Did you ever came to the point of your life where you just ask—beg rather, God for you not to wake up another day; so you wouldn't have to deal with some of the lamest shits in the world again. You just can't bear it anymore. It's too much for you to take. It's too much for me.
I awoke because of a piercing pain coming from my right side. I panicked for a while, thinking that the evil witch was back, but I was wrong. I was all alone in the same room. I sucked in a forceful deep breath which only made me cry in pain once again. The air I breathe seems to contain toxic which burn my lungs, only making me feels worse. Every heave of my chest feels like an elephant crushing me.
I had no energy at all. I can't even lift my slender finger, neither feels my legs. They already give up too. The pain, my misery... they were all just too much. I flutter my eyes open, trying to stay awake and alert at the same time. When I started to hear footsteps getting near, I shut my eyes close and controlled myself for making any kind of sound or movement.
The door busted open but quickly close too. The footsteps stop and was changed into a deep voice of a man.
"I know you're awake."
It's wasn't Winn. Despite staying silent and frozen, the man wasn't completely convince on my acting.
"One way or another, you have to open your eyes or we'll make you so."
I snapped my eyes open. We? Pulling the very last inch of my energy, I tilt my head and look at the direction of the door. My vision is swirling and it took me some time before I could see the twins standing in front of the doorway.
The redhead, John as far as I remember, took a front step. His expression is fuming out of confusion, pity and... fear? "Oh Go—," He stop himself from expressing such shock and immediately composed himself. "Erlinda sends us to check if you were still awake. It's time." He avoid looking into my tired eyes.
I closed my eyes again as a tear escape from them. "I c-can't move." I managed to croaked out. I thought it was audible, enough for them to hear me but I was wrong. I barely made a sound through my dried throat.
John sat beside me and checked my pulse. I grimace at his touch while his face ashen as he read my pulse. "Jake... she's too weak." He looked at his brother. "I don't think she'll survive this."
A cough cracked out from my throat. "I'm going to die."
"We won't let you..." the guy with a lip ring said.
I shook my head in defiance. "I'm going to die." I cried.
"Ssh. That's why we're here to help."
I look at them, baffled. My stale eyes widen in horror as soon as I see the injection which Jake slowly pulls off from his jacket. "Get that thing away from me!" I shout but all it sounded like was a miserable whimper. He took a step closer and my body started to convulse from the fear of being drug again.
"Hold her." The dark haired announce. John simply complied, he quickly but gently clamped his hand in my mouth as he use his other hand to tilt my head. I tried to scream and jerk my head away from his grip yet all my attempts were in vain; I was too weak.
Quickly, a short, stabbing pain bit onto the left side of my neck. The pain has instantly subsided. As a matter of fact, I thought I would fall asleep once again or at least die but I was wrong; surprisingly, I felt relief. It feels like I was getting stronger and I can literally feel adrenaline pumping through my veins. A lot of them actually, as if I was drowning on them.
"Can you sit now?" Jake asked, he still holds the injection on his right hand.
His twin brother's hand is still clamped onto my mouth and I managed to push it off softly, using my once fragile and feeble hand. "I think so." I whispered. John helped me to sat upright and I wobble as soon as I had sat. I leveled my back to the headboard, I thought I was strong enough but no... I can still feel the penetrating pain of my swollen and heavily beaten gut. I even think that I've heard my ribs cracking under my bruised flesh.
Nonetheless, even though I could feel every ounce of misery upon my routed being, the pain is different... it's bearable in some ways. "W-What did you do to me?" I wet my dehydrated lips.
"Epinephrine." Jake replied shortly, slightly hesitant to say so. "That doesn't matter anymore... it's not like you know it anyways."
I ignored his insult, I have no time to deal with his conceited remarks. It's not like I do know what he's saying. I just wished it's not a bad drug, but as I consider the good effect of it on me, I shrug the thoughts of thinking seriously about it. My vision started to swirl once again and I feel dizzy. "Why are you helping me?"
"We're not helping you. We never did." John denied as he stood up and stand beside his brother.
We started to hear faint footsteps coming from the outside.
"Remember what we said." Jake reminded me, though it's more of a threat and I don't understand an inch of what he's saying. We're not helping you.
The door was harshly pushed open and the noxious face of Erlinda greeted all of us in horror.
"What's taking all of you so long?" She hissed. "Pick her up and bring her to my house." She promptly turned around and hurried outside.
"They're not doing my torture in here?" I asked, they simply nodded as they walk to me.
"No. Erlinda doesn't exactly like dirt, especially blood smudging any corners of this house. She has a special place for this kind of thing." He shivered at the sudden thought of something, probably evil or some kind worse.
"Well she isn't really kind of prepared for my persecution, is she?"
"She's a former licence doctor, so she knows what she's doing." John offered his hand. "Can you walk?" I shook my head but still pick up his hand. He supported my weight through holding both of my arms, his brother assist him on helping me. I couldn't stand up straight, I made it to stand up for only a second and after that, I just felt my knees buckle on its will. The crunching of my bones inside my slender figure doesn't pretty much help.
If it wasn't for Jake who caught me before I fall, I can picture myself of writhing in agony from the impact by now. I wrapped my arms unto his shoulder. John walked in front of us, his hands are on his hips.
"Looking good." He remarked.
I rolled my eyes as he turn around and began to walk. We follow him but much in a slower pace. As we reach the stairs, they both help me in going down of it. Every step I take, I can feel my bones crumbling. I bit my lower lip to suppress myself from whining in so much misery. The twins help me, even if they'd denied it and I won't waste their effort of helping me live. I need to be stronger.
We arrived at the small white house for seemed like a mere minute. It's not like we've had ran, I barely realize that after all these time they've been dragging me. My vision is nothing but a blur and I was sweating tremendously. I was breathing in a fast pace and I don't know why am I feeling this way.
Is it because of being in pain or is this the side effect of the drug they made?
I have no idea what was wrong with me. I can't even think straight. I tried to focus and look at my surrounding. The house smells so antique, like old books. I blinked my eyes a lot of times and thankfully, I was enable to catch a glimpse in the interior of the house.
The walls have enormous bookcase attached unto it. Hundreds, no, probably thousands of books or even million are installed on it. I was amazed for a second before my sight was out of focus once again and before they've dragged me to another room.
It was a dark room with a spotlight in the middle, illuminating a medical bed. The room kinda feels like a surgical room. 'She used to be a former licence doctor' Former licence doctor? What do they mean about that.
Standing behind the medical bed were 2 figures. It was pretty obvious that those figures are Winn and his grandmother.
"Lay her on her stomach." She announced.
A sharp gasp has escaped my lips when I felt my gut touching the hard mattress. The twins grasp are harsher previously, perhaps they're acting a bit tough in front of Erlinda, in the fear of a punishment.
"Careful," Winn commanded but his order is useless, the pain ignited in my gut once more.
After they've finished securing me onto the bed, they strap me with ropes on my wrists and legs. My head is tilted to my right and every breath I take feels like someone is jabbing a scorching knife onto my abdomen. I kept on making myself feel lighter and place all my weights in my tied limbs.
"Get out." Winn declared and then the twins willingly get their asses out of the room.
Once we've all heard the door close, the heavy atmosphere was centralized on me.
"This shall be... memorable." The witch exclaimed, being enthusiastic and gleeful at the thought of starting my suffering. Her cheerful, vigorous voice make my ears wanted to bleed. "So, how shall we start? By cutting her tongue in half so she would be careful of her words next time or how about chopping her hands off then, she wouldn't able to hurt you anymore."
"I said get out." Winn said impatiently, fidgeting his feet onto the cement.
"Don't you agree with that? Don't worry sweetheart, I'm gonna put it back on."
"GET OUT!"
She gasped and put on her very convincing dramatic skills. "Are you shouting to your grandmother? To your very own, loving grandmother who raised you all these years?"
"Just get the out of here, Erlinda."
There's a moment of silence before she started to speak. "Fine. But assure me you know what you're gonna do."
"I know what to do."
"Good." and with that, she left.
Winn adjusted the light above me, he then stood into my view and leveled himself to face me properly. He wipes the tears that are streaming uncomfortably onto my pale face. I can openly see a bandage on his left arm, it was damped in the middle with a small amount of blood. I may not see how worse I've cut him but I knew that it was deep.
"H-How are you?" I don't know if I heard it right, but did his voice actually cracked? Is it because of the pain of his cut or is he really just deeply sorry about what he has done to me?
I'm confused. Truthfully, all of my life, I've always been confuse.
"Sorry— that was seriously stupid," He smiled our of pain. "I just wan—,"
He was about to say something but I already cut him off with my plead. "Please don't kill me. Pl-Please don't hurt me... I can't— I'll die from the pain. It's just too much Winn." I sob which only made me gasp sharply because of the sudden agonizing pain in my stomach.
He didn't say a word. He just stared at me.
"I can't." He said.
Another wretched sob made its way from my mouth. The pain ignited but I don't care anymore; I'm about to get something worse either way, so what's the difference?
"Ssh. Stop Hope, Stop." He murmured. However, it seems like he only made it worse, I gasp for some air as I feel like being suffocated. My chest burns yet again and I was in despair. "She won't let you walk out of this door without seeing a new wound."
"P-Please... I'm begging you. I can't take any of this anymore." I beg once again, attempting to soften his heart and let me escape from this tormenting replica of hell.
"That's why I had a plan."
My sobs instantly stop. He has a plan? Will he let me escape? Will he free me from his grasp?
He stood up and went deeper into the room, somewhere the light hasn't reached and when he emerged from the darkness; He was holding a blade.
A blade?
He walked towards me and gently, ripped the back part of my sundress off of me. My back was left to be bare, but anything which is lower my thighs kept hidden with the left piece of the beautiful blue dress.
"What are you doing?" I asked him, controlling myself not to shiver out of cold and of course, fear.
"Do you know why our back was less sensitive than any parts of our body?" He asked out of nowhere as he touch my back. I barely felt him, and I wasn't even sure if he's trying to tickle me or just writing something from my bare behind.
"I don't remember w-why."
I felt a scratch on my back but the scratch seemed to dug deeper and I knew from then that it wasn't a simple scratch. It was the blade, penetrating my flesh. A soft groan escape from my lips. "Think." he commanded.
I sniffed. "I-It's because of the nerves being farther from the skin, is it not?"
"They're actually called sensory neurons or Skin receptors to be simple. Each one can detect pain, temperature, pressure and so on." Another cut pierce my back but it felt nothing. Is it because of the drug or the cuts weren't just deep enough to hurt someone. Is he truly helping me? "Our back has fewer receptors that's why it's less sensitive unlike our lips, hands or any parts of our body."
Having my torture as an educational trip isn't really what I was expecting.
Several cuts were struck unto my flesh but rather than feeling painfully awful, It was kinda suggestive, more than I had expect it to be. This is weird, this must have been the effect of the drug those twins inject to me.
More cuts punctured my back, I tried keep count on them but I've lost count on 28. Most cuts were small, I hardly sense them. Winn suddenly stop.
"Did it hurt?"
I was taken aback by his question. "N-No," It was the fact. Most pain I felt was caused by my bruised gut. I'm still in pain but with the drug the twins inject to me, everything is tolerable.
"Good," He started to loosen the ties on my wrists but he was interrupted when the door was burst open.
"I didn't hear any shouts." Erlinda's menacing voice boomed throughout the dark room. "Are you done?" I heard her footsteps clung upon the cement, she stopped and that's when I felt a nail being jab deeply onto the small cuts. I wail in pain and surprise.
"Stop!" Winn shouted. He caught his grandmother's hand and shove it away. "She had enough."
"Enough?" She objected. "You want this girl to obey you, to fear you and to love you. How can you do that if you're too soft." She dug her finger once more. A whine escape my mouth, with my free hand, I tried to reach for her hand but I can't. I had the energy to fought back, I know I can.
Attempting once more, I tried pushing myself out of the bed but with my other limbs still tied, all of my attempts were futile.
"That was such a surprise. She still has some energy left." She mumbled, genuinely sounding so shock. But she composed herself in an instant, his shock expression now sounding so amused. A sick idea forming in her wicked mind. "The belt."
"W-What?"
"Hand me your belt."
"She can't handle this."
"She or You can't handle doing it." He didn't answer. "My poor grandson. If you can't then maybe Jake could."
Still, he answered nothing but after a moment has passed, he started to remove his belt. This made me tremble, mortified in the feeling of being hit by the belt. My parents never hit me, after all, I'm the only child. They were afraid of hurting me, they wouldn't even let a fly touch me.
After he was done undoing his belt, he held it tight on his right hand. He just stood there, gazing at my eyes, thinking whether he'll do it or not. I shook my head and beg through my beady eyes.
"Hand me the belt." His grandmother said but he stood still in his position. He bend and kiss my hair as he whispered the words. "I need you to trust me on this." I stared at his eyes, confused of his words. "Be strong. Sorry."
He then stood up straight and look intently at his grandmother. "Let me do it."
She scoffed. "Fine."
He raised his belt, all I did was close my eyes and just hope that i'll make all of this through.
The first strike was harsh and it totally stung. However, it's obvious that Winn was holding his strength to make the strike feels less harmful.
"Again." She told him.
The belt penetrated my back once again. I can feel the cuts opening wider because of the strike.
"Is that all your strength? Now I realize why all this time, she was never afraid of you." She mocked. "You're too weak."
He hit my back again, the attack was more powerful, more severe as if a rabid dog was biting my flesh and opening all the wounds to make it bleed even more. I writhed in pain as I kept my eyes close. I can feel blood oozing continuously from my penetrated flesh. I whine and beg for him to stop but he continued.
'Trust me on this' Trust? What does he even know about it? All he ever does was to lie to me.
The sound of the belt hitting my back echoes in the room, reverberate in my ears. With my gut being heavily beaten and my back full of cuts while being struck by a belt, I could have just die from this moment; from all of the pain.
Even if my eyes are close, I want to stay awake. I was afraid to lose consciousness, I was afraid of not being able to wake up again.
The belt hit my back for seems like an eternity. The pain was dreadful as my body sweat intensely. The adrenaline that was once surging underneath my veins were slowly draining out of my system. I cannot move again, I fell limp onto the rigid, rough bed. My eyes stung from the tears that keep on falling out from it, from the agony I feel, I could be convinced that I'm crying blood right now.
I was too concentrated on the pain I was feeling that I hadn't noticed my limbs being freed. I felt strong hands rolling me over. When my wounded back made contact to the rough mattress, I squirm in misery.
"Sorry, Sorry, Sorry..." He murmured. By the way he was acting, I know that we were alone in this room. Erlinda has already left. How long has he stopped hitting me?
"Please open you eyes." He placed his ear on my chest. I was breathing so low, barely inhaling and exhaling. I was afraid that it wouldn't be so long before I finally top breathing.
I felt rain dropping on my skin. Wait? Rain?
I tried to pry my eyes open but it felt so heavy, like a thousand of weights is on top of my eyelids. I managed to squint a little but all I could see was the bright, blinding light above me.
I'm starting to feel all my energy draining off as life slowly slips out from me.
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A/N: I've got a huge writer's block while writing this. Like legit, if the past chapter was finished within 3 hours... I finished this one in 3 days. -______- Tsk. Tsk. Tsk.