"𝐒𝐡𝐚𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐝 𝐈𝐧𝐧𝐨𝐜𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞: 𝐀 𝐓𝐚𝐥𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐋𝐨𝐯𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐒𝐮𝐫𝐯𝐢𝐯𝐚𝐥"

VII/The Fortress of Shadows

Amelia's head throbbed as she slowly regained consciousness. The last thing she remembered was the brutal blow to her head, darkness swallowing her whole. Now, a dull ache radiated through her skull. As she struggled to open her eyes, the taste of blood and dirt lingered in her mouth.

"Amelia, wake up!" Lyra's urgent whisper cut through the fog of pain. Lyra shook her gently, her small hands trembling with fear.

"Where... where are we?" Amelia managed to croak, forcing her eyes open. The room they were in was small and bare, with four metal-framed beds lined against the cold, stone walls. A tiny window, barred with thick metal rods, offered no glimpse of the outside world. The air was stale, the only light coming from a dim bulb hanging from the ceiling.

Scott and Vinnie were stirring, their faces contorted with pain as they slowly regained consciousness. Scott was the first to sit up, rubbing his head and wincing. "What happened? Where are we?"

Vinnie looked around, his eyes wide with fear. "This doesn't look good. What do you think they're going to do to us?"

Lyra swallowed hard, her voice wavering. "I'm not sure what they will do,but first are you all okay?"

Before they could say more, the door creaked open, and a group of guards marched in. Without a word, they yanked the children to their feet and led them down a long, dimly lit hallway. The walls were gray, the windows small and barred with thick metal rods. The air was heavy with the scent of mildew and despair.

The children were pushed into a large hall that was sparsely furnished. The gray walls and cold floor matched the oppressive atmosphere. Dim lights cast eerie shadows, and small windows with thick bars provided the only glimpse of the outside world. The room was filled with other children, ranging from t little kids to teenagers, all with haunted eyes and sullen expressions.

In front of them stood four intimidating figures. A woman with sharp features and piercing eyes stepped forward. "Hello there," she began, her voice cold and commanding. "I am Dina, a loyal member of the Swedish mafia, and soon so will you be. These are Zane," she gestured to the man with the scar who had knocked them out, "Liam, and Mike."

Dina continued, "Here you will be taught how to fight, but if you make mistakes, there will be punishments, the group to our left are those who came before you. There were one hundred of them. Now, only twenty remain. And so will be with you. Whoever cannot survive the fights and the trainings will be dead."

Amelia felt a shiver run down her spine. "Twenty out of a hundred? How are we supposed to survive this?"Her fear was a constant presence, gnawing at her resolve.

"After you prove your loyalty to the mafia, you will have secret missions in the outside world to kill people and make our mafia the strongest," Mike added. "To ensure you don't escape, we will implant chips in you. One wrong move outside, and you'll be dead on the spot."

Zane stepped forward, his expression stern. "There will be rules that you all have to follow starting with:
You will wake up at five o'clock every morning. You are divided into groups from now on, and you will train and stay together as a group. Your groups will lead missions. The rooms will not be divided by gender but the showers will be separated between boys and girls."

"Sexual tension, activity, or attractions will not be allowed," Dina added, her voice icy. "Violators will face severe consequences."

Amelia felt her stomach twist. How can they control every aspect of our lives? This is a nightmare. But we have to stay strong. For each other.

"During training, you will be abused, slapped, starved, and more until you are strong," Zane continued. "If you do not endure, you will die. Meals will be in the dining hall, but mistakes mean starvation. You are allowed to move around the fortress after training, but remember, there is no way out. Don't even think about escape."

"You will be taught to read and many others and interact with people for future tasks," Mike said. "Low results mean punishment. Forget your past life. It's over and will never exist again."

Scott clenched his fists, determination burning beneath his protective facade. They're trying to erase who we are. But I won't let that happen. I'll remember for all of us. We must endure this together.

Lyra's eyes filled with determination. My old life is gone, but I won't lose hope. We have to hold on to each other. We can't let them take that away.

Vinnie's resolve hardened. I won't let them erase us. We are stronger together. We will find a way to survive.

"That's it for now," Dina concluded. "At the dining hall, you will find a list of the rules. If you thought your previous place was bad, let me tell you, that was just the prequel to pain. Now you will taste real pain and much more."

The children were silent, the weight of her words settling over them like a dark cloud.

"Welcome to hell," Dina said with a cold smile. "You will be sent to your rooms. Tomorrow, you will be washed, changed, and will start your training."

As the hall began to empty, a guard grabbed Amelia roughly, pulling her away from her friends. "Amelia!" Scott, Lyra, and Vinnie shouted, trying to reach her, but were quickly restrained and escorted to their room.

Amelia was brought before Dina, Zane, Liam, and Mike. "Well, well," Mike said with a sneer. "So this is her."

"Hmm," Liam said, looking her up and down. "You will grow very pretty, and we will take care of you very well."

Dina was the one who spoke next. "Ronan says you're special, but I don't see anything special about you. I bet this bitch will die before the training even starts." They all burst into laughter.

"We will make your life a living hell, little doll." Zane added, his voice dripping with malice.

Amelia's heart pounded in her chest. Why me? Who is Ronan? Why do they want to break me so badly? Little doll... that name. It brings back memories I tried to forget. I thought the touching had ended, but it seems Dina was right. This is hell.

Amelia was escorted back to her room, her mind racing with fear and confusion. As soon as she entered, Scott, Lyra, and Vinnie rushed to her, enveloping her in a tight hug.

"What happened?" Scott asked urgently. "Why did they take you?"

Amelia shrugged, trying to keep her voice steady. "They just told me they'll make my life a living hell."

She didn't mention the implications of their words, afraid to worry them, and terrified they might distance themselves from her. Instead, she clung to the small hope that together, they might somehow survive.
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Thank you for reading this chapter! I'd love to hear your thoughts on the story and characters so far. Your feedback means a lot to me. Don't forget to vote and like if you enjoyed it!

- M