Deck of Cards

Day 26- Jen

Nine of Diamonds- slave for the day for 0hrs

Jen's POV

A diamond meant two things: a day of relaxation but also a day of planning time. I needed the other girls to plan with, I needed the finer details so I could fully master what I had to do. How was I supposed to lure my guard into my cell when he didn't even acknowledge my existence? He pushed me around like a rag doll so he would hardly come into my cell if I batted my eye lashes. He didn't see me in that way.

At least the diamond meant I didn't have to give up my body for a man I didn't know- slave for a day was the hardest activity. It meant giving my body no value and letting myself be placed in a position where I meant less than the dirt that carpeted the floor.

My guard came around like usual and cleared his throat pompously, he knew that he was better than me. In this scenario,everyone was seen as better than me. I was seen as trash in their distorted visions.

"Nine of diamonds. No work for you but you are going on a field trip," he grunted and unlocked the cell door. Heart beating like a drum, I was pushed around until I came into contact with an unfamiliar door. Palms sweating I expected the worst, I thought it would be extra torture because they were bored. Maybe I was just so stuck in my ways that I thought everything they ever did was meant for my pain.

Behind the door was a large, clinical room with shower heads- five to be precise.

"Shower time you grubby mutt," my guard laughed, rustling my hair in a playful way. It wasn't an malicious insult but more a friendly comment. I smiled but then remembered that he was the enemy, he was the one that I was going to kill.

In waltzed the other girls with worried looks on their faces just like I had done. When they saw the showers, their scared faces turned to confusion and then understanding. We were probably getting a bit too dirty for them to find us attractive therefore taking all the fun out of it. Everything was about sex to them.

The water ran and to my surprise it was hot, not piping hot but just right. Groans of pleasure rumbled through the room as we all stood under the waterfalls letting ourselves become emersed in the comforting heatwave. The guards had left us for our privacy but I didn't care, I was stripping down no matter who was watching.

As the water fell, the weeks of dirt ran onto the floor. The floor turned a watery brown as the mud came undone from where it had stuck and dried blood turned it into a ruddy mess. Grabbing the soap that was provided, I scrubbed myself clean, not caring if I was red raw by the end. Massaging the soap into my greasy locks, I savoured the feeling of the soap washing away the horrible things in my hair. By the looks of the damage, I had looked like I lived in a swamp. I was surprised they didn't bring us to shower earlier.

No matter how long I stood under the jets, the dirt kept on running out. It was like my pores had been hoarding dirt and then decided to let it all go. Staring down it was so comforting to see pink skin shine through the layers of green and brown dirt which had cocooned me.

The other girls remained silent, only uttering a few quiet gasps as they became clean. It was like a spiritual experience, nobody wanted to ruin the moment. It could have been good planning time, it could have helped us escape but that time helped each and every one of us gain back a part of us. Our self respect. We all remembered how beautiful we were and that the dirt they put on us was only temporary. We would always break through as ourselves. They could never take away our individuality.

We waited for our guards to come back in as we sat in silence, too scared of being interrupted and revealing our plans. A few awkward smiles flew across the room but that was all. In walked the guards and immediately we all covered ourselves with our arms- I certainly didn't want creepy old men staring at me. A fluffy towel was wrapped around me and I felt like I was floating on a cloud. Walking into another room we were all handed a pair of jogging bottoms and a T-shirt. Scarlett didn't look any different but I could see it in her eyes that she was panicking.

Putting my joggers on, I went over to her casually. The guards looked up but took no notice and carried on their conversations.

"Where's the button?" I asked her quietly while placing on my T-shirt. I too was panicking now, if it was in her old clothes then we were done. The whole thing was ruined.

"Oh it's with my guard," she replied cheerily and I looked over at the blonde guard who was staring intently at us.

"Why do you look worried?" I whispered, now curious.

"They took my mother's necklace," she choked out as tears began to fall. Gasping, I held her against me as she quickly sobbed, we knew that we would be split up soon. Footsteps approached us as the stern face of the blonde guard came into view, I could tell in his eyes that he was doing it for the show. Quick thinking, I liked it.

"Stop fraternising, go away Miss Jenifer," he shouted which brought the attention of the guards back to us. I looked around one last time and saw the guard hand her the necklace back, he had saved it for her. Smiling like an idiot, I was led back to my grimy cell. Once I had been pushed inside I didn't know what to do;I didn't want to dirty the new, clean me.

"That's your halfway clean up done," barked the man at my door and he stomped off while I was trying to work out how to remain clean. Halfway through hell, I knew that I wouldn't have to endure the other half. We would come out victorious.