Chapter 1
Chapter 1- amiel, present
I slowly opened my eyes, hoping to discover that the recent events that have occurred to me were all just a dream. Once again, I was disappointed to find myself in a pile of quilts on the floor of a very disorganized storage space. I took my thumbnail and scratched off the chipping paint on the wall next to me. I scanned over all the tics I had made. 93. Ninety-three tallies that show I have been held captive in a large ship for 93 days. Since I am on the bottom level of this ship, I have no way of telling what time it is whatsoever. I’m not too tired, but since I have nothing to entertain myself with, I decided to get back to sleep for as long as I can. I had just settled myself into a comfortable position when suddenly I was jolted to the side. My head crashed into the wall of tallie marks. Many thoughts rushed through my head at that moment, mainly; did the ship just crash, will I make it out of here alive. I sat very still and strained my ears to listen for footsteps coming down the stairs. Then I heard the exact thing I had been dreading—the thud of a door being jammed into the wall. I hear footsteps. undoubtedly they belonged to “the man”. He was the one who initially tricked me into coming aboard this ship.
“ why are you makin’ so much god damn noise down here?” he questioned me. for my own safety I stayed quite not knowing what the best way to answer would be.
“Fucking answer me!”
“I hit my head.'' I peeped out, trying to sound vulnerable so he would take pity on me.
“ i swear, if you where trying to kill yourself down here again,” he muttered. I wouldn't do that. Not again after how he reacted to me lying unconscious on the floor. Apparently I am very important to him. Not emotionally. I'm needed as a bargaining piece for something in the future. That's what i picked up anyways for little snippets of conversations i have heard.
“ i wasn't i swear!'' I almost yelled at him.
He turned around to leave back up the stairs but at the last moment he turned around and gave me a swift, hard kick to the gut. I yelped in pain but quickly covered my mouth so as to not give him another thing to be angry about. It's an act, what he doesn't know is ive been abused for so long the pain doesn't bother me. It’s strange to think that i've known this man for almost a hundred days and i still don't know his name. I thought back to when he had first met me. All I did was tell him my name: Amiel dotts, and he imitated the invitation on his ship. I still don't know why I had never asked him his own name. The white, puffy dress and blue apron on front, I was wearing that day, is the same dress I have on today. It's the only dress I have with me and it's not nearly as white anymore. I am no longer able to sleep, so all that's left to do is think. I wonder what I am needed for, as I have wondered for too many hours to count. No answers have yet come to me and I doubt they will, thinking is more for entertainment than anything. You would think that it wouldn't be that interesting but it fills the hours when there is nothing to do. I look down at my legs that no longer fill my leggings properly. I never know what days I will get food anymore and quite honestly I have started getting used to it but I will still be glad to eat regular amounts if I ever get out of here. I realize that I never got an answer as to why the ship suddenly stopped. Another thrilling topic to think about for hours. The door hit the wall again. I braced myself for the man but it was not him. It was a skinny boy with olive skin and messy, brown hair. He grabbed my hand and pulled me up. I was confused because he dragged me to the stairs. I had never left the bottom floor the whole time aboard this ship. We went up the first flight of stairs and turned a corner. I tried to ask him what we were doing but he just looked at me with his finger across his mouth to tell me to be quiet. I still had no idea what was happening. There was a tall woman with long dark hair aboard the ship. She was standing still. Her green eyes staring out at the crew, the man on his knees and his head bowed.
“Where is she.” the woman asked.
“Barrett is going to get her for you.” he spoke. I had never heard him say something that wasn't a demand. He seemed powerless in front of her. I realized that the boy I was with was trying to drag me away. He couldn't be more than 18 years old around the same age as me. I was examining his face when he jerked me up and started leading me away. He took me to the back of the boat and I realized the boat had stopped because we hit land. He picked me up and set me on the ledge. I realized that he wanted me to go down the latter and onto the land. I wasn't too sure i should trust him but my gut told me the safest place to be was anywhere but this boat. I stepped down the rope ladder, which dug into my feet since I had no shoes on. I looked back up to the boy who was also climbing down the latter. I knew that rationally i shouldnt stay too close to him but something about him drew me in. but i wasn't going to let this magnetic feeling risk my life so i ran. I didn't know where I was or who these people were so I just ran into a big area covered with trees. I didn't look back no matter how badly I wanted to see what I was leaving behind.
