Page 37 of Slaughtered Firefly
“Oh, why would I lie about that? The best delicacy I ever had. The soft tender flesh paired with the most extravagant wine. Everyone devoured it, the richer of course got the best parts, but the little morsel I was afforded was fascinating, it was like all my tastebuds lit up with wonder.” He laughed at the last part as if it were some grand joke.
Adrenaline coursed through me and it took every spare second I had as he launched into another monologue, “The feet were one of the best parts, the slightly charred muscle and cartilage gives off this chewy sensation — ” My teeth sunk into his ear and I jerked as hard as I could. There was a protest as the man pulled back, but I pulled harder. The flesh separated, and blood seeped into my mouth. “Ahhh you stupid bitch!” His ear was gone. I chewed it, not really caring about the flavor, just masticating hard enough so that he wouldn’t be able to sew it back up. The bone crunched against my molars as the man screamed, his hand pressed to his hole.
When I was satisfied that there was no ear shape left and it was just a pile of blood, bones and tissue, I spat it out on the floor.The man screamed as I came near, but I just laughed.
“Thank God you found her,” someone praised as I struggled to open my eyes.
“Keep a better eye on her, this bed shouldn’t have toppled so easily and there’s no way the sheet should have held her like that, are you sure no one else was in here with her?” Concern laced his voice, the mysterious doctor who had saved me twicenow. I wanted to reach out and smack him for daring to save me a second time. A worthless whore doesn’t deserve to be saved,stupid girl.
“Yes doctor.”
“Get some cold packs on her neck, call Wellington and check for any other signs of struggle,” His determination pierced my heart. My eyes didn’t obey as I failed to open them once again.Please don’t leave me with them.
23
HELL
Fifteen years ago
She came through the door wide-eyed, like a bunny caught in the teeth of a predator. Her long dark hair clung to the sides of her face. Her legs wobbled as she struggled to stay upright. I tracked her movements as she slowly made her way towards the meal line. She was so focused on the food choices, not going for lavish meats or meals with names longer than I cared to remember but instead the light foods, protein filled. Sustainable food for the long run.
“First time, huh?” I watched her grabbing the same foods she chose. Of course, I wasn’t going to eat anything. I hadn’t eaten for days. Every time I looked at food… I blinked back.
“Huh?” Her eyebrows creased like she was trying to determine if I was talking to her.
“First time they let you out of your room, right?”
“Yes. That brownie looks like gold after the horrible lukewarm chicken stock thing.” Her French accent was soft, and her English flowed naturally. I wondered whether she had been born overseas. Her eyes looked at the rest of the brownies in wonder.
“Here.” I gave mine to her, a slight smile on my face.
“Oh no. You don’t have to do that.” She was so genuine; it was refreshing when everyone else was so–dead.
“It’s okay. I’m tired of it to be honest. What’s your name?”
“Hey little one,” some girl said as we walked. I wonder how many ‘hey little ones’ it’ll take for her to crack. It’s been a while since that trainer took a girl…
“Uhh.” Her eyes glazed over as she tried to pull the simplistic information from her brain. I stopped walking, giving her the time to adjust. “I don’t remember.”
She scrunched her face and had that look of despair when she replied with her slave number. I could see how much it bothered her. I had been in the same situation months prior, in the wayit broke me down and reshaped my thought process. It was a mind-fuck.
“Not there yet?” I smiled and started walking again. “I’m Summer.” I set the tray of food on the empty table. It was the only one next to the water fountain, and a few of the other girls looked towards her with disdain. I smiled at them. It was a little too cheery, but a threat nonetheless. She was too absorbed in her thoughts that she did not notice the hostility.
“How long have you been here?” She almost whispered the words. She was here longer than I was, a year I think, but this was the first time her trainer let her out. Her eyes unfocused as she waited for my answer.
“I’ve been here a while, I think close to eight months but when you’ve been starved of daylight time behaves funny.”
Her eyes widened, and I shrugged. We sat there studying each other until she remembered the food in front of us. She ate almost everything on the tray, so I shoved my yogurt towards her. “What are you doing?”
“I’m not so hungry,” I lied. I was starving, but I couldn’t bring myself to eat.
She hesitated but took it, slipping it into the pocket of her gown. “Thank you. May I ask why aren’t you hungry?”
“My trainer told me something awful, I don’t know what to believe.” My voice shook.
“What?”
“He said they ate my baby.”
