She couldn't see anything.
The darkness was so overwhelming it made her want to scream out.
But her throat was hoarse from the last time.
So she whimpered quietly.
Her head thrown against something hard making her cry out as her scalp began to swell.
She was dropped from the mans grip, kicked across the concrete.
The sack was torn off her head, but he left the rope that bound her wrists untouched.
The man laughed gruffly at her tears.
"Don't... Don't... Please don't hurt me" she whispered.
The man slapped her across the face.
"Listen to me little girl. You will do what we say, when we say. If you and your Daddy cooperate, you can go home. But if you don't..." The man gestured towards the darkness and a group of men not unlike their leader - tall, dirty and strong - stepped forward, into the dim light the moon cast into the warehouse.
She winced at the sound of them cracking their fists, sharpening their knives on the metal support beams.
"Geddit?" He spat.
His men laughed as she nodded, sobbing. How could they be so horrible?
And why did they want her, anyway?
There was a slow knock at the door and her back straightened.
Finally, she thought, Daddy's here to rescue me.
The huge metal door was slid open, grinding horribly.
"Sports Master! To what do we owe the..."
"Why am I here?" her father eyed the man, his brow furrowed in anger.
"We thought you'd be interested in a little something we found on the street"
The leader stepped aside, revealing the small girl - bound, bruised and cry miserably.
"Yes?"
"Twenty gran or she gets it" The leader held a knife to her throat and she began to wail, tears streaming down her face.
Her father stepped towards her, bending down on one knee so he was at her height, holding her face in his hands.
"D-D-Daddy? Are you going to save me?"
"Remember when we practiced archery?"
"Y-yes?"
"You are good"
Sports Master stood up, looking down at his daughter.
"I hope you are good enough" he said, smiling slightly as he dropped a bag of arrows and a bow at her feet.
He turned to the group of confused men, tipped his hat, and walked out the still open door.
"Well boys" The leader scowled, still slightly dazed, "Time to have some fun"
She stared up at the men, an adrenaline rush kicking in as they began to close in.
She grabbed arrow between her teeth and cut the ropes that bound her.
Grabbing her bow, she drew and fired, just grazing the closest man.
One of the helpers came charging forward, knocking her down with his fist.
She watched as more men surrounded her, smiling wickedly, their knives held high.
The world span before her, as blood dripped down her face, her hands, her chest.
With one last cry, Artemis' innocence disappeared, and the world became black again.
She didn't know it would stay that dark.