Nociceptors

Chapter 1: Damsel in distress

The night sky was covered in heavy grey clouds when Ella finally got off work that evening. She was hurrying back along the dark street hopping that Ajal wasn't waiting up for her. As she got closer to the rundown apartment a light drizzle started falling from the heavy sky. Ella hurried on her steps and slide through the broken front gate. She almost ran up the stairs to the third floor and fumbled with the keys before she managed to open the door. She sighted of relief when the door closed behind her and Ajal sat on the mattress in the small space staring at her. Ella smiled at him and sank down in front of him pulling him into her arms. She kissed him on the head and whispered.

"I am sorry, so sorry".

Ajal didn't say anything he had never been a big talker and it did worry Ella from time to time, he was almost six after all. Ella held him for a while before tucking him in. He looked at her as she stood up and walked the one steep to the bathroom to make herself ready for bed.

She tried to ignore her face in the small bathroom mirror when she brushed her teeth. But she still got a glimbs of her tiered eyes that were distorted by the crack in the mirror. The bags under her blue eyes were dark and her cheeks were sunken in. She looked like a living dead, and she quickly turned away and left the bathroom. Ajal had fallen asleep, and she quietly curled up into a ball next to him on the small mattress. She laid there for a while and just listened to his quiet breaths in the dark room. The electricity had been cut off for a week now. But Ella didn't have the money to pay the rent this month. In fact, she hadn't been able to pay for the past three month and it was a miracle that the landlord hadn't thrown them out yet. Ella was scared that it would happen earlier than later, and she had been working extra hours at the bar trying to scrap together enough for this month, but it was never enough. Because she was not going to pull Ajal from school, and he was not going to have to walk around hungry. She sighted and closed her eyes even though she knew she probably wouldn't get any sleep tonight either.

"Mommy!" Ajal called for her when she left him at school that morning. Ella turned around and waved at him. He seemed satisfied and smiled at her before walking inside. He looked just like her she thought as she looked after him until the door closed behind him and she couldn't see him anymore. Ella turned around and hurried toward the bus stop when she saw the buss pulling up. The chauffeur didn't look happy when she came running and glared at her when she thanked him for waiting. There were no free seats, so she had to stand up as the bus started to move. She looked out at the chancing houses as the bus got closer to the center of town. Most of the travelers went off at the square which left several seats empty and Ella sized the opportunity and sat down. She closed her eyes as she rested her forehead on the window. The lack of sleep was starting to get to her, but she could not allow herself to rest. The building outside changed once again as the buss came to a stop at the other end of the city. Ella walked of the buss and managed to get to the school just in time for her lecture.

The kids greeted her with a smile as she entered the small classroom. She smiled back, the kids that were all given the opportunity to go to school even if they didn't have the money for it were always exited to learn. And it made Ella's efforts worth it every day. The school day turned out like every other and at the end Ella had thirty minutes to get to the bar for her next job.

Once again it was dark outside as she walked back home. Today she had missed the last buss because of the extra hour, and she had to walk back. She tried not to think too much about it as she passed the dark alleyways one by one. She had called Ajal and told him she would be home later than usual and that he should lock the door and try to sleep.

A sudden sound made Ella stop in her steep and quickly turn around. Her heart started to race as she noticed a group of men walking behind her. She took a deep breath and hurried on her steps. She could hear their voices and laughs now as they were getting closer. In her slight panic Ella managed to trip over a small stone in the sidewalk and she clumsy fell to the ground. The men's laughter got louder, and she could hear one of them call out towards her. A car pasted by her as she was trying to quickly get back on her feet but someone janked her of the ground instead.

"Look what I caught" the man that had pulled her of the ground smiled in delight when he turned her against him. The other two just laughed at her scared expression.

"Let me go" Ella tried to say but her voice got caught in her throat. The man's smile grew.

"What cat got your tong?"

"Look at her face, if it wasn't for her scared expression she would have been quite a beauty" one of them said and laughed. Ella tried to pull her arms out of the man's iron grip, but he just clenched her arms harder. She looked around in panic as the man started to drag her into the alleyway next to them. Her eyes stopped at the car that now was parked a couple of hundred meters from them. She wanted to scream but nothing came out. The man finally let go of her and she fell to the ground. Ella looked up at them as they all stood bent over her with smiles on their faces.

"Man, she is pretty" one of them said.

"Keep it in your pants dude she is mine" his friend nudge him in the side with his elbow. They both laughed. Ella tried to stand up, but her legs felt like jelly and all she could do was try to crawl backwards away from them. The man that had crabbed her before took a hard hold on her wrist and dragged her back over the hard ground. She could feel how the tarmac ripped holes on her skin. Tears had started to fall down her face now as she struggled to get loos from the man's grip.

"Don't touch me" Ella cried at the man who were now holding her down to the ground by straggling her. He just laughed and hit her over her jaw. Ella could feel the taste of blood in her mouth as the first shook slipped away. She stared into the man's dark eyes as his hands wandered over her body and it made her sick. She had to get away from them, she had to get back home to Ajal.

"Dude, we don't have all day" one of his friends joked as he stood at her head waiting his turn. She had become a toy for them. Even if she tried to get away by punching the man sitting on her, she had no chance of winning. She was too small, and the odds were not in her favor. The men knew that. The tears were swelling over in her eyes, and she could no longer make out the men around her.

"Please get of me" she whispered through her tears. But all she got in response were laughter and jokes. She was done for.

Suddenly the man on top of her disappeared, not sure if her legs would hold if she tried to stand up Ella remind on the cold hard ground. She stared up on the dark sky she could see between the tall buildings. Her tears were still rolling down her cheek as she heard the men shout around her and there was another voice as well. A female.

"She said to get of her" the female voice was dark and cold it was dripping of rage as she talked.

"Was there something else you wanted?" she was almost growling, and Ella could hear multiple footsteps quickly running out of the allay. Ella still didn't dare to move, and she could feel her whole-body shaking which made her think she wouldn't be able to even if she wanted. A face turned up in front of her. It looked concerned at her. Ella blinked a couple of time trying to see the face clearer without the tears making it blurry. The woman had short dark hair and her eyes were looking her up and down trying to make sure if she was hurt. At least that's what went through Ella's head as she tried to breath like normal again.

"Are you alright?" her voice was calmer now more concerned as she spoke. Ella looked confused at her for a moment. Was she alright? Ella tried to answer but the world was starting to fall away from her, and the woman most have noticed because she carefully lifted Ella into her arms and started to walk towards a car that was parked at the end of the alleyway. Ella's body felt heavier with every breath and before they reached the car the world turned dark.