Disclaimer: I don't own Trigun; I also don't own Vash even though I wish I did.
Note: Hello all to the fifth part of this fanfic. Just a few things I wanted to say before it starts.
First: I want to apologise for taking so long but I had new inspiration for another fan fic which I will be posting very soon, also my computer keeps crashing on me.
Second: I am going to try and make this the longest chapter so far and I might throw in a few POV's in places to make it more interesting.
Third: I want to thank the reviewers who put in their views...and threats for my last chapter, they go as followed:
Jaded Ayumi - I'm sorry bout the cliffhanger it wasn't actually planned to end like that but I guess I was too lazy to write any more.
Rainy-days13 - Yeah I agree that kitty is naughty but its sooo damn cyuute too!
Silverado6000 - Thanks very much for your review, yeah tragedy is best for bringing people together, especially stubborn ones like Vash and Meryl.
Tough Cookie - even though I was really going to make sure she suffered I think I'll cut down the pain a little just for you ^-^.
CuRsEd - nope the evil man isn't Knives, that would be too obvious, I'm going to play around with his personality a bit though...a sweet Knives. I like that concept ^. ~
Sets17 - Here's the update and thanks for your review.
Dreamer-of-Night - Here's the update, read on to find out if she is saved ^o^
Darkraven - I'm sorry about the cliffhanger, I'll try not to do anymore but that's not a promise.
Dustdragon - hey I don't blame you, who doesn't like that film. You might wanna check out my new fan fic if u like that sort of thing ^.~
Now on with the story:
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Chapter 5: Alone
Her violet eyes flickered open to see nothing but darkness but Meryl could tell she wasn't alone in this horrible place. Lifting a hand to her head she groaned and tried to keep herself from vomiting until she knew where she was. Clearing her mind as much as possible she leaned back against the wall, which trembled and shook.
The smell of other people: light perfume and dusty coats filled her nostrils and she shivered, the nausea taking over all other senses. A shaft of light streamed in from a gap at the far end of the confining space and as her eyes grew more accustomed to the darkness she could make out other people. Her mind fogged over with confusion and she tried to grasp on reality, but the harder she tried to stay conscious the more her grip loosened. Her mind blanked out again and her body fell into a dark oblivion.
Vash paced the room where Knives still lay motionless feeling an uneasiness fill his soul. Meryl still hadn't returned and her disappearance was certainly out of character. He didn't doubt that she could take care of herself - he had been on the receiving end of her strength - but as time ticked by his worry turned to panic.
He paused to look over at his brother and sighed miserably, seeing him so helpless and lacking life made him distraught. Knives had been so full of spirit, intelligence and care when they had been younger and his mind still fought to grasp the fact that it had all changed. He was still intelligent yes, but he used his sharp mind in the wrong way but Vash was hopeful he could change.
After he had won the fight and Knives lay on the ground expecting to be finished off Vash promised him that he would take care of him. Those had been the last words that Rem had said to him, and that is what he planned to do.
Vash was positive that Knives could change with his help and the insurance girls there by his side. He himself had seen the kindness in his brother, a side that no one else had seen.
"That will all change." He told his unconscious brother and then his mind trailed back to Meryl again. 'Where is she?' he wondered desperately when suddenly he heard the door downstairs open. His heart leapt with relief and he dashed out of the room to greet her and also shout at her for being late.
Turning the corner into the small room downstairs his heart fell in disappointment at seeing only Millie's cheery face. She undid the stun gun hidden beneath her cloak and stretched, grateful to be free of its weight.
"Hello Mr. Vash." She smiled.
"Hello." He raised a hand and smiled back the best he could, but Millie caught the strange look in his eyes.
"Is something wrong?"
"No..." He trailed off and sighed, his face creasing into a frown even as he spoke.
"Gee Mr. Vash you're not a very good liar.' She announced and looked around curiously. "Where's Meryl?" Instantly she saw the worried look on Vash's face and she approached the door again, slinging the stun gun across her shoulder.
"Where are you going now?" Vash asked, a clueless expression on his face.
"I'm going to look for Meryl." She announced and with that she left the house, the noise of the closing door echoed around the silent house. Vash shivered at the sensation of being left alone and wished with all his heart that Meryl would just walk back through the door.
"She's going to walk through that door riiiiiiight.............NOW!" he said hopefully, when nothing happened he raised an eyebrow, "now" he stated quieter...."now" he pleaded, clasping his hands together and making puppy eyes at the inanimate door. "Fine! Be that way!" He yelled throwing up his hands in exasperation and trudging back upstairs to worry some more.
***Meryl's POV***
I had that nightmare again, and still I don't know what it means. 'Could it be a premonition of what has still yet to pass? Do I even believe in the psychic stuff?' I would have said no before I met up with Vash and went on the crazy journey that led to me being taken away.
'Taken away! That's right I remember now, those slavers came into town and were causing trouble for that little girl. So was I captured too? I guess anything is possible in this cruel world.'
I sat up and look around; the walls are no longer moving so I can safely assume I have been taken from the van and been put somewhere...small, confined and dark. 'No difference so far' I thought glumly and raised a hand to my throbbing head, if I moved I knew that I would vomit, so I lay still on the cold ground waiting for something to happen.
It wasn't long before there was some movement and I realised that I was not alone in the cell. Obviously whoever was with me had been knocked unconscious too and I rolled my head to one side feeling the pain drill into my skull. I drew in a sharp breath to stop myself from crying out in agony and tried to calm my whirling vision.
A loud scrap of a boot sent needles of pain through my head and I gasped at the sudden interruption of silence. In the dark something moved and I shivered with fear wondering desperately if he or she was friendly until a soft sob reached my ears. 'A child!' I realised and being very careful not to jolt my skull I pulled my body up into a sitting position.
"W-who's there?" a terrified voice asked and I tried to reach out in the darkness. My fingertips brushed up against a wall, which had been surprisingly close to my face, and I recoiled in distaste. The wall was covered in a thick layer of slime from being in such a damp area.
"Don't worry I wont hurt you." My voice was surprisingly calm but the fluttering of my heart told me otherwise, I was in a panicked state and it was all I could do to hold onto my sanity. If something else occurred I probably would be overcome with madness.
"I'm Ashley." The voice said and I smiled.
"That's a pretty name. I'm Meryl." I announced softly keeping one hand pressed against my skull to try and help the pain.
"Are we going to die?" Her little voice asked and I trembled - whether from cold or fear I'm not sure - before trying to answer. Yet before I could a door opened and light burst into the room, temporarily blinding me.
***Vash's POV***
I paced the room for what seemed like the thousandth time when I heard the door open downstairs. Glancing at my still unconscious brother sadly I hesitated to leave the sanctuary of the room. If I went out to see who it was my life could be changed forever, ignorance really is bliss.
Checking my gun was in its holster I prepared myself for the worst and headed back downstairs. Just as expected Millie was alone and looking terribly frightened and I closed my eyes wishing I hadn't seen that expression on her face. 'It really doesn't suit her.'
"Did you find anything?" I asked and she straightened up, her eyes whirling with tears and her lip trembling from holding back sobs.
"Oh Mr. Vash!" She exclaimed running over to me and clasping my forearms with a death grip. I have to admit, that girl is pretty strong and I'm glad that she wasn't the one to hit me all the time.
"What? What's happened?" I asked frantically and she shook her head as if lost for words. "Millie!" I yelled and she snapped out of her terror-stricken trance.
"I happened to come across a woman...she said that slavers came into town today." She said slowly, her hands trembling from the tight grip.
"Slavers?" I questioned in confusion, 'what do slavers have to do with anything' at that time I didn't realise just how stupid that question was. I mean duh; Millie wasn't just going to start a conversation about slavers if it was totally nothing to do with Meryl. Sometimes I think Meryl is right about me being a...pea-brained idiot...but lets forget that, back to the situation at hand.
"...Yes, slavers took Meryl!" Millie finished and that was all I had to hear of the conversation to fill in the rest.
"Then what are we waiting for, let's go!" I shrieked.
***Normal POV***
Meryl found herself being led down another narrow corridor, small lanterns were fixed into the wall and cast a soft glow onto the floor. Her head spun and hurt with every agonised step and twice she vomited before they reached another corridor. This one widened considerably and along the right side was rows and rows of cells.
As they passed them Meryl saw how many people had been trapped here, each cell held at least three people, but the numbers went up to seven in some. She looked into the faces of some of the people and was disheartened to see that some were just children no older than eight. They varied in ages but none older than forty with the women separated from men. Some reached out to tug at her clothes, hollow eyes and mouths opening in silent pleas but she knew she could not help them. She was in the same position.
They stopped suddenly and she was jolted to a halt, her stomach threatening to pour out any leftover contents. Her wrists were then shackled together and she was pushed into the cell along with the small child who had been with her before. Another woman sat in the corner watching them with dark, hungry eyes.
Meryl settled down in the far corner, the girl Ashley curled up next to her fearfully. The men locked the door and laughed at them before continuing down the corner, the rattling of keys echoing and fading.
The woman who was sitting in the shadows began to hum and rocked back and fourth, her long tangled hair sprawling across her face. Her mouth was twisted in a maniacal grin and her empty eyes stared into nothing.
Meryl forced herself to sleep and tried to forget the cold and hunger that was eating into her. By the time she awoke she heard a lot of yelling and knew that more was in store for her. She stood up on shaky legs just in time, two angry looking men strode to their cell unlocked the door and ordered out the three, and they followed silently.
They were led from the cells and down a corridor, which curved downwards and swung to the left, entering a huge room. Other slaves were working already, their hands shackled far enough apart to enable them to hold strange curved tools, which they chipped into the walls relentlessly.
"You lot." A man pointed at Meryl and the two others that had been in her cell, instantly men hoarded around them and dragged their bodies across the room and set them down by a large wall.
"Get looking, find anything let us know, work hard, if you fail our expectations then you will be punished!" The man's voice yelled angrily and instantly everyone started to work harder.
Meryl turned her head to the pickaxe, which lay at her feet, and lifting it in her shackled hands she chipped away at the hard black rock. She wondered who these people were and what they were supposed to be finding. Obviously this was some kind of mine that they had discovered but it must have something important hiding in the walls for them to resort to such methods. With an angry yell she took her fury out on the wall in front of her until her arms trembled with fatigue and her head spun with regained nausea. It was then that her mind flitted back to her friends... 'Millie must be so worried by now', even though she had no idea of the time of day she knew it had been a long while. 'And Vash, he's probably blaming himself for my disappearance'.
"This is all my fault!" Vash whined pathetically from his seat by the window. Millie sighed and shook her head at him.
"Don't blame yourself Mr. Vash, I'm sure we'll find something that might give us a clue to where she went." With that she sat down in a chair opposite him and watched his expression of sorrow and fear with a breaking heart. Millie had hoped this would be the last time she would see such an expression on his face, it had been hard enough before but without Meryl she felt useless.
"Do you think that she will be okay?" Vash asked and their eyes met.
"Meryl will be fine, she's strong."
"Yeah."
"Mr. Vash..."
"Yeah Millie?"
"I think that maybe I should tell you something, I mean this probably would be better coming from Meryl but I don't think she would ever get round to telling you herself."
"What?"
"You see...Meryl lo..." A sharp knock at the door both brought them to their feet and Millie who was the quickest to respond ran over and threw it open.
A scared looking woman was standing at the door, her ragged clothes very apparent in the light. It had been almost two days since Meryl's disappearance and now the evening light was falling once again. The woman cleared her throat and began to speak in slow, steady words: "I have news of your friend."
Millie glanced back at Vash who nodded and they invited the woman in. It turned out the poor woman had been the one who was approached by Meryl. She had witnessed the bravery of the young woman trying to save the child and also seen her being beaten and dragged into the slavers' van. She then told them the direction and Vash instantly ran to the door, he stretched out his hand to grab the handle when a thought hit him, 'Knives!' he turned to see Millie looking at him and she nodded thoughtfully, then as if she had read his mind she said: "I'll look after your brother, please go and find Meryl, okay?" Vash nodded and left the small house.
He turned in the right direction and glared into the setting suns, his hand falling to the silver gun on his hip. He raised his sunglasses and set them on the bridge of his nose, the orange glass hiding the anger in his eyes. 'No one hurts my insurance girl.'
Note: I was gonna end there but I was really in the mood for writing so I continued:
Meryl woke up to be greeted by the same dark cell and biting cold, she assumed that she had been trapped now for several days and wondered why she hadn't been rescued. Maybe they had given up on her, or had no clue as to where she was taken. Yet the hope that someone might come and help her escape was the only thought that kept her going.
Food was thrown through the bars of their cell, three small chunks of bread that were tough and stale. The crazed woman who had not spoken a word since Meryl had been there snatched at the food and returned to her corner and Ashley took the last two and handed Meryl hers.
"I want to go home." She whimpered as she ate the bread and cuddled up against Meryl's side.
"I know you do, don't worry we wont be here forever." Meryl forced a smile and handed Ashley her ration of bread.
"Don't you want it?" Her huge eyes hoping that she would say no.
"I'm not hungry." That was a lie, she had never been so hungry in her life, but even now she could not bring herself to eat when the child was so hungry.
A loud snap echoed down the corridor and the sound of rattling keys and the opening and closing of doors ensued. Sighing with fatigue Meryl stood and watched as their own cell was opened, they were then led down the corridor to the large room that would await them every day.
***Millie's POV***
'Mr. Vash has been gone for two days now, I'm not sure whether that's a good thing of not'. I glance out of the window for the fiftieth time this morning and sigh at the empty street. I feel so worried that I haven't even touched the pudding that I brought a few days ago. I know that Meryl is strong and she can probably take care of herself but she hasn't been herself lately and she has been missing for four days now.
I look back at Mr. Knives who is still lying motionless on the bed; I'm glad that he hasn't woken up yet. It's strange to think that he could be Mr. Vash's twin brother when he is so different.
The pudding is looking at me from the side and I slip towards it, okay I hadn't touched the pudding up till now. 'Yum chocolate!' So I tucked into the pudding hoping that no one would notice when there was a strange sound in the room. 'He's awake!' I whirled round choking on pudding but saw nothing out of the ordinary.
Then I saw the reason for the sound and laughed happily. A small black cat was trying to clamber onto the bed where Knives lay but had fallen back down onto the floor.
"Oooo, cyuute little kitty." I raced up to the black kitty and picked it up and heard another meow and saw two other kitties, they were so small and they had to be baby kitty cats. So I ran to the kitchen and brought back a bottle of milk for them. Now I'm not feeling so alone.
Note: I was gonna end it there but I'm really on a role here so on with the story:
***Normal POV***
Meryl tried desperately to work on but every muscle in her body was strained and bruises covered her arms and legs from where she had been struck by the men who patrolled the room. Hunger knawed at her stomach and her small frame shook with cold.
The sound of the slaver's footsteps echoed through her skull but she couldn't force her body to move, tears threatened in her eyes but she wouldn't cry. Crying would be of no use to her now and it would just make things worse.
A sudden shouting brought her back from her thoughts and she turned round slowly to see the slaver raising the stout whip above his head to strike a child. Meryl recognised the child as Ashley and without another thought she used the last of her energy to dash between Ashley and the man.
"Get out of my way!" He yelled furiously but even if she had wanted to she couldn't have moved. Ashley whimpered behind her and dashed away, the chains from her shackles clanking noisily as she went back to her work.
"You bitch!" The man yelled and knocked Meryl in the side with the whip. Gasping from the sudden pain she fell onto her side clutching her ribs in agony. There was a few seconds before his boot came in contact with her side again, sprawling her across the floor. The crack of bones shattered in her ears and the tears finally slid free.
"I have had just about enough of you. Don't think I haven't been watching." He snarled and Meryl lifted her head slightly to look into his eyes.
"I-I don't know w-what you mean."
"Of course you do, you only work when we pass by, and when you think we don't look your resting." He snarled and lifted her up in a painful clasp. She struggled frantically as he lifted the pickaxe that she had been using or trying to use just a moment ago.
Meryl stopped struggling and looked into the man's face knowing very well he wanted to hurt her. She was too tired to struggle any more let alone run if she did escape his hold, it was too late, her hope had run dry.
He brought the sharp end of the pickaxe to rest just below her collarbone and scraped downwards watching with amusement at her gasp of pain. A slither of blood rose to the surface of the scratch and trickled down her skin.
"I'll show you true pain." He snarled viciously and slashed a groove down the centre of her chest. She tried to stifle a scream but the pain burned with such intensity that a sob broke free, the blood scaring her more than she would have admitted. 'I'm going to die in this place.' She realised as her vision failed.
Vash paused and tried to catch his breath, the heat blazed down and he felt somewhat disorientated. He knew where the place was, but seeing the empty horizon worried him. His calculations had told him it should take just over two days but he had been travelling for two already and there was still no sign of the mine.
Staring up at the twin suns he sighed and continued to cross the hot and dusty desert to reach his goal and find Meryl. 'I hope she's alright.' Suddenly he felt a searing pain in his chest and his heart clenched in agony. That signal was enough to quicken his pace. 'She's hurt, I have to hurry.' He decided and broke into a run, ignoring the pain from his aching muscles.
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Okay I really have finished this chapter now. It's my longest one so far yay. So without further ado I wanna know what you thought so click on the review button and type away, it makes me hap-hap-happy!
'Love & Peace' to you all
Note: Hello all to the fifth part of this fanfic. Just a few things I wanted to say before it starts.
First: I want to apologise for taking so long but I had new inspiration for another fan fic which I will be posting very soon, also my computer keeps crashing on me.
Second: I am going to try and make this the longest chapter so far and I might throw in a few POV's in places to make it more interesting.
Third: I want to thank the reviewers who put in their views...and threats for my last chapter, they go as followed:
Jaded Ayumi - I'm sorry bout the cliffhanger it wasn't actually planned to end like that but I guess I was too lazy to write any more.
Rainy-days13 - Yeah I agree that kitty is naughty but its sooo damn cyuute too!
Silverado6000 - Thanks very much for your review, yeah tragedy is best for bringing people together, especially stubborn ones like Vash and Meryl.
Tough Cookie - even though I was really going to make sure she suffered I think I'll cut down the pain a little just for you ^-^.
CuRsEd - nope the evil man isn't Knives, that would be too obvious, I'm going to play around with his personality a bit though...a sweet Knives. I like that concept ^. ~
Sets17 - Here's the update and thanks for your review.
Dreamer-of-Night - Here's the update, read on to find out if she is saved ^o^
Darkraven - I'm sorry about the cliffhanger, I'll try not to do anymore but that's not a promise.
Dustdragon - hey I don't blame you, who doesn't like that film. You might wanna check out my new fan fic if u like that sort of thing ^.~
Now on with the story:
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Chapter 5: Alone
Her violet eyes flickered open to see nothing but darkness but Meryl could tell she wasn't alone in this horrible place. Lifting a hand to her head she groaned and tried to keep herself from vomiting until she knew where she was. Clearing her mind as much as possible she leaned back against the wall, which trembled and shook.
The smell of other people: light perfume and dusty coats filled her nostrils and she shivered, the nausea taking over all other senses. A shaft of light streamed in from a gap at the far end of the confining space and as her eyes grew more accustomed to the darkness she could make out other people. Her mind fogged over with confusion and she tried to grasp on reality, but the harder she tried to stay conscious the more her grip loosened. Her mind blanked out again and her body fell into a dark oblivion.
Vash paced the room where Knives still lay motionless feeling an uneasiness fill his soul. Meryl still hadn't returned and her disappearance was certainly out of character. He didn't doubt that she could take care of herself - he had been on the receiving end of her strength - but as time ticked by his worry turned to panic.
He paused to look over at his brother and sighed miserably, seeing him so helpless and lacking life made him distraught. Knives had been so full of spirit, intelligence and care when they had been younger and his mind still fought to grasp the fact that it had all changed. He was still intelligent yes, but he used his sharp mind in the wrong way but Vash was hopeful he could change.
After he had won the fight and Knives lay on the ground expecting to be finished off Vash promised him that he would take care of him. Those had been the last words that Rem had said to him, and that is what he planned to do.
Vash was positive that Knives could change with his help and the insurance girls there by his side. He himself had seen the kindness in his brother, a side that no one else had seen.
"That will all change." He told his unconscious brother and then his mind trailed back to Meryl again. 'Where is she?' he wondered desperately when suddenly he heard the door downstairs open. His heart leapt with relief and he dashed out of the room to greet her and also shout at her for being late.
Turning the corner into the small room downstairs his heart fell in disappointment at seeing only Millie's cheery face. She undid the stun gun hidden beneath her cloak and stretched, grateful to be free of its weight.
"Hello Mr. Vash." She smiled.
"Hello." He raised a hand and smiled back the best he could, but Millie caught the strange look in his eyes.
"Is something wrong?"
"No..." He trailed off and sighed, his face creasing into a frown even as he spoke.
"Gee Mr. Vash you're not a very good liar.' She announced and looked around curiously. "Where's Meryl?" Instantly she saw the worried look on Vash's face and she approached the door again, slinging the stun gun across her shoulder.
"Where are you going now?" Vash asked, a clueless expression on his face.
"I'm going to look for Meryl." She announced and with that she left the house, the noise of the closing door echoed around the silent house. Vash shivered at the sensation of being left alone and wished with all his heart that Meryl would just walk back through the door.
"She's going to walk through that door riiiiiiight.............NOW!" he said hopefully, when nothing happened he raised an eyebrow, "now" he stated quieter...."now" he pleaded, clasping his hands together and making puppy eyes at the inanimate door. "Fine! Be that way!" He yelled throwing up his hands in exasperation and trudging back upstairs to worry some more.
***Meryl's POV***
I had that nightmare again, and still I don't know what it means. 'Could it be a premonition of what has still yet to pass? Do I even believe in the psychic stuff?' I would have said no before I met up with Vash and went on the crazy journey that led to me being taken away.
'Taken away! That's right I remember now, those slavers came into town and were causing trouble for that little girl. So was I captured too? I guess anything is possible in this cruel world.'
I sat up and look around; the walls are no longer moving so I can safely assume I have been taken from the van and been put somewhere...small, confined and dark. 'No difference so far' I thought glumly and raised a hand to my throbbing head, if I moved I knew that I would vomit, so I lay still on the cold ground waiting for something to happen.
It wasn't long before there was some movement and I realised that I was not alone in the cell. Obviously whoever was with me had been knocked unconscious too and I rolled my head to one side feeling the pain drill into my skull. I drew in a sharp breath to stop myself from crying out in agony and tried to calm my whirling vision.
A loud scrap of a boot sent needles of pain through my head and I gasped at the sudden interruption of silence. In the dark something moved and I shivered with fear wondering desperately if he or she was friendly until a soft sob reached my ears. 'A child!' I realised and being very careful not to jolt my skull I pulled my body up into a sitting position.
"W-who's there?" a terrified voice asked and I tried to reach out in the darkness. My fingertips brushed up against a wall, which had been surprisingly close to my face, and I recoiled in distaste. The wall was covered in a thick layer of slime from being in such a damp area.
"Don't worry I wont hurt you." My voice was surprisingly calm but the fluttering of my heart told me otherwise, I was in a panicked state and it was all I could do to hold onto my sanity. If something else occurred I probably would be overcome with madness.
"I'm Ashley." The voice said and I smiled.
"That's a pretty name. I'm Meryl." I announced softly keeping one hand pressed against my skull to try and help the pain.
"Are we going to die?" Her little voice asked and I trembled - whether from cold or fear I'm not sure - before trying to answer. Yet before I could a door opened and light burst into the room, temporarily blinding me.
***Vash's POV***
I paced the room for what seemed like the thousandth time when I heard the door open downstairs. Glancing at my still unconscious brother sadly I hesitated to leave the sanctuary of the room. If I went out to see who it was my life could be changed forever, ignorance really is bliss.
Checking my gun was in its holster I prepared myself for the worst and headed back downstairs. Just as expected Millie was alone and looking terribly frightened and I closed my eyes wishing I hadn't seen that expression on her face. 'It really doesn't suit her.'
"Did you find anything?" I asked and she straightened up, her eyes whirling with tears and her lip trembling from holding back sobs.
"Oh Mr. Vash!" She exclaimed running over to me and clasping my forearms with a death grip. I have to admit, that girl is pretty strong and I'm glad that she wasn't the one to hit me all the time.
"What? What's happened?" I asked frantically and she shook her head as if lost for words. "Millie!" I yelled and she snapped out of her terror-stricken trance.
"I happened to come across a woman...she said that slavers came into town today." She said slowly, her hands trembling from the tight grip.
"Slavers?" I questioned in confusion, 'what do slavers have to do with anything' at that time I didn't realise just how stupid that question was. I mean duh; Millie wasn't just going to start a conversation about slavers if it was totally nothing to do with Meryl. Sometimes I think Meryl is right about me being a...pea-brained idiot...but lets forget that, back to the situation at hand.
"...Yes, slavers took Meryl!" Millie finished and that was all I had to hear of the conversation to fill in the rest.
"Then what are we waiting for, let's go!" I shrieked.
***Normal POV***
Meryl found herself being led down another narrow corridor, small lanterns were fixed into the wall and cast a soft glow onto the floor. Her head spun and hurt with every agonised step and twice she vomited before they reached another corridor. This one widened considerably and along the right side was rows and rows of cells.
As they passed them Meryl saw how many people had been trapped here, each cell held at least three people, but the numbers went up to seven in some. She looked into the faces of some of the people and was disheartened to see that some were just children no older than eight. They varied in ages but none older than forty with the women separated from men. Some reached out to tug at her clothes, hollow eyes and mouths opening in silent pleas but she knew she could not help them. She was in the same position.
They stopped suddenly and she was jolted to a halt, her stomach threatening to pour out any leftover contents. Her wrists were then shackled together and she was pushed into the cell along with the small child who had been with her before. Another woman sat in the corner watching them with dark, hungry eyes.
Meryl settled down in the far corner, the girl Ashley curled up next to her fearfully. The men locked the door and laughed at them before continuing down the corner, the rattling of keys echoing and fading.
The woman who was sitting in the shadows began to hum and rocked back and fourth, her long tangled hair sprawling across her face. Her mouth was twisted in a maniacal grin and her empty eyes stared into nothing.
Meryl forced herself to sleep and tried to forget the cold and hunger that was eating into her. By the time she awoke she heard a lot of yelling and knew that more was in store for her. She stood up on shaky legs just in time, two angry looking men strode to their cell unlocked the door and ordered out the three, and they followed silently.
They were led from the cells and down a corridor, which curved downwards and swung to the left, entering a huge room. Other slaves were working already, their hands shackled far enough apart to enable them to hold strange curved tools, which they chipped into the walls relentlessly.
"You lot." A man pointed at Meryl and the two others that had been in her cell, instantly men hoarded around them and dragged their bodies across the room and set them down by a large wall.
"Get looking, find anything let us know, work hard, if you fail our expectations then you will be punished!" The man's voice yelled angrily and instantly everyone started to work harder.
Meryl turned her head to the pickaxe, which lay at her feet, and lifting it in her shackled hands she chipped away at the hard black rock. She wondered who these people were and what they were supposed to be finding. Obviously this was some kind of mine that they had discovered but it must have something important hiding in the walls for them to resort to such methods. With an angry yell she took her fury out on the wall in front of her until her arms trembled with fatigue and her head spun with regained nausea. It was then that her mind flitted back to her friends... 'Millie must be so worried by now', even though she had no idea of the time of day she knew it had been a long while. 'And Vash, he's probably blaming himself for my disappearance'.
"This is all my fault!" Vash whined pathetically from his seat by the window. Millie sighed and shook her head at him.
"Don't blame yourself Mr. Vash, I'm sure we'll find something that might give us a clue to where she went." With that she sat down in a chair opposite him and watched his expression of sorrow and fear with a breaking heart. Millie had hoped this would be the last time she would see such an expression on his face, it had been hard enough before but without Meryl she felt useless.
"Do you think that she will be okay?" Vash asked and their eyes met.
"Meryl will be fine, she's strong."
"Yeah."
"Mr. Vash..."
"Yeah Millie?"
"I think that maybe I should tell you something, I mean this probably would be better coming from Meryl but I don't think she would ever get round to telling you herself."
"What?"
"You see...Meryl lo..." A sharp knock at the door both brought them to their feet and Millie who was the quickest to respond ran over and threw it open.
A scared looking woman was standing at the door, her ragged clothes very apparent in the light. It had been almost two days since Meryl's disappearance and now the evening light was falling once again. The woman cleared her throat and began to speak in slow, steady words: "I have news of your friend."
Millie glanced back at Vash who nodded and they invited the woman in. It turned out the poor woman had been the one who was approached by Meryl. She had witnessed the bravery of the young woman trying to save the child and also seen her being beaten and dragged into the slavers' van. She then told them the direction and Vash instantly ran to the door, he stretched out his hand to grab the handle when a thought hit him, 'Knives!' he turned to see Millie looking at him and she nodded thoughtfully, then as if she had read his mind she said: "I'll look after your brother, please go and find Meryl, okay?" Vash nodded and left the small house.
He turned in the right direction and glared into the setting suns, his hand falling to the silver gun on his hip. He raised his sunglasses and set them on the bridge of his nose, the orange glass hiding the anger in his eyes. 'No one hurts my insurance girl.'
Note: I was gonna end there but I was really in the mood for writing so I continued:
Meryl woke up to be greeted by the same dark cell and biting cold, she assumed that she had been trapped now for several days and wondered why she hadn't been rescued. Maybe they had given up on her, or had no clue as to where she was taken. Yet the hope that someone might come and help her escape was the only thought that kept her going.
Food was thrown through the bars of their cell, three small chunks of bread that were tough and stale. The crazed woman who had not spoken a word since Meryl had been there snatched at the food and returned to her corner and Ashley took the last two and handed Meryl hers.
"I want to go home." She whimpered as she ate the bread and cuddled up against Meryl's side.
"I know you do, don't worry we wont be here forever." Meryl forced a smile and handed Ashley her ration of bread.
"Don't you want it?" Her huge eyes hoping that she would say no.
"I'm not hungry." That was a lie, she had never been so hungry in her life, but even now she could not bring herself to eat when the child was so hungry.
A loud snap echoed down the corridor and the sound of rattling keys and the opening and closing of doors ensued. Sighing with fatigue Meryl stood and watched as their own cell was opened, they were then led down the corridor to the large room that would await them every day.
***Millie's POV***
'Mr. Vash has been gone for two days now, I'm not sure whether that's a good thing of not'. I glance out of the window for the fiftieth time this morning and sigh at the empty street. I feel so worried that I haven't even touched the pudding that I brought a few days ago. I know that Meryl is strong and she can probably take care of herself but she hasn't been herself lately and she has been missing for four days now.
I look back at Mr. Knives who is still lying motionless on the bed; I'm glad that he hasn't woken up yet. It's strange to think that he could be Mr. Vash's twin brother when he is so different.
The pudding is looking at me from the side and I slip towards it, okay I hadn't touched the pudding up till now. 'Yum chocolate!' So I tucked into the pudding hoping that no one would notice when there was a strange sound in the room. 'He's awake!' I whirled round choking on pudding but saw nothing out of the ordinary.
Then I saw the reason for the sound and laughed happily. A small black cat was trying to clamber onto the bed where Knives lay but had fallen back down onto the floor.
"Oooo, cyuute little kitty." I raced up to the black kitty and picked it up and heard another meow and saw two other kitties, they were so small and they had to be baby kitty cats. So I ran to the kitchen and brought back a bottle of milk for them. Now I'm not feeling so alone.
Note: I was gonna end it there but I'm really on a role here so on with the story:
***Normal POV***
Meryl tried desperately to work on but every muscle in her body was strained and bruises covered her arms and legs from where she had been struck by the men who patrolled the room. Hunger knawed at her stomach and her small frame shook with cold.
The sound of the slaver's footsteps echoed through her skull but she couldn't force her body to move, tears threatened in her eyes but she wouldn't cry. Crying would be of no use to her now and it would just make things worse.
A sudden shouting brought her back from her thoughts and she turned round slowly to see the slaver raising the stout whip above his head to strike a child. Meryl recognised the child as Ashley and without another thought she used the last of her energy to dash between Ashley and the man.
"Get out of my way!" He yelled furiously but even if she had wanted to she couldn't have moved. Ashley whimpered behind her and dashed away, the chains from her shackles clanking noisily as she went back to her work.
"You bitch!" The man yelled and knocked Meryl in the side with the whip. Gasping from the sudden pain she fell onto her side clutching her ribs in agony. There was a few seconds before his boot came in contact with her side again, sprawling her across the floor. The crack of bones shattered in her ears and the tears finally slid free.
"I have had just about enough of you. Don't think I haven't been watching." He snarled and Meryl lifted her head slightly to look into his eyes.
"I-I don't know w-what you mean."
"Of course you do, you only work when we pass by, and when you think we don't look your resting." He snarled and lifted her up in a painful clasp. She struggled frantically as he lifted the pickaxe that she had been using or trying to use just a moment ago.
Meryl stopped struggling and looked into the man's face knowing very well he wanted to hurt her. She was too tired to struggle any more let alone run if she did escape his hold, it was too late, her hope had run dry.
He brought the sharp end of the pickaxe to rest just below her collarbone and scraped downwards watching with amusement at her gasp of pain. A slither of blood rose to the surface of the scratch and trickled down her skin.
"I'll show you true pain." He snarled viciously and slashed a groove down the centre of her chest. She tried to stifle a scream but the pain burned with such intensity that a sob broke free, the blood scaring her more than she would have admitted. 'I'm going to die in this place.' She realised as her vision failed.
Vash paused and tried to catch his breath, the heat blazed down and he felt somewhat disorientated. He knew where the place was, but seeing the empty horizon worried him. His calculations had told him it should take just over two days but he had been travelling for two already and there was still no sign of the mine.
Staring up at the twin suns he sighed and continued to cross the hot and dusty desert to reach his goal and find Meryl. 'I hope she's alright.' Suddenly he felt a searing pain in his chest and his heart clenched in agony. That signal was enough to quicken his pace. 'She's hurt, I have to hurry.' He decided and broke into a run, ignoring the pain from his aching muscles.
* * * * * *
Okay I really have finished this chapter now. It's my longest one so far yay. So without further ado I wanna know what you thought so click on the review button and type away, it makes me hap-hap-happy!
'Love & Peace' to you all