Chapter 2 Pain

EVANGELINA The sound of the thunderstorm struck a chord inside of me as I shivered on the blue chair. My hands and legs were tied, and my eyes were red with unshed tears. I was so damn tired of crying and feeling so weak. My eyes rose to the blue lamp overhead, which made it difficult to see around. I slowly tried to release my hand, but I couldn't. "Oh, God! Please help me out of this mess. Do you even exist?" I cried. I tried to re-release my hand, but it didn't work. It felt like I was wasting my time. Why was the damn thing so tight this time? Yes, it wasn't the first time I was tossed in this situation. My stepfather had sold me to a human trafficking agency, but somehow, I had escaped. My happiness had been short-lived when I got caught by his men and sold to another ring. My stubbornness was the only thing that kept me going, but even that was not enough. I was tossed like a pair of sandals from one agency to the next as they complained of my stubbornness. Within a week, I had gone through about ten agencies. It was a feat that even the worst of us could not achieve usually. Now, I was stuck with Raimundo. He was a man who was rumored to be heartless and ran mafia operations. But that was not going to stop me from trying my basic tricks. They would all release me if they all got tired of me. The sound of the door slamming against the wall ricochetted through me, coupled with quiet footsteps. I swallowed the lump in my throat as I tried hard not to show fear. My hands slowly tried to get its release, but the rope was too strong. Raimundo moved to my line of vision, one of his hands on his waist and the other holding his cigar as he puffed smoke into the air. He smirked and spat at the foot of my legs, causing me to flinch. The bastard was short and chubby. And, he smelt of tobacco and blood. He slowly circled me before pulling my hair back harshly. I gasped as I looked into the ugly face. "You bitch, I was told that you've been giving a lot of people a tough time," he grunted. Despite my fear, a cold smile curved my lips. "And you wouldn't be exempted, bastard," I cursed. He jerked my hair down harshly, and a scream tore through my mouth. My head slowly bounced back, and I choked back on my vomit and tears, but it still leaked through. "A bitch like you should know your place. You're not even beautiful. You're an average motherfucker, so why are you arrogant? Sluts like you should lick the shoes of the superiors and nothing more." I couldn't say anything to that as I struggled to stop the pain that I was feeling. It was like a living thing. My eyes tried to flicker close, but I forced it open. I couldn't be taken by surprise if he tried anything at all. Raimundo suddenly grabbed a chair and sat on it, peering at me with his beaded eyes. I glared at him to depict my hate for him, but he didn't care. "Look, bitch," he said coldly. "I want to see if you can dance for a man. So when I release you, I want you to shake that flat waist of yours. I need to see if you're perfect or a waste of my time." I nodded once. "I believe you have a voice. Don't let me hit you anymore, or you will have yourself to blame," he pointed out. I took a shaky breath and mumbled, "I have heard you, Mister." He grunted and rose to his feet. "Close the door," he informed someone in the shadows. I heard the door close a bit and hoped with all that I had in my soul that this time, things would go according to plan. The cold feel of the broken glass was strapped to my thighs. My flimsy skirt would make it easier to pull it out. Raimundo was oblivious to my plots as he edged forward. He pulled out a razor and spat right on it. I tried to control my gag reflex as I looked right at him. He moved behind me, cutting off the ropes. The ropes fell to the ground, and I was free. I waited, only for me to be pulled harshly by the hair. I staggered back, unable to find my balance once more. "Dance," he said, turning away from me. I moved back a bit and twisted my body as though I was dancing, only for my hands to find the glass strapped to my thigh. I didn't waste time pulling it out; it cut my skin, but it felt numb. Moving like I was on fire, I twisted back up and ran as fast as I could to Raimundo, slashing his shirt enough to draw blood at his back. I swallowed as his hands shot back, clamping against mine like an iron. Oh, God! I tried to pull my hand away, but it was useless. The glass slipped from my hand the moment he turned to face me. Raimundo looked like he was the demon himself. "You're dead, bitch," he said coldly. "I..." Using his free hand, he gave me a backhand slap, and my cheeks pulled to the side in shock. I was seeing sparks, but then, I was hit once more. I didn't know when my knees hit the floor, brushing against the glass. I turned around, my hands shakily coming together in front of my blurry vision. "I'm sorry," I breathed out. He growled in rage, spitting curses as he kicked me on the breast. I slid harshly down the floor. I raised my fingers, trying to use them as claws to defend myself, but it was becoming more challenging to do so at this point. "Oh, Lord," I cried. I felt his hands pull me by the ankles, and I struggled for him to release me, but he slammed it against the floor, causing a scream to tear out of my mouth. Raimundo tore my skirt with one hand, and his face came in vision. "Evangelina, from today, you would be the whore of my ventures, and I would be the one to circumcise. No one does crap and gets away with it," he spat out before spitting on my face. Next, he grabbed me by the waist, and I felt something hard slam inside of me. My eyes widened in shock, and when I tried to claw at him, he grabbed both of my hands, pinning them behind me. Pain shot through my body as I was defiled. "No," I whispered. His cold laughter rang up like a curse. He used his other hand to hit me on the breasts and face. I tried to make him stop, but he would not. After 5 minutes of being violated, he rose to his feet. My hazy vision caught him zipping up his pants as he left the room. I touched my chest as I tried hard to control my pain, but it was so difficult to do so. My body shook in sobs as I pulled my legs tight, which hurt like hell. "It's all over," I whispered over and over again. There was no hope. "Mom, Dad, I tried to fight, but I can't anymore," I said as I cried.