The Past 1394 Words My sleep is interrupted by a loud bang. Disoriented, I get up from the cold floor and look around. I'm surrounded by darkness and cold, as always. I try to stand, but my body is still freshly cut from the lashes I received the night-or day-before. "Something is happening," I hear my friend whisper. I named her Haru when I first started talking to her. I still remember her crying from happiness when I gave her a name. She had been here so long she'd forgotten her own. Sir only calls us "Doll." I try to make my way to the wall that connects me to Haru's cell, but it's a difficult task. After what feels like an eternity, I finally feel the cold wall against my forehead. I turn and rest my cut-up back against it. The chill soothes the burn, and my muscles relax slightly. The pain has dulled over the years-not because Sir punishes me less, but because I've built up endurance. Not that it's in my favor. I preferred fainting over staying awake. Footsteps echo down the hall, and my heart begins to pound. I know what this means. It doesn't happen often, but when there's more than one or two sets of footsteps, someone is taken-never to be seen again. "No…" I hear Haru sob, and I wish I could hold her hand. I never really cared about anyone before, but Haru means everything to me. She's my light in the darkness, with a kind heart and a soft, soothing voice. She doesn't belong here. I would give my life to get her out. The footsteps stop in front of my door, and everything falls still. "They're here for me," I whisper through the small hole that lets me speak to Haru. She starts crying, desperately denying what we both know is inevitable. The door opens, and three large men step inside. They're all wearing that same sickening grin-the one that tells me this is the end. My pain is about to stop. Two of them step forward, and I don't bother resisting. Haru's sobs grow louder in the distance, and I feel guilty for the sliver of happiness that slips through me. The men grab my arms and shove me to the ground. The third walks toward me, stopping between my legs. I recognize him-the guard who feeds me. He always looks at me with lust in his eyes and grins when he sees me suffer. "We got the all-clear from Sir, little Doll," he sneers. "We get to do whatever we want before erasing you. I'm going to enjoy you-and you'll like it, like the little slut you are." He kneels between my legs, leaning over me with one hand planted by my head. His foul breath is hot against my ear, and it makes me want to vomit. Darkness immediately surrounds my soul, and my consciousness retreats far away. I ignore the lingering hands, the disgusting grunts, the rough grip holding me down. I barely register my tattered clothes being ripped from my thin body, or the cold air on my exposed skin. I stare up at the ceiling, dimly lit by the light coming from the open doorway, and let it all happen. The guard blocks my view. He's screaming something and slaps me across the face. "-AND LOOK AT ME!" he roars. Spit flies from his mouth and lands on my cheek. In the distance, Haru's sobs pierce the air. I don't want her to cry. She deserves so much better, but what can I do? Then something glimmers in the corner of my vision. I turn my head slightly and see a holster on one of the guards holding me down. A knife. They're not restraining me as tightly now-too excited, too careless. I feel fingers near my crotch, hands grabbing my thighs roughly and spreading them wider. But I keep my eyes on the knife. The sight is almost hypnotic. Could I reach it? Could I escape? The clinking of a belt jolts me. It's now or never. I test the man's grip-he doesn't even react. I seize the knife and stab him just above the knee. He screams and collapses, clutching the wound. Before the other two can react, I twist around and drive the blade into the neck of the second guard. My legs snap together, trapping the third man, and I turn to face him-but a brutal fist crashes into my face. For the first time, I'm thankful for my high pain tolerance. I stab him in the arm, crawl backward, and try to stand. But I don't get far-suddenly, a heavy weight crushes me to the ground, cutting off my air and pinning me to the cold, unforgiving floor. "You little f*****g w***e," someone hisses in my ear. I thrash beneath him, but he's too heavy. I start kicking, desperate to hit anything vulnerable. The man on top tries to hold me still. The one I stabbed in the leg steps into view and kicks me in the face. He reaches for the knife, but I finally land a solid kick. The weight rolls off me. I twist around and stab him in the other leg. He screams again, swinging wildly-but he misses. I don't give him a chance to recover. I stab him in the neck, just like the other man. He collapses. I grip the knife tightly and turn to the final man-the one who started it. He's cradling himself, that disgusting thing that's hurt me too many times. I want it to disappear. He steps forward, but before he can grab me, I drop to my knees and drive the knife through his hand, straight into his crotch. He screams, falls, nearly crashing onto me. I scramble away, turn, and see him crying. And I feel satisfied. I stab him in the neck. When he stops moving, I fall back, the knife still in my hand. Everything is quiet now. I can't hear Haru, and that scares me. "Haru…?" I whisper. A shocked gasp breaks the silence. Then: "Violet? Are you okay?" "Yes… but not for long. We have to get out. Now." I search for the keys and find them still in the keyhole. I close and lock the door behind me. The hallway is dim and quiet, lit only by two bare bulbs hanging from the ceiling. There are ten doors. I know other girls and boys are behind them. I head to Haru's room and open it. This is the first time I've seen her. She's tiny, with long black hair that frames her pale face and piercing blue eyes. She looks young-too young. Like me, she's bony, ghost-white, and unhealthy. Her body is mottled with bruises and thin cuts. Sir liked to use knives on her. She told me that once. I hold out my hand and pull her up. "We need to go before they realize what we're doing," I whisper, tugging her along. She's limping, so moving silently is hard. "We need to help the others," Haru says, noticing that I'm heading for the exit. I should've known she'd say that. Haru's too kind for her own good. I sigh but nod. I tell her to wait in the corner, hidden in the dark, then move to the doors. I open each one and whisper for the Dolls inside to go to Haru. Eight more doors. Eight more broken souls. All of them are thin, battered, starved, exhausted. Beaten in different ways. "Let's go," I whisper, after two boys step out of my cell-each holding a knife they must've taken from the guards' bodies. One walks behind me. The other guards the rear. I grip the knife tighter and take the first step up the stairs. I have to get us out-even if I don't survive. What I didn't know then was that only four of us would survive the night. And only three would survive the life that came after.