Vivienne opened her eyes and looked across the cave. She took her hand to her neck. It felt so very sore. And the cuts across her face, she wanted to feel them too. To her surprise, as she touched her pale face, she could not feel any of them. She looked into the mirror and there was nothing! Her face was clean, her brown clothing was in place, her lean build was unbroken and even her hair, although unkempt was not so bad! And then, another shocking discovery! She was free! Her hands were loose and well… she had no bindings whatsoever!
She stood up. The hideout was empty! It was her chance. Now or never, she’d not be able to make it. She’d not stay another night, no. He promised to break her and she knew he would. She’d have to go out. Better to risk her life in the woods than to stay here. And she knew even that they probably were waiting somewhere else, but this was her chance and she’d take it!
That’s right, she would!
At first, she took a cautious step. Then another. Then a more confident and bold third one. Before she came to realise, she was running across the hideout in full speed. She grinned as she felt freedom from the shackles of her feet.
She could almost feel it, and there was a light ahead of it too! And then she felt it again, on her cheek. And then on the back of her neck. The same pain, the same cuts, and yet he was nowhere to be seen. She fell, screaming and writhing, but she did not give up. She picked herself up and make another push, and with each step she took, the more pain ensued. Every little gash, every little cut she had repeated the night before took place, and each step seemed like a tremendous effort of a lifetime to achieve.
But she ran still, stronger than before. If this was a test, she’d pass it! She’d do so with flying, brilliant colours! And she persevered! She could see the exit now, ahead of her! But that, what was that in the corner? The mirror again. And she looked at it in the distance as pain churned and burned her all over. She could see, through her struggle to maintain consciousness that each and every cut that she had been given the night before, repeated itself, over and over again. To her horror, new ones appeared as she lingered, right before her eyes.
She shouted and cried out for help, but none came. She dragged herself over, slowed to a painful crawl as she summoned forth the last of her strength to do so. But then, amidst the ringing of the steel links and the sounds of steel the real pain came.
She couldn’t possibly get up to her feet now. She could not even control her leg as it was! It twitched uncontrollably and her strength faded from her. Looking down, she saw a think, sharp metal hook going through her heal. Then, the rustling of chains began to echo. One after the other, new hooks pierced her leg. Then they pulled.
One jerk. Then another. Then another.
Her hands couldn’t hold her on the soil any longer. She was dragged, screaming as the light grew further and further away from her reach. She looked back, in time to see him sitting down in lotus position, looking at her. Only in time for more chains to come rip her flesh away from her being.
It is true that everything must eventually come to an end. But in his hands, time was fluid and he could make each second last an eternity.
