Lucian

CHAPTER FIVE

The guards assured the headmaster they'd carry out his orders with zealous eagerness, and then dragged me down the same flight of stairs that led to the basement. My heart thumped out of my chest because I was convinced they'd lock me inside the chamber filled with dead servants. A small sigh of relief escaped my throat when they pulled me in the opposite direction, but that relief was short-lived.

We crossed a narrow passage with a single torch to lighten our path and entered a long, gloomy dungeon corridor. A musty aroma, mixed with sweat, filth, and decay, lingered in the air. Most of the cells were empty and it was eerily quiet. Though I caught glimpses of the few imprisoned people from the corner of my eye, none of them moved, said a word, or made a sound. It was as if they lacked the energy for even the most trivial action; as if they were half-dead...hanging onto life by a very thin thread.

The guards led me further and further into the damp dark hallway that appeared to have no end. We passed at least a dozen empty cells before they suddenly made me halt. One of them pulled the rusty metal bars of this randomly chosen cell open, and the other thrust me inside with such force I tripped and fell face-first onto the cold wet stone floor.

The heartless bastards locked the door and laughed at my repeated failed attempts to get up from the ground. Once bored, they sauntered out of the dungeon with the only burning torch and left me all alone in absolute darkness. Inhaling a deep breath, I finally pushed up and rested my weight on my elbows, slowly lifting my body into a sitting position. Though I was grateful none of my teeth were broken, the right side of my face throbbed in pain and I ran the palm of my hand against it, inspecting the damage. I felt abrasions and scratches, some of which were bleeding and could get infected.

Employing the last bits of energy in my body, I ripped out a piece of my dress and pressed the newly-acquired cloth against my burning skin. This pathetic attempt to stop the bleeding was all I could do to tend to my injuries. As it was, they didn't really matter. Not when I knew I'd be forced to endure much, much worse.

Trying to still the wild beating of my heart, I closed my eyes and hugged my knees to my chest. Adrenaline gradually evaporated from my system and I became aware of the terrible icy coldness that penetrated the thin fabric of my dress. It was as though a thousand frozen needles repeatedly stung my skin, but there was no way to get warm, so I curled myself into a small ball on the floor and shivered from the cold.

By the time I'm done with you, you'll beg for death, but granting you such mercy will be the last thing on my mind.

The headmaster's spiteful words repeated in my head over and over again. The finality of the situation infiltrated my mind and complete desolation overwhelmed my system. I had never prayed before, but prompted by this sensation of utter despair, I squeezed my eyes shut and joined my hands together, preparing to talk to God in the only way I knew how.

"I'm not sure how to do this, but I need you now more than ever before," I whispered into thin air, hoping against hope someone was listening on the other end. "Please...help me. Please...save me from that evil man. He'll rape me. He'll kill me. I'm so scared of him. I'm begging you...do something, anything, just please don't let him hurt me."

Rocking back and forth, I continued praying with all my might for someone to come and rescue me from this predicament. Subconsciously, I was aware it was only a coping mechanism, but I employed all my inner power nonetheless, evoking help from whichever source was willing to provide it. I was never so frightened and desperate in my entire life; not even when I ended up on Sarah's and Henry's doorstep, not even when I woke up from my nightmares. I yearned for a savior. I yearned for deliverance from this torturous inferno.

But, as expected, my prayers went unanswered. No one came. Nothing happened. I spent countless hours, perhaps even days, sitting on the cold floor of that cell, hungry, dehydrated, and with dirty rats as my only company...just as the headmaster had said.