ELSEWHEN

“Let her g..go…p…please”, Charise stammered in a whisper. Her throat was dry from all the screaming that had become routine for Bree and her. The chains that held her up by her wrists cut into her flesh deeper every time she moved. She could not see Bree through the darkness and her swollen eyes made it even harder. She could feel the damp uneven wall behind her.

“I simply cannot do that…” Charise could only make out the silhouette of a man against the dim moonlight that seeped in through the small round window on the opposite wall. He scratched his head with the knot at the lower end of his whip as if in thought.

“Ple..a…se…” Charise stammered again. Memories of Bree’s smile and laughter and ever bright eyes filled her mind before they were mercilessly replaced by the heart wrenching screams, the fear in her eyes and the contortions of her fragile body beside her in the room that had come to be their torture chamber.

“I’m not sure you understand why you are here…” said the man in a calm voice that was contrary to his nature as they had come to learn. His hands were now on his hips. “So…I have decided to educate you on the matter a little bit. For your own good”.

Charise had no more energy to speak. She didn’t want to hear his voice. She didn’t want anything but at least her friends freedom if not both of theirs.

“Im sure you are not in the mood for our chat…so how about a date first thing in the morning?” the man asked leaning forward, his head cocked.

Bree mustered as much energy as she could and spat in his face.

“Feisty little girl, aren’t you”, he seemed amused as he wiped off the sprinkle that was barely there, “I will take that as a yes.”

He had swaggered out of the room like a man after sealing a million-dollar deal.

**********

Bree had stopped screaming as they were tortured. This worried Charise. Bree had always been frightened by the thought of pain let alone the actual thing. She calmed her breathing and tried to listen for Bree’s own. She struggled to turn her aching neck to face her but it was too dark to see anything.

“B..ree…?” she whispered.

No response.

“Br…eee?” she called again.

The silence was loud yet again. She took a deep breath but before she could call out again, she heard it. The low guttural laughter almost like a growl that came from Bree’s direction that seemed to rise to a crescendo before coming to an abrupt end.

“is..t..that…you?…Bree??”, she managed to ask.

“It’s all your fault…” Bree said in a low slow icy tone. Charise’s heart sank.

They had been captured four days ago and she wasn’t able to protect them as she had promised.

‘