Destroying Love

Twenty-four

Another day passes.

I stare at the door. I shake my head when Hanna tells me to drink the rest of the water or to eat the rest of the food. I refused the first time and looked at the injured woman. Her state got worse, but I still wanted her to drink and eat my part.

She did and left me some. But when we woke up in the morning, she was unfortunately already gone.

Dead.

Her name was Kathy.

I can't look at her body in the corner of the room. I don't know how long it'll take until someone comes to—

Get rid of the body.

I hate myself. It shouldn't have happened. I should have been here sooner to make sure no one here gets hurt.

Someone is still crying lowly. I keep my eyes on the door because as soon as this door opens, I want to make sure to be their next victim. I want to give them what they want, to end all of this.

For the first time in hours, I look away for a moment to glance at Hanna.

"How long will it take until they come here again?" I question, clenching and unclenching my hands.

I need to hit something.

She shakes her head slowly, her own eyes fixed on the door. "Who knows."

Huffing under my breath, I start to stand up. My legs tremble just for a few seconds before I steady myself.

I can feel Hanna's eyes on me. And then, "You should drink the water, Sophia—what are you doing?"

I'm heading towards the door, and then I'm standing in front of it, and then I start to knock loudly.

"Hey! It's the Bird! Open the fucking door!" I bang louder. "There's a dead body here, and these women need more food and water, goddammit. Also, I'm pretty sure some of us have our periods, you know? So it would be really nice if—"

I hear footsteps.

Angry footsteps.

About fucking time.

"What did you do?" someone whispers behind me.

I take a few steps back. "Don't worry. You guys are safe now."

"What the hell are you talking about?" Hanna starts to stand up. "Sophia—"

The door bursts open. The man's eyes meet mine. I smile wickedly.

"Hello. You killed this woman." I point Kathy, glaring at the man. "And I'm the Bird, so let the others go."

The bald man glances at Kathy, and with a sigh as if this is too much to handle, he calls his friend to 'take care of this'.

My fingers graze the knife in my back pocket. It would be so easy, so easy...

But I can't risk anybody's life here. Not another one, I think while Kathy's body disappears from our eyes.

I swallow hard and look back at the man in front of me. Then, as if remembering what I said earlier, his eyes meet mine again and narrow in curiosity.

Come on. Find your brain and use it. Look at me, then realize who I am.

Slowly, recognization seems to fill his eyes. He takes out a phone from his back pocket and attempts to look at something on it without taking his eyes off of me.

I'm too late to react for what happens next.

I see it from the corner or my eyes. A woman crawled towards the door, and now she's standing up, ready to run away.