Ziva compliantly held her head still despite the sharp tugs she felt when her hair caught in the blindfold that was being tied around her eyes. She wanted to ask Abba where they were going, why she had to be blindfolded. If she were being honest with herself, she would have admitted that she was afraid, hated the loss of control that went with the loss of her sight, but even at 7 Ziva David knew that honesty was not Mossad policy so she shoved her feelings into the corner of her mind and focused her other senses.
Her father was now guiding her to the backdoor. She could smell the warm, savory mixture of the kitchen then the coolness of the screened in porch. If they maintained this course, they would be going into the woods behind her house. Ah. It is one of Abba's "geography" lessons; he would lead her around the woods, try to disorient her, and then leave her to find her way home. Ziva carefully counted each step, each turn, to maintain her sense of direction. The house lay on her left, now behind her, now to the right.
Suddenly she was falling. This was not a normal part of the lesson and Ziva could no longer push down the concern that she felt.
What is going on?!
Ziva felt her panic rising and focused on not letting any outward sign betray her feelings. If Abba knew she was afraid, he would be angry and it was never good to make Abba angry.
She could feel his rough hands flipping her over onto her back, pushing her roughly into the ground and tearing off her clothing.
Aha, she thought idly as her mind slipped into itself, away from reality and the pain that accompanied it. This is a new twist. He wants to see if raping me prevents me from finding my way home. Torture training. Interesting.
As her father pounded into her, Ziva focused on the earthy smell of the woods, the twig poking into her back, cutting her skin with each of her father's thrusts.
One kilometer straight into the woods. Point 7 kilometers south. Point 4 kilometers southeast. Two kilometers east. One point 5 kilometers north. 7 kilometers east. So if I go approximately 11 kilometers west from here, I will be home. If I run, I'll make it back in time for dinner.
Finally he was finished. Without a word he climbed off Ziva and walked away into the woods, heading east. Silly man, trying to make me think I should go in that direction.
After she could no longer hear the soft crunching of his boots on the fallen leaves and branches, Ziva sat up and untied the blindfold. She took a deep breath, picked up her clothes, and walked a little to the north, where she could hear the cool stream that she and Thalia loved to play in when they had the chance.
After cleaning herself up in the stream, Ziva put her clothes back on, carefully wrapping the blindfold around her panties to keep the blood off of them and her paints. Abba said that no one must ever know. She then took a deep breath and began sprinting through the woods, adeptly avoiding fallen branches and tree limbs.
Ziva arrived at the house, panting, just as the last of the day's light disappeared from the sky. The tearing pain in her groin had slowed her down considerably, and her sprint had quickly turned into a jog, no less painful but somehow more manageable.
Shit. Missed dinner. I guess...
Her grim thoughts were interrupted by an exclamation from the back porch as her aunt rushed down and drew Ziva into her arms.
"Where were you, love? Your father made us go ahead with dinner, but I've kept a plate warm for you in the oven."
"And I didn't really eat with Aunt Nettie and Ab so that I could eat with you," 6 year old Thalia piped in.
Ziva grinned at them both. "Thanks. We were doing a little "geography" and I got slightly disoriented. Should've paid more attention. So, what's for dinner? I'm starved?"
Ziva felt her body relax as she listened to the stream of words from her aunt and the constant excited interruptions of her sister. Life, she thought idly, is not all bad.