The Holy Land.
The Family.
Who would call a cell like this a house?
This place is anything but “of God.” In fact, it’s ungodly to keep anyone here for so long.
I’m losing my mind. Staring at the wall, I hum to myself, rocking back and forth as if I’m summoning an incantation from the world beyond.
I’m losing myself in this darkness. The same darkness I once escaped is now engulfing me whole again. How will I get out of here? Not by force. Not by will. The door is shut from the outside, and there’s no way to breach it without weapons, which I don’t have.
But I have to get out.
There is nothing I desire more than my freedom, and it’s eating at me.
Water be damned. I already swallowed every last drop that was in that bottle, and I regret ever doing so. It only elongates the inevitable.
I will either die in this cell … or submit to their rules.
I take a quick glance at the clothes lying on the floor, the softness of the fabric luring me close, but I stop myself from touching just before I do.
I’d rather be naked than die in conformity.
I’ve already suffered a traumatic life-changing event, so I can do this again. Even though that was completely different from what I’m going through now, I know I can do this. My body was made for survival.
Suddenly, the door cracks open again, and I crawl to a corner of the room, waiting for something to happen. Should I run? I could try, but they got me last time, and there’s no question they’ll be prepared for it. And now they know how fast I can go too … so it’s only become harder. Not to mention that goddamn Taser hurt like hell.
The light blinds me, and I partially cover my eyes with my hand. Through my fingers, I peek to see what’s happening, if the men are back to take me away someplace else. But it’s not a man. It’s a woman. And she’s naked, just like me.
They drag her into the cell too, and she falls onto the floor as the door shuts behind them again. My body is rigid, unmoving, just like the girl in front of me. It’s silent for a while. Is she even alive?
On my knees, I crawl toward her, and I poke her in the arm. “Hey.”
No response. I tap a few more times. Nothing.
With a sigh, I sit back, slapping myself in the forehead for not using another chance to escape. Her being brought in here might’ve distracted the men and kept them from chasing after me long enough for me to actually jump over the fence.
Too late.
Now the chance is gone, and I’m still stuck in the darkness.
But I’m not alone anymore.
Grunts and ragged breaths emanate from the body in front of me.
I lean up and listen to the sounds that sound wretched, just as I did when I first came in here.
“Ugh …” she groans. “My head …”
“Hey,” I mutter.
Silence.
“Who’s there?” she asks swiftly.
“Me. I’m in here with you.”
“Where am I?” She’s farther away now, judging by the sound of her voice. I guess she got scared of me. “What is this? Why is it so dark?”
“We’re locked in a cell.”
“What?” The panic in her voice is all too familiar to me. “Why? I didn’t do anything.”
“Neither did I.”
“I was just at a meeting, and then—oh God.” She sounds as though she’s sick again, so I wait before I say any more.
“Why did they do this?” she asks when she’s gathered herself.
“I don’t know …” I mutter. “They wouldn’t tell me. Just that this is The Holy Land. The Family.”
“Fuck,” she murmurs, her teeth clattering. “I can’t believe it.”
“I know this is going to sound weird, but … are you naked too?” I ask.
It’s quiet for a while. “Shit. Yes. What the fuck? They took off my clothes!”
“They did it to me too,” I say.
“Why? Why the fuck would anyone do that?” she asks. “I’m so fucking cold, I’m shivering.”
“Get used to it,” I answer.
I don’t want to be so blunt, but these conditions make me harsher than usual.
“Sorry,” I add. “If you’re cold, there are clothes on the floor.”
“Where?” she asks.
“Middle of the room,” I say.
But I don’t hear her move.
“Is that a trick?” she asks after a while.
“Maybe. I think so,” I say. “I think they want to use it as a bargaining tool … to get us to submit.”
“Why would I ever do that?”
I snort. “Wait … just wait …”
“That doesn’t sound good,” she mutters. “What did they do to you?”
“I had no food and no water for hours.”
“Fuck.”
This girl sure swears a lot.
“No clothes and no sunlight.”
“How long have you been here?” she asks.
“I don’t know,” I reply. “All I know is that I’ve slept three times already, so that might be three days. I’ve only gotten water two out of three days, and it was just a bottle.”
“No,” she says, her voice shaking. “This can’t be happening.”
“You’re not dreaming. I thought I was too, at first.”
“But who would do this to another person? Why would they lock us up for no reason whatsoever? And naked, too.”
“To subdue us,” I say. “That’s my hunch anyway.”
And to be honest, it’s starting to work.
The longer I’m in here, the more I’m starting to think about what will happen if I do put on those clothes.
“And then what?”
“I don’t know,” I reply.
“That doesn’t make any sense. All of this, it’s insane.”
“I know,” I say, swallowing. “But at least I’m not alone anymore.”
“Hmm …”
“It was hard not to have anyone to talk to. I was losing my mind,” I say, sighing.
“That doesn’t make this any less fucked up,” she says.
“I know. I’m sorry.”
She’s quiet for a while, and so am I.
I don’t know what to say, what to think, what to do. Maybe we could huddle close together for warmth, but I don’t know her, and it would feel awkward. Never mind the fact that I’m pretty sure they’d punish us if they knew.
What if they’re watching us right now?
What if there are cameras in every corner, recording our every move?
What if this is all a test, and we have to pass in order to get out?
Without thinking, I get up and start touching the upper edges of the walls on my toe.
“What are you doing?” the girl asks. Apparently, she could hear me.
I can barely reach the ceiling, but I can in the corners if I try hard enough. That’s where I feel the edge of something hard, something metallic and plastic-like.
“I knew it,” I hiss.
I jerk at it a little, but it won’t come loose. Instead, I point the thing at my face and shout, “You’re watching us, aren’t you? Is this what you want? A bunch of naked girls crying in a cell? You cowards!” I jerk it so hard a piece of it breaks off and cuts me in the hand.
“Ah,” I hiss, pulling back. I don’t know how big the wound is as I can’t see a thing, but I know it can’t be that deep.
“What the hell was that?” the girl asks. “They’re watching us? Who are?”
“Them. They hung a camera in here so they can see all the dirty little things we’re up to.”
“What? But I’m … naked,” she says, shuddering.
“Exactly.”
I inspect the piece that broke off and feel a sharp edge. That may come in use later. I feel my way to the door and try to find a lock. There must be something here, right?
When I finally find a hole, I immediately shove it in and start working on picking the lock. I’ve never done this before, but I have all the time in the world to spend on learning, so I’m going for it.
“What are you doing?” the girl asks.
“Door,” I mutter.
I won’t say it out loud. What if they’re listening? It’ll only give them more reasons to stop me and more incentive to come and punish me. And I’m not about to let that happen.
No, I’d rather be silent the entire time than give anything of value away to the likes of them.
The Family …
More like a family of monsters to me.
Noah
“Patriarch …” My eyes rise from the book I was reading as an elder walks into my room. “I apologize for disturbing, but there is a problem in the security room.”
I raise my brow. “Well, can’t one of the elders deal with it?”
“They can, but … this is about your ‘person of special interest.’” He makes quotation marks with his fingers.
My eyes narrow. “Natalie?” I put my book down. “Show me.”
“Of course,” he says, turning around. “Come with me, please.”
I follow his lead through the corridors and all the way to the basement where the security room is. I rarely ever come here, as it’s usually monitored by elders, but when it comes to Natalie, I’ll make an exception. Especially since it’s the first time I’ll be able to look at the girl I’ve captured to become mine …
“Screen number twenty-eight,” the elder says, pointing at all the screens on the wall. There’s another elder sitting on the chair in front of them, but he gets up and clears his throat before offering me his seat.
“Patriarch … I didn’t think you’d … I apologize. Have my seat, please.”
I hold up my hand. “It’s fine.”
“I insist. Please. It would honor me greatly,” he adds with a genuine smile.
How can I say no when a devoted elder is so kind to me?
This is exactly what the Family is about, and I cannot say no to such a gesture. So I take him up on his offer and sit down in his seat, which is far less superior than the reading chair in the library, but it’ll do for now.
My only interest is finding out what she’s done that’s captured their attention. It must be worthwhile, considering they actually wanted to bring me here.
I gaze at the screen right next to one that’s snowing. Another view of the same room, perhaps. The room she’s in … naked. I can’t help but look at all her round curves right there on display. She’s beautiful, even when locked away in the darkness, and I hate that I have to share her mere image with other men. But right now, keeping her safe and locked away is more important than having her for myself.
When the time comes, I will have my way with her.
For now, she’ll have to stay in that hut.
She probably hates it.
That much anyone could tell because she’s clearly meddling with the door, judging from the way she’s on her knees in front of it and poking at the lock. Poor Natalie, trying to work her way out. It’s foolish of her to think she’ll get anywhere.
Even if she managed to escape, there will always be someone right there, ready to capture her and bring her right back where she came from.
She won’t ever get out.
But she doesn’t know that.
She’s still blissfully unaware of her situation, still in the mindset that she’ll manage to get out of my grasp. Not a single chance in hell.
“So what happened?” I ask the elders. “How did she get that thing? Whatever it is that she’s using to pry open the door.”
“Ahh …” One of them stammers. “My brother here was getting some food, and I really needed to go to the bathroom, so …”
“You weren’t paying attention?” My eyes never leave the screen, but I know they’re watching me. They’re scared, and they should be. A patriarch is not someone you call on without knowing there are consequences attached. A patriarch is the pillar of the Family, the chosen ones to lead everyone into the light. Patriarchs do not listen to rules; we create them. And that means we also decide who betrayed our rules.
Leaving these screens alone is against the rules … and they know that.
“My sincere apologies, I couldn’t hold it,” the elder who went to the bathroom says. “I didn’t think anything would happen while I was gone. I’m sorry. If I’d known she’d break the cameras I would’ve never left, I would’ve contacted an elder.”
“No,” I say, spinning in my chair so I can look them in the eyes. “You do not contact an elder. You don’t contact a patriarch. You don’t contact anyone but me. Understood?”
They both nod swiftly.
“She is my responsibility. Mine. You do not speak about her to anyone else, got it?”
“Of course, Patriarch,” the one who fucked up nods.
“She’s a special one, that girl …” I mutter, looking back at the screen to watch her continuously pry at the door.
She’ll give up soon enough. Whether it’s now or hours from now, there’s no way she’ll continue fighting. She might be a tough one, but we know how to deal with those here.
This isn’t our first capturing, and it probably won’t be the last either.
All it takes is time. Time. Time will undo any rebellion, any resistance, any defense a potential mate will have. She will have no choice but to submit. Because they all do.
One way or another, after enough of their sanity has been chipped away, they all give in.
“Get a helper to fix the cameras. Make sure there are guards. Drug them if you have to. Do not let them escape,” I say. “And for everyone’s sake, don’t let this happen again.”
“Yes, Patriarch,” they both say in sync, and I get up from the chair and leave the room.
Back to my books. Back to the waiting game. Sooner or later, they all crack. Not one potential mate has ever survived the initiation without breaking.
Not a single one.
She might be special to me, but she’s still human.
She will break.
And when she does, I will be there to pick up the pieces and put her back together again … just the way I like it.
