Caged

A Story by Allinababe

Excerpt of a future book: Jillian's friend has what suspiciously sounds like an abusive boyfriend. When she tries to help, she lands herself in the middle of a drug and slave trade camp.

All I knew was that I couldn't just sit around and wait for a rescue by Kaden, who had no clue where I was. The leering stares, the unnecessary abuse, selling us like objects, selling me? I had to get us out of here. I blinked away the dizziness and momentarily tried to focus on something other than the throbbing pain coming from my leg.

Distantly, I saw men move so I turned my head to their direction. They were dragging out bloodied bodies, some green and yellow from injuries poorly covered up with tattered clothes, from each cell and throwing them in a corner. Dead? I thought. Ignoring the bile rising up at the stench when they were wheeled passed me, my assumption was half right. These bodies were practically dead. A man with ivy green eyes still bright on a face unrecognizable covered with blood and dirt blinked at me from the top of the cart. His head lolled. I imagined I looked the same.

A terrifying thought entered my mind. What if I was next? Would they drag me out and place me on top of this man who's eyes once must have been admired and loved? Would it be a reprieve?

I felt my face grow hot at the onset of tears and I wanted to shut my eyes and crawl into a ball but I didn't. I observed. I stared as the pile of bodies were dragged against one side of the wall and the other men, guards but not dressed as such, hooted and laughed at something. They banged on a cage and when the victim flinched they guffawed. Truly sadistic. Again, the urge to look away and maybe sleep persisted, but I shook it off.

When the men left, I observed all the other victims. None were as bad as I physically, except the ones piled at the corner of the wall. One of the bodies, presumably a women by her long strings of hair, fell off the pile in a loud thud, and a groan emanated throughout the room.
She was alive. And she wasn't imprisoned.

"Hey!" I called, surprised at how hoarse but loud my voice came. She didn't move but several of the other prisoners flinched.

"Hey!" I had dragged myself up to the bars of my cage and weakly banged on it. She stirred and slowly rolled over. I could tell it took effort.

I would've said something but I was distracted by water and a sandwich covered in ants I hadn't noticed before at the corner of my cell only an arms length away.

I grabbed at it and nearly drained all the water before realizing the girl was watching me. Shame and guilt hit me. All focus lost when food came into the picture? I put the cup down and looked in her direction. She'd looked away, but I got her attention again when I offered the ant covered sandwich and held up the mug. She just stared. Was she even able to come?

"I'll take it." A prisoner close to me groaned.

It was Rile. Resignation marked his features.

"We will get out of here." I told him, but he scoffed.

"It's easier when you let go of that idea, Jill." I shook my head and opened my mouth but he cut me off before I could say anything.

"Those people you see," he nodded towards the unguarded pile of people stacked like stones on top one another, "were meant to die. Able bodied people like me, no. The rest of us in the cells are slaves. I've sat here while they torture you knowing you're gonna die but for some reason you're not part of that pile. And you still think you can escape." He paused and I mourned over his loss of hope, trying to not let it crush me.

I watched as he grabbed his half eaten sandwich and surprisingly, reaches it out to me. For a second I can only stare.

"The only out is death. They can't force me to eat." I felt my eyes widened and I shut them tight before opening them again.

"No, Rile. Listen. We will get out of here. We- I'll find a way." His quiet laughter resembled a father listening to a child talk about aliens and traveling to fantasy lands. Hollow humor.

Two of the men came back, heading straight for the pile, and took the woman that fell on the floor. I nearly dropped the sandwich Rile had given me in despair.

They took her to the far end of the room and she didn't make a sound or struggle. They opened what looked like a chute and awkwardly shoved her body inside. The loud clangs of the chute opening and closing echoed throughout the space for another hour until all the bodies were gone.

When the men left, I looked towards Rile. "How long have they been doing that?"
"Ever since we got here."
"Where does that chute lead?"
He finally looked up at me with dead eyes, guessing what I was thinking.
"I don't know. But it won't work. For all you know, there's a god dam shredder at the bottom."

My conversation was interrupted when a small woman came in to my cell, unintimidated by my broken body. She sat down next to me and began to tear of the rags on my body. I tried pushing her away, but failed when she casually swatted my hands away.

"What the hell are you doing?" She began to hum as she slid off my pants and underwear leaving me bare. I yelped in pain when she moved over my knee and flipped me onto my back. Strong arms grabbed my hands behind my back, and as I was dragged away, Riles hopeless eyes following every step haunted me.

They threw me in a grimy dirty shower and my broken knee could barely stand me upright. I place my hands on the wall to balance myself, not having the energy to even properly wash off. The same man threw me over his shoulder and I had an extreme urge to vommit. Not only because I was hanging upside down but because I was exposed and felt utterly violated. Thankfully, the jackhammer in my head wouldn't allow me to think about what was to happen. I forced myself to look at my surroundings and possibly see something worth seeing.

Dressed, hair brushed, and injuries wrapped for decoration rather than cleanliness, I was bought into a wide bare auditorium with rows of seats, a large table, and after that, a clearing of space where a single ostentatious chair covered in red and gold was placed.

The man who tightly grasped my arms behind my back roughly gestured to a chair at the front of the rows. Physically drained, I sat there for about an hour under my lazy guard before I forced myself to get it together and observe my surroundings.

I needed an escape plan before these m***********s killed me. I noticed one door on the left, one on the right, and one down the hall where I'd come from. I observed large windows that were shut tight half covered with thick drapes, practically obscuring what seemed like a green field. No luck and no ideas.

Take the keys hanging off this man's belt and stab him in the eye? Then where? Getting ambushed wasn't part of the plan.

A lean man with a mop of brown hair atop his head strolled into the room and graciously sat on his supposed throne.

"And you said her name was Jillian?" The guard had snapped to attention but mine was focused on the waiters setting food on the table before me.

"So this little thing is what almost bought my whole operation down?" He gestured to me, "And you've mentioned Prince of Staelle several times is that correct?" At the mention of Kaden's name, my eyes slid over to this wannabe prince but I kept my lips pressed shut.

© 2016 Allinababe

Author's Note

What do you think of the prose? What do you get from the scene? Would you want to continue reading?

My Review

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Reviews

Cameron

This is really interesting. Can't wait to read/learn more about Jill and how she got in the situation she's in and what happens later.

I thought the prose was clear, and the way you wrote it showed that Jill was in a bad situation but despite her state of being, she was still trying to figure a way out. To not sound like a broken record, everything that Anna said in her review is the same thing I'd say.

Another thing I'm curious about is whether the guy at the end is a 'big player' in the story, or whether he's just the head of that 'branch'.

Nice work! Can't wait to read more!

Posted 8 Years Ago

Anna

I would definitely want to continue reading! In particular, I would want to know what came earlier in the story so I had more context about Jill and the whole backstory of what got her imprisoned.

I thought your prose was clear and descriptive. As far as what was happening in the scene, I definitely got that Jill was in a bleak situation, but that she was an optimist in the face of adversity. I got that there's some bigger "bad guy" in place, but I was a little unclear whether that was Kaden or someone else.

Another thing I think what would help me understand what was going on would be more concrete thoughts about what Jill is thinking about. The advantage of writing in first person like you did is that you can have her reflect upon what got her in this situation, or what she was specifically forced to do as a prisoner.

Overall, excellent writing - I'm guessing that in other parts of the story I would get a better picture of what was happening and why. Nice work!