Hopelessness
Proserpina
I was dumped in a car or some vehicle. Two men squeezed in beside me on either side I knew one of them had to be Dmitri. The powerful smell of his cologne, distinctive and unpleasant, surrounded me although I was still in the black hood. I remained quiet. I did not want to antagonise them. I wanted to listen for I needed to know where I was going.
“The s*ut is like a mouse.’ sneered Dmitri, squeezing my breast. The man on the other side was stiff and unmoving, thankfully and I stifled a cry as he increased the pressure of his hand.
When I gasped, unable to take the pain, he gave a small laugh.
The man was a sadistic monster, I thought, fearfully and tried to make myself shrink.
I was exhausted and thirsty, and my stomach was growling. All of it made me fall asleep, a deep, restless sleep.
Suddenly, a terrific explosion rent the air and I jumped. I could not see and I had no idea where we were but the explosion seemed to have come from a long distance, way behind us.
“Stay still, wh*re.’ growled Dmitri
“We just sent a welcoming committee t great that bas*asd, Delano. He had come to find you. Now, he must be dead.’ And he roared in laughter. I felt my body sag, my heart pounding
What was happening? Had Lucien come looking for me? Had he reached this godforsaken place?
And most importantly, was he safe?
Please, God, I prayed, please keep my husband safe…
The car drove on.
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Lucien
Even as the first of his cars drove up to the site, there was a terrific explosion. His car was around ten miles from the spot.
Beston swerved the jeep they were travelling in and they shot backwards.
‘The bas*ard had the place rigged,’ he shouted in a hoarse voice,
He shouted into his mouthpiece.
“Get back boys, get back!’
But it was too late for the lead car that had some of his men. They watched as the car exploded and debris flew everywhere.
Lucien felt his blood boil in fury.
Dmitri Rudenko, the wily fox had moved away. He must have known that they had taken Worthington in for questioning; he must also have known that Worthington would spill the beans.
He stepped out in the desert when Beston had driven like a man mad and stopped the vehicle a safe distance away.
The acrid smell of burning, that of charred flesh and metal, filled the air. Clouds of dust and smoke billowed high in the sky. Lucien knew that the local authorities would descend upon the area very soon.
He scowled, standing in the heat, the harsh wind blowing as he stared into the distance. His heart was heavy.
Where was Proserpina?
***
Sophie
She crawled to the door and banged at it, futilely. She had drunk every drop of water in the bottle. Sometime during the night, someone had appeared with a plate of food for her. She had greedily swallowed it all down. Now she had finished her second bottle of water and she was desperately hungry and thirsty.
She banged on the door, screaming, her voice breaking,
“LET ME OUT OF HERE! LET ME GO!!!’
Danielle flung open the door suddenly, a man behind her.
“Shut the f*ck up, ‘ she snarled and gripping Sophie by her hair, she half dragged her across the room.
‘Proserpina is in danger. She screamed, ‘So if you have anything to tell us that will help, say it NOW!’
Sophie sat back where she had fallen. Then a look of cunning came over her face.
“If Paddy…’ she began.
“You bi*ch!’ shouted Danielle, who had to be restrained by the man with her.
‘Boss has already shifted the boy to his house, to stay with his children. That would be what Proserpina wants too!’
Her eyes wild, her silver-blonde locks flying, she spat,
‘Not everyone is a lowlife like you!’
Sophie sat on the floor. She felt as though she had received a hard blow in the solar plexus.
***
Proserpina
When I regained consciousness, I found myself in a room. A room with a bed alright but with the windows barred. There was a sliver of sunlight that peeped in through a small crack between the wooden boards.
I sat up slowly.
I was still in my filthy clothes. But it did not feel as swelteringly hot as before. Looking around, I noticed a door in the far corner. I stood up and swayed. Clutching the bedpost for support, I saw it was a room with a bed, where the post was broken. Compared to the earlier cell I had been confined to, it was decent.
Slowly, I walked to the door and pushed it open warily. A tiny bathroom but better, cleaner than the one I had been in before. I hesitantly tried the tap.
It actually worked!!!
Water !!!
I sobbed in joy as I washed my face and arms, as much of my body as I could. And then discovered that the was no towel. Smiling to myself, I shook my head.
Tiredly, I opened the door and re-entered the room. The main door, a heavy wooden one, opened and a woman entered.
She was thin and dressed plainly, in scruffy jeans and a shirt that had seen better days. Her mousy ginger hair must have looked pretty at one time but now it hung limp and dirty in a sparse ponytail. I could see her scalp. there were scabs on her hands and dark circles beneath her tired-looking eyes when she shot me a quick look. She had a tray of food, and I almost cried out. Avoiding my eyes, she placed the food on the bed and left. Then I saw a man behind her and stiffened.
The door slammed shut and I sank to my feet, eating, the tears running down my face.
It was simple fare, bread and cheese. A bottle of water. But I ate it all, drinking the water sparingly. Then, exhausted, I fell asleep.