“Good job, you,” he whispers quietly.
Ilya knew this voice. It had been her faithful companion for a long time. In some ways she knew this voice better than she knew herself. In some ways, she was the voice. It was her. Deep down, Ilya knew that the voice had been with her through hard times, had helped her get through when no other help was available–times she still only dimly recalled, yet deep down the body memory was there. The voice was only trying to help, arising instinctively to fulfil its role of helping her through another hard thing, another period of helplessness.
This time, however, another voice arose in response. A voice of rage.
No!! We will not go back to that! We will NOT be put in that cage again!
Ilya found herself breathing quick and shallow once more, but this time it wasn’t from panic or fear. This time, it was anger–at her bonds, at her captors, at people who would use and exploit and hurt her, and at her own helplessness. She felt the pressure of her rage build, each relentless impact of the flogger fueling it with unjust pain and abuse. Rather than moaning pitifully after each strike, her anger began to spill out of her gagged mouth–first as grunts and barks, then yells and finally screams of rage.
“Aaahhhrrnnggg!!”
Conversation at the table stopped. All eyes turned to the naked slave.
For Ilya–eyes closed now–time slowed, then seemed to stop altogether. She knew the next impact was coming; there was nothing she could do to avoid it, nothing she could do to stop the pain. Why was someone flogging her?! Why was the world always trying to HURT HER!!
Thwack!
As the wildfire of pain rippled out in slow motion across her bare ass, something inside Ilya snapped. The rage was familiar, the breaking point familiar. She felt a hand pull viciously on her hair, a jagged blade pressed wantonly against her exposed throat. In her mind, she reached back with both hands to grasp whoever was hurting her, making her feel afraid for their own gain. Power surged through her body with the unstoppable force of a tide. Her mind flashed white.