Hell and Back

Chapter Three

It's our second day in here and the hunger pains are starting to strike. No one has come around with word of Damien, and both Jacob and I spent the night in silence. The prisoners are a lot more silent than I would expect to be on death row.

"Why's everyone so quiet?" I whisper to Jacob.

"2 days until execution. There's not much to talk about, really."

I shake my head, "none of them even care to escape. Why would they come after Damien's pack?"

Jacob looks at me funny as the light turns back on. "6 am! Breakfast!" A guard shouts, but this time it's someone different.

"Why'd you look at me like that?"

Jacob puts a finger to his lip to tell me to shut up and I nod as the guard drops the tray. I don't crawl to it this time. The food from earlier is catching flies, and the flying insects look a lot more appetizing than the crap they're trying to serve us. When the guard leaves, Jacob answers, "they didn't attack him. Some of these people are families. Men, women, children."

I gasp, "he imprisons these innocent people?"

Jacob nods sadly, "yes. If some strong men or women surrender and confess their utmost loyalty to him, they have mercy. If not, they're taken here and are killed." My stomach twists in knots and I can't help but feel this is all my fault. How different would Damien be if I hadn't left?

"This is sick. What about his beta?"

He hasn't had any beta or delta for years. They quit after... after his... you know..."

"Because he changed," I whisper. "Doesn't he have a sister? One that isn't part of the pack?" I haven't heard from Elise.

"Dead. Her pack was attacked and they killed her and his niece, and brother-in-law. They did it to get back at him, but it only got worse after that." The knots in my stomach only twist tighter and tighter and I want to throw up, but I have nothing in my stomach to come out. "Lily is his last known living relative, and she's not allowed outside the house. No one gets to see her."

Lily and I used to video call every day after I left, but gradually, her calls stopped, and eventually, she stopped picking up on everything. I still tried to call her back home during the years but she never picks up. "It's only been 4 years," I hang my head.

"Where have you been?"

I shake my head and laugh, "having the time of my life. I got a stable job and a nice place to live. I was living the life until I woke up in the woods," I sigh and Jacob puts his arm around me. I then realize I'm crying at this point and I can't stop. Damien lost everyone. Lily lost everyone. "I'm sorry. It's my fault. All of this," I sob.

"It's fine. We're gonna get out, Lora," Jacob assures, but he doesn't understand my true intentions for apologizing.

I stop crying and wipe my tears. Jacob is actually right. It's not my fault Damien went insane. He kidnapped me. He killed my brother. Things like that don't go forgiven so easily in my book. "Thank you," I whisper softly and look up toward the roof of our cell.

___

Both plates of food sit far away from Jacob and I. We haven't touched it, but I can tell he's tempted to, and I don't blame him. The moldy leftovers are starting to look like a full-course meal. "Lora," Jacob mutters breathlessly. I can make out his tanned face, even in the poorly-lit cell.

"Yes?"

"Please don't allow me to eat this food no matter what I say," he pleads.

I nod my head, but I, myself, am having a hard time resisting it. "Ditto."

I yawn and stretch a little. "Tired?" Jacob whispers.

I shake my head, "yes, but I'm not sleeping on this disgusting floor."

I hear shuffling beside me, and Jacob shifts over into a position where he's laid against the wall and his legs are stretched out. His muscles glisten with sweat and he pats his lap. "You can lay on my legs."

I give him a strange look, "a-are you sure?" I ask.

He nods, "Yeah, you should rest up."

I nod my head and scoot over. I place my head on his lap and shut my eyes. "Are you going to sleep?"

I hear him grumble, "no," followed by other words, but I'm already drifting into sleep.

___

I wake up when the light is already turned off, and the dinner tray has already been laid out. I must have slept through the day. My stomach grumbles loudly, and I frown as I stare at the disturbing excuse of food they handed out. "You ready to eat yet?" I joke to Jacob, but I don't get a response. I furrow my eyebrows and turn around. "Jacob?" I shake him. His body is cold and his eyes are completely shut as he lies limp against the wall. I slap him hard and he jolts up and looks at me as if I'm a mad woman. "Oh, thank God!" I hug him. "I thought you died!"

He gives me a funny look, but awkwardly hugs back. "I'm sorry. I fell asleep," he apologizes.

"It's alright," I sigh. "Light is out. Must be night."

He agrees, "and we're still not out."

A lump begins to form in my throat. Now we have left a day until execution, and still no sign of Damien. "I've got this," I stand up weakly and step toward the bars. My shoes squish on the old food from the day before and I rub it onto the floor in disgust, but my shoe still makes a squishing sound as I walk. "Damien!" I scream, with little hope that he will even come, but more of the fact that one of his guards will arrive. "Damien!" I start to kick the bars, and there's more shuffling around the room. "Damien! Come here now you filthy roach!" I scream and kick the bars. Some people start to cheer me on, others shouting for me to shut up or we'll be punished, but I couldn't care less.

"Hey!" I hear someone shout and I wrap my arms around the bars.

"Get us out of here you prick!" I kick the bars. The guard looks just like all the others with a lot of gear and a mask shielding his face. His voice sounds different from the others, and I assume the guards circulate jobs. He pulls out a baton and smacks it against my fingers. I scream in pain but tighten my hold on the bars. I crouch myself up to fit my leg between the bars, but my foot is too big. "Get Damien!" I yell and he smacks his baton at my hands again and I finally let go because of the pain and fall back.

"That's your genius plan?" Jacob asks from the corner, still huddled up.

"Remain back, or you'll be moved," the guard orders strictly.

"I need to see Damien," I bravely put my hands on the bars again and stare at his mask, hoping he can grant me this request. "Please," I add.

"That's it," he goes to unlock the cell, and the keys fumble in his hands.

"Thank you so much," I laugh like a maniac as he slides open the door and roughly grabs my arm. "Thank you so-" I pause as he drags me down the opposite end of the hall from the way they enter. "Wait!" I kick my feet up and thrash around in hopes that he will let go of me. "Stop!" I dig my feet into the ground and he has to use an extra effort to pull me along. "Damien!" I'm feeling weak and annoyed. I'm starving and I just wish I could have a decent meal. He stops at the end of the hall and tosses me down onto the ground of the end of the hall. It's dark and he turns around and pulls on the door I didn't notice was there as we passed it. He closes it and successfully locks me into this cell that's a lot smaller than the previous one. I drop on the floor with tears in my eyes.

"Damien," I cry softly and cover my face with my hands.