"Ha ha. No. We're all going. Who knows if she is held hostage by psycho girl ninjas hiding in that shack of hers, who are waiting for us to come so that they can throw their ninja-star blades on us. Or slice us in a clean half from our waist in one...
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ADELAIDE
I should have been happy to get the girls away from Aislinn but right now, I am in extreme pain, ready to faint any moment.
They shift me around on the ground till they get the bag slipped entirely over my body. Then they tie the open end at my feet with a rope, knotting it tight and wrapping its ends up and around the rest of me, pinning me inside the bag, cinching another knot just over my head.
I feel the bag going taut; then my head is pulled up. I imagine girls holding either end of this impossibly long rope. Which can only mean one thing—they are going to drag me. I can't take it anymore, start squirming even though I know what it'll get me.
"Teresa! Don't do this to me!"
This time a fist hit me right in the back, making me howl. I try to double over, try to clutch my middle, but can't because of the stupid bag. Nausea sweeps through me; and I fight it, kept my food down.
"Since you obviously don't care about yourself," Teresa says, "talk again and we'll start shooting your friend. As it is she's unconscious now and defenseless. That sound good to you?"
I don't respond; I heave a silent sob of agony.
"Well," the one of girl speaks. "Glad you're having so much fun. But we need to hurry."
"I know," Teresa says. She grips the sides of my head even harder, squeeze and shake it. She presses her lips next to my ear against the burlap. "I really hated you since the beginning. Have a lot of pent up frustration to release." She releases me and stands back up.
"Okay, let's get out of here. Make sure you hit as many rocks as you can along the way."
Why is she doing this? What have I ever done to her?
My captors start walking, dragging me along behind them. I feel the rough ground below me as I am being dragged across it, the big sack providing absolutely no protection. It hurts. I arch my back, putting all my weight on my feet, letting my shoes bear the brunt of the impacts. But I know my strength can't hold out forever.
Teresa walks right beside me as they pull my body along. I can just make her out through the burlap.
And across the desert we go, I, being dragged across and bouncing over the dirt like a sack of old clothes.
I can't help but imagine horrible things as we went along. My legs are weakening every second, and I know I'd have to lower my body to the ground soon. I can't help picturing the bleeding wounds, as another set of permanent scars.
I thought we were friends. Yeah, we didn't exactly have enough of bonding time, but I clearly remember being the one who extended the hand of friendship to her when she'd come up the Box. I'd shared my room with her without a single hesitation. We'd teased each other with our crushes.
