Chapter 4 Four

~ AMELIE~ The irony was not lost on me. For once in my life, I had thought I was taking control, making a decision that was solely mine. I had finally found the courage to escape, to leave behind the toxic relationship and start anew. But now, as I lay unconscious in a strange motel room, surrounded by unknown men, I realised that my attempt at freedom had been short-lived. I was once again at the mercy of others, my fate in their hands. The thought was suffocating. Had I truly been foolish to think I could ever be free? Was I destined to be a pawn in someone else's game forever?.

As I slowly came to, I was met with a sharp pain throbbing in my skull. I tried to lift my head, but a wave of nausea washed over me, forcing me back onto the surface I was lying on. When I finally managed to open my eyes, I was greeted by darkness. I couldn't see anything around me, no shapes, no outlines, just an inky blackness that seemed to swallow me whole. I tried to sit up again, but a sense of disorientation washed over me. I felt like I was tumbling, as if I was on something that was moving. My stomach lurched, and I felt a cold sweat break out on my forehead. Panic set in as I realised I had no idea where I was or how I got there. The last thing I remembered was entering the motel room, and then...nothing. I tried to call out, but my voice was hoarse and barely audible. I was alone, in the dark, on some kind of moving vehicle. And I had no idea where I was going. As I lay there, trying to make sense of my surroundings, I suddenly felt a presence close to me. I sensed someone's breath on my skin, warm and moist, sending shivers down my spine. I jerked upright, my heart racing, as I realised I wasn't alone. There were others in the darkness with me. I tried to scramble away, but my movements were restricted. I was trapped, unable to escape. The breath drew closer, and I felt a hand on my arm, gripping me firmly. I tried to shake it off, but it only tightened its grasp. I realise the person holding me was also a captive, their grip on my arm more of a desperate clutch than a restraining hold. I felt a surge of fear and adrenaline as I wondered if we were both being kidnapped, or worse, trafficked. My mind racing, I thought back to Alessandro's family and their nefarious activities. Could these people be working with them? Had his reach extended even further than I thought? I shuddered at the thought, my body trembling with fear. What had I gotten myself into? Had my attempt to escape only led me into a more dangerous situation? The darkness seemed to press in around me, making it hard to breathe. I felt like I was trapped in a never-ending nightmare, with no escape in sight. The person holding me tightened their grip, and I realised they were just as scared as I was. I tried to speak, to ask them if they knew what was going on, but my voice was barely a whisper. They didn't respond, either because they didn't know or because they were too afraid to speak. As the darkness closed in around me, I couldn't shake off the feelings of regret and guilt that flooded my mind. Maybe I shouldn't have run away, maybe I shouldn't have shot Alessandro. What if he didn't survive? What if he's still out there, hurt and alone? I thought about my parents, hoping they were fine, wondering if they were worried about me. Had they found out what happened? Were they looking for me too? The weight of my actions crushed me, and I felt like I was drowning in a sea of what-ifs. What if I had just stayed and tried to work things out with Alessandro? What if I had found another way to escape? Tears pricked at the corners of my eyes as I thought about the mess I had made. I had tried to take control of my life, but now I felt more lost and alone than ever. The person next to me stirred, and I felt a pang of solidarity. We were both in this together, two captives bound by circumstance. But even that thought offered little comfort as the regrets continued to wash over me. I had thought I was doing the right thing, but now I wasn't so sure. As the darkness seemed to stretch on forever, I couldn't help but wonder what the future held. Would I ever find a way out of this? Would I ever be able to make things right? "Hey..." the person beside me finally spoke. " I'm Ruth" Ruth's voice was barely above a whisper, but it was a welcome sound in the darkness. "Where were you taken from?" she asked, her words laced with a hint of desperation. I hesitated, unsure how much to reveal. But something about Ruth's tone put me at ease. "I was at a motel," I replied, my voice barely above a whisper. "I had just escaped from my husband...I think I was trying to start over." Ruth's grip on my arm tightened. "What's your name?" she asked, her voice filled with a sense of urgency. "I'm...Amelie," I replied, my mind racing with questions. Who was Ruth? How did she end up here? And what did she know about our situation? . "You're really pretty," she said, her tone laced with confusion. "I don't understand why you're in here with the rest of us." Her words made me realise that I wasn't alone, that there were others in the darkness with us. I strained my ears, trying to pick up any sounds that might indicate how many others were present. As my eyes adjusted to the darkness, I began to make out the shapes of several other girls, all of them huddled together in fear. Some of them were crying, while others were eerily silent. I felt a surge of anger and determination. Who were these people, and why had they brought us here? What did they want with us? Ruth's grip on my arm tightened, as if she sensed my tension. Ruth's voice dropped to a whisper. "We trespassed on the wrong territory. We didn't realize it was...their territory." I felt a chill run down my spine. "Whose territory?" I asked, my voice barely above a whisper. Ruth's eyes darted around nervously. "The Cassano family. They're...not people to mess with." "What were you doing out there?" I hesitated, unsure how much to reveal. But Ruth's genuine curiosity put me at ease. "I was just trying to get away," I said vaguely. Ruth nodded sympathetically. "I know the feeling." Ruth's words dripped with despair, painting a grim picture of a life I couldn't bear to imagine. "The Cassano family controls this town, and they...collect people like us. I was taken too, and I've been here for so long. No one has...wanted me, so I'm still here." I frowned, unsure what she meant, but Ruth's eyes told a story of hopelessness. "What do you mean, no one has wanted you?" I asked, my voice barely above a whisper. Ruth's expression turned bleak, her voice cracking. "Welcome to Cassano town, where people are trafficked like meat. You're sold to the highest bidder, and if no one wants you...you're stuck here. You're left to rot, a perpetual prisoner." My heart sank, the reality sinking in like a stone. I was trapped in a town controlled by human traffickers, where people were treated like commodities. The thought sent a chill down my spine. Just then, the vehicle we were in came to a stop, jolting us back to our grim reality. The door slid open, and a bulky man dressed in black stood before us, his glare sweeping over the group like a cold wind. My heart raced as he stepped aside, revealing a dimly lit warehouse that seemed to stretch on forever. The air inside was thick with the stench of despair. I trembled, fearing for my life, as Ruth's grip on my arm tightened. "Stay close," she whispered, her voice trembling.. Don't let them break you." I nodded, my eyes fixed on the man as we filed out of the vehicle. His gaze lingered on me, making my skin crawl. I knew I had to be brave if I wanted to make it out of this alive. As we stepped into the warehouse,The man's voice thundered through the warehouse, making me jump. "Is this all you could get?" he bellowed, his anger palpable. His subordinate, the bulky man who had escorted us out of the vehicle, bowed his head in submission. "I'm sorry, sir. We've been trying, but...it's been difficult." The other men in the room followed suit, bowing their heads in unison. I was taken aback by the display of subservience. Who was this man that commanded such fear and respect? Ruth, sensing my confusion, leaned in close. "That's Victor Cassano," she whispered. "The head of the Cassano family. He's...ruthless." I felt a shiver run down my spine as Victor Cassano's gaze swept over us, his eyes lingering on each of us before moving on to the next. I wondered what he was looking for, what he saw in us that made him so angry. "You call this a selection?" he spat, his voice dripping with disdain. "I asked for quality, not...this." The men remained silent, their heads still bowed in submission. I realised that we were nothing more than commodities to Victor Cassano, objects to be bought and sold. My heart sank, Victor Cassano's words hung in the air like a death sentence. "Well, you all know the drill. Maybe not all of you, but I'm only going to say this once: who doesn't get picked this time around gets dropped. Instantly. On the spot." The warehouse fell silent, the only sound was the soft whimpering and shaking of the girls around me. Ruth's grip on my hand tightened, her eyes wide with fear. I felt a cold dread creeping up my spine as I realised the true horror of our situation. We were nothing more than cattle, waiting to be selected or discarded at the whim of these ruthless men. The girls around me began to sob, their bodies shaking with terror. Some of them whispered pleas, begging not to be dropped, while others simply collapsed to the ground, overcome with fear. As he ordered us to form a line, I felt a sense of dread wash over me. We were being led out of the warehouse, but to where? The unknown fate that awaited us filled me with growing fear. As I glanced around at the other girls, I saw the devastating effects of our captivity. Some were thin and malnourished, their eyes sunken with hunger. Others bore bruises and scars, evidence of the cruelty we had endured. One girl, frail and weak, suddenly began coughing aggressively. She fell to the ground, her body rattling on the cold floor as she struggled to breathe. I watched in horror, wondering why no one was helping her. But before I could even process what was happening, a loud bang echoed through the warehouse. The girl's body jerked, and then she lay still. A bullet hole marred the middle of her skull, a grim reminder of the brutality that surrounded us. I gasped loudly, covering my mouth with my hands. My eyes were wide with fear, frozen on the lifeless body before me. The reality of our situation hit me like a ton of bricks. We were disposable, nothing more than pawns in a game of human trafficking. Victor's voice was like a knife, cutting through the air with a deadly precision. "Now listen carefully, again. Next month is the Trade, and if you don't get picked, I will kill you." His eyes scanned the room, making contact with each girl, his gaze lingering on each face before moving to the next. When his eyes landed on me, I felt a jolt of fear. I tried to look away, but it was too late. His gaze had already locked onto mine, and I could sense his attention like a weight on my skin. I sucked in a deep breath, trying to calm my racing heart, but my body seemed to freeze in fear. My vision began to blur, and I could see him walking towards me, his footsteps echoing in my mind like a death sentence. Ruth's grip on my hand tightened, but I couldn't look at her. I was transfixed on the man, my eyes fixed on his approaching form. I felt like a rabbit caught in the headlights, unable to move or escape. As he drew closer, his face twisted into a cruel smile, and I knew I was in grave danger. I was at the mercy of this monster, and I had no idea what he had planned for me.