Erica

×29×

She was completely winded from the punch and the fall that she could barely comprehend the pain.

She managed to roll over and saw the Countess looking down at her, a victorious smile dancing on her lips.

"Bye bye now." She gave a small wave as the trap door shut leaving Erica in completed darkness.

The Countess paid off the guards buying their silence before dismissing them. She then made her way back to her quarters for the time being.

Erica was alone, scared and in a lot of pain. She was gasping and wheezing for breath. Unbeknownst to her, the punch had caused major bruising around her rid cage and a possible fracture.

Her fall had not helped either. She had landed on her side with no way to block it as her hands were tied together. Her hip had suffered the brunt of the fall as she had landed wrong. It did not help that the floor of the hidden room was made of solid stone.

Erica silently wept. Her tears fell none stop. She felt absolutely defeated. She felt weak. She cried for what felt like a few hours, until her tears came out dry.

She was in to much pain to move from the spot she had landed on the floor so she lay there on silence. She completely blamed herself with her stupidity resulting in her suffering.

She heard shuffling as servants moved about on the floor above her, she was unable to call out or make a sound just as the Countess had wished. It was a horrible feeling.

Erica wished she had never lost her voice that unforgettable night all those years ago, she wished that she had a better life, she wished that she had never stayed on the Alvore estate for all these years in hopes to be accepted by her family again and she wished she had run away when she had the chance. She regretted ever returning to the estate where she was clearly unwelcome.

The Countess had caught her. Her pitiful life was pretty much over now. She believed that this punishment would be her last. She would never see her family again, she would never watch from the side lines out of sight as they laughed and had fun together.

A strange thought entered her head. Something she had not looked at yet. The fact that Countess had caught her... Her question was how?

When Erica was with Rick and the guards came running towards them, it would have taken them much to long to inform the Countess before she arrived back however the Countess was waiting for her. It did not make sense.

Unless someone had seen her sneaking out, but after the last punishment she was more cautious than usual so that could have possibly not been the case. Her only conclusion was that the Countess had assigned someone to get as an informant who was aware of her movements and this person knew where the secret tunnel was.

Before Erica could ponder on these jumbled thoughts any longer, she heard shuffling above her again but this time the footsteps stopped just above the trap door.

Soon the trap door was opened revealing a string light which illuminated parts of the dark hidden room. A familiar face was looking down into it.

Georgie.

Erica wanted to cry tears of joy but she had none left. She was so relieved and happy to see her dear friend. It broke her for Georgie to see her like this but she knew that the girl would do anything to help her.

"E... Erica...?" Her voice broke when she saw the bound and battered young miss below her.

"I..." She took a deep breath shocked at the sight trying to regain her composure, "I can't believe you are in here."

Georgie looked around nervously before climbing down the steps into the dark room. She held a candle which revealed the room to be a small four-walled empty store room.