door lock is disengaged, the knob is turning. She is shaking, knowing that whatever is entering, is the unknown she dreads so much. Light never enters her confines but, she knows there is someone standing in the doorway, watching her. She can feel the apprehension building within herself. There is no sound but, she can suddenly feel body heat from someone else, they are close. She hears the slight breathing in the darkness, closing her eyes tight, she holds her breath waiting for the end.