The Ties that Bind Me Book 1

Who Knew I Could Take Much More

The morning came too early for me the next day. I hadn't done too much manual labor in my life so this was going to be very interesting. Lolek came in and got me way too early in the morning. He waited outside while I got dressed. I found a pair of form fitting tights and a long t-shirt that was in my things, got back my sketchers and put my hair up. I walked out of the room slowly, the movements still hurt a bit, but I stood straight and followed Lolek to the back of the kitchen. 

There they were unloading crate after crate from large overfull trucks. I watched them for a moment then over to Lolek. The smile on his face said it all, that fucking sarcastic smirk of "Oh yes this is what I am having you do." I wanted to slap that smirk off his face but before he could say a word I moved over to the men and helped them start unloading. The supervisor must have been confused because he looked wildly at me and then walked over to Lolek where they started to talk. 

Each crate handed down weighed about fifty to sixty pounds, some even heavier than that. I didn't flinch with the pain as I took the crate and placed it where it was supposed to go. By the third one my back, shoulders and sides were on fire, but I wouldn't give in. About ten more into unloading I couldn't move or lift anything anymore. The pain was beyond anything I had ever had before. I moved off to the side to catch my breath when Lolek and the supervisor came over to me.

Supervisor* الفتاة التي لم تكن حتى قريبة من القيام به لهذا اليوم. بلدي الآخرين لا تحصل على استراحة ولا لك. Lolek موجود هنا للتأكد من أنك لا ترهق ، لذلك أنصحك بالعودة إلى العمل. (Girl you aren't even close to done for the day. My others don't get a break and neither do you. Lolek is here to make sure you don't slack, so I advise you to get back to work.)

Lolek's sultry voice was next to assault my ears through the ringing and burning of the pain that enveloped me. "You know if you aren't committed to this then just go back and don't worry about it. I will let them know that you just couldn't handle the simplest of tasks."

I could feel the rage ensue me as he spoke and I reached out, grabbing his shirt and pulling him close to me. "Don't ever say that to me Lolek. I could barely walk this morning but I did, I came here expecting torture and pain and I got even more than I bargained for. I ripped open the stitches in my side so excuse me if I need a second to breathe due to blood loss. Go fuck yourself, right about now I don't need you breathing down my neck."

Before he could say another word I moved back over to the truck and kept grabbing crates. I ignored the blood that pooled around my feet and kept moving, blocking out my pain with pure rage. I kept going until the truck was fully unloaded, and I looked to the supervisor for more instructions.

Imiri* ماذا علي أن أفعل؟ (What else am I to do?)

Supervisor* لا شيء صغير ، اذهب واحذر مني وأعود لي غدًا ، سيكون لدي شاحنتين أخريين ، وهناك حاجة ماسة لمساعدتكم. (Nothing small one, go get looked over and come back to me tomorrow, I will have two more trucks coming in and your help is much needed.)

I nodded slightly and felt myself go unsteady from the lack of blood in my body. Lolek reached out to me, trying real hard to steady me but I brushed him away and started to move into the kitchen for food and drink before heading off to my room to re-stitch my wound.

I moved around and picked up what I would need to recharge my system before tomorrow. I ignored Lolek's pleas to help me, I was still too mad that he even thought I wasn't committed to this. It was my life on the line, not his. He didn't put his lily white ass on the line to do this, I did. I needed the means and the strength to fight back, to maybe find my way out of this place. Not even in bed a week from injuries that would have killed a weaker person... He was just ... UGH!!!

I had finally made it back to my room and placed everything down Lolek still trailing behind me like a lost puppy trying to suck up to a stronger dog. I reached under my bed and grabbed out the box that Azana had left with me for clothes and other things I may need. I grabbed out my needle and some stronger nylon thread and started to stitch the wound. The pain was incredible and the angle odd so it wasn't going to be perfect, but good enough that I could move without damaging them or my skin again from the work. I didn't really pay attention to Lolek until the adrenaline and rage had dissipated from my body leaving me over tired.

"Imiri, I really am sorry. I only said that to you so you would get mad. They told you I wasn't going to be easy on you, but I didn't expect for you to get that irate from it. A little encouragement was all. I know it was hard for you, I know the first week or two are going to be rough, but once you tough those out it won't be that bad I promise you. The hardest part will be over. Tomorrow we meet at the same time and go back so you can help work on the trucks. Rest well Imiri and know that every hard day you have now makes the next ones easier."

Before I could even respond he left the room and I just stared as the door closed behind him. I was furious, not because he has stated the obvious, but because I was tired and I wanted him to stay with me. It was odd how away from training he was so sweet, kind and caring. But when the training began he was the cold hard killer I thought he was in the beginning. I think I was the only one who could differentiate between the two, but did I honestly want to. I fell asleep between one thought and the next, but the good things just didn't last long enough. I had my little dagger where it always was, under my pillow, for a just in case. The way I was sleeping though I would have been killed for all the good that little dagger would do me. The night hours went on and I slept like a rock but you know how it goes. Morning always came to soon...