Bound to the Don

chapter 19

Third person pov;

As Louis reached the door, his hand hesitated, fearing the worst: that Salma might be dead.Bracing himself, he pushed open the door and stepped into the dark room. The stench of filth hit him, and he froze, taking in his surroundings, wondering how Salma could have endured such conditions.

As his eyes adjusted to the darkness, he noticed a figure slumped in a chair, head hung low. Louis's hands clenched at his sides as he  approached the chair. He flipped the light switch, and the sudden brightness revealed a girl, her throat brutally slashed. This wasn't Salma, he thought.

Louis's attention was quickly diverted, his eyes locking onto another figure lying on the ground. He approached her, noticing a faint tremble. He knelt beside her, gently turning her over. Salma's eyes stared up at him, vacant and terror-stricken. Her body shook violently. He cursed under his breath out of frustration and relief. She was still alive

Without hesitation, Louis scooped her up in his arms and stood, his movements swift and efficient. He turned to leave carrying Salma like a child as he emerged away from the basement darkness. Salma was making this man go crazy.
***
Salma

As my eyes fluttered open, I blinked rapidly to clear the haze. The sterile white surroundings confused me, and for a fleeting moment, I thought I had finally found peace - that I was dead and in heaven. But the beeping of the heart monitor shattered the illusion, and I realized I was in a hospital room.

I let out a deep sigh, feeling a mix of relief and hopelessness. My gaze drifted towards the monitor, and I noticed my blood pressure was alarmingly high. I stared blankly at the numbers, unable to process anything.

The events in the basement still lingered, casting a dark shadow over my mind. I felt numb, disconnected from my body, as if I was observing myself from outside. The trauma still lingered, making it hard for me to feel anything at all.

Hours of lying still had taken its toll on my body, and I began to feel a dull ache from lying in the same position for too long. I attempted to sit up, but the sudden movement sent a sharp, stabbing pain through my head. I winced, my eyes screwing shut as I waited for the throbbing to subside.

As the pain finally subsided, I reached for the glass of water on the side table and drained it thirstily. I refilled the glass twice more, drinking each cup with equal desperation. Satisfied, I let out a deep sigh and leaned back against the bedpost, surveying the room with a growing sense of unease. The walls seemed to close in around me, and I felt an overwhelming urge to escape. But I hesitated, unsure if I was permitted to leave. The memory of past punishments still lingered, and I had no desire to incur more. The thought alone was enough to keep me anchored to the bed.

After a few minutes of lying motionless on the bed, boredom and hunger began to creep in. I realized that the only meal I'd had was the one Silvia had brought me, and the pangs of hunger were starting to gnaw at my stomach.

Just as I was starting to feel the full force of my hunger, the door creaked open and Silvia stepped inside, a warm smile on her face. She carried a tray heavy loaded with steaming food, the aroma filling the room and making my stomach growl with anticipation

I felt a wave of relief wash over me as Silvia entered with the tray of food. My stomach growled loudly in anticipation, prompting Silvia to let out a gentle laugh. "I see I arrived just in time, my dear," she said with a smile.

As she set the tray down on the side table, her expression turned serious, etched with concern. "Salma, how are you feeling?" she asked, her voice soft and gentle.

"I don't know," I replied, my voice barely above a whisper. Silvia's smile was tinged with sadness as she said, "Everything will be okay." But her words of reassurance only felt hollow to me. I was tired of hearing them, tired of being told that things would get better when, in reality, they only seemed to get worse.