We Are Broken

I hugged my legs to my chest, sitting as far into the corner as I possibly could. It was dark down here in the basement, there was only one window that wasn't covered, allowing light to flow in. I shivered, not because I was cold, but because I was trying not to cry. No tears came out because my body was trying to save the water, but I still sounded like I was. I could hear people moving above me, talking. I couldn't understand what they were talking about, but it was obvious it wasn't about me. They would laugh every once in a while, but I never found things funny. My eyes drooped, crying makes you tired, but I refused to sleep. I didn't know what they would do if they found me unconscious.

The door at the top of the stairs opened, and I tightened my grip on my knees. Xavier came down the stairs, carrying a plate of food. He reached the bottom of the stairs and took one look at me and said, "Awe, come on, love... don't be like that," coming closer he said, "I brought you food!"

I didn't say anything.

"It's pancakes with bacon. There's nothing in the cakes, I promise. There's nothing in the syrup, nothing in the bacon grease, it's just good old fashion food. If I'm lying may I be struck by lighting." He paused, "See, I must be telling the truth."

Setting the plate down in front of me, he took a step back and watched as I slowly unfolded my arms and took a piece of the bacon and nibbled on it. It didn't taste weird, just that it was burnt a little. I watched Xavier's reaction while I ate the strip of pig, and saw that there was nothing sinister about it. I finished the piece, then took up the next one. I looked away and started to cry again.

"Why are you crying?" He sounded angry "I haven't hurt you have I?"

I shook my head.

"Then why are you crying?"

"I want my daddy."

He looked at me, "You want your daddy?"

I nodded.

"Well, I've got news for you kid. Unless your daddy can find a way to call me, you won't be seeing him for a while. Hey, I could be your daddy."

That made me cry harder.

"Well, gees, it was only a suggestion."

"What are you going to do?"

"To you? Nothing. Babies aren't my kind of thing, trust me. And I don't believe in torturing our youth, so you'll just stay down here."

I nodded, wiping my eyes with my hands.

"Now, my colleagues, they're a different story. I don't know what they'll do to you." He smiled as my eyes widened with new found fear, "There's Marco who likes babies. A lot. And there's Job who likes hearing people scream, big small, you name it. I would be really careful if they came down here."

Xavier laughed as he walked away. I set the piece of bacon down and cried as he went back upstairs. I just wanted to get out of here. The sound of his footsteps going up the stairs came loudly, followed by a pair of ones coming back down. I looked up and was greeted by a young man with a small face. he had short blond hair and had a healthy body. He took one look at me and smiled, "Hey... I'm Marco."

I gasped and tried to push myself as far into the corner as I possibly could.

"Hey, hey, hey. Don't be afraid," coming over, he knelt down beside me, his face way too close to mine, "You really pretty." He tugged on my hair and smiled, "And you smell good."

I was shaking with fear as he smelled my hair, his hands running down my smooth cheek, down my neck, and down to the top of my chest. He couldn't go any further down because my knees were in the way. He wasn't too happy about that. Pulling away from me, he stood.

"We're going to have a great time," he said, "And you'll have to learn to keep your legs straight and to the side." He smiled at his own joke as he turned and walked to the stairs. Turning he said, "Eat your breakfast, Xavier went through a lot of trouble making those for you. And he's right, there's no drugs in them.... It wouldn't be any fun if we drugged you silly."

My breathing increased as he went upstairs. My mind prayed that Job didn't come down the stairs. I was fearful that this big guy with a cut down his face would return the favor to me. I turned my attention to the plate of food sitting in front of me. I didn't want to eat it, even if two out of three of the goons promised that there wasn't anything in them. But my stomach growled loudly, and the smell of the pancakes wafted up to my nose, and my tongue remembered how good the bacon tasted.... I gave in.

Taking the plate, I ate the food, glad to find that I didn't get sick, feel weird, or fall asleep because of it. Instead I just sat on the old decaying mattress and looked around the room, trying to find if there was anything that would help me get out of here. The only thing was the window, and it was too high for me to reach. Realizing this, I started to cry again, and the door to the basement opened again. Heavy foot steps came down and a muscular man with a scar running down his face came into view, he gave me a toothy grin, showing that he was missing some and that others were replaced with gold, and he said, "Hey sweet cheeks... I'm Job."