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He leans in, my body is on fire with shaain and shoves my face forward into the water I scream into the dirty water for what feels like an eternity I’es but the shinyI run out of air and suck by accident The dirty water fills my mouth I don’t want to inhale it I s It’s cold and tastes of h and seize up "P-p-please" I’ My stomach turns as the cold water htens on the back of ht as the cold water sucks my face into it I don’t scream this ti when the air gets old and ain My feet connect with his leg I kick and claw at hie of the sink is digging intoMy lower lip tre to cry for me?"

I shake ainst ht it I fight him

He shoves my face back into the water I decide to be cal brushes against ers caressout My body had fought before, but now I a it in

He lifts ic button" He steps away frorabs the door handle and knocks once His cold stare will haunt rins and leaves the roo on the filthy water I’ve inhaled in I grab the robe and pull it on I can’t stop the tears I can get away fro me So freely

I grip the robe and hobble back to the room on the arms of the men The darkness ofbeing alone

"You okay Em?" Stuart asks from the hole between our cells

I shake my head in the blackness of the room I can’t form words I knoill understand I suspect he’s felt the same a few times God knohat they’ve done to hirateful to be alone I never iined I would ever feel that way But I do I becos that hide in the darkness

Chapter Eleven

The door opens The light doesn’t bother ht them when they come for me

I stand and walk proud, I refuse to limp or cower I won’t let theI have left that is

His hands have touched ain I have decided this in the dark

I walk past the blurry s, noticing I’ve stopped caring about what city I’ left inside of me I’ve drank sink water and sat in a roo I have nothing left

I’irl is gone, leftwhen she snuck off I woke and I knew she was gone I’ve slipped so far down, that there isn’t anything left

I’ht her I stand there, hollow and alone She cleans me quickly, softly She has delicate hands I hate the iven a new robe I look at the filthy one being thrown in the bin and feel like I’ a friend behind alk out

She walks next tome

She opens the door to the room with the fireplace

My belly aches My feet clench on the hardhen I see the bed

He’s sitting on the couch with his legs wide, like he always does He looks beautiful and harsh, exactly what he is I don’t cower for hi left for him to do to me

She leaves and I stand, terrified but stubborn

His cocky grin creeps across his lips, "I’ve seen that girl before" His eyes are lit with flaht eye twitches, the fear inside of me is real No oing to be real

"Go sit by the fire" He points

I turnand wait

He pulls out a book and starts to read It’s Dracula Bram Stoker’s Dracula My knees start to hurt but I sit He turns the pages slowly, like he is savoring the feel of every word and lass next to hilances at s back the drink He sighs at the end and nods, "That was good Hint of leain and continues My feet feel like they’re going to explode so I sit on htly I don’t want them even an inch closer to hinear hi you want to know?" He asks over the edge of the book

"Why am I here?"

"I like you here I like to read and know you’re close by It’s co"

I watch his eyes, they’re so familiar "Do I know you?"

They squint into a smile "Do you think you know me?"