Stolen (9 page)

When we arrive at the prison, the guards pull me out of the wagon and drag me inside. It isn’t a huge place, but it has high fences and a guard at each entrance. They shove me down some long halls, with cells either side. Finally, they stop at one and open it, throwing me inside and ordering me to get changed. The officer feels me to make sure I have nothing on me before he turns and slams the door.

“Rules are straightforward, you spend most of your day here, we take you out for two hours a day. Breakfast and lunch is served in here, and you come out for dinner. You try and escape; you get shot, got it?”

“Got it.” I snap.

I looked around my little room; there is a bed in the corner, a table and chairs and a small toilet and shower behind a curtain. My heart clenches at the thought of being here. This would be the longest thirty days of my life. I lay down on the bed and stare at the wall; I don’t know how I will cope in this place for long. It’s only a month, only a month. That doesn’t seem to ease my anxiety.

Days 1 – 10

The first two days I hardly move or eat. The only thing I can think about is Blade, he is in my thoughts constantly. Is he okay? Are they coping? I don’t leave my cell. The girls walk past, rattling on the cage. I try to ignore it, but their taunts just kept getting louder and louder.

“You have to come out sooner or later, we will be waiting.”

Day eight in this dungeon, I finally come out. I don’t know why they kept me locked away for eight days, but I am grateful for
it because
now I have to face the rest of them. The guard drags me outside into the spacious green field where all the girls are in groups, staring and talking.

I find a small seat off to the side and sit, trying to avoid any attention being drawn to myself. I see from the corner of my eye, a group of girls walking towards me. I look down pretending I don’t see them. The leader of the group, a large butch looking girl, leans over me, and I stare up at her.

“Can I help you?

“Fresh meat huh? We like someone new to taunt in this place, we all know why you’re here. You are pathetic; just a spoilt little rich girl sent here to teach you a lesson. We can do that for you.” She smirks.

“Go away.”

“What did you say?”

“I said get lost. Go find someone else to spit all over.” I hiss, and her eyes widen.

She leans down grabbing my arm, her fingers dig in so hard I can feel the flesh tear a little. I don’t move, nor do I show her any pain, I just stare hard at her.

“Ah! Tougher than she looks, it’s okay princess  you have to shower sometime.”

“Just get lost.”

“Don’t turn your back for too long love, because I will be pouncing on it.” She laughs, digging her cigarette butt into my arm. I clench my teeth together as it burns into my skin.

“What is going on here?” Demands a guard, walking over and shoving the large girl away.

“Just making her feel welcome officer.” She laughs, walking off.

My arm is burning, and I quickly make my way to a nearby water fountain and run the cool water over it. When I get back to my cell, I do my best to cover the nasty bruises on my arms. I dread showering, knowing full well that this was not over. In fact, it was just getting started.

Day 10-20

Days pass, the girls continue to torture me. Every time we go outside they would do something, I have been pinched, spat on, hit and kicked. I am numb to it now, I don’t care; my mind has turned itself off. Every day I go out, I just prepare myself for it. Tonight is the first shower night;
I have been lucky enough to get warm water and soap delivered into my room for the first ten days.
I am sick with nerves knowing the officers only stand outside the room and leave us alone in the showers.

When the time comes, I am shoved down the hall with the rest of them. The shower room is steamed up; it’s hard to see. I get dragged to a shower and told I have five minutes; I take off my clothes; leaving on only my underwear. The hot water is nice on my skin, but the moment doesn’t last long before they appear out of the mist. There are five of them. I shake my head, knowing this is going to hurt.

“You’re a tough little thing, but by
God
we are going to make you pay. You will scream before you leave here princess.”

They push me into the corner; I feel a knee slam between my legs, that hurt like hell. I drop to the ground where I cop at least ten kicks to my ribs and two to my face. I can see the blood pouring onto the floor and washing down the drain. Then the butch girl
lifts me up; she has a razor blade in her hand. She takes my arm and digs it in hard; I finally scream. She quickly drops me and they all retreat. The guard comes flying in, lifting me off the ground.

“Who did this?” She demands.

No one answers.

“Who did this?” She says again, this time to me.

“I don’t know.”

“Get dressed I will take you to the first aid officer.”

She lets me dress, then leads me out of the showers and to a small room. When we get inside, I see a young nurse, who turns and gapes.

“Oh wow, someone done a good job of you. Sit. Do you know who did this?”

“No, I didn’t see.”

“Are you sure?”

“Positive.”

“Alright, well just sit still I am going to clean you up.” She mutters and starts cleaning me up.

She gives me an antiseptic and stitches my arm, then moves on to patch up anything else she can. The bruises are unable to be helped. When she is done I am led back to my room where I fall onto my bed. My protection increases from then, I am grateful for that. The only thing that keeps me going is the fact that I will be home soon, I have to hope that would be worth all of this.

Days 20 – 30

Finally, it is nearly time the sentence ends. Though by now I don’t care, I just live day to day. I still look like absolute hell; my face is still bruised and my arm has a nasty big scar running up it. I have only just gotten the stitches out. I no longer go outside for sunshine. I feel sick constantly, and I throw up a lot. I am deteriorating fast.

Finally after a month of suffering, it is the eve of my homecoming. I feel a bit of life come back into me knowing this would be my last night here. I go to dinner that
evening, sitting by myself as usual. For the first time in many days,
the butch girl and the group co
me over and sit at my
table;
I shake my head as she leans in towards me.

“So, home time tomorrow, we can’t let you go home without remembering us.”

“Just leave, I think you have made your point.”

“Our point is never made.” She grins, then drives a small knife into my leg. I open my mouth to scream, but she cuts me off.

“Don’t scream or I will just kill you. I am in here for life anyway,” She whispers harshly, then reefs the knife out. “Hope you enjoyed your time here.”

I stagger back to my room and wrap my leg tightly; I lay on the bed and don’t move until morning when the officer comes and drags me out. After a lot of paper work, I am finally shoved out the front door. I see Nessie instantly, and my shield crumbles. I hobble towards her, and she rushes over, pulling me into her grips.

“Oh sweetheart. Beautiful Em, you look awful.”

I am suddenly reefed from her arms and into someone
else’s
, my mothers. I shove her away furiously. How dare she try and hold me.

“Don’t pull away from me, I have been through hell since you left.”

“You have been through hell?” I scream, “Take one look at me mother and have a wild guess what I have been through.”

“Did they hurt you baby?” She says softly. Oh good lord.

“I just want to go home.” I mutter to Nessie.

“Of course sweetheart, Blade come and help her to the car.” Nessie orders and I finally see Blade. His eyes meet mine and stay there for a long moment. His gaze is tormented.

“You’re not coming home with us?” My mother snaps.

“No. You are no longer my family. I hope one day we can have some sort of relationship again, but I am going to live with them for now.”

“If that’s what you want.” She snaps. I stare at my father, who hasn’t said a word. He just stands staring at the ground.

“Nice to see you too daddy…”

“Sorry, I didn’t know what to say…” He mumbles.

“Don’t bother.
Let’s
go.”

Nessie takes my hand and leads me to the car. Blade finally runs a finger over my cheek.

“Are you okay?”

“No.” I whisper and get
into
the car.

Blade slips in beside me and puts his hand on mine, but I don’t move, I just stare out the window. No one speaks as we drive back to the shack. When we pull up, I slip out of the car and walk inside. I know they will want answers, but the memories are so painful. I sit on the couch, and when everyone sits, I sigh.

“I guess you want to know what happened?”

A bunch of heads nod.

“It was hell…” I start to say, and as though a dam bursts, my tears flow. “Sorry, I need a minute.”

I stand and rush outside; Nessie follows close behind me.

“Oh sweetheart, come here.”

“It was horrible Nessie. This group of girls picked on me; they kicked me, hit me, cut me, they even stabbed me.” I say, remembering my leg. I look down, and I can see the blood stain on my pants, this gets my tears flowing even harder.

“Oh baby girl.”

“I don’t understand. I didn’t do anything wrong to deserve this!” I scream a little, gripping her shirt.

“No of course you didn’t, you shouldn’t have done this. I know what my boys did to you, why did you protect them?”

“Because they were protecting you.” I wail.

“What do you mean?”

“They were after me to get money for you because you are sick, it was out of pure love. If they had been caught they would have been locked away for years, I couldn’t do that to them or to you.”

“Oh lord!” Now she is crying.

“I am so sorry, all I wanted to do was the right thing. Being in prison was hell Nessie, I don’t think I will ever be the same again.”

“You will love, it takes time.”

I hear the door slam beside us and pull back to see Blade storming down the stairs.

“Blade!” I yell.

“Go after him love, he has been through hell since you went to prison. He has barely even spoken to us.”

I turn and run after Blade; I find him punching senselessly into a bunch of trees.

“Blade stop!” I yell, and he turns, his hair is framing that beautiful, angry face.

“This is my fault. I heard what they did to you; that should have been me.”

“No. I am fine. I will be ok.” I tremble.

“Have you fucking seen yourself? Don’t you dare tell me you are fine.”

“Blade stop, please…”

“You should have let me take this.” He screams at me.

“Stop it, this isn’t about you.
God
Dammit Blade, stop it.”

“Go to hell.”

I feel like he has slapped me.

“What?”

“I didn’t mean …” He whispers, but Jock is by his side pulling him back.

I turn and flee; I can hear him screaming after me, but I don’t care. How dare he take it out on me. How dare he. I run into the spare room and slam the door loudly.

“Em.”

I hear a knock and Nessie’s voice. She comes in a moment later and sighs.

“He hates me…” My voice comes out wobbly.

“No love he doesn’t.”

“I have ruined everything.”

“This is not your fault love, he is just mad. His ego is shot, and he feels like a failure.”

“Well I am the one who had to put up with it, I got taken from my family, shot and then I got locked away. I didn’t ask for that.”

“I know you didn’t. Come here,” She soothes, “How about a nice cup of tea? You have a shower, and I will make you one.”

“Thanks for everything Nessie.”

“Anytime, come on I will help you in.”

She helps me into the shower where I strip out of the ugly prison suit. My leg is terrible and nearly covered in dried blood. I have completely forgotten about it, Nessie gasps and her hand flings over her mouth.

“Love, your leg.”

“It’s ok Nessie. It’s just dried blood.”

“Let me see.”

She spends the next hour cleaning my leg and fussing over me. When I am showered and clean, I walk back out into the lounge room. Blade stands right away and steps towards me.

“Can I talk to you?”

I nod and follow him into the room; he shuts and locks the door. Ok…

“What I said back there, I didn’t mean it. None of this is your fault, just seeing you Em and all those marks all over you. It’s not hard to tell you got beaten badly, it kills me.”