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5: To live on borrowed time.

Aife pov

The stranger’s words crept in my mind as I tried to get to my feet. Crawling around the tiny cell was one thing, but actually rising to my full height after a week of not moving at all proved to be a challenge.

The guard who came to get me had none of it. Groaning and growling, he entered the cell, grabbed my upper arm so rough, I was sure he would leave a bruise, and yanked me to my feet.

My knees kept giving in from under me, so the guard dragged me along. He didn’t bother to toss me on his shoulder like his savage leader did, but he did take great pleasure in hurting me as he dragged me down the hall, that was clear.

I tried to stand up, I tried to walk, but he had none of it. Patience definitely couldn’t be a thing these men would be known for. By the time he got me to the end of the hall and in front of a door, I had a bruise of his hand on my arm and my ribs were scraped so badly, I had started bleeding.

“Stop being so difficult, brat!” The guard shouted as his grip on me became so painful, I couldn’t hold back the cry of pain.

He didn’t add more as he yanked me to my feet again and pushed me out of the door. I had to lean against the wall to stay upright while he locked the door and once again, grabbed me. At this point, I was sure he did everything on purpose, adding more pain by gripping the bruise he already left.

As he dragged me down another hall and we entered what looked like a common room, I couldn’t help but wonder why I didn’t see even one woman around. There were none in the massive room with the table, and here I couldn’t see any either.

The hungry gazes of the men that surrounded me were so intense, it suddenly felt like the guard wasn’t even a bit of the problem I was about to face.

My heart nearly stopped. I felt like I was back in that room, all of their eyes on my exposed body, grabbing and gripping, desperate for a piece of me.

Even as the guard led me away from them, I didn’t dare to breathe out in relief. Sure, I was overjoyed to get away from them, but the man I was most likely to face was far worse than all of them put together.

I expected to be taken to an office room or library, but instead, the guard dragged me out of the building. I knew that I had to look like a fish out of the water with how low my jaw hung, but I couldn’t help it.

All of those scenarios, ideas and fears that ran through me were nothing close to the reality I was experiencing. To my surprise, the guard dragged me to a car that was parked right in front of the house, opened the door and forced me in the back seat.

“Not a fucking sound, you hear me? Not a goddamn sound.” He hissed and slammed the door closed.

I hadn’t uttered a single word ever since he dragged me out of that cell, why he was so adamant to remind me I had no right to speak was beyond me. Not that I minded, anyway.

My eyes didn’t leave the guard as he walked around the car and got in the driver’s seat. He didn’t say anything as he started the car and drove away from the house.

Now, as I watched the massive building disappear from the view, I felt like this was it. Just hours ago, I was sad for being alive, and now, someone would take my life. I was sure the guard was driving me to a forest or some abandoned location to kill me.

“Please, Moon Goddess, if you can hear my prayers, make it quick. Hold his hand when he does it, help him have the strength to take my life with mercy,” I prayed mentally.

The car came to a halt so suddenly, my body flew forward and I hit the back of the passenger’s seat with a surprised yelp.

The guard groaned, clearly annoyed and muttered, “told them fucking savages don’t know shit about safety belts and how to use them.”

I was speechless, just as he wanted, and again, it seemed to annoy him even more. While he got out of his seat and walked around the car to my door, I quickly scanned the surroundings.

He didn’t take me to a remote place. In fact, he took me to what looked like a tiny village, hidden away from the main building, right in the middle of the forest. I could see at least a dozen small houses, but not a single soul was out and about.

Before I could fully take in the view, the guard opened the car door, grabbed the back of my neck and forcefully yanked me out of the car. He didn’t bother to hold me upright, as soon as half of my body was out of the vehicle, he let go so I fell out face-first.

An ugly laugh left him as he grabbed my hair and pulled me away from the car. He didn’t address the scream that left me. Instead, he slammed the car door closed and turned his attention to me.

“Look for Claudia,” he barked.

I tried to bring my hands to my face to hide the tears that were about to escape my eyes, but the guard was hell bent on proving to me just how ruthless he could be and how little he cared for the pain he was causing to others.

He kicked me in the stomach. Just once, but he did it with so much force, the pain shot through me like a wave of electricity. I tried to pull my knees to my chest, but the action was too painful. Just to make the matter worse, I started coughing blood.

The guard stood over me, laughing. “What are you waiting for, brat? Get up and do as you’re told. Look for Claudia,” he barked and spat on my face.

All the physical pain he inflicted felt like nothing compared to that action. Disgusting pieces of lowlife garbage, that was what those men were. All of them.

I didn’t look away from him as he walked back to the car and got in the driver’s seat as if he had no care in the world. As soon as he sped away, I let the tears loose.

Everything hurt, I was humiliated all over again and he didn’t even bother to pull out a knife to end my misery. Instead, he left me here at god knew whose mercy.

While I heaved for breath, I didn’t notice how doors to the houses opened and rows of women surrounded me. One of them dropped to her knees next to me and cradled my face. “You poor thing, why would he do something like that to you?” She cried out.

“Look at the new meat, Claudia. Look very careful and admit you’re wrong! They’re not getting better. If anything, all of them are becoming worse, more ruthless, even the guards. Those men have no heart, they don’t see an issue with beating up a woman and you still have the gall to defend them? What did she do to deserve this? I can bet my heart she is yet another girl they stole from a pack and decided she’s unfit!”

The woman, who cradled me, hissed and turned her attention to someone. “We can return to that neverending discussion later. Now, I need help to get her in the empty house and tend to her. She is to return to the main building with us early tomorrow morning, so if we don’t want to start living on borrowed time soon, we should get moving.”

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