Survival Of The Fittest

Chapter V

Pic of Dylen
That night trumped all the other awful nights I'd had since being taken. The things I did and was made to do...it's like my brain shut down and blurred those memories because all I remember is the constant struggle to not throw up or pass out from the pain, when the dawn started to streak across the sky we were herded back into the van and taken back to the basement. The shame, guilt, and filthiness I felt left me unable to look at my friends in the eye. The worst thing was that the next night I would have to work harder, tonight I had barely reached the amount I needed much less my share to help out Dylen. Diamond had done better and had got enough for the both of them. Diamond was sleeping with her head on my shoulder on one side while Dylen's slight frame was racked by coughs as she lay her head on my other shoulder. I put my arms around them hugging my friends closer, my love language had always been physical contact, but after tonight I knew the only people I would be hugging voluntarily were my two friends.

Megan sat a couple seats up, she turned to me and mouthed, "I am so sorry..." but I just turned my face away. Usually I would have been up there hugging her in a second, but not anymore, so I turned to her and mouthed back indifferently, "Whatever." At that she began to cry, but my heart had just frozen over a little bit more, "survival of the fittest" I whispered to myself, and tried to get some sleep.

Over the following week the three of us settled into the routine, both Di and I agreed that there was no way Dylen could work, both of us began to have a regular clientele and we were making sufficient for the three of us. Dyl was slowly getting better and every night we would pile into the same bed to keep each other warm. When the week came to an end, everyone was lined against the wall and the lady who had shot the girl started coming down the line with a clipboard in her hand. "Here I have what you have brought in every night," she started, "with what you have from tonight the amount must be $750 if you have more than $900 I will reward you with a hot shower." At that all of us moaned dreamily the chance of warm shower sounded like heaven, but I thought over what we had quickly and realized that we had $2,406 that was "enough for one of us to have a get a shower", "but who," Di whispered in my ear, and I realized that I had stated the last part of my calculations aloud. "Dylen should," I whispered back, "but you two are the ones who worked for it," Dylen protested. "We stand by each other," Diamond said, then she smiled at me approvingly "Dyl it is." With that we quickly split up the money.

A scream from further up the line made us flinch harshly, a girl was laying on the floor pleading, "Please, please don't kill me, I'll do better I promise, I will do better." The lady just smiled in a sickeningly sweet way, "Now, now, what kind of a person would I be if I didn't keep my word." And drew out her gun, "Stop!" I screamed, the lady raised an eyebrow at me, "she dropped this"

I faltered for a second, then pulling myself together, "I was getting down from the van when I saw the money, I didn't know who's it was so I didn't say anything, I know she should have the amount because she worked hard, and the guys like her." I ran out of breath and just stood there panting, as I held out my money in my hand. I had put part of it into Di's hand. Enough so that she could make $900, the money was of no use to ...but she could get a warm shower at least. I had never seen the girl on the floor I didn't know if she had worked or not, but I couldn't just let her die. I prayed the money in my hands would be enough, to myself I thought surely she made at least a little, giving the exact amount would have been suspicious and I just hoped it was enough. Suspiciously the lady took the money from my hand and began to count, when she was done she said, "$800 very well."

Then she turned to me, I was so relieved that I didn't hear her until her irritated voice said, "are you listening? Where is your money?" I hung my head. "I don't have any." "Well it looks like I will get to have some fun today," and she pulled out her gun again, cocking it she pressed it to my forehead and said "Look at me!" I forced myself to look up the barrel of the gun, my life didn't flash before my eyes or anything like that. All I saw was the tool that would take me away from this pain, and a weird sense of euphoria took over my body.

"Stop." A male voice rung out cool, unfeeling and controlled. "That will be enough, I am here to buy her."

At that the lady laughed, "and who do you think you are?" His reply was, "I will give you the amount it would take you to dispose of her, you were going to kill her what do you care?" She nodded indifferently, "I suppose so...cash only." "Of course," he murmured and pulling out a roll of bills from his suit he handed them to her. Her eyes widened in shock as she counted the money "This is very generous, "Mr.?" He raised an imperious eyebrow at her, "Adrian."