Page 27 of Blood Caged

“What was that?” she asks sharply. I never talk back. I learned that within the first couple of days. Although, right now, I’m too exhausted to give a damn.

“Nothing,” I say. For some reason, the word comes out slurred.

“Strip,” she instructs me. We go through this same routine every day. I think she gets off on it. Right now, I couldn’t care less.

My hands shake as I reach for the hem of my rough cotton tunic. It almost feels like too much of an effort to lift them high enough to pull the simple garment over my head.

“Fuck sake, girl,” Patty snaps. “You want me to do it or something?”

I shake my head. God, no. The last thing I want is to give her an excuse to put her hands all over me. Gathering my strength, I tug my tunic off and then fumble to get my panties down my thighs. Patty is probably ogling me again, but if she is, I barely notice it. I drag my feet to get to the bare wall, then brace my palms against it, head slumped forward as I prepare for the frigid blast of water.

When it hits me, it takes my breath away. As she directs the powerful stream at the back of my head, I struggle to stop my knees from buckling.

“Bitch,” I mutter.

“Think I didn’t hear that?” Patty’s voice is harsh. “Turn around, cupcake.”

“Screw you!” I’ve had enough of her shit.

“Turn the fuck around!” she barks. The water force ratchets up, stinging in its intensity. Reluctantly, I turn, knowing there’s no point in fighting.

The water hits me in the solar plexus, knocking the breath from me.

“Fuck,” I choke out.

“Got a filthy mouth on you, girl,” Patty sneers. “Maybe I should wash it out.”

Before I know what she’s about to do, she aims the stream directly at my face. The force of it snaps my head back. I stagger, my shaking legs finally giving out. I’m stumbling back, my feet slipping on the slick tiles as I scramble to regain my balance.

I go down hard, my head cracking against the wall behind me. Pain bursts through my skull, sending a wave of black spots dancing before my eyes.

I struggle to focus, my vision blurring as pain radiates through my skull. Patty’s voice sounds distant, muffled, like I’m underwater.

“Get up, you stupid bitch! Stop fucking around!”

I try to respond, to move, but my limbs feel impossibly heavy. The cold tiles press against my cheek, water still pooling around me. I blink slowly, fighting to keep my eyes open.

Patty’s face swims into view, her features twisted with anger and…is that fear? She’s shouting something, but the words are garbled, meaningless noise.

“…can’t be…wake up…shit, shit, shit!”

I want to tell her to shut up, that her screeching is making my head pound even worse, but I can’t form the words. My eyelids are so heavy.

Maybe if I just close them for a moment…

A sharp slap across my face jolts me back to semi-consciousness. Patty’s hovering over me, her hand raised to strike again.

“Don’t you dare pass out on me, you little bitch!”

I try to muster a glare, but even that small effort is too much. The pain in my head intensifies, a relentless throbbing that threatens to split my skull. I’m so tired. So cold. I just want to sleep.

Patty’s panicked voice fades in and out.

“…need help… she’s not… Fuck, what do I do?”

I feel myself slipping away, darkness creeping in at the edges of my vision. I try to fight it, but I’m too weak, too drained. I’m aware of Patty’s frantic cursing before exhaustion claims me, and I surrender to the welcoming oblivion.

It doesn’t last long. There are voices again. Male this time, as Patty shouts frantically to someone outside. Then she’s back.

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