Macy sat against the brick wall feeling completely numb. The tears and tremors had stopped, and now, something inside her morphed and grew, something she didn’t understand.
However, with each thump she heard from the other side of the door, it deadened her senses and her fear, and this … thing … slowly brewed.
Since she’d never felt it before, she struggled to identify it and put a name to it.
Eventually, it came to her.
Hate.
She hated Daniel with all of her being. The fear had long gone, and in its place, pure, unadulterated hate had taken over. Yes, she’d said in the past that she hated certain things, like Colonist and broccoli. But this, this seemed different. This wasn’t merely a figure of speech, but something real and visceral living inside her.
For a moment, it disturbed her, but then Alaina cried out and a loud bump came from the other side of the door.
He’d kill her, and then he’d come for Macy.
She stood up and walked around the room, looking for anything that may be made into a weapon.
Guns, knives … she went through a list of weapons, but saw nothing that could possible work to incapacitate Daniel.
Glancing up at the ceiling, she saw it.
Pipe.
Plastic pipe ran around the ceiling. How could she get it down, and if she did, what would become of the room? Would it flood?
She considered her options, but at her small stature, she didn’t see how she could reach it. Jumping a couple of times, she found her efforts futile. She was simply too small.
Suddenly, the door swung open, and Alaina skidded across the concrete.
Macy rushed to her, a plan forming in her mind. Alaina’s face, once again bloody, was almost unrecognizable. She only wore a pair of underwear, and Macy prayed to the gods that she hadn’t been raped.
“Heal me,” she whispered, determination lacing her voice.
“I will, Alaina, but you can’t keep doing this.”
“What other choice do we have?”
Macy took a deep breath, hoping her plan would work. She wouldn’t watch her friend go through any more than she had to, and it was time she stepped up and carried her own weight.
“Let me heal you, then we’ll discuss it.”
Alaina studied her for a moment, then, as Macy laid her hands on her torso, she closed her eyes.