The Dead Studios: Season 10

Chapter 4: Stolen Hope

     Caroline's eyelids flickered a bit, as they adjusted to the bright sun shining down on her. She felt her hands were tied behind her back, and she felt the smooth holes of a metal fence rub on her back behind her. She wanted to rub her eyes, but she couldn't move her arms, as she turned her head she saw Smithy tied up next to her, as her eyes finally adjusted and opened up fully. There was something tied around his mouth, and his arms were also tied behind his back, attached to the fence. She didn't see Olivia or David, but further down next to Smithy was Colton who was tied up also. She looked around at her surroundings, seeing large piles of trash and scrap laying around. She breathed in, ready for the fresh spring air, but instead was filled with the rotten smell of burning flesh. Her nostrils flared as her expression went dull, trying to push out the smell. She looked around more, seeing there were other people tied up to the fence, people she had never seen before. She continued to examine her surroundings when she suddenly saw a small group of people walking up to her. She glared at them as the sun was bright, burning down on her skin. The group approached her, as a tall woman stood in front of her. She kneeled down to Caroline, as she was sitting on the ground, and looked at her.

"Hello." The woman said. "I'm Ava." She said looking at Caroline, as Caroline looked back at her, her expression blank. "Mmm." She said under her breath. "Not much of a talker?" She said, showing a bit of an accent. "Well, I just want you to know, the man we shot back at your cabin, he is perfectly fine. We patched him up, and he's currently still at the cabin with a small group of my people watching over him. So don't worry about him.  Also, I hope you don't think you're a prisoner here, because you aren't." She said as she pulled the gag out of Caroline's mouth, allowing her to speak.

"Then let me go." She said, looking at Ava.

Ava sighed as she looked down at the ground, then looked up and smiled. "No." She said standing up and walking away from Caroline. Caroline watched her walk away and along the fence.

"This one." She said, pointing to another person tied to the fence, as two men behind her walked up and untied the man, dragging him away.

After a few moments, the smell of burning flesh filled the air again, and screams could be heard in the distance.

"What kind of place is this." Caroline said under her breath.

"Hell." A voice said from next to her. It was a girl, just a little bit younger than her, as her mouth was also not gagged but she was still tied up.

"How long, have you been here for?" Caroline asked her. 

"3 months." She said, shifting her eyes over at Caroline.

Caroline looked at her body, as it was very thin and bony. She tried not to stare, but she couldn't, she felt too bad not to look at her.

"They starve women." She said, turning her head completely at Caroline.

"Why?" Caroline asked.

The woman shrugged her shoulders. "They like men better I suppose. They taste better." She said.

Caroline's eyes widened as she was remembering about Jax. She was hoping he was okay, since these people had probably taken the cabin. She began to worry about James too. She turned her head over at Smithy.

"We're going to be okay." Caroline said. "I have hope."

"You shouldn't." The woman interfered. 

Caroline turned her head over at her.

"I had hope too. For a while, yeah. I had people outside of this place, I always thought they would come get me. Save me from this hell. But, they never came." She said. 

"I can still hope." Caroline said.

The woman shook her head. "Do what you want. It won't last."

Caroline swallowed roughly, feeling her stomach twist as she began to look around the place again. There was smoke filling the air in the distance, and the smell of flesh didn't help her stomach. She tried not to smell it, but she couldn't. 

"I can still hope." Caroline said softly under her breath, as she closed her eyes.

-2 weeks later-

Caroline felt her stomach twist and turn. She had never experienced this kind of hunger before, as she tossed and turned along the fence. She was used to the smell now, and the prisoners along the fence all did too. Smithy sat down next to Caroline, still tied along the fence. Caroline began to feel nauseous, as she held in her throw up, since there was nothing to throw up. She had told Smithy she was pregnant the day they woke up at the scrap yard, and she was beginning to feel the affects. Smithy saw her beginning to gag as she tried to speak through the cloth in his mouth. Suddenly, a man walked up to Caroline, holding water out. Caroline held her mouth out as the man opened it, pouring the water down. His hat covered most of his face, but Caroline was too busy drinking. The man pulled away the empty bottle, as Caroline finished swallowing. She looked up at the man, not being able to see his face as he suddenly lifted up his hat a little.

"James?" She said softly under her breath.