There she was, in James’s arms. She looked around, but they both still seemed to be trapped in the strange prison.
“James?” she spoke out.
“Yes my dear, I am here, but only for a moment.”
Persephone didn’t care she was just glad he was with her. “James I’m scared, I don’t know what to do. Help me.”
“Persse you have to stay strong darling. I know this is hard, and you want to give up, but you cant, remember your promise to me?” she had in fact remembered, she promised him she would live a life long and good enough for the both of them.
“ James, I don’t know if I even have that option anymore in case you haven’t noticed things are a little grim around here.” Persephone said with a small hint of sarcasm.
“Persephone you know better, you’ve always been such a pessimist but now is not the time for that, I know things are grim that’s clear enough but you will make it through. You have to pull yourself together now. Just don’t give up. I need you to not give up. I love you. We will find a way out.” she held onto those words just as tightly as she held onto him.
She woke up to the sound of the large metal door creaking open once more. It had only been a dream. The sudden realization broke her spirit even further as she realized she was still trapped in this hell, alone. The dream had felt so real to her.
“Hello Persephone.” A soft voice rang out. She knew the voice didn’t belong to Malory this time.
“I’m sure you must have a hundred and one questions by now.”
That was an understatement to Persephone’s eyes. The new hooded stranger then placed another plate of bread on her cot. This time she did not hesitate to eat it.
“My name is Lilith but you may call me Lil. I’ll be what we like to call your handler. By now I’m sure you’ve figured out that there is no point in running so do as I say at all times and we’ll be able to avoid any sort of trouble, okay?”
Persephone nodded in compliance. She knew Lilith was serious but something about her voice seemed uncomfortably calming. Lilith had such light tones. It reminded Persephone of the way a caring mother spoke to her disobedient child. Stern but soft.
“Why am I here?” Persephone said through a mouthful of half chewed bread.
“Well I’m sure you’ve figured out by now that it was no accident and it surly wasn’t random. When someone wants to join, they have to go through initiation. That’s where you come in. To officially become one of us the future member must willingly give up someone they know, someone they care for. Its all part of the sacrifice.”
Persephone’s heart sank. Sacrifice?
“Who are you people?” Persse asked.
“Well, we like to call ourselves The Keepers.” Lilith replied. *The Keepers? Keepers of what? *Persephone thought to herself.
“Hurry and finish your food now Persse, we have a lot to accomplish today and we best get a move on.” With that Persephone finished her last bite.
Lilith hoisted her off the cot, and led her out the door. They trudged through the long corridor, each step echoing loudly through the hall, until they reached a different metal door. Unlike the other, this door didn’t have any locks or combinations. As the door opened Persephone was led inside by Lilith. She took a look around and noticed a few small rust stained shower stalls.
“Take off your clothes and get in.” Lilith demanded.
Persse hesitated, but once again did as she was told. She turned the single dirty knob and stepped in, only to be met by the a sudden rush of cold water. The temperature was so intense that Persephone had felt she jumped into an ice bank completely nude. She quickly rinsed off. When she exited the shower Lilith handed her one small garment that resembled a gray burlap sack.
“Here put this on”. Defeated and freezing Persephone put on the garment with haste and was then led to the room next door.
When Persephone entered the room she was surprised to see several other people wearing the same sack looking dress. I’m not alone? There are others too. Of course there would be. How many people before me had met this fate? How many of them survived? The few handful of people standing in front of her all had the same look of despair written across their bodies as they stood helplessly next to their handlers. She peered around the small group to get a better look at what they were all possibly waiting for. She noticed a single chair and in it was one of the captured people. Standing behind was a Keeper, clippers in hand viscously shaving off the captures hair. The gangly young man sitting in the chair looked as if he couldn’t have been more than 18 years old. So young. He stared at the floor watching his hair fall piece by piece. Tears staining his cheeks.
“Don’t say a word to anyone” Lilith whispered into Persephone’s ear “you would not like the outcome if they caught you conversing”
Persephone didn’t need to be told twice. She continued to watch ahead of her, staring at the poor boy in the chair. He was almost finished now. His newly shaved head made him look even thinner and sickly. He stayed seated as they finished. They then began to strap him down, and placed a small ball of cloth into his mouth, his silent tears turning into muffled sobs.
That’s when Persephone seen it. A small blade was placed against the boys arm and they began to carve. Blood now streamed onto the floor alongside the hair. Her stomach turned, and she fought back every urge to gag till her throat burned in agony. She fixed her eyes to the ceiling. Trying to avoid the thought of how much pain that boy was in, because she knew, soon it would be her turn.
She returned her gaze when she heard the sound of straps being undone. The young man still sobbing, met Persephone with a glance. His eyes were such a bloodshot red, there was no trace of white left in them. She looked to his arm. She could make out two single letters and two single numbers. DF 19.
One by one she watched each person in front of her meet the same fate. First the hair, then the muffled screams and sobs of the carvings that followed. Each carving looked the same except the letters and numbers changed with each person. Hours upon hours seemed to pass. Until it became her turn. Lilith guided her to the chair, where she sat and and she began to feel it. The clippers buzzed as her head was jerked and moved about. She watched her hair fall to the floor, just as the boy watched his. She thought she had run out of tears to cry, turns out she was mistaken.
There was something degrading about this act. The hair pilling up on the floor and the top of her head becoming more cold and drafty made her feel as though she was losing a large piece of herself. This wasn’t just some bad haircut. She couldn’t shrug it off with the usual its just hair it’ll grow back feeling. She knew she was supposed to feel this way, that’s how the Keepers wanted her to feel. Like nothing. A nobody. They wanted all personality eradicated, any form of the person you once were, removed and replaced with an empty hallowed shell. They were winning.
Persephone knew the Keeper finished her hair when they started to strap her down. She wanted to fight them with all the strength she had left. Deep down though, it was pointless. Doing so would only make things worse and she knew it. The Keeper placed the ball of cloth into Persephone’s mouth. Just like the others before her, the muffled sobs leaked through her mouth, as the Keeper began to cut.
The small blade penetrated her tired skin, each cut deeper than the one previously done. She felt the warmth of her blood as it rolled down her arm and onto the floor, joining the already large pool from the carvings before her. She was screaming now as the pain grew more intense. It wouldn’t be much longer now.
She now understood while they called themselves The Keepers. They were keepers of people, keepers of a herd. She was livestock to them, easily disposable. She felt the final cut, and looked to her arm. PE 37. It made sense to her now. Name Persephone Eversley, age 37. Nothing more than an identification tag. Except she would have to bear it forever, or as long as she had left anyways.
HERE IT IS PART 4! Feel free to leave comments or questions! I love a bit of constructive feedback! let me know if yall like the direction this story is going!
pictures from google and are not mine