Why ?

Interlude: Coach Brunt's lesson

Continuing to back away, I hit the wall behind me. She places her hands on either side of my head and positions her face inches from mine. "Even if I have to tear you limb from limb to do it."

Seeing an opening, I duck between those legs and try to get away but she grabs my arm and sends me crashing into one of the punching bags. Screaming in pain, I try to get up but Brunt grabs my hair, holding me by a strand from above before punching me in the stomach. She lets go of me and I collapse clutching my abdomen in pain.

"Giving up already ? Your boyfriend was a little more persistent before he died. Especially when he was begging for you to save him." She said this like she was telling me the weather, and at that very moment I saw red. All my anger, hatred and sadness took over and I threw myself at her. I kicked her in the legs and as she went down I kicked her in the windpipe. Trying to hit her face, she grabs my fist and then with her other hand grabs my neck, just above the collar, and lifts me up as if I weigh nothing. I try to kick her but she holds me at perfect distance so I can't reach her. Her grip tightens as I start gasping for air.

"You're going to have to control your temper. You aren't allowed to fight back or defend yourself when we hurt you. Every injury you receive will be because you deserved it." She loosens her hand just enough for me to breathe before she slams my back against the floor and lifts me up into the same position as before.

"Everything about you belongs to us, which means your body does too. If we deem that you need to be physically punished, you will let it happen, is that understood Black Sheep ?"

"In your dreams." I reply snappishly, but given her fury, I would have been better off keeping my mouth shut. Still holding me, she goes to retrieve the handcuffs that were abandoned on the floor near the door before leading me back to the punching bags. Throwing me to the floor, she bends over and places one of her knees on my aching back before whispering in my ear.

"Looks like you chose the hard way."

She cuffs one of my wrists before pulling me up, pinning me against the bag and swinging my arms to either side. She walks around me to go and tie them together trapping me with my back to the bag, helpless. As she comes back in front of me, she watches me struggle, deciding where to strike first. Having chosen, she hits me in the solar plexus, making me feel as if I can't breathe, I try to pull back, but the way I was tied prevents me from doing so. She continues to hit me again and again, always telling me the same thing, that soon I will have to do this without being tied up and of my own free will, with the prohibition to move without their agreement, etc... At times she stops and asks me if I have understood the lesson, for fear of answering incorrectly, I ignore her, so she continues.

A discreet and refined cough came from behind Brunt, and as she turned around I could see Dash Haber, uncomfortable.

"I apologize for the inconvenience, Coach, but Countess Cleo sent me to fetch Black Sheep for her lesson."

"Very well, wait for her outside. I'll finish up and send her to you."

"Alright, Coach." He says before pulling away and walking out.

Coach unties me and I fall to my knees, wiping the blood from my face. Brunt picks up a basin lying a little way off and crouches down in front of me. She retrieves a wet towel from the basin and runs it over my face, cleaning up the blood. I step back but she grabs my wrist and pulls me close to her.

"I better not send you to the Countess like this. She'd come and make a scene about messing up her studio with your blood, so hold still."

The water is warm and effectively relaxes some scars. She cleans the whole of my wounds with a strange gentleness considering that less than five minutes ago she was using me as her punshing-ball. I remain motionless, fearing that she will hit me again. When she finishes, she runs her hand down my cheek, wiping away some of my tears and gently lifting my face to look into my eyes.

"We're not the bad guys, sugar. We can be kind and make your life here more bearable. We only ask for your obedience and submission in return. Do we have a deal?"

I ignore her and look away, not wanting to meet her gaze for fear she'll read me like she did as a child. She cuffs my hands in front of me again, and then I hear her sigh and stand up.

"Why do you keep handcuffing me and putting chains on me ? It's not like I can escape with this collar and with the doors remotely locked."

"Because you haven't proven to us yet that we can trust you not to destroy everything. If you behave better, it's possible that in your cell we'll take some of your chains off. You'd better go now, we'll start again tomorrow. You are ordered to stay with Dash until you reach the Countess."

I stand up and hurry out. Turning around for half a second, I see Coach watching me with an indecipherable expression that looks like... regret ?! I get out and gently follow Dash thinking about Brunt's words and expression.

Could it be that after all, they still care about me a little ? Or is it all an act ?