Grounds

Grounds - Chapter Three

 

Chapter Three

19 December 001 B.I.

Undergrounds

 

"Good night grandma! Haha, I love you too. Thanks for the cake, the kids will love it!" 

Din stepped out of the small apartment and into the dark alleyway. Her footsteps echoed loudly between the walls of the alleyway as she was passed through. She was visiting her grandmother and hadn't realized how late it had gotten. The lights high above the underground buildings were now dimmed to simulate night time. Despite the fact that it was December, Din was wearing a grey short sleeved shirt that hung loosely around her chest and tight black jeans. It was always the same temperature in the Undergrounds with a breeze passing through here and there. Around her shoulder was a dark brown bag filled with various contents that would be desirable to steal. She was a young woman, a prime target and she knew it. 

As she walked through the alleyway her eyes darted back and forth. The passage between the two large buildings was even darker than normal. Anyone could tell that the people who built this place didn't care much about it. The lights were always breaking and there was talk about getting lamp posts but it never happened. As she passed the long dark shadows in the alleyway she hadn't noticed something hidden in one of them. 

She was halfway through the alley when she heard footsteps shuffling behind her. Her head shot back instantly, but she saw nothing. Her hands, which now gripped her bag, quickly became cold and clammy. She swallowed and began to walk again, and again she heard the strange sounds from behind her. 

"What? Didn't like the sun?" A strange voice said. It sounded old and strained. 

Din didn't stop, she knew what was behind her. She quickly began to sprint ahead, where she could see the end of the alley and a bit more light. She felt as though if she got to the light she would be safe. Her boots carried her as fast as they could, echoing still. Her breath was loud now as she sprinted, yet she could still hear the sounds of who ever it was behind her. She was almost out of the alley way, into safety, just a few more feet. 

"Slow down!" The voice called from behind.

It sounded out of breath and Din could tell she was pulling away from it. She risked a glance behind her to see a hooded man slouched over trying to catch his breath. As she turned her head the light of safety welcomed her happily. A smile spread across her face as she slowed her pace. She had been told to be careful in the Undergrounds but she didn't actually expect to find any danger. 

She turned a corner around a large building and into another alley to find three large men huddled around something on the floor. She stopped dead in her tracks, scared they might spot her. Her eyes tried to focus in on what was on the floor but the lights were too dim. She thought she could see the hair of a woman spread across the ground between the men's feet. She decided to try and sneak a bit closer without making any noise. The men were all facing away from her so she felt a bit safe. She was putting herself in danger but she was worried someone had been hurt. 

The closer she inched towards the men, the more she thought it was a woman lying on the ground. But before she could finally decide it was a women for sure the men began to turn. She quickly scrambled behind a dumpster before they could spot her. The men were whispering silently amongst themselves but Din couldn't make out what they were saying. Then she could  hear their footsteps coming closer to her! She held her breath and prayed to god that they would not see her. 

Clang

The dumpster opened loudly followed by a grunt and a thud. After a moment of silence the dumpster crashed closed once more and the footsteps began moving away from her, down the street. Din peered over the top of the dumpster just in time to see the men turn into a building not far down the block. She pushed the long black hair out from her face and stood up, straightening her clothes. Her tan skin was now glistening with sweat. 

"Gotcha!" 

It was the voice from before! Din felt strong hands reach around her mouth, preventing her from screaming, as well as a cold sharp blade pressed against her throat. She tried to struggle but the knife, shining in the dim light, pressed harder against her, breaking the skin slightly. A ruby droplet ran down her neck and disappeared under her shirt. 

"Don't you move now Sunshine. You're mine now." The voice whispered into her ear. Din couldn't help but think that it was the most disgusting voice she had ever heard. A tear escaped her hazel eyes and she couldn't help but think the worse of what was about to happen. 

The strong grip around her mouth loosened and Din could hear the man making a soft 'shh' sound. She was obedient, afraid of the steel pressed against her. He turned her around and slammed her against the wall behind her. Suddenly she was staring into a face lit by darkness. His features were hidden under the shadow of his hood with only a tiny glint of his eyes visible. 

"Don't hurt me please. I have money, take it." She pleaded. 

"You come from the Uppergrounds don't cha? I ain't never done it with someone from up there. They do it the same up there? Naw, they pro'ly do it better, hell, everythin' is better up there!" He growled, leaning close to her face. She tried to swallow but her mouth was cotton and her throat was sand paper. 

The man's hand now snaked it's way down her stomach and into her pants. Tears were now streaming down her face as she pleaded once more. She squirmed and clawed at his hand and tried to get it away from her but he was quick with his knife. He slashed down at her frail fingers, cutting them open. She shrieked in pain but he didn't care. His face was suddenly in front of hers, pushing his tongue inside her mouth. 

As she felt his tongue slink into hers she chomped down hard, and did not let go. Blood began to pour into her mouth and the man screamed in agony. He tried to pull away but it only tore his tongue apart even more. With a whip of her head she severed half of his tongue off completely. Now blood was pouring down his chin and drenching his shirt as he screamed and cussed at the woman. Din tried to run but he grabbed her by the hair and promptly plunged the knife deep into her stomach. 

Every muscle in her body tightened as she felt the blade dive into her body. The blade was cold but the wound burned, so hot that she thought she could melt the blade itself. She looked up at the man once more but he was suddenly completely clear to her. She could not see his features but she knew what they were. His body seemed to glow in a deep red aura, and she suddenly knew everything about him. The tears that poured down her face now were for the man who held a blade in her. The tears were for his father who beat his mother, for his mother who sexually abused him, for his daughter who was beaten nightly, and for his son who had run away at a very young age only to die a week later. 

As he released his knife from her, all her muscles went limp. Her eyelids drooped and her vision blurred. She felt nothing but the gash in her stomach. She didn't feel herself fall to the ground, nor the man pick her up with unsteady hands. She could, however, hear the dumpster open just before she was tossed into it. 

There beside her was another woman, tied up and bruised, struggling to free herself from her constraints. The dumpster, now closed, kept out any and all light, yet Din could somehow see the woman clearly. Din's hand moved to the tape around the woman's mouth but she was losing too much blood. Her fingers teetered at the tape for only a second before she finally lost consciousness.