Chapter Eleven
The memories of the previous night clung to me like a heavy fog, his hands, his breath, his cruelty. I felt drained, as if every piece of me had been torn away, and yet, a small part of me still struggled to hold on.
Ria’s words echoed in my mind, “You’ll make it out someday.” A fragile hope that felt distant and unattainable in this suffocating place. I tried to breathe through the fear, to summon strength from somewhere deep inside, but all I found was numbness.
A sudden knock on the door startled me, pulling me back to reality. “Rosa, get up. Time to get ready,” Ria’s voice was soft but firm.
I sat up slowly, my muscles still stiff and sore. The chill in the air bit through the thin dress I wore, reminding me that this place was far from a refuge. “Okay,” I whispered,
