“My name is Alia Dune. I’m a fighter. My name is Alia Dune. I’m a fighter,” I repeated out loud.

Darkness surrounded me. It was cold. So cold. I wrapped my arms tighter around my legs as I rocked back and forth. My stomach grumbled. In a few hours someone would bring water and then it’ll make the hunger fade.

“My name is Alia Dune. I’m a fighter.”

“Shut the fuck up!”

I flinched, snapping my mouth close. My back pressed painfully into the wall, but I was too afraid to move. Something hit the metal. I pressed my hands against my ears as they started screaming. They were fighting for water. Something hit the wall again. More screams followed.

And then it fell silent.

***

“You look like shit my pet,” he muttered.

I kept my eyes on the ground. Looking at him made me want to cry. Cry because I was stuck with him. Stephen hadn’t come yet. He wasn’t going to come for me.

“I’ve been told what a good girl you’ve been.” His hand stroked my hair. “Good girls get rewards.”

His footsteps echoed around the empty room as he walked away. My body slowly relaxed when the door closed. He was leaving. No more pain and no more pretending.

“Hey.”

I glanced up at the man crouched in front of me. He held a bowl filled with something that smelt good. I looked back up at him.

“He said I can give you some food. I stole some porridge. It’ll build up some of your strength.”

“H-how long?”

He pursed his lips. “Four months. I’m going to get you out of here Alia. I promise.”

Promises meant nothing. Stephen wasn’t searching for me anymore. He told me. The police announced me dead after he planted a body. I saw her before they killed her– she looked like me.

“Eat.”

I took the bowl from him and slowly started to eat. It tasted good. I tried to eat everything but I couldn’t. He took the bowl and straightened. I looked up at him.

“Hold on to the memories Alia. It’s the only thing that will keep you sane.”

***

He wanted to see me. His men came to get me. They tied my hands behind my back and blindfolded me. I knew the way to his office. We weren’t going to his office today. My body started to shake. When he took me somewhere else it was for punishment. I didn’t do anything wrong. I kept my mouth shut and did what he ordered. We stopped and then a door opened.

It creaked loudly in the silence. With a hard push I stumbled forward. The door slammed shut loudly behind me. I winced when the blindfold was ripped from my eyes.

“Nice to see you again,” he muttered. His eyes trailed over me. They lingered before moving over my shoulder.

“Lock the door,” he said to whoever stood by the door.

I sucked in a breath when he walked behind me. There was a tug on my wrist and then they were free. I wrapped my arms around my waist. My eyes darted around nervously. A double bed was pushed against the wall right in front of me. It was bare apart from a white sheet covering it. There was nothing personal in the room.

“Strip,” he ordered.

I shook my head. The only man I ever stripped for was Stephen.

“I said strip!”

“Go to hell,” I croaked.

He laughed. “Hold her.”

Hands gripped my arms and forced them away from my body. He stopped in front of me. I jerked against their hold when he stepped closer. There was nowhere to run. Rough hands started ripping off my clothes. I was left in my dirty underwear but even that didn’t stay on long.

I screamed.

They picked me up and forced me onto the bed. With my arms kept immobile, I used my legs instead. Someone cursed when I kicked him in the leg.

“Tie her up!”

I fought harder but they were stronger. My arms were forced behind my back. I cried out in pain. The rope dug into my skin when they tied my wrist. My elbows were also tied tightly together. They picked me up and moved me higher on the bed. A weight came down on top of me.

“You got her?”

“Yes sir.”

“Keep her down.”

Tears filled my eyes when my legs were spread. His sweaty hands started trailing over my skin.

“I’m going to see why my son likes fucking you so much.”

I bit down on my lip when he entered me. The weight on top of me pressed me tighter against the bed. It was hard to breath but I didn’t fight it. Passing out while he raped me was the only thing I could’ve wished for. His weight shifted.
Warm breath brushed against my ear. He grunted. His hold on my hips became just as painful as his thrusts. I gave up trying to keep the tears at bay. It trailed down my cheeks and onto the sheets.

“Keep hold of the memories.”

***

I hung from the ceiling. The room smelled of urine and blood. I was so tired. My body jerked as the door slid open. I didn’t even bother to lift my head. It was always him who came to visit. It was always him touching me and making me do things to avoid punishment. It was always him.

“So lovely,” he muttered.

His shoes appeared in my line of sight. They had blood splatters on them. My blood.

“We will be moving again in an hour. I expect you to be dressed.” He walked closer to grip my jaw. I was forced to stare into his eyes. “You’ve become my favourite pastime, but I’ve grown tired of you. I found myself a new pet that fights and screams when I fuck her.”

I blinked. I’ve given up fighting him a long time ago. He enjoyed it. What’s the use of fighting when it only made him hurt me more? He had already ruined me in every way he could think off. I became his fuck toy. Something for him to stick his dick in when he felt like it. Now he could kill me because he had no more use of me.

“I’ll get big money for you even if you’re not a virgin anymore. I have someone willing to pay over a million,” his hold on my jaw tightened, “but you’re not going anywhere. Do you know why? I’m going to mark your skin and then send you back to that fucking bastard. He will watch you suffer and then die.” 
Who was he talking about? I had no one. I was his toy. He called me his slut. I was a slut. His slut.

“Alia. Come on we don’t have much time until he sends men to get you.”

The chain slowly lowered until my feet touched the blood soaked floor. I found the strength to raise my head and stare at the man. He called me Alia. He said it was my name. I don’t remember his. He told me once a long time ago.

“Jesus, what did you do?”

“He wanted me to suck him. He forced his dick into my mouth so I bit him,” I whispered.

The man moved behind me and gently started to clean my back. It burned. It was suppose to feel worse than anything he’s ever done to me, but it didn’t. Whipping me didn’t hurt as much as it did when he carved his wife’s name into my thigh. Unconsciously my hand moved towards the name. I could trace every letter with my fingertips.

“He’s taking you to his home hidden somewhere in the woods. I don’t know why, the others won’t tell me anything.”

“Is he going to kill me?”

“No.” He gently covered my back with a bandage. I looked up at him when he sat down in front of me.

“I found your Stephen. Do you remember him?” I shook my head. “Try to remember Alia.”

I closed my eyes. I couldn’t remember. I saw nothing but darkness. All I ever see when I closed my eyes was the man who took me.  

“Try to remember him Alia. He will come for you.”

***

It was a man with beautiful green eyes. He was covered in tattoos up to his neck. Brown hair hung over his forehead as he leaned over me. He smiled and I could feel my heart cracking.

“You’re so beautiful,” he whispered.

Heat flooded my cheeks. I reached up and brushed shaky fingers against his cheek.

“So are you.”

He laughed. “I’m not beautiful baby.”

“No,” I smiled, “you’re super sexy, especially when you wear your uniform.”

“You don’t look so bad either when you’re dressed in your school uniform.”

The image faded only to be replaced by another. This time I sat in the middle of the bed watching him. He was focused on the computer. A curse flew from his lips.

“What are you looking for?” I questioned softly.

He glanced at me. “A song. It’s on here somewhere I just can’t find it.”

“Try searching for it.”

He leaned forward and quickly typed something. A few seconds later he stood and turned to face me. He stepped closer to the bed and held out his hand.

“Come here baby,” he ordered softly.

I hesitated but crawled to the edge of the bed and placed my hand in his. He tugged gently. I stood and stared up at him. His lips twitched but he didn’t smile. With a tug on my hand he led me to the middle of the floor. I frowned as he walked back towards the computer. Second’s later music started drifting towards me. He smiled then as he stepped closer.

“I’m not much of a dancer but I don’t think I’ll step on your toes.”

I laughed as I allowed him to pull me closer. His arms wrapped around me. Our bodies brushed against each other as he slowly started to lead. It felt nice. I dropped my head against his shoulder as I slid my arms around his neck. His lips brushed my ear.

“You know I get sick deep-sea fishing. And you make the best fried chicken. Got a hopeless golf game. I love the sound of your name. I might miss that old green ‘Nova. But I love watching you do yoga. I’d take a gold band on my hand over being a single man. ‘Cause  honestly I don’t know what I’d do if I’d never met a woman like you."

***

My body jerked when he grabbed my ankle. I didn’t fight him when he started pulling me down.

“Get out,” he ordered.

I cautiously pushed myself up and slowly slid out of the car. My back hurt and my body ached. I glanced around from beneath my lashes. It was only trees wherever I looked. He gripped my arms and turned before tugging me behind him as he walked towards a house. It was build in the middle of a clearing. Paint was chipping down from old wood.

“I have a special job for you,” he said. “You will care for that bitch until the baby is born and then I’ll send you back to him.”

The wood creaked beneath our weight as we climbed the steps. My nose wrinkled when the smell registered.

“I expect you to keep this place clean. I don’t want the baby to get sick or anything. I’m getting big bucks for her and a few other new born infants.”

I took small steps forward and way from him when he dropped my arm. It was small. We stood in a living room. A few old and ripped chairs stood around. The floor was covered in dust and leaves. I glanced up. A hallway led into the kitchen that looked even dirtier than the living room. There was a staircase that led to the second story. I cringed; the stairs looked really unstable.

“Come, I’ll introduce you to the mother to be.”

I followed him up the stairs and down the hall. He led me to the end before opening the door and stepping aside. I hesitated for a few seconds before stepping inside. It was almost too dark to see anything, but I saw her.

“You’re going to help her with the birth.” My eyes snapped to him. “It’s too risky to take her to a hospital or get someone to come in. If anything happens to the baby, I’ll kill you.”

He walked out of the room. I was glued to the floor but my eyes moved to her again. She sat bundled on the bed beneath thick blankets. From what I could see she was deadly pale and extremely thin. Her hair was cut short– almost against her head.

“H-hi,” I whispered. “What’s your name?”

She remained silent. I took a step closer. The bed was narrow. It looked a lot more comfortable than the thin mattress he gave me.

“My name is Alia.”

Saying it out loud made me remember. Alia was my name. Alia Dune.

My name’s Alia Dune and I’m a fighter.