The Killer's Rose

"Come, baby, just give in to me for the night, now would you..." he growled. His filthy breath hovered just inches above my face, making my stomach twist. Before I could blink, he grabbed my arm roughly, forcing me to my side. His grip tightened like a vice around me. His hand went for my clothes. I screamed, kicked—anything to fight back. "Please… please just let me go. I just want to go home," I cried, my voice shaking. He didn't listen. A sharp sting pricked my arm. I gasped, jerking my head up. A syringe. He had injected something into me. I didn’t even see it coming. "That should calm you down..." he whispered, the sound of his voice burning into my ears. My body grew heavier, my vision warping. My limbs turned to jelly. Everything around me started spinning. But just before the world went black, I heard his sick laugh. Then—nothing "Ah!" A loud scream caused my eyes to spring open, my head spinning... As I tried to leave a proper glance. My hands had been untied. Should I say that was something good, or what should I call it? I tried standing up to my feet, only to stumble back down; it felt like my legs had been disconnected from my whole body. A sight at myself, glaring at my blood-stained self. On me were ripped, hardly torn clothes. How did I end up here in the first place? My last thought was of Jessica at the bar. She had promised to help me out. That was the only reason I went to see her in the first place. My mom had been diagnosed with cancer, and her treatment was to begin immediately, but the price… I recalled the doctor's words: "The total cost is $15,000, but a sum of $10,000 must be deposited first within three days, or else I'm sorry, your mom may..." I couldn't let my mom die. She was the only one I had left after my father was sentenced to prison for murder. All his property was seized, and my mom and I were forced to move out. I had things under control for a little while, with a half-down rental agreement. It was the cheapest I could find, but not so cheap now, I would say. I could hardly afford our daily meals, and now Mom was diagnosed with cancer. Jessica had taken me to the club, promising to introduce me to two men who were going to lend me money, and she also promised me work. But all I remembered was gulping up a drink, only to wake and find myself here, tied to a bed... How is this possible? What really happened? I tried my best, recalling, but that only left a sharp pain on my head, which left me lying down, screaming out, only to be resounded by my own voice. "Take them in!" A loud voice cut in, silencing mine. This was a different voice that came into my ears, apart from the moans and the old man's. My hand pressed onto the bed as I tried to stand up. Using the wall as support, I approached the door. It was unlike the usual doors. This one had windows placed at the upper part. Taking a slight glimpse outside, I witnessed some girls chained, some younger, some older. Their eyes dropped as blood trickled down each one of their torn clothes. "Where are you taking them, Cassius? I'm sure you know that boss hasn't given you his word yet that you can have them." I heard one of the men utter, walking up to the one he called Cassius. What’s going on here? "Stay out of this, Luca, just stay out of my way. And about the boss, I'm sure he understands. These girls are gold I tell you; those old fools are going to spend all their worth just to have them." Was he talking about the same old man that came in? Judging from all this that was occurring, one could say I found myself in what seemed like a trafficker's den, but how is this possible? What happened to Jessica? Is she here also? Gosh! Why can’t I just remember anything? "I'm sure you know the boss doesn't joke with his product, so I advise you to take them back in now, Cassius, or I'll make you." Luca uttered, but in a blink, the other guy's punch came flying, slamming Luca’s cheek as he hit the ground. "Make me? I have surely given you a lot of freedom here, Luca, but don't think of it as weakness. Now, go back into your cave and tell that boss of yours when he's back that I've taken some of his so-called products for better deals, get that?" Cassius sneered, turning as those chains rattled. "Come on, take them." The chains clanked loudly against the floor as the girls were dragged forward, their blood dripping. "Cassius!" A yell followed, accompanied by a loud deafening sound, which left me stumbling back down, my hands covering my ears. "What was that…" I uttered, my voice barely above a whisper. I couldn't stand, I could hardly see. My hands reached for the door handle, pressing harder, my head spinning as I drew myself up to take a proper look at what made that sound. I gazed upon Cassius, the same one who had ordered the girls to be dragged, lying down on the ground dead with a hole in his skull. My eyes widened, my legs retreated back a little. "What… he…" I stammered, but one thing stood more shocking to me. The girls whose eyes still remained downcast, their legs unwavering, all they did was stand there… No tears, just… Is this some kind of hell I've found myself in?