Bloody and Wild

It Happens Quietly

Claudia followed Ryder diligently down the slimy steps to the prison quarters. She scrunched up her nose in disgust and her hand automatically went to cover her mouth when the virulent stench assaulted her nostrils. Ryder swept into the chamber as carelessly as ever, his head held proudly high, not even passing a glance to the poor wretches who knelt subserviently in their cells. Claudia gasped in surprise when he abruptly stopped and turned to face her. Her stomach still did butterflies when he flashed his charming crooked smile but now part of that was from unease.

For days he locked himself away, languishing mysteriously but now her master had returned, and it seemed with fresh vigour.

"I need you to clean out these cells. They need fresh straw and a good mucking out. I might as well skewer the wolves now if I'm going to let them die from dysentery." His teeth flashed when he spoke and his dark eyes sparkled. In the pause Claudia got the idea that she was supposed to laugh at a joke or make a specific remark to pass some test. Instead she looked quickly away from his penetrating gaze and gabbled miserably.

"Me...no...no I'm not good at that kind of thing...I mean...well...I'm a GIRL..." Ryder's smile vanished and he clicked his jaw impatiently.

"So?" He barked sharply. Claudia flinched and started to tremble. "You can hold a shovel same as a man." The edge of his lip quirked up briefly and took a step toward her. He was standing so close that she could practically taste the mint on his breath. "She was a girl also." He gestured one magnanimous hand to the corpse that still dangled from its chains. Flies buzzed over what was left of the flesh. Claudia felt sick, her knees knocked together in fear and her teeth rattled. "And quite a young one but that makes no difference to me. Care to switch places?" Claudia shook her head vehemently, tears gathering in her almond shaped eyes. "Then don't complain." He chucked her chin playfully before sweeping off in his leathers and heading for the far door.

Taylor caught sight of Ryder's expression as he stormed passed. It was murderous.

*

The chores were monotonous. Lauren worked methodically, removing pegs, lifting the garment, dropping it in her basket and then reaching out for the next one. Her mind wondered off on its own, ambling down now well traversed mental pathways of escape. She nudged the basket along with the edge of her toe as she progressed along the line not taking note of her surroundings. Her stomach had that awful moment, the sensation of the drop when you've put your foot down but it hasn't met the ground as you expected. Lauren gave a strangled cry of alarm and flung out her arms to regain balance but it was too late.

Pain enveloped her as her side fell heavily against the stairs. The basket fell with her, following her as she rolled down the stair case as a tangle of limbs.  The crash thundered and echoed around the hushed rooms and all work stopped as stiff faces turned to peer at the cause. Lauren remained on the ground. Every breath was agony and her head was spinning. She gasped desperately for air forcing her bruised chest to expand as her lungs required.  Tears pricked her emerald eyes and she knew that she would be covered in bruises in the morning.

Hurried footsteps stamped up the stairs two at a time.

"Oh my God, are you alright?" A female voice asked breathlessly. A strong pair of hands gripped her under the arms and hoisted her to her feet as if she was small child. Lauren looked up the stair case. The other women had already returned to what they were doing. Lauren compressed her lips with un-uttered annoyance. "Are you hurt?"

Lauren turned to see one set of concerned eyes and one set of unreadable one, both fixed on her. The unreadable expression belonged to Thorn. His hideous face looked as terrifying as usual but Lauren realised that he'd been the one to lift her to her feet.