A just punishment.
1335 Words
I indeed braced myself.
" Wait, Manuel one more thing, please." I heard him groan.
" Yes Phina?"
" I want you to know that I will never forgive you if you do this, never." I started to cry. My whole body shook in anticipation of the angry blows that I was to receive.
To my surprise, Manuel left me then. He put down the whip and left.
A few moments later a large man came into the room. He was one of Manuel's personal body guards.
He picked up the whip and began to beat me.
I bit my lip trying hard not to scream. I could not give Manuel any pleasure in hearing my screams.
The man layed into me much worse than my husband ever would have done.
He hit me again and again I lost count of the punishment, then passed out from the pain.
When I came to, my back was on fire. My hands were still tied.
Manuel returned. He was very drunk. He released me then.
" Go, go prepare dinner now." He waited for me to get up.
I tried to move, the pain was excruciating. My breathing was quickened.
But I sensed he would hurt me more if I did not do as he said.
I moved slowly, catching my breath with every step.
I reached for my shift.
" No, naked." He yelled.
I limped out to the kitchen. I heard all in the home gasp at the sight of my back.
Blood oozed down my butt and thighs.
I held onto the kitchen counter as I tried to cook dinner.
One of the maids came to help me. I couldn't see through my tears. I didn't know how I would even do this.
" She doesn't need help Maria!" belowed Manuel.
I stumble and fell, dropping the food.
I was on my knees trying to pick everything up. Manuel lifted me up and handed me the food.
I cried out in a muffled scream as he touched my back.
" Be quiet!" He yelled.
I shook my head. " End this, kill me please. It hurts so bad."
" You ran from me, disobeyed me. You had to be punished wife." He was slurring now.
" Go get showered then dressed for dinner." He turned me to face the bedroom.
I took a step and then another. I knew it would not go well if I did not do as he said.
I took a shower and cried as the pain was almost unbearable, yet I bore it. I forced his hand and lost.
The dress I wore was a thick material, I hoped it might not stick too badly to my open wounds.
I slowly combed my hair and walked back to the dining room.
I chose a seat farthest away from my husband.
He held his steak knife towards me. " Sit next to me."
I slowly, painfully stood back up and walked towards him, waiting for permission to sit.
He motioned to the chair.
I gingerly sat down. My face was contorted in a mask of pain. The others in the house looked away from me.
Manuel handed me my fork.
" Eat." He commanded.
I placed a bite of food to my lips and chewed very slowly.
I was doing my best to breath.
After 15 excruciating minutes he stood and threw his napkin down.
He pulled out my chair and picked me up. I screamed then.
The pain of his arm around my back sent shivers through my whole body.
He carried me to bed.
I lay face down as he undid my gown and roughly removed it in his haste to get me naked.
The fabric caught on my wounds and ripped them open a new. I passed out once again from the pain.
When I woke up, Manuel was washing my wounds gently.
" Phina, I will never hurt you like this ever again. I promise you. My anger gets away from me.
I know it doesn't seem like it now, but I am a better man because of you. I am never going to be perfect, but I will love you."
I stayed quiet, I hated him.
"My guard, Arturo had expected me to ask him to kill you for running away.
But a life without you seems pointless. I'm very sorry my love."
He kissed my shoulders and placed a pill in my mouth.
"Not heroin, but a strong pain pill."
I chewed it.
" I had to show the others in the home you had been punished justly. I know this humiliated you. My heart hurt as Arturo gave you each blow."
I wisely refrained from screaming at him.
I couldn't say one word. Not one word.
The following day, I layed in bed, face down.
My wounds festered. I could not move, nor find a comfortable way to even breath.
Yet, I got up and put my gown on. I went to the kitchen and began to clean.
The floor seemed the best place for me, since I couldn't stand up.
I slowly scrubbed my blood off of the floor and kept my mouth closed.
The others in the house quickly tried to help me. I silently shook my head. I had learned my place.
I was no more than an animal to be owned and abused. A beaten dog living in fear.
I finished the floor and went to the bathroom to clean up my dried blood there.
Manuel came in suddenly after one of the girls ran to yell at him for being so inhumane.
" What are you doing?" he yelled.
"I dont want to look at my blood everywhere." I said as I scrubbed the floor on my hands and knees.
" Stop this, you are in pain. Get up."
" I don't think I can." I struggled to stand.
He picked me up and placed me back in the bed.
" Sir, I would rather you kill me than put me in that bed again.
I can't seem to stop hurting where that whip cut into my flesh as that crazy man exacted my just punishment for running.
Is there something you can give me to end this now? Even the evil tall man that made me a w***e slave never acted so cruely?"
I refused to meet his eyes, I only looked down at my hands.
" Look at me please." He took my chin.
He saw my pain and something else...there was no longer any life in my eyes, only the blank stare of one who had nothing left.
He embraced me and picked me up, taking me downstairs to the basement.
There was a private room there, away from all the others.
He lay me on the bed and sat on the end.
" I don't know any woman like you. You speak to me as an equal, make me think about how to act towards you. No others have made me second guess myself."
"I'm sorry, I won't speak to you anymore then. I mean.. I have been out of place for a beaten dog."
"See that right there, any other girl would be begging me, scared of me. You don't have any fear of me do you Phina?"
" No, I cannot fear death any longer. I welcome it now. I have nothing to live for. I have nothing.
I am your s*x slave, not even a wife. Please consider to enact your first threat, kill me, my spirit is already dead." I said everything in Spanish now, having picked it up in my time with this man.
He asked me then. "Phina, did you speak Spanish before you came to me?"
" No."
" You are very bright, very bright. A man could do no better than to find a strong, smart woman like you. I have decided that we haven't had a proper honeymoon. I am taking you on a trip."
- Writer
