Hold Tight |Jason McCann|

Chapter 29

| Savanna |

Ringing in my ears, I regained consciousness.

However I wish I had stayed unconscious because the pain of my body was almost too much to handle.

The sound of shuffling was heard from around me followed by a few whispers. I could hear girls whispering in their own language and eventually, as I opened my eyes I was met with the dull room I was put in.

There were 4 girls stood around me, towering over me as if I was an animal in the zoo. Much like me, they really didn't look well, their hair in knots and dirt on their bodies- however, they looked as if they had just arrived, wearing clothes which were ripped and shredded.

I jolted up causing them to step back in shock as I looked up at them, analysing each and every one of them. They were so young. Just like me.

"Wh-who are you?" I managed to get out, the look on their faces told me that they had no clue what I was talking about and the fact that my voice was broken and raspy didn't help them with understanding. They didn't know English.

I slowly stumbled up, placing my hand on the wall for support as I felt my body almost give up on me.

They just stared at me.

I looked around the room, it almost looked like a dungeon, dark and moist from the walls with dampness seeping through the grey walls. The floor was concrete, freezing might I add under my bare feet.

"Please, you need to help me" I spoke, clearly this time but almost tearing up as they just looked at each other.

Suddenly, a voice was heard from behind them. "They won't be able to help you" It was a girls voice, she had an accent to it but thankfully was able to speak English, enough for the both of us to understand one another.

The girls parted making me look down to see a girl sat with her back against the wall, she had long blonde hair and wore a tank top and jeans which were dirty and ripped. Her legs out in front of her, she looked up at me.

She slowly stood up as I watched her, "Where are we? Why are we here?"

I remembered Ro and her words however, I almost wished that was all a dream and it never actually happened. But the pain in my rib reminded me that it happened.

"You still don't know? Ro didn't do a good job with you did she?"

She knew Ro, this was good.

"How old are you?" I asked her, "22" she replied.

"Look, there's no time for introduction, this isn't a fucking youth club. In just a couple minutes or maybe even hours, men will come in here and we will be separated- I will see you again, but only once they are done with you." She spoke making me frown,

"But I must say, I'm surprised to see you in here. I don't know who you are but I know they are very interested in whoever Jason McCann is and apparently, you're worth a lot. This is the room where they dump all the girls that won't bring them millions... I guess you're not so special after all" She continued, shrugging. She was so blunt it almost scared me, like she was used to this.

The sound of heavy footsteps began getting closer and closer, the girls shuffled back, whimpering in fear as I stood ahead, watching the door to see who it was. I felt my arm being yanked back and I was pushed against the wall by the unnamed girl "Are you stupid? Stand back before they shoot you, I can see you've already taken some beatings" she told me in a whisper,

"The new ones always put up a fight" She muttered to herself as the door swung open.

3 men appeared as they stood ahead of us 6 girls lined up against the wall, using each other as support.

There was a guy who stood ahead of the other two, scanning each and every one of us, "Those two" he nodded over to the two girls at the end, my heart dropped to my stomach as I heard them crying and sobbing, begging to not be taken.

With a fight, they dragged the two girls out in any way they could, occasionally hitting them which was no use as they continued fighting and crying. I couldn't hold it in, crying as I tried to stop them from taking them but I was being pulled back by the rest as the door slammed.

"Why did you stop me?! Why didn't you help them?!" I raised my voice although it still cracked from my dry throat.

"Help them? What do you think this is? A movie?" The girl said, scoffing.

"I don't know where you're from, but in my country, this is illegal. Stop normalising it and do something to help me get out of here." She was taken aback by my words, I kind of didn't expect myself to say what I did as quite frankly, I had no energy to be arguing but my heart was beating so fast from the fight I had just put up, I could say anything.

"She right" one of the other girls spoke, her accent very thick, I turned to look at her as she joined us, along with the other girl.

"You guys are delusional..." she trailed off looking back the two girls "você sabe o que eles podem fazer" ("You know what they can do" She snapped, and then turning to look at me again.

"Why did they choose those two girls?" I asked

"They take us in twos. It's how they save time and get more money. Once they are done with them, they'll drug them up and send them back here" She replied making my mouth part, drug them?

I cannot stay here. We cannot stay here.

"They won't be back for another hour or so, so make yourself comfortable" She shrugged sitting down on the ground and closing her eyes.

I turned to the girls, "My name is Savanna, what are your names?" I spoke slowly and clearly and by the looks of it, they could understand.

"My name is Carolina, this is Maria" One of them responded, I sent them a small smile out of comfort.

"And I'm Eva, what's next?" The girl on the floor spoke up, amusement in her voice making me frown.

I looked down at her before speaking,

"What's next is that we are leaving here, now."