Tears of Tess by Pepper Winters

from him, away from his
stench, his rottenness. Don’t think about him looking at you. None of this
can affect you if you don’t let it .
    Holding
onto the thought, I stooped to pick up a dry piece of soap.
    More
women arrived, corralled by hard hands and vile men. Each one was subjected to
the same treatment, minus the beating, and I turned away as their clothes fell
to the floor. The guy with the scar gathered the belongings and disappeared.
The wardrobe of our past lives. Gone—just like that. It symbolised more than
just undressing us—it was a message: they owned us. We no longer had the right
to wear what we wanted, go where we needed, love who we adored. We were reduced
to nothing but naked, trembling girls.
    The
starkness of our reality hit some women hard, and they crumbled to the floor in
tears, only to be kicked in the stomach and forced to crawl into the communal
shower.
    I
swallowed salty tears as I turned on the tap, attempting to froth the
age-grimed soap.
    The
water ran cold, but it was heaven to clean away gunk and hardship. I didn’t like
to think about the reason we were being made to wash. That was the future—a
place I couldn’t think about. I focused on the present, keeping sane by not
letting my imagination run wild with horror.
    Bubbles
slowly formed on the soap, and I spent the next ten minutes rubbing it over my
skin, lathering my hair. I wanted to wash away what happened. Wishing the water
would take my unhappiness and gurgle it down the drain, taking me, too. Surely,
the sewers would be a better existence.  
    “Enough!”
a jailor shouted.
    We
obeyed, rinsing under the cold spray, and proceeded to where a pile of
moth-eaten towels lay on a bench. I wrapped a discoloured towel around myself,
and a rope came from behind, noosing around my neck. I jumped, clawing at the
tight bondage.
    The
man with the jagged scar came into view, tugging gently. “You are no longer
whoever you were. You are to forget about your past ‘cause you will never see
it again.”
    He
leaned forward, and I froze. I underestimated him. Because he brought us food,
I stupidly thought he was nicer than the others, but he wasn’t. The same
blackness lived in him, too.
    “Follow.”
He strode off, yanking the rope. My back arched with the pressure, forcing me
to trot to catch up. I’d been demoted from human to dog with just one act.
    Lowborn
reactions rose; I wanted to growl and sink my teeth into his arm. If he wanted
me to be an animal, I could be an animal.
    The
shower block disappeared as I padded behind by leash. Where the hell is he
taking me? I squeezed my eyes closed. I didn’t want to know.
    What
if, now I was clean, they were going to rape me? Put me in some whorehouse and
force me into a sea of chemicals and drugs. I’d never return to who I was.
Never get free.
    No!
    I
slammed on the breaks, digging bare feet into the floor. My toes ached as
Jagged Scar slammed to a halt. My neck screamed as the rope pulled tight,
choking.
    “Move!”
Jagged Scar glared, pressing his body hard against my towel-wrapped figure. My
entire being rebelled at being so close, but I gritted my teeth. I wouldn’t
step away in defeat. I wanted to hiss and head butt him, but I stood there,
glaring into his endless black eyes, standing as regal as possible. 
    “No.
I will not move. You have no right to treat me or the other women like this.
Let us go.” My voice wavered with fear, my heart wild. I could lose my life by
disobeying, but I couldn’t go down without a fight. I couldn’t give up so
easily. I let my family walk all over me—I wasn’t about to let these bastards
do it, too.
    A
gathering of shocked murmurs rose behind me. I glanced back, horror widening my
eyes. My roommates were roped and standing in line, like sheep to the
slaughter. 
    They
were shoved out of the way as Leather Jacket stormed toward me. Jagged Scar
dropped the end of my rope, stepping backward.
    Oh, shit.
    Ducking,
I threw my arms over my head,