Descent

Chapter 21 ~ Sink or Swim.

I stare at the wall blankly in front of me, the walls are cracked in lots of places but pastel pink colours still bleed through.

My mind wanders as more and more girls enter the room, a few young boys wonder in as well but I barely notice them as my thoughts whirl.

The absolute horrors that my cousin has had to face...

I knew she was going to be traumatised from being with Rosik, I expected her to endure violence and naively I saw her disability and assumed that in some sick way that it could have kept her safe from all of this.

That perhaps Rosik could have felt some sort of pity for her and known deep down that she had already been through enough.

But I was wrong, I was hopeful and that in itself made me stupid.

Perhaps Dana already knew of this plan?
She may have even wanted to join this morbid crusade.

I refuse to believe that she enjoys this torture, I refuse to believe that she is willing.

"What's going on?" A familiar voice calls out and finally my tear-stained face turns towards Paris who hovers in the doorway and only now I realise how crowded this room has become.

Her clothing is slightly askew and her cheeks are flushed but her stance is firm.

It takes her a moment to peer through the crowd of easily twenty before she spies both Mia and myself trapped on the bed.

"Oh hell no!" She calls out and the redhead makes her way towards Paris.

The crowd wordlessly parting for her while someone in the room slams the door behind Paris.

"Paris give us the key card. We've convinced your friends that this is the only way out, stop being stubborn and join us." She calls out and Paris storms up to the girl and without any hesitation she slaps the redhead open palmed and with full force.

She is grabbed instantly but she doesn't try to fight, having already spoken volumes but the redhead only chuckles.

"See? I'm so fucked up that I'm trained to automatically say harder Daddy." She spits out and turns to face the room.

"This is hell and if we don't turn on this ship then we are only going to turn on each other." She shouts and the crowd mutters in agreement while I blandly watch.

Seems like they're already turning on each other. I bleakly think as I feel Mia shift on the bed, fighting the ropes to get a better view.

"We have someone in this room who has already survived hell Stephanie. She has escaped Rosik once, she can do it again." Paris addresses the redhead, who I now know is Stephanie and I find all eyes turn to my form and I force myself to nod even though every fibre of my being just wants to cry.

The reality of this ship and what every prisoner is going through is hitting me with full force.

There are better options out there, there always will be.
Suicide is never the answer but I can't help but understand why this option has brought in such a crowd.

Compared to what they've endured...

It's easy.

"Look at her! She doesn't want to be here either. We have all suffered enough. The reality is that we are following through with this plan. Those of you that are still unsure need to be aware of what's going to happen to the survivors. Are you prepared for that? How popular you'll become?"

Stephanie calls out and the crowd is splashed with ice cold fear as they envision their choices.

"T-The survivors will l-live to see another d-day." A soft voice calls out, it's barely a whisper but it spreads through the room like wildfire and everyone turns in shock towards the bed and my own gaze falls unbelievably to the small form next to me.