Cabin Fever | ✓

(51) Envy

"I don't understand. I really, really don't. You were safe and untouched and still, you had to walk yourself right back into danger. You do realize, Marley, that I can't be held accountable for what happens to you after you leave here. It's up in the air whether or not they'll ever take you back to him."

Eli's feet were propped up on an end table in the trailer the man had led her to. It was a gruelling journey, her head ducked to avoid jeers, side comments and whistles as best as she could. Shrinking into as small of a form as possible, Marley occasionally dodged groping hands while she thought of the person she loves to push her foreword among the fray of bodies, sweat, and grime.

She considered making a run for it, finding a cell phone - she and Aiden both left theirs at camp - but the guard had grabbed her bicep and held tightly before she could put any ideas into motion, so she had no choice but to blindly follow.

Despite the fact that Eli and Dallas were treated like the children of kings, the trailer they were in was no better or worse than any of the others down the lines. The door creaked as it opened, chips of rust obscuring the silver frame it once had. The small kitchenette, love seat and ottoman, narrow hallway leading to a single bed - it was all yellowed and faded, but organized, and as clean as a trailer could get around here. Marley sensed that had everything to do with Dallas.

Eli's remark was cold and teasing as she hugged herself, shuffling on the dark grey tile beneath her feet. Just her presence was sending specs of dirt across the floors. He lifted his legs off the table to sit properly, legs spread apart and lean arms thrown on either side of the top of the grey couch.

"You know why...why I'm here," She whispered, ignoring the urge to undo her elastic and allow her coffee brown waves to cover her fear. It didn't matter.  A blind person could see it. A deaf one could hear it.

"I do." Eli nodded slowly, tilting his head sideways with a smile playing on his lips.

"Take off the shirt."

She took a step backwards, squeezing it in small fists. Her hazel eyes misted while she made every effort not to hyperventilate.

Eli sighed loudly, "Don't be dramatic. I'm just trying to ruffle my brothers' feathers. Consider this a show of good faith. I promise our conversation will go much smoother."

Marley wished she had Aiden's strength and ability to charge Eli. Knock him to the ground and punch him until his face is black and blue, and he's crying like the coward he is. These stupid mind games. Ridiculous, petty schemes.

Aiden is more of a man in the tip of his finger than Eli is in every square inch of his body.

Her throat itched to say the words. But at this moment, she couldn't if she wanted to achieve what she went through all of this trouble for.

Her fingers gripped the hem of Aiden's shirt and she lifted it over her head. It had fallen to her knees, obscuring every inch of the tight bodice and v-neck. But now all of that was out the window.

She shot her eyes to the floor when Eli's widened as he appraised her. He leaned forward in his seat, "Now I get the shirt idea. A smart move with the salivating animals out there. Hand it over, honey."

Marley had been instinctively hugging it to her chest. It was the last physical piece of Aiden that she had left and it was being ripped away from her. She felt exposed and cold as she took small, cautious steps towards Eli and handed it over with extreme reluctance, paired with a desperate urge to run away with it.

To put it back on.

To go back to its owner.

He took it from her with a nose wrinkled in disgust. It was damp and limp, the sleeves brutally frayed. But Eli put them here. It made her see red that he had any judgements against what becomes of throwing fellow human beings into filth.