His world

Chap.17 - I'd rather die - Annalise

My shivering muscles wake me; making me aware of the cold ground I'm on. Fuck, my head hurts. Groaning my eyes flutter open trying to adjust to the light of a single lightbulb hanging from the ceiling. Sitting up I'm made very much aware of my nakedness; luckily I still have underwear on.

The room looks like a cell. Smells like it too. I don't know if it's the nerves Of not knowing where I am or the rotting, old blood smell that makes me want to throw up. Tears brim in my eyes as I look around. The blood stained floor tells the stories of what happened here.....what might happen to me.

The sound of a woman screaming makes me jump. I run to the cell door and try to peer out the rusted bars. I barely see a woman being dragged by her hair into what I guess is another cell, - how many cells are there? - her body hits the ground with a thud as she continues to cry. The cell door slams and the man's heavy footsteps fade.

"Hello?" I whisper yell toward the woman. I don't want to be too loud incase the man comes for me. I glance to the right and all I see is a single window wall. At least I know there's only one way in and out. "Hello?" My voice is a little louder.

        Her sobs turn into hiccups; she is trying to calm down enough to talk. I wipe my nose on my hand; I hadn't really noticed I was crying too.

"Are we gonna die?" Her question makes me let out a sob I didn't know I was holding in. Taking a deep breath I try to reassure her. Telling her we'll be ok; even if I don't know we will. She sounds young, - teens maybe - too young to be wrapped up in this.

"What's your name sweetheart?" I ask, wanting to distract her. "Where are you from?" She's quiet for a while, then she starts to cry again. Fuck, hearing her cry breaks my heart.

"I don't know what happened," she sobs. ",I came home from school like a normal day and then my mom tells me.... I'm... a debt," her voice is louder so I know she got closer to the door.",and these men came, and took me." Her cries get louder; tears stream down my face. School, I think sliding down the wall opposite of her. She said she came home from school, so she's probably in high school.

When I was in high school all I was worried about was nana and papa embarrassing me. The thought makes me miss them. A flash of them dead in their bed makes me cry more, but when I hear heavy footsteps I hold my breath.

"Nadia, I hope you can learn to cry less. Only few men enjoy fucking a crying girl." I almost throw up in disgust. My mind doesn't know how to deal with the mix of feelings. Anger towards the man talking to Nadia; sadness for our situations and fear for what might happen to us.

        Please hurry Stefano, I think. I may not be one for wanting to be the damsel in distress but I can't get myself out of here. I know I can't; all I can do is try and fend off the men to keep Nadia and I safe.

        The man's footsteps get closer to me, making me back away from the door. I draw my legs to my chest to cover myself a little. Being this exposed makes me nervous. I can only pray Nadia isn't this exposed.

"Athena," he says, staring at me. His eyes flashed with fondness then only anger. Now I understand what Andrea meant when she said Sergey wasn't the only one that wanted me. He's aged 10 years since the picture Nat showed me. He looks just like Finny. He's our father.

My fathers a disgusting pig. Talking to Nadia like that; allowing Sergeys men to throw me in here with no clothes. He's no father, and certainly not mine.

"Don't call me that." I say between breaths. Tears still trail down my face despite my anger. My comment seems to anger him. His brows furrow and lips form a thin line. "My name is Annalise" I say louder. Athena may have been my name but it no longer is. Athena was the little girl I can't remember. The little girl who's father didn't love her.