Evolutionary Branches
By Keaira
Chapter 6 -Reprieve
Daniel listened to the shouting and all the commotion but held his breath.
One on hand he was elated. Obviously Janet was still refusing to answer him.
On the other, their captor's growing anger wasn't at all reassuring. What he would do when truly infuriated scared Daniel as much as anything.
They would only be valuable assets worth keeping as long as rational thought prevailed. If he tipped over the edge into insanity their life expectancies shortened considerably.
Suddenly a commotion broke out as a young man Daniel didn't recognize came running into the camp. He babbled excitedly but Daniel thought he caught most of it.
Someone was coming and was bringing . . . something. What Daniel wasn't sure but the rest of the men seemed to understand and were all very much excited by the news.
The young man was plied with more questions but Daniel's attention followed the young man from within the camp that went over the shack where Janet and Raphael were.
With all the noise from the center of camp Daniel couldn't hear the argument, but it seemed rather heated until the door opened and Raphael appeared.
He stopped the conversation with a quick order and then listened as the young man explained about the newcomer.
Raphael grew thoughtful then and the two guards and messenger waited for his decision.
He glanced back in the cabin and Daniel strained his eyes but couldn't even hope to see that far without his glasses.
Then he said something that got a relieved laugh from the other three and threw one more glance inside before leaving and shutting the door.
Daniel exhaled in relief and sagged slightly against the fragile wall, breathing a prayer of thanks for small blessings.
He wondered what the news had been again as he watched the men break out the cooking utensils and pots and begin preparing what looked to be quite a feast.
His mouth watered at the prospect, but he pushed it aside. Frighteningly enough that was getting easier to do.
He watched the men of the camp prepare a veritable feast that took most of the afternoon and the whole time Raphael stayed away from the shack, supervising his men instead.
Finally as dusk approached a bonfire was set up and lit and shortly thereafter the sound of approaching vehicles was heard.
Daniel watched as the three large troop carriers pulled into an open spot off the dirt path that served as a road and sudden comprehension set in as he watched woman after woman climb down, all dressed in bright clothes and making a large to do over the men who eagerly awaited them, assisting them down and flirting with them even as they blatantly grabbed butts and breasts and everything in between.
The women didn't seem to mind and very quickly every man in camp—excepting the guards posted around his, Bill's, and Raphael's shacks—had at least one companion. Then the party really began.
Loud laughter and boastful chatter were the predominant sounds but Daniel could hear that a few of the couples who had disappeared into the darkness just outside the bonfire's reach were well beyond the grabbing and fondling stage.
Even as he felt bad for the young women who'd been brought here by unknown means he was grateful for their arrival.
They all seemed pretty willing to engage the men in talk or whatever else was desired and as long as they were all occupied by these volunteers, none of the men would be going after Janet.
Daniel kept an eye on things simply because he alternated between watching Raphael and his shack.
Finally one of the women went to Raphael and bent close to whisper something in his ear.
He listened and then shrugged. The he turned to the men standing outside his shack and ordered them in slightly drunken Spanish to return Janet to Daniel's shack and join the festivities.
They nodded eagerly and disappeared inside even as Daniel's heart sped up.
She was going to be returned to him.
Equal parts fear and anticipation filled him.
He wasn't sure he was ready to see what had been done to her, but he was even less sure he wanted to wait any longer to have her back where he could at least try to protect her. At least he wouldn't be left to wonder and she wouldn't be alone.
His eyes were glued to the dark hole of the doorway as he waited for her to appear.
———
Janet was left alone long enough that eventually she gave into the sleep that kept trying to drag her down into its embrace.
Loud laughter woke her up and she looked around in disorientation before she realized where she was.
It was dark now and the only light seemed to be from a huge fire lit in the center of the camp.
She gingerly sat up, wincing at the pain it caused, but still remaining silent, the repression of noise already ingrained into her behavior.
Slowly she made her way to the door and peeked out the knothole again.
There seemed to be a party going on and while she didn't know where all the young women had come from she was grateful for the distraction they caused.
She spotted Raphael by the fire with a full-figured young thing on his arm, grinning as she nibbled on his ear and whispered to him. He seemed completely taken with her and Janet felt relief rush through her.
Perhaps a willing partner would be enough for him and she would be left alone, at least until the women left.
She'd take what she could get, she decided and chanced putting her clothes back on. The tank top was ripped through on one shoulder but she ignored it and pulled it over her head. She didn't bother to look for her bra and only put her panties back on because they were with her pants. Her shoes weren't immediately visible but if a chance to escape came she didn't want to miss it or risk being recaptured because she was slowed down by a lack of protection for her feet.
She pulled them on and secured them with basic knots instead of actually tying them because her hands were shaking and it was all she could manage. Then she tucked the laces into the tops and sat on the ground away from the door and the cot.
She leaned back against the wall and pulled her knees up to her chest. Her body protested but she felt too exposed in any other position and it wasn't like she would stop hurting however she sat.
Only the severity and location changed as she shifted.
She had almost dropped off again when the door opened and she tensed, immediately awake.
It was just the two guards though and they looked around for a moment in confusion before spotting her.
Then the one leveled his rifle at her while the other came forward.
She shrank back against the wall, but he advanced until he was close enough to grab her arm and haul her to her feet. She allowed him that but then jerked on her arm, pushing down the pain from the bruises he was aggravating. He refused to release her and instead yanked on her arm until she was up against his chest.
His companion said something and glanced out the door but the man holding her snapped back a response before leaning in to kiss her.
Raphael had threatened her if she fought, but he wasn't here and she was sick and tired of being used for others' base desires. She pulled back and he just laughed and set his gun aside, out of her reach unfortunately.
Again his companion said something, his longing gaze directed outside, no doubt at the willing young women who waited there.
But his words fell on deaf ears as Janet's other arm was seized and she was pulled in for a bruising kiss.
As she gasped for air moments later, he wrapped one arm around her while the other hand slid down her side to her butt, lingering there for a moment. She sucked in a breath at this latest offense.
It was the final straw and hot, blinding fury seized her as she reacted without thinking, bringing one knee up to nail her attacker in the crotch while her hands scratched and hit anything they could reach. Her entire body thrashed as she sought freedom and as she made contact in several places—including her first target—her attacker swore and released her out of reflex as the pain from her successful hits caused him to bend forward in pain.
She took the chance she had been given and raced past before he could get his hands on her again.
She didn't even go for the gun. It was a rifle and he'd have it out of her hands before she could aim it at him, wounded or not. Besides, with a gun she was a serious threat and the force that outnumbered her was also armed meaning she'd likely earn little but a bullet or ten.
Death wasn't the out she wanted. She wasn't leaving Daniel and Bill behind and she wasn't going to get them killed either if she could help it.
So instead she ran.
She even almost made it.
But at the last second the guard at the door got lucky and caught her across the stomach with his rifle as she tried to run past while he turned.
She went down gasping and after a moment to process what had happened he grabbed her arm.
The one who'd tried to assault her had recovered sufficiently to come after her and he grabbed her other arm.
She was hauled up and then backhanded by the one she'd attacked.
Stars swam and exploded before her eyes but she was spared further abuse by the last person she expected to save her—Raphael had brought his companion over to find some privacy in his shack no doubt and a sharp command stayed his compatriot's hand.
He spat something at her but her ears were ringing too loudly for her to hear it.
Then with one last remark he indicated the guards should take her away.
She couldn't walk but she did her damnedest to try, stumbling and staggering across the yard to the welcome shape of the shack she and Daniel had been imprisoned in.
She just had to hold onto consciousness a little longer, she told her swirling thoughts. Only when she was sure of Daniel's presence and well-being could she surrender to the darkness.
Just a little longer.
"When you know who you are;
when your mission is clear and you
burn with the inner fire of unbreakable will;
no cold can touch your heart;
no deluge can dampen your purpose.
You know that you are alive." - Chief Seattle
Keaira
