Nora stared out the window. Even if she could get out of it the drop was way to far and she would only end up injuring herself or worse and that was only if she got past the bars that were either on the house to start or the men occupying it now had put on them. She really had high hopes for the place when they had first heard about it on the radio but now she would rather be out in the danger of the infected world instead of her current position. A sigh escaped her lips just as her hands pressed against the glass of the window and was followed by her forehead. The cool against her skin felt good even in the room that was cooler she liked the feel of the cold glass.
A small fire crackled in the fireplace. They never built very large ones to avoid making to much smoke or using up wood. It was enough to compensate for the boiler not being fully stocked with wood. When the door of the room clicked and opened she didn't turn around but lifted her hands from the window and tugged the long sleeved rope she wore around herself more tightly. Beneath it she had on yet another pair of yoga type pants and this time a t-shirt that was looser. The robe was merely for warmth at this point. West's voice broke the silence of the room "I hope you'll be more cooperative now. There is no escape, not for you and not for Hannah." Nora's jaw clenched when he mentioned Hannah. The situation was horrible for anyone but Hannah was so young. Nora turned around to face West as he stood across the room from her "How old is Hannah, Hmm? Fifteen, sixteen?" her voice was accusatory in tone and it only brought out a sigh from West who answered "Old enough to serve a purpose." He was almost stunned when Nora let out a sharp laugh "Old enough! She is a young girl!" Nora screamed and West shook his head "Even before the outbreak 'young girls', as you say her age classifies her, were already sexually active." His voice, something about his voice just enraged her. How could he be so damn calm and collected about what he was doing "Completely different situation! Their choice, Hannah's choice. If she or girls her age so chose to do it then it is their own will...you're just a bunch of animistic rapists here and that is totally different."
West sat the plate of food down on the end table and then approached her and she remained still as a statue staring at his face that came within a foot of her own as he spoke "In time you will understand. We are doing this for our survival. So that once these things die off there will be humans left to rebuild." Nora shook her head before she spoke "Keep telling yourself that." West gently put his hands on her shoulders "You're a very strong woman and we need that in these terrible times. You're safe here and we need you." Nora remained still for a moment before she shrugged off his hands "I'd rather take my chances out there with the infected than stay here." West sighed once more as he spoke "Well, it isn't your choice so make the best of what you feel is a bad situation." with that he turned and left her in the locked room.
Nora picked up the plate and flung it at the door where it shattered and sent food flying. She let her anger get the better of her and she knew it when she saw the scattered remnants of a sand which. She melted to the floor and began picking up pieces of the plate and the food all the while trying not to cry. The door clicked again and opened but instead of West it was Clifton "Are you alright?" he asked with his head poked through the door. He didn't have his winter cap on and it looked like he'd showered or washed at least parts of him. His green shirt was wrinkled and matched his pants. Nora didn't look up but continued picking up the glass and forcefully shoving the pieces of it into her left hand until it was obvious that her hand was bleeding. Nora hadn't even noticed until Clifton entered the room completely "Hey, your hand. Come on." he said as he leaned over and took the wrist of her injured hand and attempted to lift her off the floor.
A thought crossed her mind as the pieces of the plate dropped from her hand until just one longer...larger piece was there. Her hand clutched it tightly and Clifton noticed this and became uneasy "Here...let me see it." he said holding out his opposite hand that was not gripping her wrist. Nora entertained the idea of driving the piece of plate into his neck and making a run for it and as if he had read her thoughts Clifton spoke "Don't fight...come on." Nora wanted to but knew she wouldn't get far. Finally she dropped the last piece of glass from her hand and Clifton investigated her bleeding hand "It's not that bad." he commented as he wiped away the blood with a rag from his pocket. "Where are the guys I came with?" she asked him and he froze for a second before he started working on her hand again "Still in the boiler room." he answered and went to the bedside table and took a bandage from it that he used to dress her hand.
Nora nodded a bit "In the boiler room, for how long?" her hand was now clean and dressed. Clifton spoke softly as if someone might hear them "West said if they can't be convinced to go along with things that they'll be let go." Nora scoffed "You believe him?" Clifton pressed his lips together in thought for a moment which gave Nora her answer "I do...he's a man of his word." was Clifton's only answer for her but his hesitation had already pointed to the more likely scenario that they'd be killed for not cooperating. "You're a bunch of animals." she commented looking at her hand and the patchwork he had done to it. "I never..." he began and Nora shot her stare at him "Never what?" she asked with a sharp tone and he replied "Hannah...I never..." was he serious? Did he expect Nora to believe him or think him any less of a monster. "West insisted but I couldn't...I'm not saying I'm not any better than them because I'm not...I had my fair round of Selena before she...I just wanted you to know." with that he left and locked the door behind him.
She was left contemplating what he said. He seemed to think it was okay for the woman Selena they had caught but not for Hannah. Either way it was terrible but refusing to use Hannah showed that he had at least some mercy and Nora might be able to use that. Nora went into the bathroom and removed her robe and hung it up. When she left the bathroom West was standing in the bedroom with his arms folded over his chest "Clifton mentioned you had asked about the two men you arrived with." Nora moved slowly from the bathroom doorway and towards West "You mean my husband and brother-in-law, yes, I did ask." she glared at him "Do you honestly expect me to believe you let them go." West shook his head "No, I don't expect you to believe me but it doesn't matter." Nora knew that they were most likely dead.
West closed the distance between them and Nora retreated a bit but not enough to prevent him from bringing himself just six inches from her with his hand on her arm gripping it tightly "You only need to serve your purpose and know that there is no escape." Nora to jerk her arm away "I'm so tired of everyone saying there is no escape. Who says I want to escape, maybe I'll just kill you all your sleep." with that West brought the back of his hand across her face. Nora flew back and into the wall next to the bathroom door. Before she could regain her composure he had his body pressed against her own. Her back against the unforgiving wall. His face check to check with her own as he whispered "You will learn your place and appreciate what we have here. Behave or I can make things much more uncomfortable for you." Nora remained silent and could feel the sting of his slap on her face where the skin turned red.
The room was silent aside from their breath and outside noise. When West moved his hand to her breast and began groping she squirmed and then lowered to the waist of her pants and jerked at them roughly to pull them down. All the while Nora squirmed and writhed until the pants were at her mid thigh. The alarm was loud and constant wailing. Gunfire followed along with an explosion. "We'll continue this later." he said before he removed himself from Nora and left the room.
She moved to the window to see four infected running on the large lawn. One large whole where the mine had exploded and pieces of an infected scattered. The four infected running towards the house were mowed down with a few shots from a rifle and the siren was over. She could hear the men laughing and shouting as they came back into the house. It was mufled so she couldn't make any of it out. It was as if they enjoyed killing the infected or got some kind of pleasure out of it. Footsteps came towards the door it was soon unlocked and opened to reveal Clifton standing there "West said he wants to see you." he held the door open until Nora made her way past Clifton and out of the door. Of course the temptation to run was there but she didn't. Even if she got past all of them she wouldn't have a weapon or supplies of any sort.
Clifton led her to the front door where the large statue sat and West was there looking out over the yard. She was led until she came to stand next to him and he stared at her "Do you see now? There is nothing left so we have to rebuild. There is nothing left out there for you or Hannah and the sooner you see that the better. That's why we sent out the broadcast and get others to come to us." Nora laughed sarcastically "So you force the women and try to find men as twisted as yourselves sounds like a wonderful plan." West rubbed his chin before he waved at Clifton who took Nora by the arm and started leading her back to the bedroom. She was still within listening distance when West spoke "When you accept it and can be trusted you'll be given more freedom here, instead of locked in a bedroom all the time." and once more she was taken to West's room and the door was locked. She had found the key though...she could play nice trick them into believing she had been broken and let her have that small amount of freedom she'd use it to her full advantage.