Cartels

chapter 13―knives

❝the moment i wake up❞

-aretha franklin

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His grimy hands contaminated my skin as they slid up and down my body.

"STOP! PLEASE!" I wailed, trying to break the ropes that restrained my hands and ankles. Thrashing any limb I could, I tried to loosen the knots, failing miserably. Tears soon started to cloud my vision and pour out my eyes uncontrollably. 

"Nuh-uh," the demon before me tsked. "We has a deal, inocentul meu. I won that game fair and square. Now it's time for my prize." I kept keeping my feet and moving my legs, eventually feeling the rope fastened around my right leg to give way. Using this opportunity, I mustered up enough strength to knee him in the balls, sending him hunching over cursing. I tried getting up from the chair, only to fall over since the other ropes locked my other leg to it.

"Where do you think you're going, cretin?" The horrific man in front of me bellowed. He quickly stood up,cocked his hand back, and punched me square in the jaw. As he repeatedly beat me, I screamed and thrashed, hopeful that someone would rescue me. 

But no one did.

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I woke up in a cold sweat, clutching the white comforter for my dear life. My chest rose and fell rapidly and I placed my hand over my beating heart in attempt to slow it down. After a minute passed, my breathing returned to normal, but I know I wouldn't fall asleep again. There hasn't been a day in my life when these nightmares wouldn't haunt me. I should be used to waking up in the middle of the night by now, but the tiredness always hits me at the most unexpected times. 

I slowly push the comforter off of myself and tread to the bathroom. Glancing at my appearance, I splash cold water on my face to get rid of my tear-tracked cheeks and under eye bags. I wonder how Cass is holding up, I thought to myself. 

With my curiosity getting the best of me, I quietly strolled down the hallway and stopped in front of Cass's door. Raising my fist up in the air, I prepared to knock, but stopped when I noticed its ajar state. That's weird, Cass always locks the door when she sleeps. On high alert, I gently pushed the door and peeked inside. Her layout was similar to my room except her room had red decoration incorporated. Curiously, I stepped inside and my eyes widened at the sight in front of me. 

A tall, buff man in a tailored suit stood over sleeping Cass with a baseball bat in his hand. He looked up when he saw me advance towards the lamp on her bedside table, quickly maneuvering around the bed to get to me. However, I swiftly ran to the center of the room, leaving plenty of space between me and the intruder.

"Who are you?" I demanded, raising the lamp in the air. Instead of answering, the brute lunged at me. I swung my arms with all my might, the object in my hand successfully colliding with the invaders head. He fell to the ground as porcelain pieces flew everywhere. I turned to see wide-eyed Cass staring at the incredulous situation in front of her. 

"What the fuck happened?" Cass breathed, her eyes moving from the victim to my me. 

"I don't know, I just came to your room and this guy was standing over you with a baseball bat," I explained, my breathing fast-paced yet again. Cass threw her covers off of her and ran up to the man. "Be careful! There's glass every-"