Traffic

Ch 7: Drown

"I said to cook me dinner!"

"Yes, Master," Kelly answered quietly, getting up from where she'd been left on the floor to go get dressed.

"Forget the damn clothes! Go make me dinner!"

She nodded, which caused him to get up and slap her, "Speak!"

"YES MASTER!" she shouted before running from the room.

"Don't you run away from me," he commanded, chasing after her. He beat her to the floor again, then chained her to the kitchen wall where a chain already hung, waiting.

"You're staying here all night, and don't think I won't check on you!"

She was then left alone to cook dinner and do the dishes all by herself in the dark room. She longed to open a shade or two, but she knew he'd just beat her and they'd probably move again.

It had been hardly seven months since she'd been kidnapped, and since then, she'd been beaten every day, raped at least twice a week and starved multiple days in a row. She didn't know why he kept her because the last girl to come only lasted a week before she was sold, and the one before her, only a day before she was locked in the basement. When Kelly had tried to save her, she was beaten until she couldn't see for blood was pouring into her eyes from head wounds.

She cried every night, hoping someday she'd be saved. She was almost fourteen and far from home and she longed for her family.

She was forced to move from house to house because she would either scream too much and it upset the neighbors, or she'd try to run and she'd be seen. When that happened, her punishment was basement for a week with no food and very little water. She saw no daylight for the whole week and when she was aloud back up, she was beaten.

While she was in the basement, when her eyes adjusted, she would look around and find things to keep her amused. Sometimes she'd even find food. She had to ration it or else she'd really starve, though, so she ate slowly. Once, while in the basement, she found a bag of quick cement. She used her water supply for a day to wet it enough to make a temporary drawing pad. She drew pictures of sunlight and wrote names and drew hearts, but as she thought about hearts and love, she began to cry. She then wrote these words in the cement and left it to dry:

Pain.

Suffering.

Loss.

Anxious.

Anger.

Depression.

Longing.

Hope.

Love.

Hurt.

Death.

And Sad.

From then on, it became a habit. Whenever they'd move, and she was thrown in the basement, she'd write these words. She wrote them over and over using whatever tools she could find. Once, she was so upset, she used her own blood to write them on the concrete wall.

When she did that, she was interrupted by her Master who came down to get her. He stopped and stared at her and she froze, feeling like he was going to beat her again.

"You are a worthless girl, I don't know why I haven't killed you yet."

"You know very well why. You think I'm beautiful. Under all this blood, all these bruises, and all this ugliness, you see beauty. THAT'S why you keep me around."

"I suppose you're right. I should be treating you like a queen. You grow more mature and beautiful every day. Why don't I? Right, because you're a disobedient, heartless bitch, that's why. Now HURRY up and go make me dinner before I starve!"

Kelly answered with the command she was given her first day, "Yes, Master."

She hated the words. They tasted vile and horrid in her mouth, she most times would literally wash her mouth out with soap after saying those words. She wanted to die. She had no peace away from this man unless she was in the shower. That's the only time she was ever truly alone. She had exactly five minutes before he came in to get her, but she was alone none the less. No wires, no bugs, and no cameras. Just herself and her thoughts.

While in the shower this particular day, she decided on what to do. She filled the tub, which took three minutes and fifteen seconds exactly, got undressed, which took thirty seconds, and lay down in it, psyching herself up for the action. She submerged her head and slowly breathed in, taking the harsh liquid into her lungs, clogging them and plugging them. She saw a bright light and felt herself being closed in on as if she were going to implode, but before she had enough time to finish her intake of breath before he arrived, yanking her out and beating her until she choked out the water.

"Why would you do such a stupid thing when I give you so much to live for?! I please you, I give you food and water, a warm place to sleep, I let you come with me as I travel, and I let you teach my new recruits how to make me happy. What more do you WANT?!"

Kelly couldn't answer. She could only cry and beg for him to get off of her. This time, though, she'd gone too far. He beat her and hit her even as she kicked and screamed, trying to get away. He lay her on the bed and raped her like there was no tomorrow, and with the force he'd beaten her with, there almost wasn't a tomorrow for her.