Chapter 5:
Asami:
The stench of rats and shit seeped off the grimy walls of their cell. Four months in there, and she still hasn't gotten over the initial feeling of repulsion. At first, it wasn't as bad as it was right now. She had a cell all to herself, nice and roomy. But then more civilians were brought in, along with more bodies. She was lucky that there is only her and Bolin in a cell. Who knew what creep she could've shared a cell with.
Four months. She couldn't believe it, and over a year she has spent in this miserable underground jail, probably rotting away just like the other prisoners, who has long ago stopped moaning for mercy. Women were raped, men were stripped of their pride. There were no children where she was.
Asami traced against the wall, covered with tally marks she has made since being in that very cell. Every tally, representing each day she has been there, each day, filled with nothing but somber, sorrow, and hopelessness.
Bolin, however, never lost hope. He woke up everyday, happy as a puppy, somehow persuading himself that Mako was coming and getting them out of there. Mako, the one that broke her heart so long ago. Mako, the man that deserted her and Bolin when they needed him the most. Mako, the one that didn't even kiss her good bye when he left this decaying jail.
Mako, the one she didn't want to love.
...
Mako:
Walking up the flight of stairs, Mako wondered if Ezra would want a mother when she grows up. He wondered about Korra. He wonders if he should go back to the Southern Water Tribe to tell her. She would get suspicious. He had motives. Motives she probably wouldn't like.
He walked into his apartment, everything suspiciously quiet. He tiptoed into his bedroom, only to be greeted by the old nanny's body laying on the ground, knocked out, and Ezra missing from her carriage.
Mako ran about his apartment, tearing everything apart, looking for little Ezra in every little crack, every little is impossible. Ezra isn't here. Ezra, the barely half year old baby with the long dark eyelashes.
Nothing made sense anymore.
Don't cry. Whatever you do, do not cry.
An unfamiliar pressure came from behind his eye sockets, threatening to spill over. Mako hurriedly ran to the door and left without even locking it.
...
Two hours later, Mako somberly walked back up the stairs. Half of his shit was probably missing by now, but none of it mattered. He went knocking on all the doors of the apartment building, but no one knew anything. He gave up in frustration.
Walking over to the kitchen table then crashing down on the chair, he stared blankly at the crusty ceiling, not know what to feel. He was about to give up finding Ezra on his own and leave it to the police when a sheet of crisp white paper caught his eye on the kitchen table.
Gingerly picking it up, Mako read the information.
Guardian of the baby,
It is my obligation to inform you that it is no longer your priority to care for the infant, as it is now a child of the law system here in Republic City. You will not be needed and it is best if you do not come to retrieve the child. This is your first and final warning. Do not come looking for the baby, there will be consequences. We will know
-Anonymous.
Mako stared long and hard at the paper, its whiteness almost blinding him. Someone broke into his home, knocked out the nanny cold, and stole Ezra from him. This wasn't real.
He thought about the horrible things that could happen to her in that cold and now desolate city.
Mako would need help to retrieve Ezra.
He couldn't bear to face Korra, at least, not yet.
Bolin and Asami are still captive. Still in Republic City.
...
Mako shoved money, his red scarf, and a few clothing items into his duffel bag. He made sure nothing was missing. He laid the old nanny to rest on his bed and left the door unlocked. Nothing valuable to him could be stolen anyways.
Making his way down to the dim lit lobby, he noticed a rusty mirror on his way to the exit. His hair had grown a bit, and he would only shave once every couple of days now.
He lost a bit of weight, making him appear more striking. Bags hung under his eyes, making him appear older than twenty.
Mako was almost unrecognizable...
After paying for his transportation fee and boarding the subway, Mako seated himself and tried to get comfortable, which was almost impossible with the cheap metal seats.
The vision outside the window blurred, along with Mako's thoughts as he slipped into a dreamless sleep.
...
Asami:
They both sat in silence, Asami on the metal bed and Bolin sprawled out on the floor. Most of their days were spent like this, lost in their thoughts, having nothing to talk about. And usually, one or both of them would be asleep. She remembered when he was goofy and happy and smiling 24/7. Not so much anymore.
Each day passed with unhappiness, along with the sheer cloak of boredom. There is no difference between a minute and an hour down in the depths of Republic City.
Bolin managed to have found some bits of earth along the corner of their cell a few weeks back. He started collecting tiny bits of earth every time a jail keeper would come down, earthbending the bits of dirt having fallen off the jail keeper's shoe.
So far, he has collected enough dirt to form a small pebble, and an even smaller one when compressed. He would toss the pebble and form it into various shapes all day. Sometimes, Asami would watch him.
Both Asami and him have lost weight over the time they have spent in the cell. Bolin especially. His baby fat melted off his face, accentuating his cheekbones, though the beard covering his face was covering almost half of his face.
His stomach was alot leaner also.
And while Bolin would assure Asami that she was still beautiful, she knew that the weight loss didn't look too amazing on her. Her face probably looked gaunt instead of lean, her knees knobby and her arms like twigs. The only thing that remained was her bust.
She watched Bolin play with his collection of dirt. He had a dazed look on his face while he earthbended the tiny thing. Eyes half closed and fingers moving as though it were muscle memory.
A small and barely noticeable smile tugged at the corner of his lips.
"Bolin", He looked at her with a spark in his eyes," Why are you so happy today?"
Looking back at his earthbending pebble, he replied with a mischievous smile," I have a feeling my brother is coming".
Asami couldn't help but sigh. Not this again.
"No really! He's coming for real this time!" Bolin looked at Asami with his serious green eyes," Mako is coming to save us, Asami. I promise".
She gave him a weak smile and halfheartedly said,"I'm sure he is Bolin".
"I'm serious. We're going to get out of here."
...
The footsteps woke her up, heavy boots on the hard floor, echoing down the filthy hallways. Bolin heard him too and immediately sat up, determined to collect more tidbits of dirt.
Her heart was beating. There is only one reason why the jail keeper would come down to the underground jail, and it wasn't an honorable reason at all. He would come down once every two weeks and take a girl with him. Sometimes she came back, often with a distant look on her face. Other times, she wouldn't even come back at all.
The footsteps came closer to their cell.
And closer.
Until they stopped right outside their cell.
In the beginning, people would try and stop the jail keeper, yelling insults and threats. They would then be dragged out and flogged until their skin bled. Nobody tries anymore.
"No". Asami whispered, mostly to herself.
Bolin's eyes widened as the jail keeper unlocked the door, almost in slow motion, his demented smile made only creepier with the dim lighting. A gold tooth glinted.
Bolin rushed over and covered her body with his.
"No!" His arms were almost crushing her. Asami held on to this moment for as long as possible, holding on to the momentary protectiveness of Bolin. She felt safe, even if it was going to be for a brief moment.
She held to him, determined not to let anyone or anything take Bolin away from her.
But of course, her thirty seconds of praying denied her when she was dragged out the cell by her hair. Bolin tried to tackle the jail keeper, also threatening him, but only to be pulled out of his cell, stripped of his shirt and flogged on the spot by a helper.
"Bolin!" tears stung her eyes.
He looked up at her from on the ground with a face sketched with regret and sadness for her.
Asami fought back, her nails scraped her captor's skin. He bound her hands and feet together, forcing her to be dragged along the gritty and dirty floor.
Her shrieks might as well not have been heard.
...
She was forced to bathe with her hands still tied. A helper lady scraped Asami's back raw. Asami wouldn't get out until the lady scrubbed her back so hard it bled.
...
Asami's hands bound to the bedpost, she looked around the room. Average room with medium space. The balcony doors were open, letting the moon shine in.
Her heavily mascara-ed eyelashes clumped together while the lipstick on her lips smeared.
Asami rubbed her lips together to make it smear even more, trying to make herself look as disgusting as possible.
She fell asleep waiting for the jail keeper, but immediately awoke to the sound of his heavy footsteps.
He didn't say anything to her.
He wiped off her ugly lipstick then proceeded to lay on top of her.
The smell of cheap soap and powder filled her nostrils.
...
Asami refused to feel anything. Not the pain, not the sting, not the shame, nothing.
She tried to focus her thoughts on her mother, Mako, Bolin, though it was nearly impossible with the animal like sounds this creature on top of her was making.
When he was done, he rolled off her and fell asleep, producing deep snores while he slept.
She closed her eyes and tried to sleep.
Not once did she cry.
Decided to write in the perspective of others. I hope you liked!
Updates coming soon :)