Chapter 1
The first thing I felt was pain. My body ached and pleaded for medication. My head throbbed so much, I was sure that my head would bust. My left arm felt like someone was taking a hot iron and burning my skin to the bone. I wanted to pass out again to make the pain go away. I laid there on the cold, stone floor and pain still coursed through my muscles. I didn't even dare to move. A faint, rusty smell filled my nose, and I craved for sweet, clean oxygen. I felt like I was in a dream; no, a nightmare.
I have been with Lokesh for only three weeks, but it seems like many tortuous months. I have succeeded in distracting him from not taking advantage of me (something he wants to do for a sickening reason); but that comes in a heavy price. I have been slashed, beaten, burned, put under spells, and tied so tightly the ropes cut into my fragile skin. My energy has been drained from me. My soul has been damaged and scarred mentally.
For the first few days of my torture, I had vivid dreams about my tigers. Some dreams were sweet and peaceful; others were depressing and sad. The happy ones were when Kishan and Ren would hold me tight and soothe me with their native language. I cherished those the most after Lokesh would torture me. The sad ones were when Ren and Kishan were just out of my reach before they were pulled away from me into endless darkness. I pray every day to Durga for their safety.
After one week, the soothing dreams never returned and the frightened nightmares took their place. I never saw Ren and Kishan; I always saw Lokesh haunting my nightmares. He would either be chasing me through darkness or holding me down and stroking my cheek with his long talons. Sometimes, I would wake myself up screaming with warm tears streaming down my face. After two weeks, I was afraid to go to sleep and now I never sleep. The only sleep I get is when I pass out when Lokesh is torturing me, and my body can't endure the excruciating pain.
Suddenly, I heard the faintest sound of chains clinking together. My body cringed as it knew more pain was about to come. I heard my cage open, and my breath got caught in my throat. My frightened heart started racing, and my muscles ached when they tightened. Suddenly, something heavy and solid knocked into me. I yelped as I felt my body smash against the cage bars. My left arm burned like hot lava was coursing through my veins. I heard another faint cry, but it wasn't from me.
"Have fun," a man's voice barked and slammed my cage door.
Have fun? Oh, I hope they didn't put a bloodthirsty predator in my cage. I thought desperately.
I heard the man's footsteps grow fainter, and I heard another door slam. I heard a soft groan as something slowly slid off of me. I winced when it slid against my wounds. My eyes flew open and looked down at my "visitor". I couldn't hold back a gasp as I saw a helpless girl about my age lying beside me.
She was shaking with silent sobs and kept repeating, "My family. My family."
I stared at her wide-eyed, and she silently shifted away from me. She drew her arms around her legs and buried her head against her knees. I looked over her for injuries. Oddly, she didn't have any, but her clothes were torn and bloody. I was about to speak when she suddenly screamed and sobbed. I heard her mumbling something, but I couldn't make out the words because sobs and chokes got caught in her throat.
I slowly sat up, ignoring the pain as best as I could and crawled in front of her. It took every ounce of my energy to crawl to her, but a part of me wanted to comfort her and also talk to someone. After I was satisfied, I sat up and gazed at her. Her long brown, curly hair hid her face and tears. I reached out and touched her arm, and she flinched. She lifted her head, her hazel eyes wide like a scared deer. I noticed dried blood was smeared all over her golden-tint skin, but I didn't see any wounds. She started breathing heavy while choking on sobs.
"Shh, I won't hurt you. My name is Kelsey Hayes. What's yours?" I asked softly; my voice sounded hoarse from the lack of food and water.
She studied me with wide eyes. Her almond shaped eyes appraising me. Then her eyes stared at my stomach. I watched in bemusement when another tear coursed down her cheek, and her hands covered her lips to hold back a sob. I glanced down at my stomach and held back a scream.
My skin was peeled back, revealing my muscle. Blood oozed out of my broken skin and soaked into my withered shirt. I knew it was a blade by the faintest slash marks on my bloody skin. I gulped when a picture of a skinned deer entered unwillingly in my mind. I felt like passing out, but I just stared at it with a wide, open mouth.
"What did he do to you?" she whispered in horror.
He tortured me. I wanted to say, but my mouth couldn't function.
I realized that's why I felt so weak because I was losing so much blood. I slowly lay down on my back and started panting. I didn't want to bleed to death. I have only been on this planet for nineteen years. It's too early to go now. I glanced at the girl for help; like she could. She had to be a surgeon to fix me back up.
More tears streamed down her face as she gazed sadly at me. She closed her eyes shut like she was seeing something frightening and gruesome. I probably wasn't a pretty sight. Suddenly, she kneeled down beside me. I was surprised she could move so gracefully. I watched her warily as she stared down at me like I was injured animal.
"I'm sorry," she whispered as she placed her hands on my shoulders.
I screamed because fire blazed down my left arm she was holding tightly, and I was afraid she was going to put me out of my misery. Then, I felt an odd, warm sensation soothe the fire in my body. It was like a drug as it coursed through my body. The feeling relieved the pain in my muscles and dissipated the fire in my arm. It was like a drug that I craved for in so long. I smiled and sighed.
When the warm sensation was gone, I felt better than I had in weeks. I felt restful and peaceful. I finally, after weeks of restless sleep, I drifted off; letting the darkness finally take me.
