I stared at the granny, my hands trembling with rage and fear. What had she done to us? How could she possibly be so mean? The tears welled up within me, welling up in my eyes. I was flooded with the cruelty of it all, confused and afraid.
Granny's contemptuous laughter still echoing in my ears, a jeering reminder of our helplessness. "Oh, my dear, you marched into my trap," she sneered, her words dripping with venom. I could not handle it. This was not happening. I had to scream, had to get away from this nightmare.
My breath was shallow gasps as fear engulfed me. I could not comprehend what was transpiring, could not come up with an escape. But my mind was spinning from the shadows that surrounded us. How could someone be so cruel to children?
The granny's twisted words cut through my frail heart. I clung to hope that assistance would come, that all of this was a terrible mistake. But in secret, I knew better. We were alone, trapped in this hell, at the mercy of this wicked woman.
The more the night dragged on, my little body trembled in terror and exhaustion. I could not manage my emotions; they gushed out wherever they pleased. I encircled my knees with arms, clasped them to my body, and clung for dear life in the only manner I was accustomed. The other children hung in a circle around me, their tears mingling in with mine. We were a mass, a body of children bound in shared terror.
Granny had brought us bowls of porridge, but I am not going to eat a thing that th-tha--thaatt witch has prepared. I do not know what she will put in it so I flung the plate against the wall.
"Oh dearly do you honestly think not eating will punish me?? kikkkiiki so sad."
She left us for two days, or at least that is what I believe is two days, I have no idea how long it has been.
As the granny returned with yet another bowl of porridge, my stomach knotted with hunger and fear. I did not want to refuse it, to show her that I would not be so easily broken. But the panging of my belly reminded me of my weakness. I nipped small, trying hard to suppress the bitter taste of defeat.
She laughed, WITCH LAUGHED!!!!!
Days were a haze of confinement, one more suffocating than the last. The presence of the witch reminded us all the time of our confinement, her words lingering in the air like an evil incantation. I wished to be free, to sense my parents' warm arms around me. But they were gone, no, they were snatched away from me and I was left to survive in this dream.
And then, when hope was near nil, the man arrived. My chest pounded with hope and fear. Maybe he would save us, free us from this prison. But as he spoke with the granny, I could sense something was not right. Fear crept into my belly.
The man's gaze ran over us, his own detached and cold. My heart sank. We meant nothing to him, something to buy and sell. Fear ran through my body, overwhelming my senses. I had to escape, protect myself and the other children from this fate.
But terror paralyzed me. My mind was racing for a way out, but all I saw were cold metal bars of the cage, sneering at my feeble attempts to break free. Tears streamed down my cheeks, mixing with my whispered prayers for salvation.
I miss my mummy, I miss my daddy, help me!! somebody help me!!!
I clung to the fleeting moments of purity, the laughter and love of a life I had lived. It was a memory, a flash of light in darkness. But I couldn't let myself be consumed by despair. I had to be strong, to reach deep inside myself and fight back.
When the man's concentration faltered, I trembled with my tiny hand as I took up the rusty nail that lay in the corner and was overlooked. I had desperation coursing through my veins as I tried to force the lock open. I could feel my heart beating furiously, the urgency of the moment bearing down on me.
Time seemed to move slow as I rotated and manipulated the nail, my sweat-soaked palms throbbing. The lock resisted, mocking my feeble attempts. But I was not going to give up. This was my chance. My glimmer of hope. I had to keep trying.
And then, with a clinking snap, the lock opened, setting me free. Relief swept over me, coupled with the realization that I had to leave the other children behind. Conscience tormented my child's mind, but I knew I couldn't save them all. I had to save myself.
With tears still streaming down my face, I moved silently past the man and granny who had no idea what was going on in my life. I took every step in fear, inhaled every breath with skepticism. But when I pushed open the door, a beam of light pierced through the darkness. Freedom called out from the other side, and I clung to it for dear life.
-----
As Celest ran wildly in the forest, her heart thudding, she couldn't help but call for help. "Help! Someone, help me!" she screamed, her voice echoing off the trees, her call desperate.
Rashid's menacing form drew near, his large strides reverberating in the distance. "You can't escape, little girl!" he thundered, his voice with malevolent glee. "Just give in and embrace your fate!"
Tears flowed down the face of Celest as she struggled to move more swiftly, to outpace her assailant. "No! I won't let you hurt me!" she sobbed, a mixture of fear and determination in her voice. "I won't let you put me back in that cage!"
Rashid's laughter reverberated among the trees, a ghostly sound that sent shivers down Celest's spine. "You're just a child, a helpless little mouse," he taunted. "You can't defend yourself. Surrender now!"
But Celest refused to give in. Gripping the rusty nail with a tight fist, she mustered up whatever strength was left. "I won't let you win!" she yelled, her tone laced with defiance. "I'll do anything to defend myself!"
With a surge of adrenaline, Celest sprinted among the trees, competing to be one step in front of Rashid. The forest closed in upon her, the branches and bushes twisting into a disorienting maze. She forced her way forward, impelled by her desire to survive.
Rashid's insulting words followed her, reminding her of the danger that chased after her. "You can't hide forever, little girl!" he bellowed, his voice approaching with each passing second. "You're mine!"
Fear ran through Celest's veins, threatening to engulf her. But within the fear, a spark of power flared into being. She knew she couldn't be taken. She had to defend herself, fight back.
As Rashid got closer, Celest turned to face him, her small body trembling. "Leave me alone!" she yelled, brandishing the rusty nail as her makeshift weapon. "I won't let you hurt me anymore!"
Rashid's smile grew into a snarl, his eyes flashing with anger. "You little shit!" he snarled, his voice dripping with venom. "I'll make you pay for that!"
In a blind rage, Rashid attacked Celest, his arms outstretched to grab her. But she lashed back in instinctual desperation. With all her might, she rammed the nail at him, trying to hit his hand. The nail struck him, piercing his skin.
Rashid cried out in pain, his grip faltering as he recoiled from the shock attack. Celest took the moment of distraction, her legs surging forward in a burst of adrenaline-fueled speed.
But Rashid, infuriated and spurred by determination, regained his balance hastily. He launched a fresh attack on Celest, his brute strength proving too much for her slight frame. With a rough push, he knocked her against a nearby tree.
Pain flashed on every inch of Celest's body as the jagged bark slapped against her back. Blackness invaded her eyes, and her body went limp as she fainted. The forest fell silent, mourning the passing of innocence and the brutal ending to her brave attempt at freedom.
-----
Granny warned Rashid as she handed out the unconscious Celest, "Be careful with this one, she is stubborn and will not let go easily."
Rashid laughed, "Tsk I had evidence I witnessed, but don't worry I can handle a little girl."
Granny nodded and watched Rashid carry away Celest, muttering to herself about the money she would receive by selling them.
As they rode away, Celest's limp body was oblivious to the danger she was going in.
Celest awoke as she struggled to make sense of her surroundings. She realized she was in a carriage, although everything seemed amiss. She tried to stretch her arms, discovering that they were restrained by heavy chains.
Panicked and disoriented, she looked around to see that the other children were chained as well, and their cages were locked. Celest's heart sank when she realized the gravity of their situation. She must escape, rescue herself and the other children.
She looked at the other children and whispered softly, "Are you okay? Did they hurt you?"
The kids grumbled their responses, their faces filled with fear and confusion. Celest could sense that they were all below the age of 10 and none of them had an open mind yet.
With the carriage rocking over the bumpy road, Celest's mind was filled with queries. Who had kidnapped them? Why were they tied up like that? And most importantly, how would they be able to escape?
Suddenly, the carriage came to a jolt, jolting the children and their cages. Celest heard the footsteps coming from outside and then the key turning in the lock. The door to their cage creaked open and someone came inside.
It was the black-haired man, Rashid, and he had a devious smirk on his face. Celest automatically moved back, but the chains prevented her from escaping.
"Welcome to your new home, little ones," Rashid sneered.
Celest tried to speak up, to demand explanations, but her voice caught in her throat. She noticed the terror in the eyes of the other kids and knew that they were all in danger.
The mansion had once been a grand house, but now it stood in ruins. Its white exterior paint was chipped and weathered, and was also covered in patches of green moss and black soot. The windows were boarded up, and a few of them were also smashed, with shattered glass covering most of the land. The roof had shattered tiles, and the chimney was in ruins. The whole property was hauntingly, abandoned-like as if the world just forgot about it. While Celest glared back at Rashid with disgust, she kicked her down using his black boot. She hit the floor hard, banging her head on the cold, hard floor of the cage. She winced in pain, feeling the throbbing pain on the back of her head. She glared up at Rashid defiantly, trying to hold back the tears welling up in her eyes.
Rashid simply sneered at her, his large body towering over her small one. "You little brat," he growled, "You ought to know how to keep quiet. You're lucky we're not going to hurt you yet."
Celest gritted her teeth, trying not to show any sign of fear. She would not let them triumph. She looked around the group of children in the cage and saw the terror on their faces. She knew that she had to tough it out for them, to give them hope that they would be released.
She breathed deeply and stood, staring straight at Rashid. "I will not let you get away with this," she said sternly. "We will escape from here, and when we do, I will make you pay for what you've done."
Rashid simply laughs and says, "Can't wait, meanwhile we'll have lots of fun."
Celest scowls at Rashid, eyes flashing anger and defiance. "I'll never let you crush me," she snarls through gritted teeth.
Rashid laughs, a low, menacing sound. "Oh, I don't need to break you," he says. "You're only a child. You'll be my plaything to use as I please, and soon you'll learn to do what I tell you."
Celest clenches her teeth and fists, but knows that for now she has no control. She looks around at the other children, all of them frightened and defeated-looking. She has no clue how many of them are going to escape this alive.
She knows that her life is never going to be the same and that the only thing she can do at this point is survive.