Chapter 1
How long had I lain here in this dark, unwelcoming place that was devoid of decency or a caring smile? I honestly couldn't remember. It was difficult to piece together any coherent thoughts inside my scrambled mind at the moment. All that I could feel was the pain of the freezing air that was ceaselessly biting into my delicate, pale skin. Somewhere in the back of my conciousness I surmised that the cold had now numbed my body enough so that it no longer registered the throbbing pain of the numerous other injuries that adorned me ~ small mercies. My unseeing eyes stared blankly upwards, my long eyelashes silhouetted against the deep blue of the sky above, weak breaths emerging from my cool lips and turning into a soft mist as they collided with the freezing air.
My face felt stiff and sticky from a thousand shed tears, and filthy from days and days worth of wandering around the Underground aimlessly, hoping against hope that I would stumble across some miracle that would end my predicament. My half lidded eyes fluttered closed again gently and with more effort than it should have required, I lifted my thin fingers from the muddy, icey puddle of water that they lay in and brought them to rest upon the ragged shirt that covered my taut stomach. I felt it growl under my touch, demanding to be satiated in some way.
A sigh escaped my chapped lips. Food, I'd come to realise, was hard to come by when you weren't used to finding it on your own and had no money with which to buy it. I'd survived thus far by begging people to spare me anything that they could, and when that failed, by stealing from passing vegetable carts and occasionally, rubbish piles. Any dignity that I'd retained was now long gone. Not that I particularly cared anymore ~ I was certain that I'd be dead soon. It would probably be here in this dirty alley way, witnessed by nobody and after recent events, remembered by none. Using what little strength I had left, I raised my arms and covered my bruised face, making the silent decision to accept my bleak fate. I only hoped that the moment would come soon ~ if I was going to die then it might as well be quick.
As I lay there, thinking of all that had happened and contemplating dark thoughts about what was to come, my senses didn't register the sounds of heavy footfalls as they trod down on the water-logged stone ground.
"Heh, what do we have over here? Fresh meat I reckons. Carsten, check the bitch out."
I let out a weak yelp of surprise as the grotesque figure grabbed a fistful of my hazel coloured locks and yanked me upwards and onto my knees. Still weak, my azure irises widened, and I was suddenly filled with panic as I took in the scene before me, feeling stabbing pains on my head where the mans fist was practically ripping the hair from my scalp. I could do no more than whimper as he leaned down to my level and used his other dirty hand to grasp my jaw roughly and yank my face upwards. The smell of alcohol and sweat invaded my senses and made me want to vomit. Grimacing, I tried to turn my face away from his invasive prescence but I was just too god damned weak. I felt my heart plummet when another man emerged from the shadows, a heinous grin plastered to his ugly face. The one who gripped me brutally, chuckled into my ear, speaking in a low, devious voice.
"Looks like we picked up a ripe one here Arno~ she's filthy as shit but just look at that foxy face o'hers, definitely a looker and young too. Not even twenty I'd say, so those dirty old bastards will pay out o'their crooked noses for this one!"
I panicked at his words, bringing my small hands up to grip at his large rough ones in a futile attempt to remove them from my aching jaw. It was no use. My body simply had no strength. I let my arms drop limply to my sides once more as the man named Arno spoke to his comrade. It was as if I wasn't even there, the way they ignored my plight.
"Well this ones the only pickings we've had all night, looks like we lucked out. For fucks sake Carsten, make sure you don't rip out any of that hair o'hers. You know those perverted old fuckers will lower the price if shes damaged!"
"Sorry boss."
The stinging sensation on my head lessened considerably as Carsten relaxed his grip. I lowered my face, gazing blankly at the worn out cobbles beneath me. What more could I do? Nothing it seemed. I had been resigned to my fate, the fate of dying silently from hunger here in this alley, but this new predicament frightened me greatly. Maybe I didn't really want to perish at all. Why was life so cruel? After all that had already happened, was this extra suffering really necessary? I didn't think that it was possible, but these thoughts brought fresh tears to my eyes and I felt them fall silently over my cold cheeks. I heard Carsten chuckle darkly, his greasy fingers squeezing around my chin tightly as he mockingly shook my face from side to side.
"Aw, look Arno, the little wench is crying! Hehehe, I'd save those tears for later sweetheart ~ you'll need them then."
I listened to my captors evil words silently, clenching my teeth and willing the tears to cease their flowing ~ I didn't want to give them anymore satisfaction than they already had. What the fuck was I doing? Just giving up and letting them get away with this? When the hell had I become so pathetic? It was ever since my mother had married that bastard, I thought angrily, memories that I'd rather forget flooding to the forefront of my mind. I dropped my head, my messy bangs covering my eyes as I felt my body begin to tremble with a combination of fear and outrage.
"Right, I'm fucking freezing, lets get this over with. Carsten, tie her up and get her in the back of the wagon. Ya never know when those Military pigs could show up."
Arno's gruff voice and words must have sparked something in me, because as soon as his idiotic lackey moved to stand and drag me to my feet, my adrenaline kicked in and I let out a fierce snarl, gripping his hair covered arm in my hands and biting down viciously. Carsten let out a piercing howl, and instinctively threw me away from him, holding onto his bleeding wrist and yelling out profanities. I caught myself just before falling to the floor again, and without looking backwards, shot off down the dark street as fast as my flimsy legs would carry me ~ the only thing keeping me going was my dwindling willpower.
I heard the bloodcurdling sound of the two angry men, echoed against the high walls of the decrepit buildings around me and willed my legs to move faster. I had no clue where I was. It was hard enough to make my way around in the 'daylight' of the underground, let alone in the dead of night. My heart pounded against my ribcage and I found it increasingly difficult to draw my breath, feeling like I couldn't last much longer. Beads of sweat poured down my face and fresh fear gripped me when I realised that my pursuers sounded like they were getting closer. I huffed, trying to take deeper breathes as I ran onwards, silently praying for someone to help me as my scuffed up skirts fluttered out behind me. Without warning, the worn fabric of my flat shoe latched onto a broken stone cobble and effectively brought me to a flying halt. I grunted as my body made contact with the uneven ground, feeling the soft skin of my kneecaps tear away painfully. I coughed, hissing as I attempted to push myself back onto my feet ~ the cold stone had grazed away the skin on my palms as well. Fucking brilliant.
Before I had the chance to stand, I was yanked forcefully from behind by the fabric of my shirts collar. A strangled gasp erupted from my throat, my body shaking from exertion and fear as I realized that I'd been caught. The next thing I felt was a blinding pain as one of the mens large hands made contact with my small face. Blood spouted from my burst lip as I cried out in agony, and I recognised the arms that gripped me to be that of the man whom I'd bitten back in the alley. He pulled me roughly upwards, and I was so close to his face that I could feel his rotten breath on my lips. His face was contorted with rage as I struggled to free myself from his grasp, the left side of my face aching where he'd backhanded me without mercy.
"You little fuckin' bitch! Think you can get away with pullin' a stunt like that? Heh. Screw those old bastards. I'm gonna enjoy fuckin' you up, whores should know their place!"
He brought his thick knee upwards suddenly, and I let out an involuntary groan as the appendage jarred me in the gut savagely. He threw me to the ground, where I writhed and gasped miserably, trying and failing to draw oxygen into my lungs. I curled up where I lay, all hope dying when I heard another set of footsteps clacking against the stone as Carsten's boss had finally caught up with his subordinate. I spat out a mouthful of blood, listening to the two men above me.
"What have you done you fucking moron!? I know she pissed you off back there, but you think those geezers are gonna want her now?"
Arno growled angrily at his fuming companion, gripping him by the collar. Carsten merely scoffed and shoved the balding mans hands away from him ~ even though he was only an underling he was still the stronger of the two, and also the least patient.
"Look Arno, I don't give a fuck anymore alright? I'm cold and hungry, and this little bitch has pissed me off somethin'fierce! I just wanna teach the little fucker her place!" Carsten spat, rubbing the bite wound on his wrist harshly.
During their bickering, I slowly dragged myself across the soaking ground, the dirt and filth embedding itself into the cuts on my palms and causing me to wince with each movement. I made it about a meter, every breath I took making me want to pass out, when I received a swift and agonizing kick to the back. I cried out and tried to move, but his disgusting leather boot held my body firmly under his weight. His body leaned forward to crouch over mine, and again he yanked my head backwards by my bangs but this time, I felt a cold, sharp object pressing cruelly against my jugular. His moved his face down to my ear, pressing his vile lips against the flesh underneath. I whimpered with dismay, knowing that there was nothing more that I could do.
"I'm going to have so much fun with you princess, I like em' feisty. And when I'm through with you, you're gonna wish you'd let those old cunts fuck you instead of me."
My eyes widened in fear, tears streaming down my cheeks now, the taste of salt mingling with the bitterness of the blood around my mouth. I felt the mans disgusting lips trace my bruised jawline and sobbed when I felt his grotesque fingers fiddling with the hem of my skirt.
"PLEASE...DON'T!" I screamed, my voice breaking as I begged my attacker to stop, though all I heard was the mans sadistic sniggering.
Arno approached us from behind, an irritated sigh escaping his lips.
"Hey, thick shit! If you're going to do this, at least do it in the back of the cart! What did I say about drawing attention from the Military Police? I'm refuse to go to jail because of your sorry...ughhh...!"
Arno's sentence was suddenly cut off as he let out a violent strangled cry, causing Carsten to turn his head towards his friend in confusion. The disgruntled man looked on with shocked eyes as Arno's body thudded against the ground, glass-eyed, blood streaming from an open wound on his flabby neck. Panicking, Carsten scrambled to his feet, his head darting back and forth in terror as he searched for his dead friends assailant in the dark of the night.
"COME OUT MOTHER FUCKER! I KNOW YOU'RE THERE! YOU THINK YOU CAN SCARE ME?!"
No longer under restraint and not sure what had happened to make my attacker release me so suddenly, I crawled sluggishly into the shadows of the wall behind me, listening with baited breath as Carsten yelled threats out into the night. It was then that I witnessed him. I didn't see much, the figure was draped in a dark cape of some sort that concealed his face, but I did catch a glimpse of the knife which he helf aloft in his right hand as he came flying swiftly through the air towards the man named Carsten. The conman didn't stand a chance. I watched, frightened, as his large body crumpled silently downwards, a river of blood spouting from his open throat as it fell to join his deceased companion.
My heart thudden relentlessly inside my chest, and I struggled to keep in my terrified whimpers. Was I next on this killers list? I couldn't run away anymore. The sound of a sharp zipping and of crumbling bricks invaded my ears, closely followed by soft footfalls heading in my direction. I froze, paralyzed in horror at what was to come. In a useless attempt at defending myself, sitting with my back against the wall, I pulled my bloody knees upwards and buried my face into them, trembling as I wrapped my arms around myself. I grit my teeth together, flinching as the footsteps stopped directly in front of me. I waited with baited breath for this person before me to take my life like he had with Carsten and Arno, but the moment never came. Silence surrounded us. My lip trembled in anticipation of what he'd do next. His deep voice cut through the silence suddenly, jarring me from my stupor and sending a tremour of shock through me.
"Oi, look at me."
His voice wasn't threatening, but it held an air of silent demand, and for some reason I found myself raising my aching face and looking up at him anxiously. I felt so dizzy, watching as he pulled the black hood away from his face and looked at me intently with an unfathomable expression upon his features.
All I remember before blacking out then and there, was staring up at a pale man with raven hair, my dulled blue eyes meeting his hard, steel gray ones.