Chapter 3
1116 Words
Anya woke up once more in the same setting. She was sweating due to the fluffy blankets stacked on top and beside her. She kicked the sheets away groaning at her wary limbs. Anya yearned for a fresh cup of water. She rose to her feet in the sense that she had to go to work.
"Apron...Apron...apron. s**t, did I dry it?" Anya was muttering and gripping her forehead.
"You can sit down now. No need for the act," Anya jumped from the voice in the darkest corner of the room. It was Arin. Reality sunk in like the tide. Her brother had sold her. Her brother can walk and was just using her. She angrily wiped away her tears.
"Come on. Stop crying like a baby," Arin opened the door of the room. "Follow the voices downstairs and you'll get some breakfast."
Anya didn't respond but Arin had already left. Anya broke down in sobs on the ground. She was only thirteen. Why was this happening to her? Disinterested, she saw the clean clothes set out for her and put them on. There was a bathroom connected to the room and so she went. Staring at herself in the mirror she realized how much of a void she was. She felt lied to and betrayed. Bitter.
Hours later Anya heard a knock followed by a voice saying, "Can I come in?"
Anya didn't respond and in came Chris. Her eyes threw daggers, knives, and bullets at him. He smiled awkwardly but she turned her head away. "You didn't eat breakfast."
Anya shrugged.
"I brought lunch."
She shrugged again.
"I'll leave it here," Chris set down the tray of food on the desk nearest to him and left promptly. Anya went to inspect the food. Lasagna. She gagged. She hated lasagna and had no appetite for food. She crawled back into bed.
A couple of hours later Chris came back with dinner. "You didn't eat lunch."
Anya didn't respond but focussed her eyes elsewhere. She wished to have no communication with anyone.
"I'll leave dinner."
Dinner and lunch remained untouched.
****
The next day the cycle was repeated. The next three days were the same. Chris became agitated and frustrated. On the fourth day, he brought someone else in.
"This is my sister, Kaida. She looks to be about your age," Chris said and Kaida came inside with the dinner tray. Chris left, leaving the two girls alone.
"What's your name?" Kaida sat next to Anya on the bed.
Anya came up with a lie, "Rylee."
"Ok. How old are you?"
"Thirteen."
"I'm twelve. How about your birthday?" Kaida was an inquisitive girl to which Anya did not want to give any information.
"September 23," Anya lamely said.
"That's in two weeks! What's your birthday wish?"
Anya sat up immediately. "That I want to get out of here. To be far away from this place. That I had a different brother. That I wasn't sold off. I wish to be as far away possible from this place."
Kaida nodded her head awkwardly. "My birthday wish is to have the best beloved mate possible."
"Mate?" Anya's brows shot up. "Isn't that a term for animals."
"You don't-" Kaida turned pale. "I should go now. Please, eat your dinner."
"Will do," Anya responded sarcastically.
Dinner remained untouched for the rest of the day.
****
"I've had enough of this," Arin hissed the next day. "I will drag you down to eat breakfast."
Anya shrugged. "I'm not hungry."
"It's been four days," he sighed.
"So? That's my problem, not yours."
He pulled her up by the shoulders and pulled her by the wrist downstairs. Anya trudged heavily behind him when they entered the kitchen. There was a kitchen isle where five people were sitting. Kaida and Chris being among them. Anya sat down in one of the chairs and stared at her feet.
Ten minutes later, Arin placed a plateful of pancakes, eggs, and bacon in front of her. She noticed everyone watching her as she picked up her fork and poked at the food. Arin sat down across from her with his own plate. As he wolfed down his food, Anya's turned cold.
"Rylee, you should try the pancakes Arin makes. They're to die for," Kaida speaks up enthusiastically.
Anya's reply was flawless and curt, "I want nothing that comes from him."
Arin dropped his fork harshly. The room turned quiet. "Stop being such a brat and quit the drama. Eat."
"I'm. Not. Hungry," Anya spat.
"You will eat," Arin growled.
"I'm not going to eat so leave me alone!" Anya shoved her plate so that it crashed against his. The contents of his plate spilled on him. Everyone seemed to back away. Arin looked up- his eyes still cold but enraged.
Anya became frightened. She started to regret her actions when Arin gripped her chin harshly towards him. He pushed a forkful of pancakes into her mouth and kept shoving more food into her mouth. Anya didn't even have enough time to chew nor swallow and began to choke.
"Arin, stop!" Chris was suddenly behind Arin grabbing his wrist that was preparing to shove more food into Anya. Arin blinked back into reality. He stared at his shaking hand and Anya's terrorized crying face. Anya jumped to her feet and ran to the garbage can.
She was choking on all the forced food. Anya coughed it all up until her throat felt battered. Kaida was patting her back comfortingly. She was breathing shakily when she sprang to her feet. Arin was standing in front of her again. Reluctantly, Anya cowered back. How can a thirteen-year-old fend off a twenty-year-old?
"You are a monster," Anya whispered. This time, Arin stumbled backward.
"Rylee, don't say that to him," Kaida gasped.
"Why shouldn't I? He brought me from my own brother and was about to kill me right now," Anya muttered.
"You needed to eat or else you'll die of fatigue," Arin said.
"I rather that than stay here."
"How about a compromise? I'll give you anything- but your freedom- in exchange for you to eat."
"Then what's the point if I only wish for my freedom," Anya frowned. "Okay, do you have a library?"
"The biggest and finest you'll see," he replied.
"I want a tutor and unlimited access to the library and its books."
"You want a tutor and the library?" Arin asked in disbelief.
"What? Is it that hard to believe?" Anya wished to continue her studies because she knew that it'll be a while until' her freedom was given to her and she didn't want to fall behind in her studies.
"Then you have a deal."
- Writer
