2.
1249 คำ
The chills from the cold cemented hard floor spread through my body, which, I might add, ached awfully. The smell of old, rusty metal, and the smell of different kinds of sweat and breaths from being surrounded by all sorts of dirty criminals.
I am supposed to be used to it by now, having spent a fair amount of time in jail before the court decided my punishment. And yet there was something odd about this place.
First, when I tried to move my arms, they were tightly tied with a rope, and the room felt more crowded than usual. I could feel a body with each inch of a stir I made.
No matter the severity of one's crime, people had rights, and there were only five criminals allowed per holding cell.
But that wasn't the only odd thing about this place.
What is this foul stench? Is it blood?
No. There would have to be a large amount of blood over a long amount of time to produce this stench.
Like the ring of a bell, previous events flooded my mind. Who were those men?
And why and where did they take me? For that answer, I would have to open my eyes, and when I did, dread washed over me.
*
In a small, dingy, dark room with no windows. Women like myself were packed in their like sardines in a can, looking hopeless and frail and most had some injuries. The room was secured by rusty metal bars and outside on the facing wall was a lighted torch.
Did I just get trafficked?!
I looked at my leg where I had been injured, but it was wrapped with a pink cloth.
I looked at the woman who happened to be wearing a pink dress, the hem of which was torn. She was petite but looked strong and brave despite our situation.
"Hey," I spoke and my voice cracked.
The woman looked at me, her face emotionless.
"Uhm, I see that you attempted to treat me. Thank you."
"I actually healed you, but you are welcome," she said with a roll of her eyes and a shake of her head.
I stared at the woman, at a loss for what to even think of.
What is with that attitude? I just thanked her. And did she just say that, she healed me?
"Huh!" I scoffed. Whatever drug they used to kidnap this woman must still be in her system.
Right then, I heard footsteps approaching and we all tensed. Even though the woman beside me tried to hide it, I swear I could feel it.
"Do you think they are going to harvest our organs?" I asked, my voice trembling.
"Why would anyone need to do that?" She looked at me as if I was crazy.
"Because sick people need them?" I said in a duh tone.
Was this woman trying to test my patience? In this situation?
Our conversation almost distracted me. That was until the footsteps became nearer.
"My name is Everly, by the way. Not that it matters, but this is probably the last time I will tell anyone that while maintaining my humanity," I pressed my lips together and clasped my hand with hers.
"Quite the dramatic one you are," the woman sighed, but squeezed my hand comfortingly anyway. "Call me Jesse."
A tall shadowy figure stood in front of the metal bars. We heard the keys clack, and after a clunky, the door was unlocked. The hunk of a man opened
The fact that he opened the door alone and unarmed, meant he wasn't expecting any of us to be able to fight him off.
As if he heard me, he spoke.
"No funny thoughts now. It was already over the moment you got caught. Now get up and go have your fate decided," he announced.
He stepped aside, and standing up one by one, the women began to get out in a single pile.
"What does he mean by that?" I asked Jesse.
Are they going to decide who ends up an involuntary organ donor or who will end up in someone else's bed?
I know for a fact that my body can go to either. For one, I was tall and as healthy as a horse.
But thankfully, the fact that I was dirty and stinky due to not having taken a shower in days, coupled with my sullied prison uniform of an oversize white tee and orange trousers and also having lost weight for all the things I went through, all would hide the fact that underneath it all, I had a body models would die for.
"Come on now! Don't waste any of my time!" the man roared. He hit the door and the metals rattled.
I stood up shakily, expecting the wound on my leg to hurt, but surprisingly, I felt nothing.
Even though it was nighttime, I had seen the wound with my own eyes and knew how much it should hurt. But instead, considering all the things I went through, I felt relatively... OK?
"Single pile! Now," he said once again.
"Come on, we have no time to waste," Jesse grabbed my arm and pulled me so we were third and fourth in line with her in front.
"Are you crazy?! What are we rushing for? We are literally being trafficked," I hissed.
"You think I'm going to stand and wait anxiously before it gets to my time? The sooner it's all over, the better," Jesse replied, and I have to say, she is kind of right.
I have come to learn that no matter how much you would like to delay something, it won't change the outcome.
When we were all stood up, we were made to start coming out of the cell and into a corridor in a pile.
Following the man, we walked through the long corridor, passing by some of the cells which had people.
Seeing the first prisoner in chains and unconscious, I closed my eyes and held onto Jesse's arm firmly to avoid seeing anymore of that.
Finally, we stopped, and I opened my eyes to find ourselves standing in front of a door.
"You go in," the man pointed at the door.
Jesse patted my arm, but I didn't want to let go.
"Will you be OK?" I asked her.
"Why not?" she shrugged off my hand, and with her head held high, she opened the door and entered, and now that I was in front of the line, I didn't feel so sure about being first anymore.
Five minutes of sweating and nail-biting later, the man pointed at me and my heart thudded.
"You, next."
Remembering how brave Jesse was, I forced myself to move forward, and before my brain could think of all the reasons why I shouldn't go ahead with this, I closed my eyes and opened the door. When I was sure I was inside, I closed the door.
My hand still on the door, I took in three deep breaths and exhaled before letting go of the door and turning around to face my fate.
I opened my eyes, expecting to see a room full of masked men waiting to bid, but what I saw had my head tilting back as my forehead scrunched in confusion.
"Uhm, excuse me ma'am, are you supposed to be here?" I asked the only person in the room. A frail-looking old woman probably in her eighties.
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