(Love isn't pain and pain isn't love)
•Eve•
I wake up in between women and I can't see a thing. The lamp that was once lit had burnt out and no one had replaced it. Stretching my body I stood to go pee. The container was still moving I could hear the sound of a roaring engine. I'm guessing we are on the back of a truck.
After using the 'toilet' I dispose my secretes and go sit on the place I once slept. I couldn't stop the tears from falling. All I could think about was my family. My dad already had a heart condition my disappearance would kill him. My friends must have been worried too. Those girls were everything to me. They were the sisters I never had.
I felt a pair of hands hold me and I leaned into the chest of the owner.
"It's not going to be easy" she said.
I turned to look at her. She was pretty, had friendly brown eyes and her features were worn out probably from crying. She smiled at me then I said
"I can't help but think of my family and friends"
"I know I think of them all the time but there is nothing we can do but hope for the gunman to be caught" suddenly I remember her.
I hadn't seen her before in real life but I'd seen her posters. She had been missing for a couple of weeks and I event joined a search party for her in Bulawayo.
"We were looking for you" I say sadly
"I know at least you tried" she said softly
"My name is Hope" she introduced herself with a half smile.
"I know you. I'm Eve" I chuckle
"Yeah well we are looking for you too" she said with a sad smile.
I found a friend in the least expected place. We came to a stop and the doors swung open. Bowing my head like I'd been taught all I could see were waists and hands which held guns.
"Okay ladies, bathroom break. Go take a shit and as you come back to the truck get your breakfast." The familiar voice said.
Going out side I noticed that we were at a vast area. There was nothing here but vegetation and road. Escaping would result in dying of dehydration and fatigue. Most of us were frail, probably from the trauma of being in the crate for so long. We were always in darkness. The gunman pointed at us as we moved and sometimes fired blank shots just to warn us not to get any stupid ideas.
After everyone was done we received a bottle of juice and four slices of plain bread. Once they counted us and no one was missing they shut us in the darkness again. Wherever we are going I hope we get there soon. After eating people started tidying up. Thier eyes had adjusted to the darkness but mine hadn't. You could have sworn I was blind. I already had an underlying eye problem mix that with darkness you get a blind human moth.
Whenever people spoke, they whispered. We couldn't be heard talking it was forbidden. We couldn't sing or stomp or clap or fall. We had to be discreet. From the stories I'd heard a number of girls had died because of the above mentioned. We didn't do anything much besides talk and sleep. There was nothing to do. Most of us cried and Jessica and the other older women would comfort the girls. They had become our mothers.
For four days we traveled only stopping to shit and stretch. Once we stopped and they loaded boxes at the opening of the crater. We were forced to the back so that during police searches they couldn't see us. I felt helpless everytime a cop opened the door. They saw all the boxes and felt lazy to look thoroughly. If one of them had just walked to the back of the crater or moved some boxes he/she would have seen us at least. We ate twice a day. In the morning and evening. I could see myself losing weight.
Still in the same clothes and underwear I had on the day I was taken I could smell myself. Combine that with 49 more women and poor to no ventilation you have a strong odor. The air smelt fresh in the morning and during the night. At least we weren't suffocating.
We came to a much awaited stop and the engine died. The doors swung open and the boxes were unloaded as our kidnappers came into view.
"Alright ladies, make single files according to your age group. 18 at the far left and continue. If you are older than 35 then just make one line we don't have a lot of old hags." He scoffs.
We did as we were told and like solders we matched out of the crater in single files. We were led by gunman into different smaller craters and the doors we once again shut behind us. These craters we better. They had a couple of single beds and warm looking blankets. They had a bin labeled sanitary and a drum full of water and a drum full of snacks. A small wardrobe with clothes, pads and fresh underwear but still not enough room to shower. There were square clothes cut from the same material I'm guessing these are towels.
It wasn't much but it was better than what we had before this. I appreciate my bed that I used to complain about now. If this has taught me anything, it's taught me to be very grateful of all I had regardless of the quantity.
[AN]
Hey
Watch the movie or read the book?
I'd read the book because books explain better than movies any day.