Some were thinking about the day's experiences; some were reminiscing about life in the tribe; some were touching their bruises from the beatings; some wanted another bowl of porridge; some were contemplating how to escape alive...
Their minds were a tangle of thoughts, yet no one uttered a word.
They lay on the hard wooden boards, gazing at the night sky, feeling lost about their future and regretting past decisions.
In moments like these, having nothing to do was a torment in itself.
Time seemed to pass excruciatingly slow, causing them to involuntarily pay attention to the details of their surroundings.
The sound of the wind, birds chirping, insects buzzing, wood crackling, breathing, and heartbeats...
They didn't know if they could fall asleep amidst such torment, nor if sleep would bring another round of beatings.
Lying there in constant fear.
