PEARL"

she fainted

FIVE MINUTES LATER*

The downpour of water over Pearl's face made her eyes fly open.

She propped herself to a sitting position, and immediately she saw her environment is still same, she began crying.

"Aww, poor thing" the girl said apathetically.

"You should go into the bathroom and clean up. Your menstrual blood is everywhere, baby" the guy added, but Pearl slowly hugged pitiful self.

Is it really over? Will she die here? Or maybe she'll be sold and her organs will get harvested.

Is Roonie dead?

How is everyone doing at home?

What about her parents?

Sybil?

How exactly is Teal related to Teal and why are they doing this to her?

All the questions formed an opaque fog in her head, and she almost passed out for the second time.

"By the way, you can call me BJ" the black guy talked again, his voice deep.

The other girl just sat on the ground beside a pile of rag clothes, looking neutrally at them.

"And she's not always quiet like this" BJ pointed at her, and she rolled eyes at him.

"Who brought me here?" Pearl asked shakily.

"We didn't see who. It was one of the guards who carried you in" BJ shrugged, and Pearl held her head.

"No!!!!!!!" She let out a blood-curdling scream.

Despite her raspy voice, the scream travelled around the other cells like razor through the night, and everyone went silent, staring at her direction.

She slowly walked to the cell door and began banging her forehead on it.

"Yo, that's shitty" BJ said.

"She's crazy" The other girl muttered.

Pearl didn't stop hitting her head till blood erupted.

BJ quickly pulled her away from the door, but she went back and returned to hitting her head.

The other captives began murmuring, and the murmurs turned to chatters, making the place so noisy.

A guard rushed in, and there was silence as he jogged to Pearl's cell.

"You better sit your arse down, else, you'll be the first person to get sold at the next selection!" He threatened.

"No" Pearl replied, slipping her hand into one of the cell holes.

She grabbed the guard and pulled him closer, hitting his head hard on the metal.

Everyone gasped as the guard slumped, and she took the key from his chest pocket before letting him go.

He fell heavily on the ground, and she opened the door, running out.

BJ and the other girl exchanged glances.

"She gon learn the hard way, innit?" BJ said.

"I was like this when I was new here too" the girl replied, crossing her arms.

They watched as Pearl ran towards the door at the end of the corridor, and the other captives watched interestingly too.

• She's a strong one, I bet.

• New ones are always like that.

• She's pretty though.

• Was about to say she's the prettiest bitch here.

• What were you expecting, she's obviously Spanish.

Pearl got to the door and was about to open up when a giant dog appeared...a black doberman.

The furious growling of the dog made her step back, hot sweat dropping down her temples and backline.

She swallowed, and the dog's nose flared like a volcano as it growled again, but Pearl summoned courage nevertheless.

She stretched her hand forward slowly, but the moment she touched the doorknob, the dog jumped forward.

In the next minute, her arm is in the dog's mouth, and she fell on the ground as it bit her savagely.

"Ahhhh!!!!" Her cry was anguished and raw as blood erupted again.

The dog didn't stop.

Some of the captives began laughing.

• I knew it!

• That dog has zero patience.

• Sorry newbie!

Four more guards marched in, and Pearl was hiccuping as they finally took her bleeding arm from the dog.

She was taken back to the cell and pushed in.

She almost fell, but BJ caught her.

"Told you, didn't I?" He said.

"The next time you try this, I'll blow your damn brains!, you better keep it down" the guard told Pearl with obvious hostility

They took away the guard who passed out, and the door went locked again, then the others resumed their loud chats.

"Come here" the other girl took Pearl from BJ.

She took her into the small cube-like bathroom adjoined to their cell.

Every cell has it.

"You'll get used to it" she said as she washed Pearl's bleeding arm.

Pearl began cringing in pains.

"Get used to it? I don't want this life...if I get sold, then it's over" Pearl shook her head, and the girl sighed.

"I've been here for twenty years, and I never got sold. BJ has been here for a year, too" she said.

"Ho..how is that possible?" Pearl sniffled.

"The organ hunters only come twice a year, and whenever they come, the guards assemble us in a straight line, so they pick their choices. I've never been picked, and so is BJ. Since you're in our cell, you might share the same luck, and maybe one day someone will save us" the girl said and stood.

"You should have your bath, and since there's no pad for you, you can use the tissue. BJ will treat your wound" she said.