To Live Her Life

The eldest of Océane’s 2 brothers was not pleased, not at all with the scene he had witnessed whenever the foreign, enemy soldier was brought into the camp.

Océane assured him in the best way that she could, that there was no “relationship” there at all and she merely was upset about seeing a man in such distress; wanting to help in whatever way she could. Salim however, wasn’t having any of her lies; and Najib himself stood outside listening with widened eyes at the words such a small, innocent girl was speaking to her much bigger, stronger and matured, older brother. Anyone would know better than to believe such an explanation.

-

Océane lay asleep the next morning after getting a glimpse of Youri once again. He was hurt, bleeding and she knew that he was…bad. He wasn’t moving and was hardly breathing from what she could tell. Aleia and Ibrahim lay snuggled into her sides, as was customary now. She was in many ways, officially a mother figure in their lives despite being only about 13 years their senior. She was too young to be a mother to them, yet she did it because she cared and wanted to.

Salim rushed into the tent he knew his little sister to be in, his feet pounded into the loosened sand and spewed it into the air behind him.

He spent the rest of the previous night thinking about things and came to the conclusion that since he was unsure about the situation involving Océane and the still name-less (to him anyways) man they had brought in the day before.

He whipped back the tent’s flap-like “door” and barged inside.

It was barely day-light, and so many men as well as women and children still lay asleep inside. At the sudden sound of Salim’s feet and him rushing through, everyone woke up; staring. The men were all shouting questions and looking at him as he past in much the same way, the women all cringed thinking about what was about to happen and the children held tightly to their mothers; those who were awake that is.

Aleia sat crying, holding onto Océane for dear life. Ibrahim sat on his knees, a hard stare locked onto Salim as he came closer and closer. He was a tough little guy for only being 2, he was highly opinionated and protective.

Najib rubbed his eyes at the sound of commotion, he bolted upright and grabbed for his gun coming face to face with his older brother. At first he just watched, confused since he had just been awoken by being scared to absolute death, thinking the camp was being ambushed or something of the like.

“ماذا تفعلين؟” (What are you doing?) Najib asked slowly in a low voice so only Salim could hear. Everyone had gone silent and froze in wait of something happening.

“غير أن أيا من القلق الخاص بك.” (That is none of your concern.) Salim hissed back, looking over at Océane, who was moving as far away as possible from the two men; her brothers. “تحصل الآن من نجيب طريقي.” (Now get out of my way Najib.) Salim pushed on Najib’s shoulder, moving him slightly but then he moved back into place again.

“ما أنت ذاهب الى القيام به؟” (What are you going to do?) Salim was getting impatient. He brought up a small, hand gun and aimed it between Najib’s eyes.

“التحرك. أعتقد أنك نسيت الذي كنت تتحدث ل. قد أكون أخيك ، لكنني لن يطلق النار عليك إذا لا تعصي أوامري.” (Move. I think you forgot who you are talking to. I may be your brother, but I won't not shoot you if you disobey my orders.) Salim hissed. Najib gulped; weighing the possibilities he knew he was better off allowing him to do what he wanted, whatever he was going to do, and move. The consequences would be less severe for them all; well himself and Océane.

Slowly and heavy-heartedly, he moved aside, allowing Salim to pass by. He was upset with himself that he couldn’t do anything more to help her; he knew it was Océane that he was in the tent for. There was no one else he would be after, after all.

Océane shied away as Salim’s arm came towards her and his hand gripped onto her arm. His hand went fully around her upper arm, fingers touching and suffocating the blood from punning through it making her whole arm numb instantly.

She tried fighting against him but all he did was sling her over his shoulder and hull her out of the tent; kicking and screaming.

Océane was scared, she shook with fear as she watched Najib holding onto Ibrahim and Aleia- both wailed and fussed at seeing her being taken from them. Najib couldn’t bear to look at her tear lined eyes and flailing body… it would only make him feel more guilty for not standing up for her, standing up for what he believed was real and unfair. Instead he just shrunk back, obeying the system. Salim was higher up in the militaries ranking-system.

-

Youri’s eyes blinked open just enough to cringe away in the pain that the light gave him, shining brightly into his eyes. The warm, humid air whipped around his body in swirls and heat radiated off of him, burning right through his clothes.

He felt a pinch and lulled his head to the side, groaning at the stiffness in his neck; his eye opened and he made out a form in the corner of what looked like a shelter-type thing. A cement building, one room with only 3 walls; a set of steps led down to the floor which was half underground, half out of the sand.

The figure lay in corner; his mind kept thinking about it but his mind didn’t comprehend it. A figure, a… person?

He tried to talk; make any sort of sound to get the attention of that person but his throat was dry and his voice hoarse from disuse. When that didn’t work, he tried moving his arms and legs. Pain pinched his sides but he was able to raise his upper body enough to see all around him.

He was laying on the floor, on top a cement slab and was tied to one of the walls in chains and a hoop that was inserted into the cement. He jingled the large, thick interlocking rings of the chain and pulled as hard as he could. Holding in any form of yell that wanted but couldn’t leave his mouth he collapsed back to the cement below him, with a huff he turned to look at the figure in the corner again.

Océane stired and yelped lowly in pain as she shifted on the cold floor below her. Rattling of chains woken her up and brought her “to.” No longer was she unconscious.

Her body lay battered and beaten from the day before. After Salim took her, she was brought into the middle of a large circle of men and shoved, hit, cut… her body was whipped and beaten to threads. Tears came to her eyes remembering the way they laughed and talked to her as if she was nothing more than a smidge of dirt on their shoes.

She brought up her cut hand to her face and rubbed her eyes dry of tears, with her wrist. Lying in a pool of wetness, she shivered as the hot humid air hit her; the two not mixing well. She looked around and saw eyes staring back at her; but not just any eyes, ones that she remembered… from somewhere. Her body shook with her simple, barely heard whimper.

She barely recognized the person and couldn’t remember who he was.

-

Youri’s mind was in overdrive; over and over it sreamed in his mind, Océane.

He saw her looking much like he would expect himself to be, all broken and such. His heart ached and burned; meanwhile he sat up straight as fast as he could. Although his body felt like it had snapped in half he used his chained hands to gide him over the floor; towards Océane.

Océane’s eyes rolled back into her head as her world blackened again. Everything seemed so far away, like she was in a neverending tube underneath water, just sitting there without moving an inch.

Youri saw her start flinching after her eyes closed, he gulped and forced a raspy, unidentifiable cry escapes his sore and scratchy throat. The chains were at their max now, not going any further he angerly jingled them in frustration. He pulled harder and harder, trying to get closer towards her… but he was stuck along the far side, not even in the middle.

“مهلا!” A loud yell came from the stairs, Youri’s head turned as far as he could manage without pain and seen a man clothed in drapping fabrics. This man was tall and ducked as he came in further to the shelter, the man stood there with a box in hand.

Salim slowly walked towards the now awake young man, watching him move around in his spot and backing away towards the wall, the chains loosening again with the contraction of his movements. Salim stopped and looked at Youri, studying him a bit before he crouched down and put the box onto the ground. Opening it up, he took out a vial of clear liquid and a needle/syringe.

Youri tried to fight off the man although he still was smaller than him in regards muscles; despite that he was broken and beaten anyways so it was no use. A pinch and burning sharp pain surged though Youri’s neck. His eyes widened with the numb feeling he quickly experienced.

And then his world also went black as well…