4 | Punishment of escaping

Left with no other option I slowly moved my head up with closed eyes. When I was face to face with him I opened my eyes slowly and found him directly looking into my eyes.

The moment our eyes connected the world around me stopped. My heart skipped a beat and my breath hitched in my throat. I lost my senses and my mind stopped working.

We continued to look into each other's eyes. I can feel the electricity between us. It is happening with me for the first time that I am so spell bounded by someone that I am not able to move or even blink my eyes. He was too staring deep into my eyes without blinking like he wants to dive into them. I got goosebumps all over my body and all the blood rushed to my cheeks heating them up. I can feel the outflow of heat from my ears. My knees were wobbling and legs were becoming weak because of his deathly stares.

Then after a minute which felt like an eternity, he blinked and moved his eyes from my eyes to my forehead then to my cheek, nose, chin, and finally stopped at my lips. The way he was looking at me felt like he knows me for a long time. I also looked at him in an attempt to recognize him. He is a man with a well-built personality. He must be in his late 20's or early 30's. He has got big chocolaty brown eyes with long and thick eyelashes, a chiseled jaw, and a little beard on his cheek that was making him more attractive. I must say he is a handsome man but what is the need for this handsomeness when his heart is black and he is also a cruel monster like others. After looking at him one thing is sure that I don't know him. I have never met any personality like him ever before, neither I have ever seen him before as far as my memory is concerned.

His eyes again moved to my eyes slowly. I can read the emotions in his eyes. First, there was care in his eyes which converted into love, pure love and then that love changed into hatred, extreme hatred.

But why is he looking at me with so much hatred? I don't even know him. We have never met before then why so much hate for me? No one has ever seen me with so much despise, not even aunt.

After a few minutes that felt like an eternity, he raised his hand. I got scared that he is going to take me to the room. Beads of sweat appeared on my forehead out of anxiety.

My breath stopped when his fingers grazed my bare arm. But he didn't grab it. I looked down and found that he is holding the arm of the girl standing beside me. I released the breath and was somewhat relaxed.

I again looked up. He left for the room with that girl without leaving eye contact with me even for a second. It appears that he wanted to convey something through his eyes. He didn't leave eye contact until he entered the designated room. I relaxed my shoulders in solace and took a breath of relief. One question was continuously repeating in my head.

'What was that?'

"Ok Girls, better luck next time," the tiger said coming in front of us.

"Now, go to your respective rooms and wait for another big client to visit" he dismissed everyone and we start to move towards our rooms.

At least five girls stay in a room but at present only two were there with me for the night. I went to my allocated room, changed my clothes, and waited for the darkness to engulf the city so that I can proceed with my plan of eluding. The other two girls were chatting but I was not interested in their talks.

Time passed and the sunset letting the moon shines high in the sky with all its glory. I sat on my bed and looked around to find my roommates sleeping peacefully. I left my bed and stood up. I left the room with utmost care that I am not creating any noise. I moved my legs towards my destination i.e. bathroom. I opened the gate. When I heard sounds of screaming my steps stopped midway and I looked at the owner of the voice.

I saw few men were dragging a woman and she was requesting them to stop.

"Please, don't take me to her. I will not repeat it" she begged while crying hysterically.

"You deserve punishment. You should have thought about the consequences before thinking about running from here" one of the men said.

Running? Was she also trying to run from here?

"Please don't tell her" she begged again but those monsters dragged her like a potato sack ignoring all her, please.

My feet unconsciously followed those people and I reached the room of the Queen. I hide behind the door so that no one can see that I am here. They threw her on the ground like she doesn't get hurt.

"Please forgive me, ma'am. Please, I won't repeat it. I am sorry" she instantly holds the legs of the Queen.

She kicked her and fisted her hair forcing her to stand.

"From how long you are here?" She asked her. The girl was trembling in fear.

She stayed silent.

"Answer me!"

"One.....one year"

"So you know it very well how harsh punishment we give to those who try to run from here"

"Y..yes"

"Then why did you dared to even think about that" she pulled her hairs harshly.

"I am sorry. I made a mistake. I won't repeat it"

"Don't worry I will not leave you in a position to repeat it"

"N...no please"

"Call every girl here. So that they come to know what happens when someone tries to run so that they don't dare to even think about that"

Suddenly the bell rang at a very high volume. Everyone collected around the room in a minute. I looked around and saw that the number of women living here is very high.

"Cut her toes" she ordered

"NO!" An ear-piercing scream left my throat unknowingly. Everyone's attention diverted to me.

"You cannot be so cruel to her" I whispered with tears in my eyes.

The woman who is the head of this place moved towards me with predatory steps. I gulped down in fear. She was giving me deathly glares.

"You, you argue a lot and your tongue runs like a scissor. Do you want me to cut your tongue too along with her toes?" she said standing in front of me.

I shook my head in fear.

"Then just stand silently and look at what we do to the traitors. And imprint this in your head that you can not step outside this place without my permission. You all are my property and I can do whatever I want to do with you"

She went back and ordered her man to carry on. One man came forward and grabbed the hands of the girl who was going to get the punishment in a tight grip and another man gripped her legs in place. She was continuously thrashing around to make herself free, to save herself from this inhuman torture but grip of those monsters was so tight that she was not able to do anything. What surprised me the most was that everyone was standing at their place without uttering a single word. No one dared to move his or her lips or hands to save the poor lady who was crying hysterically. My heart clenched at the sight. I was not able to look at them.

Then the man raised his knife and cut her toes with full force. The river of blood flows out of her feet instantly. I screamed loud along with the scream of that poor woman. I turned around covering my face with my palms. I cannot see the blood, I have nausea.

I still remember the day when I lost my parents. I was too small to remember exactly what happened then but I can never forget their bodies lying lifeless on the road, covered with blood. From that day I feel like vomiting whenever I see blood.

I ran towards the bathroom and emptied my stomach in the sink. I rinsed my mouth and put my hands on my head that was spinning. I was shaking uncontrollably.

From today's incident one thing was sure that I cannot escape from this hell until and unless someone comes here for my rescue.

God! Please save me!