A/N:

Hi everyone. I changed a small detail in the previous chapter. Vivian has been locked in the cage for 5 days now not 3 anymore.

This chapter was supposed to go differently, but this book seems to want to write itself through me and 5 days only makes sense for what's to come next.

Hehe, enjoy reading...

Love
-AmberLee

-₹៛₹៛₪៛₹៛₹-

Vivian's POV:

I am rendered speechless as I stare at the unmistakably familiar face before me.

"You!" I screech out as the intruder struts in holding a tray of steaming perishables.

As our eyes connect, her face visibly morphs into that of bewilderment as they sink in on my features. "I believe it is. And who exactly would you be?" she questions as she washes away any trace of emotions. While doing so, she turns her back to me and makes her way over to Max.

I roll my eyes at her response, her demeanor ticking a nerve. My emotions are heavy on edge, ready to snap at any given moment.

She cannot be serious. How dense does she think we are?... Jess voices and I have to admit that I agree with her.

"Oh save it. You know exactly who I am. I can't believe this. It all makes sense now. All of it!" I fume, more to myself than her. My eyes brim with tears and I flutter them to prevent a single drop from cascading down my face.

I was almost free. Almost.

With that thought running through my mind, my eyes betray me and a salty liquid reaches my chapped lips. I yank on the chains in frustration attempting to pull at my hair. How I have not managed to put two and two together before outrages me. Of course it was a nurse that ratted out my location when I nearly escaped this fucking place. Steven just pinned the blame on the wrong one.

Woah, sweety, calm down. I'll take care of the swearing okay. Keep your anger at bay. Don't-... Jess now is not the time!

All I'm saying is don't allow her to see how vulnerable you are right now. Don't give her the upper hand... She finishes.

Of course, Jess, being Jess, brings me back to my senses. What I would do without her heaven alone knows. So I do as told and hastily wipe away any trace of tears using my shoulders as my hands are out of reach.

"Hey, Viv, what she do to piss you off? Not that I'm calling her a saint or anything. Hell none of them are." Max speaks up and I raise my head to look at her. I ponder on whether or not I should tell then realize that I have nothing left to lose, so I might as well.

"She's the one that-"

"Everything fine here?" Michael questions as he randomly appears in the doorway, creeping around like some shadow man. The nurse turns around and gives a stiff nod. Michael does the same in return to confirm he understands. Or at least that's what I'm assuming it meant.

"If anything. Call me. I know how to handle them," he continues.

"You, sir, are the human version of period cramps. Go away." Max announces and I burst out with laughter, blocking out the rest of the commotion.

I don't know when he left but when I looked over to the door, he was gone.

Wow, he actually listened.

"Would you two kindly shut it!" the nurse demands and I stare into the back of her head with a rather blank look. She cannot possibly believe that we'll remain silent. "Or risk not eating today at all!" she continues as she slams the tray on top of another cage nearby. A few of the contents can be seen spilling to the sides of the dish.

Must be that tasteless, watery soup again. It can't kill them to add salt to the damn thing. As I'm about to voice my thoughts on the contents she dares to serve us, another thought comes to mind and I almost squeal from the realization.

"Do you give your daughter that same ultimatum?" I question not caring of any consequences to follow.

Her mouth hangs wide open as she spins around to look at me. Her eyes, the size of golf balls, burrowing into mine. We got you now bitch... Jess exclaims and I can feel a smirk threatening to spread across my face.

"Daughter? Do you have a daughter? But how? You're so... You." Max states with a mixture of confusion and distaste.

"One more word from you and I'll-"

No, I'm not having it. I'm not going to sit here in a painfully cramped space, reeking of thousand-year-old fossils decaying flesh listening to empty threats.

"And. You'll. What?" I cut of her little rant. "What could you possibly do to me that hasn't been done to me already?" I make sure that my eyes are penetrating her soul as each word escapes my mouth.

"Tell me," I continue before she gets the chance to respond, "once your daughter reaches my age, does she face the same fate as me? As the rest of the girls in here? Would you groom her to perfection and sell her off for a few profitable bucks too? Cause that would be rather barbaric don't you think?" my words come off as more of a statement than a question.

It's quite clear that her body is pushing her, begging her to lunge at me as her hands begin to tremble next to her sides and her lips quiver. Most likely feeling the need to rip my throat out. A hateful gleam flashes in those eyes and I could have sworn I saw my life flash before my very own. Yet somehow, with a flip of a switch, all emotions both good and bad vacates both her features and eyes.

"And all this time I thought Maxine was the biggest pain in my arse," she states as she takes a few steps closer to me.

Knowing what she's implying, my eyes involuntarily roll to the back of my head as an exhausted sigh escapes my mouth. I soon become aware of the throbbing pain in my legs. I've been chained in the same position for far too long now and I really need to pee soon.

"Sorry, come again? I didn't quite catch that. I don't talk bullshit," Max yells from behind her and it takes everything in me not to laugh. Max's striking wit and sass seem to have that effect on me.

It's quite clear that this woman is her assigned nurse. Equally is it clear that Max has been putting her through hell. The same way I've put Steven through hell.

I wonder if he's still alive...

The nurse grunts out for Maxine to be silent or risk further punishments, all the while not daring to take her eyes off of me. She begins to unlock the cage I'm currently trapped in as she kneels in front of it.

"Do you know that some people bring happiness wherever they go..." Max continues either way without a care in the world, completely disregarding the nurse's orders.

"Your point?" her nurse questions.

"You bring happiness whenever you go." she ends off bluntly and my mouth hangs agape. Is she trying to get into more trouble?

I need to intervene and quick.

"If you would not allow or do any of this to your own daughter, why do it to others? Where's your heart?" I decide to speak up before either of them say anything further. As soon as the cage door opens, she begins to remove the shackles and chains from my ankles and wrists.

What is she up to?... I don't know Jess.

"That's just the problem. She doesn't have one. That's why I don't understand how she has a child." Max voices and I mentally facepalm myself.

I'm trying to get this woman to speak. I need answers. I want to know where her mind is at and what possesses her so strongly that she thinks this is the way life is supposed to work.

"No. I saw the way you grabbed your little girl's hand at the sheriff's station. You were so protective over her and I'm sure that you would hate for anything to happen to her. So why not help us? Get us back to our mothers. Wouldn't you want them to give your child back if the roles were reversed? Just say something for crying out loud!" I yell in her face wanting her to respond.

She blatantly ignores me the entire time and I feel like smacking her across the face.

"You talk too much. It will do you no good. Remain silent. Do as you're told. And no harm will come your way," is all she says as she pulls me forward and out of the cage. Her tone is rather dangerously calm.

Once I'm out, she forces me to my feet and begins to loosen the collar around my neck. My joints, free from their cramped imprisonment, pop painfully as they adjust to the change of my position.

"For fuck sake Beth, that same old speech. Viv, trust me it's no use. You're communicating to a one-track robot over there." Max announces and just like that, I decided to let it go.

She's right. There's no point in arguing with this lady, Beth I assume her name to be. I simply cannot fathom her to be the cause of my return to this place. As soon as she ran out with that little girl, I should have known something was up. How had I not recognized her from before? Instead of being alert, I let my guard down and trusted I was safe.

To hell with it.

To hell with everything.

I let out a painful cry as leathery material slaps around my raw neck and only tightens. I can hear another voice other than my own creating a scene, but I'm far too focused on my own well-being to know what they're saying.

Oxygen, my friend, please come back to me!... I mentally scream.

This woman is trying to kill me.

Great.

Death by a nurse.

Who would have thought.

I try to pry her hands off of me, but my joints are so stiff and muscles so weak that I feel I'm merely grazing her skin with my fingertips.

"WHAT THE FUCK DO YOU THINK YOU ARE DOING!?" A voice so clear and distinctive rings throughout my ears, that even in my half dazed faze I can still recognize it.

Beth's entire existence becomes that of a statue as her body freezes to a solid. Her hold on the leather strap loosens a tad bit, but it's no use.

"Steven..." is the last thing I remember saying before I felt the overwhelming need to sleep and gravity pulling me to the floor.