The Fruiting of Vengeance (III)
TW: Blood and Gore.
: Depictions of torture.
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"We haven't seen Ada in a month! Where the fuck is she?!," Giorgio yelled at Tiana, backed by the rest of his siblings, bar, Mma who stayed with Lia.
"Gio, mind your manners," Tiana scolded.
Giorgio let out a frustrated sigh.
"Apologies, but I need to know where my little sister is. I'm not buying the excuses anymore! Even if she was distant, we have a book club for fuck's sake! I know you know something," he said sternly.
"Alright, she didn't want anyone to know, but she decided to go on a health retreat to the Keir rainforest. It has a wonderful programme for the mentally enabled that need other forms of therapy than the ones provided on average," Tiana recited.
"I'm sorry, she just left to a rainforest on the other side of the country without telling us shit"?.
"Don't make it about you, guys. She was in a lot of pain, she was taking it out on you and that hurt her more. She just wanted to get better and be the good sister she wants to be," Tiana parroted.
That gave them pause.
"She was already the good sister...," Danna mumbled sadly.
Tiana squatted and spoke to Danna patiently, "she just couldn't see that right now. I promise she's safe, Emilio and Enzo went with her and they'll ensure she's not being hurt. In fact, she's healing at this very moment...".
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Insects! They're pouring insects into the coffin now! Ada can't do this! No! She has to! She can't! Yes, the bugs are okay. Yes, okay. Light again. What now? Water. Cold. Hot. Squirming. They're in her hair now. No! Focus. Get out!
Hairpin! Hairpin is always here.
Ada refocuses and shoves the hairpin in the lock. It jams. Another hairpin. One lock- aligned. Second lock- aligned. Third lock- unreachable. The hairpin is too short!
No! Ada's going to die here. No! She can think. Think of another way. Must survive.
'Rule number six: you're stronger than you think. Do it!'.
Ada takes off her top, wraps it on her fist and uses the knife as a hammer to strike the hairpin. Twenty-six strikes and the lock gives. She cries in relief and kicks the coffin top... but it doesn't budge.
"Come on!" She screams. The sound of her voice hoarse and smoking.
"Come on!" She keeps kicking and throwing short punches. Nothing works. Her will weakens and so does her punches and kicks.
"Nne!" She bawls. Emilio watched tensely as the little girl cries as insects crawl over her, her lips turned blue due to the cold water and her fingers were bloodied in her struggle. (Mother).
"Come on, Ada, you can do this," he whispers unaware of his leg shaking. His nervousness is palpable and infectious to the rest of the team witnessing the struggle.
Ada feels like that scared little girl again, and the feeling makes her sick!
Whatever is keeping her here has to be something they know she could overcome independently. So, think, Ada, think!
If she can't kick it open, then what? She had already searched the coffin and there was no indicator on its structure. So, that was out, but it had to have some kind of pressure gauge to release that would open the door.
On a whim, she stabs the knife into the space where the lid of the coffin meets the bed, and the most cathartic seal-releasing sound echoed. Freedom!
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