Page 27 of Finding Limits

It’s a miracle that something could survive within me. I never get fed properly. I’m beaten almost daily and I’m constantly forced to take Abraham’s cock either in my ass or mouth. Just two days ago, Abraham smashed me against the wall so hard that I actually blacked out.

“Say the words.” Abraham removes his belt like he always does and when I feel its cold buckle press against my backside, I prepare myself for what comes next.

“He will be gracious and forgive us our sins,” I say the words he demands I speak.

“And…” he encourages me.

“Her sins will be punished, through Him, unto me.” I flinch when the metal hits my skin, trying to hold back my cries. He drives his cock into my mouth as he leans over my back and continues to strike me, somehow hitting the same spot every time with the buckle and making the pain excruciating. He holds my head tight against him so I choke and splutter on him and when he fills my mouth with his seed, my stomach retches like I’m going to throw up.

“And you take her punishments so well.” He pulls away from me and laughs as he slaps my cheek.

I want to scream at him, tell him that he repulses me and that I’m glad my sister got away from him. I can’t imagine how she must have felt about carrying his child. I might not like Solomon all that much, but at least he can be kind. Abraham and his terrible breath and rotten teeth are far worse than any monster I’ve ever been told of.

He leaves me in the darkness and I lie on my side, stroking my hand over the tiny bump I’ve got. I know he or she won’t stay a secret forever, and Solomon is going to have to do something to get us out of here soon, for his own sake, not just mine. He may not admit it, but he fears his father and he knows Abraham would be furious if he knew what he’s been doing to me.

I’ve just finished being sick in the bucket when the hatch pulls open and I can’t believe what I’m seeing when Magna follows in after Solomon. She’s the only person I’ve seen other than him and his father in what has to be months. I could cry from the relief of it.

“Magna, I?—”

“Don’t speak to her,” Solomon orders sternly. He’s got a worried look on his face and I find it uneasy that he’s refusing to look at me. Usually, his eye contact is too much.

“How am I supposed to work in these conditions?” The old woman searches the space around us looking unimpressed.

“I could fetch another lantern,” Solomon suggests, but she shakes her head firmly.

All the women go to Magna when they’re expecting a child, She’s delivered all the babies in the village and, although her bedside manner leaves a lot to be desired, I’m glad she’s here to check up on mine.

“Here, get her to lie on this plastic sheet.” She hands something to Solomon who steps toward me.

“You need to lie on this.” He flattens the sheet out on the floor and when Magna starts to wash her hands in the basin in the corner, the guilty look she gives me over her shoulder turns my relief into nerves.

“What is she here for?” I hold my hand over my tummy protectively.

“You're starting to show that little gift I gave you.” He reaches out to take my wrist but I quickly pull away. “Father can’t know what happens between us. You're not a chosen one, Everleigh.” He lowers his head sadly.

“No.” I back myself up against the wall.

“Magna won’t tell, she owes me a favor.” He takes my wrist, dragging me toward the sheet, and I dig my heels into the ground below, trying to stop him. “She’s going to fix it, and make sure this never happens to you again.” His strength is too great as he wraps me up in his arms and lowers me onto the plastic sheet.

“No, please. Don’t… Don’t do that.” I thrash against him when he sits me between his legs, holding me firm as I kick to get free, and forces my body back against his chest. His hand covers over my mouth and the cloth it’s holding blocks all my airways. I lose all my fight, and my body goes limp.

“I wish things could be different,” I hear him whisper, and the look of guilt on Magna’s face is the last thing I see before everything blurs to darkness.

I don’t know how long I was out, but I’m alone when I wake up.

It’s pitch black and the pain that stabs through me when I sit up makes me wail. My insides feel as if they’ve been torn out and stuffed back inside me, and I clutch my stomach knowing that my baby’s been taken from me.

“I’m sorry.” I hear a voice come from the darkness, and although I can’t see him, I know it’s Solomon.

“Why? Why did you let me keep it for so long? Why let me grow it inside me?” I sob. My child wasn’t conceived out of love, and what I would have delivered it into is nothing but evil, but it was a part of me, one that he allowed me to nurture and fall in love with.

“I liked how you were when you were hopeful. I liked how it felt to go against him,” he admits, sounding weak and strained. “If your stupid sister hadn't run away I would have had you, you would have been my wife and I could have given you as many babies as you could carry. But now…” I feel him move closer. “Now you will have none.”

“No.” I shake my head and cry.

“This is your life now, Everleigh, the black is the only future you have. It will be better this way. You wouldn’t have wanted to go through that again, it wasn’t pleasant.” He strokes my face and when I feel his mouth just a breath away from mine, I clam up.

“Our secret, remember?” He presses his lips softly against mine and I swear I feel one of his tears drip onto my cheek. “Rest, I’ll bring you something nice for breakfast tomorrow morning.” He stands up and leaves me

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