Tempting Fire

Vital

My body is pinned to the concrete floor, four men one by one start to surround me. I felt like the floor beneath me was trembling but I was wrong.

It was me.

I can't make out their features but I'm not sure I want too and turn my face to the side. Away from them. I knew what was coming.

The pain starts instantly, slash after slash. A whimper is all I can muster as I try to concentrate on the candle across from me as it flickers. The scream that's building inside of me hurts, they move me around as easy as lifting a feather. I take comfort in knowing only 17 lashings and its done.

1

2

3

I'm no longer sobbing, the only sound that wants to escape is my scream and I am too scared of the consequences if I do. The candle is no longer flickering and panic sweeps through me, I look around, hoping to see something that I can concentrate on and I see his black eyes. I can't look away, he brings the whip down again.

I can only see his eyes but I can tell he's smiling. He's enjoying this and bile rises to my throat.

7

8

9

I can't catch my breath as panic tries to choke me.  Maybe just maybe I will die.

11

12

13

My heart feels like it wants to give up, I hold out and hope starts to rise, four more to go. Everything dissipates as he strikes me again.

15

And again.

16

The scream inside me grows louder and it feels like a vital part of me.

17

My scream escapes as my body starts to tremble, my heart bursting open, the pain is everything from my head to my toes. The room shakes along side my body like we are one. They disappear, the candle now lit as I stare into it flickering once again.

Now I wait.

He walks towards me and yanks my arm from under me. I manage to silence myself and I  cn hear the sizzle before I feel the pain on my wrist and the smell of my own burning flesh.

My heart breaks.