Page 26 of Tristano

“I appreciate that,” I tell him.

“Anything for an ally. Now let’s get working on these trackers.”

I can only hope one of these girls gets abducted with the tracker on. It’s a horrible thought, but it’s the only hope I have right now.

ChapterSix

Devastation. Self-loathing. Complete and utter despair.

At first, I was hopeful that I would be found quickly. As time’s gone on, I’ve prayed to every god I could think of.

Now the negativity has seeped into all of us. We all know that no one is coming, not to save us at least.

Earlier, men came in and took us out by twos. They took us into a building and watched us shower. It was the most demoralizing thing I’ve ever experienced. Standing there naked in front of strangers with my hands and feet chained together, trying to wash my body all while fifteen-year-old Olivia bawled next to me. She was the first of the two new girls to be added to our group. The entire time I stood there, I fought off waves of dizziness.

When we were done showering, they unchained us and held a gun to our heads as they took photos of our emaciated bodies before they gave us a clean hospital gown to put on. Once the clothes were on, they chained us back up.

For one moment I contemplated pushing my luck and fighting them, but I knew I would end up dead. With how starved I’ve been, I don’t have the energy to move at the speed I would need to overtake these men. Add in the fact Olivia was with me, and it wasn’t worth the risk.

While I was brushing my teeth, I studied myself in the mirror. It was like looking at a stranger. My hair was wet and limp around my shoulders. I was paler than normal. My full cheeks caved in, but the most startling thing though was my eyes. They held no life.

“A clean container too? What did we do to deserve this five-star treatment?” Mandy says as soon as the door shuts behind her.

“Right? We’re living the high life now,” I say sarcastically.

“You two are fucked up,” a girl sneers from her spot. “Would you two shut up already?”

This particular girl was one of the last taken from Jersey City. She doesn’t like that Mandy and I discuss ways to escape. It makes me wonder if she’s a plant put in here by the men who took us.

“I’m cold,” Olivia says as she burrows into my side.

“Me too,” I tell her even though I’ve gone completely numb.

The coldness stopped affecting me days ago. My body is shutting down. I know it won’t be long now. Maybe another week or two?

“You know, I used to sell dirty pics and my used underwear for money to creeps on the internet. I bet they would love to see me now,” Nadia, a twenty-three-year-old girl scoffs.

She is the other new girl. They brought the two together.

“You sold used underwear?” I roll my head against the wall and look at her.

“Gross right? I couldn’t believe it, but it afforded me to pay for my last year of school in cash.” She shakes her head. “I should have used that money to go on vacation. I’ll never use that shiny degree now.”

I open my mouth to tell her she’s wrong but I can’t. I refuse to lie to her.

“What did you go to school for?” Mandy asks.

“Architecture. I wanted to run circles around the men.” Her tone is wistful.

Almost like it’s a dream she had but now realizes it’s one she will never reach.

“Male-dominated field.” Mandy nods. “I like it. I went to school for cosmetology. I love playing with a good head of hair,” she says wistfully.

Nadia tips her chin toward me. “What about you? What did you go to school for?”

“I didn’t go to school,” I rasp. “I thought college was a waste of my time, so instead I joined the workforce. I learned two languages in high school and taught myself three others on my own time.”

I still haven’t told them my real name, but everything else we’ve talked about has been me. If I die here, I don’t want to die having lied about everything in my life. It’s the little comfort I’ll allow myself.

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