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I prayed it’d be Remi I’d see in the doorway.
Dirty denims led up to an old shirt, not a new leather jacket. The only piercings reflecting under the moonlight were the crosses in both of Rothbart’s ears.
“No…” I cried, tears watering the dry grass.
But I couldn’t give up.
My fight returned, arms swinging out, catching the purple bruise on Llewrehtom as he leaned over me with more hate falling off his tongue. Nails scratched at flesh, pushing the dirt deeper beneath them as I left marks down Joseph’s throat before he moved from my reach.
Llewrehtom released his hold on me, motivating my leg to thrust in the direction of Joseph’s head. It snapped to the side on impact, spit flying out, its brown color stained by the spirits he’d drunk.
My fingers clawed the grass as I scurried away, stopped by a steel-toed boot to the head that made everything turn black.
I woke back at Rothbart’s, my spine hurting as it rested against a broom that had been used on us girls in so many awful ways. Down our throats, inside our vaginas, and anywhere else it would fit, never cleaned in between.
My face became uncomfortable, a thousand tears drying in the dank air of the stale closet. A giant spider was terrorizing me, eager for his clawing paws to move over my naked body. I shivered, terrified of the creature.
My heart raced, causing a fluttering that was becoming familiar.
Candee’s god-awful singing voice on the other side of the door scared the spider away, and the creature found amusement in one of the funky-smelling plants—cannabis. It stunk of it in here.
It reminded me of Remi and his little bears.
Was he okay? I found myself wondering…caring, even.
Would he go ahead with the upcoming show and lead in more girls like me?
Too many thoughts plagued me, but something told me he wouldn’t.
The look in his eyes last night matched mine, hating the situation and our lives.
He wouldn’t do it.
I knew that in my bones.
His voice filled my head, and I started singing the lyrics of the song he’d written for me years ago, finding comfort that had begun to slip away.
“She has this strength that cannot break, a thousand blows and more to take, and yet here she is still standing. My perfect girl wrapped in the scent of a summer breeze, with memories that bring me to my knees...” I sobbed, breaking to sniffle.
The door yanked open, Candee nowhere to be seen on the other side.
Rothbart filled the now silent space. “What have I told you about his songs?” The brute didn’t wait for an answer. “Get the fuck out of here.”
His fingers clawed around my hair, creating a bald spot as he yanked so much of it from the root.
He tossed me onto the kitchen floor, my spine hitting a cage. The girl inside it trembled. The one at her side—Darla—stayed silent and obedient. Her head bowed respectfully in his presence.
He straddled me as I tried to edge away, my hand reaching for my spine to soothe the blow.
His heavy weight pressed down on my stomach, and my hands fought to get him off.
“Start listening, whore. This is when you start obeying me.”
His eyes moved to the girls in cages, both of which appeared to be unlocked. They both walked towards us with guidance from his fingers.
“Not you.” He eyed the trembling one, and her dirty, tiny feet froze on the spot. She shivered there, waiting for further direction. “Get the broom.”
We shared a moment of hurt in our locked gaze before he shouted, “Now!”
