Crossing The Lines

chapter 12

Aayushi

4 years ago...

"I'm not going to do it." I insist. There is a knife in my hand, and Harbour, along with several other men are crowded around me.

Harbour slaps my face, "Shut up and just do it."

"I'm not gonna do it!" I cry, trying to pull my hand back, my face burning.

"Do it, or I'll kill him." Harbour says roughly.

I stare at Harbour, unwilling to hurt the boy, and he punches my face hard enough for me topple to the ground. I stand up weakly. My lip begins to tremble as I slowly walk over to the chained boy on the ground. I hover my knife to his hand as tears pour down his cheek.

"I'm sorry, I really don't wanna do this but-" I start, trembling slightly.

"Shut up, girl!" Another man shouts, "Just fucking do it, already!"

I slice his arm, deep and sharp, and he lets out a scream. Blood soaks my knife as I draw it quickly, shaking, tears leaking out of my eyes.

Harbour marches over and snatches the knife out of my hand, looking angry, but in my tears, I can hardly see.

"What is wrong with you? Your technique is all wrong!" He barks, tossing the bloody knife to the ground.

I force myself to glance at the howling boy. He couldn't be more than two years younger than me, he looked around 10 years old. I didn't just cut his arm, I sliced deep into his arm and he was bleeding out profusely.

I shook violently as I sank down, and Harbour slapped me again, "Stop with your fucking crying, girl."

"I'm not a bad person," I whisper to the boy, "I promise, I'm not a bad person, you don't understand-"

But before I can finish,  I feel someone or someones grab my arm and haul me away. I kick and scream, trying to get away but I feel them drag me to the fighting pit before whirling me to the ground. I hit the ground with a thud.

"No!" I scream, trying to stand, knowing what is going to happen to me next, having experienced it multiple times before, "I did what you told me to!" I plead, "I-"

Harbour grabs my face and spits at it, "I don't want a killer who sobs and cries at everything."

"I'm not a killer!" I sob, "I'm not a killer!"

"Not yet, and we have to fix that." He breathes harshly, "What use are you to me, if you can't kill?"

"Don't make me kill anyone!" I shriek, fighting against his grip, "I'm not a bad person, I don't want to be a bad person!"

He shuts me up by slapping me again, then he jerks his head at his henchmen, "Get on with it."

Harbour settles back in a chair while I struggle and scream, "No, no, I did what you-"

My words were cut short as they lit up a match, right in front of my face, and the man holding it grinned at me.

I shook my head violently as they forced my leg up, and hovered the match to my shin, the flame dancing wildly at my skin.

I let out a scream, clenching my hands so hard, my skin began to bleed.

When they finally stopped, my skin was raw red. They hadn't burn my skin completely, they just let the flame hover just so that the heat was enough to hurt.