Chapter 12

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Damien's POV:

I woke later, sore all over. I wretched my eyes open, and turned my head slowly. Melody, Benson, and Delilah were huddled around me, the girls sobbing. Benson noticed I had awoken first, "How do you feel?" He asked. The girls went quiet, their eyes all over me. "Like I got thrown of a cliff. Where's Holly?" I asked, Benson sighed, "We don't know. After we were dragged out, they knocked us out. We woke up here, and I assume it's one of the prisons we've heard about." He said. He looked exhausted, dark circles lined his eyes. closer examination showed they all looked tired. I tried to sit up, but a sharp pain shot up my back. I gasped sharply, and fell back down. Delilah cried softly. But I wasn't going to give up, and tried to sit up again. Another shot of pain, but I pushed myself up. I pressed my palms on the concrete floor in front of me, relaxing my shoulders. I groaned slightly, feeling the pain fade from my back. A pair of soft hands touched my bare back, and I realized that my shirt had been removed.Delilah rubbed my knotted shoulders, attempting the relieve the pain. I lifted my head, and moaned slightly as she pressed her fingers in circular motions along my shoulder blades. I leaned into her, and she giggled. Benson sat near us, holding Melody. She was curled in his lap, pressing her nose into his neck. It reminded me of Holly, her soft fingers tracing my tattoos. Her sweet scent drifting to my nose, the curve of her sides, her pierced navel, nose, and industrial. I was falling for her, and now I couldn't save her. All I could do was sit by and watch as those bastards raped her, right in front of me. I cringed as the memory of her screams filled my mind, and I rested my head in my hands. Where was she?

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Holly's POV:

My body throbbed, it was dark, cold, and my skin was bare. I had been stripped of my clothes long ago, and the concrete floor I lay on scraped my back. I shivered, the aching cold seeping into me limbs. I had cried myself out hours ago, my eyes swollen and puffy. My body was stiff, and my groin was sore. I had given up hope of escaping the small cell long ago, abandoning hope. I just wondered if Damien and the Rebels were okay. As long as they were safe, I would suffer through it all. I lay on that concrete floor, lost in my thoughts. Silence enveloped the room, then a bright light flipped like a switch. I blinded me, and a faint warmth covered my weak arms. It pulled me to my knees, and my pain somehow melted away. My eyes searched everywhere, my vision returning slowly. i heard a feminine giggle, "Hello?" I asked. The giggle turned into a high-pitched laugh. the heat spread from my arms down my body, soaking comfortably into my toes. "Does that feel better, honey?" A familiar voice rang. I was shocked as a faded figure appeared in front of me. Her blonde hair pooled onto her shoulders, her chestnut eyes gleaming with happiness. "M-mama?" I croaked. She smiled, and placed her hand in my cheek. "Yes, baby. Mama's right here." She rubbed her thumb over my skin, "You've really grown, huh? Like I'm lookin' into a mirror. 'Course, you got your daddy's blue eyes, just like I'd hoped." She whispered. She pulled my head forward, kissing my forehead. "Honey, I know what your going through is hard. But there's something you can do to stop it." My eyes widened. "What?! What?! What can I do?" I practically yelled. She laughed, "Well, if you'll notice, the Arethians do everything they can to keep the humans from rebelling. That's because their arsenal is like a row of dominoes. Of you take down the right one, they all topple." "But, who is the right one?" I begged for an answer. "You will be able to tell who the right one is by the color of his mark." She smiled. "The crescent mark?" "Yes, baby. If you'll notice, their mark determines their placement in society. The lighter the mark, the higher you are on the totem pole." She gave me her famous grin. I stared blankly, processing the information she had just lent me. "So, find the one with a white mark?" I asked. "There is only one with a white mark. I believe you can do it." She kissed my forehead once more. "Now, mama has to leave. I love you, baby doll. I'm proud of you, no matter what." Her figure began to fade. "Mama! Mama, don't go!" I screamed. She disappeared, along with the light. The darkness returned, and silence took over once more. It was shattered by the loud clanking of metal, and a dim light flooded the room. The chrome cell doors had swung open, and Xavier stood in the door. "Times up." He chuckled darkly, and began to stomp my way. A cord was gathered in his hand, though as he let it hang loose, I relieved it was much worse. Black, gleaming cord was woven in a long whip, hanging from a silver handle. Xavier grinned, then reached for me, taking a tight grip on neck. I choked, but kept quiet. He lifted my weakened body off the concrete floor, causing my oxygen to cut short. I gagged, gasping for some kind of breath. He cackled, then snapped the whip against my bare chest. It cut from my shoulder to my hip, and I screamed. It hurt so badly, but I suppressed any more screams by biting my lip. I had learned that Xavier hated anything further than a single scream. My pain seemed to quench his thirst, bringing out the sadistic side of him. He licked his lips, then threw me to the ground. Hovering over me, he got on his hands and knees. He then ran his tongue up the cut, lapping up the crimson liquid that leaked out. I groaned in pain, but kept quiet. In the few hours I had been here, this wasn't the first time he had done something like this. But, it was the first time he had pulled a whip on me. Other things Xavier had used were painful clamps, binds, and toys he shoved inside of me. I had become used to his abuse quickly.

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Hours later, Xavier had dragged me out of the cold cell. He threw me into a small room, then left me, shutting the door behind him. I examined my surroundings, searching the empty room. At least this room was warm and had light, but I still sat a hard concrete floor. All the walls were white, except the one in front of me. It seemed to be a folding wall, dirty and poorly painted a pal crimson. I jumped as the doors suddenly flew open, revealing an enormous lot filled with thousands of humans. All their eyes seemed to be on me, staring at my naked, beaten, and weak body.