Sydney

Mafia and a Cell

 It was the water that woke me. An insistent drip against my cheek. I'll need to check the roof today, I mused. Brushing it aside for now, I rolled to try and find a more comfortable position on my... floor? Weird. I must've been way out of it last night. Rubbing the heels of the hands over my eyes I tried to chase the sleepiness away only to open them and wonder if I was still dreaming. Taking a breath, the stench of body odor, fear and blood overwhelmed my senses.

Not a dream. Everything from the night before rushed back and I felt sick. Breathing heavily, I tried to stay calm as I took in my surroundings. I was in a prison cell of sorts, bars and all. A bench was pushed up against the wall to my right, a bucket in the corner, I still had all my clothes, and my leg was attached to the wall via a silver chain. Moving to the bars I pressed my face up against them and tried to peer into the darkness. Countless cells lined the hallway and faded into the darkness. Closing my eyes, I heard breathing, growls, crying, groans, someone screaming and much, much more than I would ever like to hear.

Gasping, I stumbled back from the bars towards the corner only to knock over the bucket and see a huge rat run out. With a scream, I jumped onto the bench and wrapped my arms around myself. I had always been a good girl. I had never even gotten a ticket, yet here I was. Why?

A mean snicker drew me from my frantic thoughts. Looking up I examined the cell across from mine and could barely make out a person sized shape in the darkness.

"Who are you? Where are we? What–?" I was cut off by the shadow person. "Now, now Beauty, slow down." He continued with a leer in his voice. "Call me Baby, I saw you when they dragged your sorry pelt in here. Haven't seen a woman in years, and you are quite the looker."

With a shudder, I pressed myself up against the wall and wrapped my arms around myself. I felt like I'd been violated. To my knowledge, I had never met a rapist, but I would bet that he would sound just like this guy. I didn't care what that man possibly knew, I would get my answers another way.

I would talk with someone, they'd have to come for me sometime and then I could explain everything, they would apologize, release me and then I would call the cops on their crazy butts. Feeling a glimmer of hope I closed my eyes and tried to hear if anyone was coming down the hall. Nothing. The only thing different was that the person was no longer screaming.

Opening my eyes, I looked around the tiny cell. I hated small places and knew that if I was here much longer I would go crazy. Eventually I curled into a ball on my side and tried to just shut the world out. It will all be fine.

*******************************

Feeling stiff I opened my eyes and tried to stretch my cramped muscles while not touching the floor. The rat thing still creeped me out more than I wanted to admit.

"Did you have a nice rest, Beauty?"

Cringing, I immediately pulled back into myself.

"Aw, too scared to talk?" The man taunted. "They'll have you screaming soon enough. Shame a woman like you has to die. What did you do to tick off the Alpha?"

He continued to ramble on but the name Alpha caught my attention, I heard it just before I passed out. It meant a leader, right? But a leader of what exactly? My heart started pounding. Was this the Mafia or something? That would explain the creepy cells and the references to killing. But what did he mean by rogue? Maybe one of their people decided to go rogue and they're trying to find them before they go to the police?

I can prove that I'm not one of their own gone rogue, I will convince them I know nothing and they'll let me go. The Mafia wouldn't keep me for no reason. A thought flitted across my mind and I shuddered at a possible reason for them to keep me.... No! I will continue to think positively and it'll be just fine.