after they met her

fiftytwo

TW - SA

i v a n a

It turned into a routine.

Daniel's face, twisted in anger, his fists clenched, veins bulging in his neck. His voice echoed in my ears, harsh and venomous, as if he was cursing the entire world and everyone in it.

I could never tell what triggered his rage. Sometimes it was the smallest thing. A look, a word, even the air felt wrong around him.

Glenn was in the corner, as always.

He was quiet when Daniel came down, his body curling in on itself like he wanted to disappear. I could feel the tension, the fear radiating from him.

I tried to position myself between them, always wanting to shield Glenn from the worst of it.

"Stop!" My voice barely reached Daniel, a whisper compared to his roar.

The next thing I knew, I was on the floor, my cheek stinging, my vision blurring. Glenn screamed, his voice weak and terrified. He tried to pull me away, but Daniel was too strong, too angry.

"You think you can just stand there and look at me?" Daniel spat, his face looming over mine.

His boot connected with my stomach, knocking the wind out of me. I gasped, clutching my side, feeling the bruises that were already there throb with fresh pain.

Sometimes, after the storms of violence passed, Daniel would get quiet. He'd stand in the hallway of the cells, his head in his hands, and mutter to himself.

Once, he started talking to me, like I was some old friend who had asked him about his problems.

"It's not about you," he muttered, his voice rough. "I never wanted to hurt you. But it's them, you see? I have to take revenge. They ruined everything. Everything."

I didn't respond.

There was nothing I could say to make sense of his madness. I listened, because that's all I could do.

He was unraveling, and I could feel it. He would alternate between soft, almost reasonable moments and the violent outbursts that left us broken on the floor.

Glenn wouldn't talk much after these moments. I could see the hopelessness in his eyes, the weight of our situation drowning him. I sat next to him on the cold floor, my body aching, but I forced myself to stay upright.

For him.

"We're never getting out of here, you know," Glenn whispered, his voice shaky.

"Don't say that," I replied, trying to sound strong even though I didn't feel it. "You will leave this place. I promise."

He shook his head, his eyes clouded with defeat. "I told you, didn't I? I told you there was no point in hoping. Look at us now. Look at where we are."

"You will leave this place," I repeated, more forcefully this time. "I don't care what happens to me. But you, you're going to get out of here. I won't let them keep you here."

Glenn didn't respond.

He just looked at me, his eyes dull, as if the light inside him had been snuffed out. I reached for his hand, squeezing it gently, but he didn't squeeze back.

Another flash.

This time, I was playing a board game with Jaqueline, trying to distract her, and myself, from the horrors that lurked in every corner of this place.

Jaqueline was laughing, her face bright, it almost felt normal.

The door slammed open, and Daniel stormed into the room. My heart stopped, my body tensed. I could feel the danger before he even said a word.