195

MAXINE

The silence after the door shut was suffocating. I realized with a sickening feeling where we were. We were locked in a metal cage. One so small that we couldn't even stand to our feet. We were like animals.

If either of us tried to escape, we would end up hurting the other because of how close we were. My heart pounded in my chest. I was helpless.

I sat on the ground, my back pressed against the metal. Zel was beside me, her body slumped in exhaustion. I couldn’t imagine what they had done to her before we were thrown into this hellhole. Whatever it was, it had drained her of any strength she had left.

“Zel,” I said, reaching out to touch her arm. “Are you okay?”

She blinked slowly. “I’ll... be fine,” she mumbled. “I'm just tired.”

I bit my lip, fighting back the tears. "What did they do to you?" I asked.

"I think it's these," she replied showing me her wrists. "It's making me feel sick."

Zel needed rest and this wasn’t the place for it. I needed to get those things off her wr