Page 41 of Taunting Tarran
‘What happened to her?’
The girl went quiet, so I changed the subject. ‘How old are you?’
‘Fifteen.’
Jesus. Almost the same age I was when I first came here.
I hear her swallow hard before shecontinues. ‘They set the dogs on her. I could hear them, wild and ravenous. When they passed my cell, they moved like they knew, tugging at their leads, desperate to get to her.’
Her words falter, but she presses on, her eyes widen at the memory. ‘Then her door opened, and they were on her in seconds. Their teeth sank into her arm, tearing at her clothes, her skin. She fought – God, she fought – but it was like they were possessed, like nothing could stop them.’
Her voice trails off, fading into the muffled whimpers and cries of the other captives. This time, it seems my captors learnt from their mistakes and are keeping us separate – little to no chance of escape confined to stone and iron.
If it weren’t for these bars, I’d do it all over again. Only this time, I wouldn’t hesitate. I’d grab anything sharp, anything I could use, and drive it straight into the throat of whoever’s keeping us here.
Don’t hesitate. Just do.
Then I’d free everyone – every last one of them – and vanish into the night. If only I had made that choice all those years ago, we wouldn’t be here now. But this time, I swear, I’d rather die trying than leave anyone behind.
The sound of heavy, deliberate footsteps echo down the corridor. The light bulb flickers to life, as the woman returns. She wants us broken, meek, compliant.
‘Get dressed,’ she sneers, shoving a pile of clothes through the bars. Her voice is sharp, grating, and it takes everything in me not to lash out. I grind my teeth, Jessica’s story about thedogs replaying in my mind like a warning. Fighting back now would only make things worse, for everyone. Instead, I force my battered body away from the bars, my muscles screaming in protest, and pull the pile of clothing towards me.
‘P-please,’ I whimper, weak and pathetic. The plea clawing up my throat as I lock onto the woman’s eyes.
‘What did you say,puta?’ Awhore, that’s precisely how I feel, and what I’ll be dressed like wearing what she’s handed me.
‘Shush,’ Jessica whispers.
‘I see you’ve made a friend. Get dressed, quickly. We’re moving you.’
The girl screams, ‘Why is she so special?’
The woman snarls. ‘I suggest you stay quiet, before you’re fed to the pigs early, and your new owner hasn’t had their fun.’
‘She’s right,’ I swallow. ‘Why are we here?’
The woman smirks. ‘For our 50thAnniversary of the Wilderness Warfare.’
My chest tightens. ‘I don’t understand.’
‘So many questions…’
‘Yes! So many questions. We deserve to know!’
‘You deserve nothing. You’re all weak, little rabbits. I’ll be watching. Watching you all squirm, and fight, and hide while you’re hunted.’
‘Hunted?’
Of course. This is a hunting reserve, only they’re hunting us.
‘But, of course, if you survive the allotted time, you’ll leave this place, breathing. It all depends on you.’
My grandpa’s words echo in my ears,‘Remember, my darling Tarran, the key to outsmarting your opponent, whether it’s an animal or a rival lies in understanding their habits and thinking one step ahead. Patience and observation will be your greatest allies. Know when to move, when to stay hidden…A wise hunter never underestimates their prey.’
An animal or a rival…
He knew.
