Lost

Chapter 30

Belle’s POV

The next day isn’t any better.

But I’d have to say, it’s slightly more interesting…but not in a good way.

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It’s already about half way into the working day  and I’ve only weaved 3 rugs. It’s not that I am not fully aware of the situation: If I don’t make 10 rugs, bad things will happen. It’s as simple as that. Believe me, if I could, I would work faster, but the throbbing in my fingers make it difficult to do so.

I recall the night before when I first discovered the cuts. My blood was leaking all over the floor and at first I wasn’t concerned. I thought that maybe I’d be exempt from weaving if I had a couple of injuries. But Bethany, on the other hand, was freaking out. She grabbed a roll of blood-red fabric from the rack (that’s where we keep the fabric), located in the corner of the room, and a pair of rusty scissors from our work table. In a couple of snips and trims, Bethany had, in her hand, 5 long strips of fabric-all used to tie my fingers up like band-aids . All the while, I hear whispering amongst the other prisoners. They were saying things like, ‘It’s about time’ or ‘I knew she was going to get hurt sometime’ or ‘Do you think she’ll make it?’.

I snap out of my flashback and stare at the red bandages around my fingers. I can’t tell if they’re red from my blood or from the fabric itself. It was very smart of Bethany to choose red-because she knows I can’t stand the sight of blood. Even after all of that, I still have to work.

“Take a break, honey. You should be resting your fingers.” Bethany gently takes my little hands into hers and briefly examines the worn out bandages.

“But I have to. I only made 3.” I whine as I make the effort not to cry. As much as I wish I could stop, I can’t. I don’t want to get beaten.

“I’ll help you. Just rest your fingers.” Bethany suggests a most kind offer-an offer I can’t be willing to take.

“But you-“ I glance at her side of the table to see her loom with half of a finished multi-colored rug attached to it. That’s only her  5th one so far and working on a table loom is way more complicated than working on a…whatever it is I’m working on. What kind of friend would I be if I let her finish my work for me? I’m not letting her get beaten because of me, that’s for sure.

“It’s okay. Don’t worry.” She grabs my loom and her fingers easily glide through the strings, as she works at a pace about 10 times faster.

“Bethany stop-I can do it.” I am about to pry the loom from her hands when I hear footsteps…

The whole room, that was once dead with cold silence, is suddenly alive with the sound of chit-chattering children, obviously suspicious of this phenomenon. It’s not like getting visits is a good thing. If anything, we should all be terrified. Bethany and I exchange glances when we both hear the sound of locks being turned. The room stands still as the door knob is turned and the door creaks open in suspense.

“Hey new girl! Boss wants to see you.” The man doesn’t even have to step inside to bring tension into the room-that’s how much we feared them.

“Bethany!??”  I faintly whisper a distressed cry for help into Bethany’s ears, but there’s not enough time for a response.

I pace through the room in short, small steps, trying as much as possible to stall, that is until-

“Hurry up!”

With that said, I quicken my pace until I am scurrying towards the door. Everything goes accordingly until I feel something yank my wrist back, just as I am seconds away from leaving this stink-hole of a prison. I howl in pain as I am compelled backwards by the sudden force of the chain-my stupid chain.

“Oh that’s right. Hold on.” The man enters the room, shoving me aside, as he grabs a key from his pocket and unlocks the lock on my wrist.  

I can only imagine the look on the prisoners’ faces. They, who have been here much longer than I have, have probably never left the restrictions of their chain, whereas I am now free.

I’m free!

Before I can celebrate, the man grabs my wrist roughly and nearly drags me out of the room with such hostility I wish I was back on my chain.

And then I am blind…

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