You know, it's quite funny how one moment, you're laughing and smiling with your friend. Arguing about facts that do and do not exist in the world. And then—and then the next minute, you realize that the world you were sitting in has been destroyed. You find yourself in a new soul-wrenching place. You also have no idea about the whereabouts or the well being of your family. And you suddenly find yourself standing with a rusted but sharp steel-pen in your hand, and you're trying to defend your friend from being a sex slave to whomever it is that desires her.
It is not quite as funny as I had previously said.
It is horrifying.
I am horrified.
And now, I do not know what to do. Should I bolt for the exit with Skye?
But then, I can still remember the girl who had done so. She had been picked, and she had seen, even though the man wore a mask, he was old_wretched. She couldn't bear the thought of being with him, so she ran.
But she was never able to reach the exit.
If I decide to run now, with Skye, will I make it?
If I can get past these huge men in front of me, will I make it through the remaining audience in the arena? If I can somehow make it through the arena, will I be able to get us both through the exit? If I make it through the exist—
What then?
That's true. I have no idea what lies outside the arena. We've never been allowed anywhere but the stage and that huge building behind the arena.
What lies ahead—in front, I have no idea.
Ah, but they want to take Skye. They want to give her to someone, I don't even know who. He is not even among the clients who sit before us now. He had sent a message. So he is not in the audience.
Ah! Suddenly, I can feel eyes upon me. Every eye is on me. But, I can feel something different. A corrupting gaze, one that seems to hold in it all the demons in hell. And I don't know why, but I look up, and I can see him. Not him_his silhouette. But I can tell, his eyes are on me. I can't see them, because he remains in the shadows, but I can feel it, he does stare at me. Taunting, haunting, soul-defying.
"I'm warning you! Take another step close to me and I swear I will blind you before you can lay your filthy hands on her!!!"
"You wretched creature! Put down your weapon or be damned for eternity!" The circus master yells. My grip on Skye is firm and unshaking. I have no intention of letting go. Ever.
"Aren't we all already damned?!" I yell back. "What more damnation could be worse than this?! I'm not joking! Stay away from us!" I swing the rusted steel-pen as one of the guards tried to get close to me.
The other people like me and Skye who were on the stage already left our side. Now it's just the two of us standing here, trembling.
The circus master is looking up again, he's shaking with fear. Not for me, I suppose. There is something that frightens him about the men up there. They have to be people high up to make him tremble like this. And I am most certainly sure that one of them has picked Skye.
Or…
Maybe the two of them… I can suddenly feel my stomach crawl and knot together. The thought is mortifying.
"Trust me, if you believe you have seen damnation here, then you better correct your belief… What are you idiots doing! Can you not seize on stupid girl!!" He yells.
His words seem to give them bravery and they leap forward.
With no hesitation whatsoever, I swing my armed hand toward the face of the first man, and he shrieks in pain. He is a slim man, almost the size of Skye, so with no hesitation, I send my leg into his midsection. My kick causes the man to stagger and fall off the stage.
"Ahhh!!!" Skye yells and trembles next to me as the next man, huge and tall plunges toward me. Just like his friend, I swing my hand, but he is quicker, more prepared, so he dodges.
But as he stretches his hand toward me again, I slice his hand and my motion forces an oath out of his mouth as he turns to me viciously.
With determination, I kick him hard in the groin. I know it would hurt, and it does. Both his hands fall upon his special place in pain as he slowly goes down to his knees, and I send another kick to his head.
I just defeated Goliath. For he falls face flat to the ground.
"Just do as you are told, silly girl." It's Genna who talks now. "You cannot escape this," she adds.
I look to my side, and I can see more men coming in. I can feel my heartbeat quicken.
I know, Genna is right. I cannot escape this. I can fight off one, two_ three even_ with luck. But luck can always run out. And I fear what will happen to us both when luck runs out.
"K_kiva, let go." I hear her voice beside me. A whisper. A plea. "We cannot win this. They'll have me sooner or later. Just let go."
It hurt, it hurt so bad. It hurts that she's right. She's so right and I know it.
We both already knew it was inevitable.
But still…
"NO!!"
Not fighting at all will be a sin!