Please forgive a little sloppiness, I have a very bad tendency to over-edit, which I'm trying not to do. (I think the trick is to find the balance, but while I'm working on that – some areas might fall a bit short :o!)
All characters are entirely fictional and any likeness or similarities to any persons are purely coincidental.
Thanks for dropping by.
(On a side note: the characters seem to be taking a bit of a Non Consensual/Reluctance turn. Just an advance warning as it's not to everyone's taste; there are many talented authors on Lit that I suggest your peruse if this doesn't appeal to you. This story is being listed under Novels/Novellas and the short description may not be explanatory enough.)
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Azalea slowly opened her eyes, not that there was much to see in the darkness. Her body felt as though she'd been used as a punching bag. Closing her eyes, she lay motionless. It was difficult to think clearly, to remember when her energy was so low. The sloppy gruel they'd been feeding her was barely enough, but that's what they wanted her to be; weak and desperate.
She didn't want to eat the food – if you could call it that, she wanted to defy them, not be dependant on them; but, while she was proud, she wasn't senseless.
Time, Azalea thought. There was no concept of time down here. No ticking second hand, no dripping water, nothing. She used to be able to sense the changes in the air, identify what part of the day it was, without having to look outside. Now that sense eluded her. How long would it be before the others deserted her?
Her eyes snapped open at the short stab of panic in her chest. There would be only so much she could take, then... she squeezed her eyes shut tightly.
Don't start thinking like that, or you'll be defeated before you begin.
Azalea rolled onto her side, pushed herself to her knees and slowly stood up. Tentatively she stepped, making her towards the wall of the cell.