Sandra sat slumped against the wall, her breathing shallow, her strength almost gone.
The door creaked open.
Footsteps.
Then
Thud.
Two boys were thrown onto the floor.
They scrambled toward each other immediately.
The older one no more than eighteen pulled the younger close, holding him tightly like he was the only thing keeping him grounded.
"Zaviel…" the younger one, barely sixteen, whispered, his voice shaking. "Where are we?"
Zaviel didn't answer. His eyes moved around the room, alert, searching, trying to understand.
"It's going to be okay," he said quietly.
Zino shook his head, gripping him tighter. "It doesn't feel okay…"
"You've got new roommates," David said casually. "Make yourselves comfortable."
The door slammed shut.
Silence followed.
"Zaviel…" Zino called again, softer now. "Do you think they'll hurt us?"
Zaviel hesitated.
"…No."
But his voice had lost its strength.
Across the room, Sandra hadn't moved.
At first, she only watched them the way she watched everything now distant… disconnected.
Like none of it was real.
But the sound of Zino's voice lingered.
Soft. Afraid.
Too young.
Her eyes rested on them a little longer.
The way he held onto his brother…
The way Zaviel held him back, even while he was afraid too.
Something stirred faintly in her chest.
A feeling she hadn't allowed herself to feel in a long time.
Not hope.
Not yet.
But something close enough to hurt.
She slowly looked away, pulling her knees closer to herself.
A moment later, the door creaked open again.
Sandra didn't look up but she felt it.
The shift in the air.
Footsteps.
David stepped in, this time with three men behind him.
"Hey, boys," he said lightly. "Hope you're all getting along."
No one answered.
His gaze slid across the room… then settled on Sandra.
A slow smile crept onto his face.
"Oh… how could I forget my baby girl?"
He walked toward her and crouched down.
"How are you holding up?" he asked softly.
Sandra remained still, her eyes fixed on the ground.
Empty.
He reached out.
The moment his hand came close, she flinched and pulled back sharply, pressing herself further against the wall.
A small chuckle escaped him.
"Still in pain, I see."
He straightened, brushing his hands together casually.
"We just need to borrow your friends for a bit."
At his signal, the men moved.
Zino panicked immediately, clinging to Zaviel. "No! wait!"
Zaviel tried to pull him back. "Let go of him!"
But they were overpowered.
As they were dragged toward the door, Zaviel looked up
and for a brief moment, his eyes met Sandra's.
Fear.
Confusion.
And something else… a silent question.
Sandra froze.
She didn't move. Didn't speak.
But something in her eyes shifted just slightly.
Not indifference.
Not this time.
The grip on Zaviel tightened, pulling him away.
The moment broke.
"We'll be back," David said, glancing once more at Sandra.
The door slammed shut.
Silence.
Heavy. Suffocating.
For a moment, Sandra didn't move.
Then her composure cracked.
A tear slipped down her cheek.
Then another.
She pulled her knees closer, wrapping her arms around herself as the tears fell quietly.
The boys were dragged into a dimly lit room.
Before they could steady themselves
Zino was struck hard and sent crashing to the ground.
A sharp gasp escaped him.
"On your knees."
Rough hands forced both boys down.
Zino struggled to push himself up, shaken, while Zaviel was shoved beside him, held firmly in place.
The air was thick heavy with smoke and something sour.
At the center of it all sat a man, relaxed, a glass in one hand, a cigarette burning slowly between his fingers. Half-empty bottles littered the table.
"Ah…" he said, rising slowly. "My boys have arrived."
The men tightened their grip on the brothers, keeping them kneeling.
The boss stepped forward, his gaze settling on Zino.
Without a word, he held out a cigarette.
Zino froze, breathing unevenly.
Then… he shook his head.
Silence.
The boss's expression darkened just slightly.
"You refuse me?" he asked, his voice low.
Zino didn't answer.
The next moment
he was struck again, forced back down as a cry slipped from his lips.
"Leave him alone!" Zaviel shouted, trying to rise.
Hands clamped down on his shoulders, forcing him back to his knees.
"Stay down."
Zaviel struggled against them, his voice breaking with anger. "Don't touch him!"
The boss let out a quiet laugh.
"Such loyalty."
He stepped closer and grabbed Zaviel's chin, lifting his face.
Zaviel's chest rose and fell rapidly, but he didn't look away.
The boss studied him for a moment… then smiled.
"Give them a welcome gift."
He turned, already losing interest.
The men yanked the boys to their feet and dragged them away.
Zino reached out weakly. "Zaviel!"
"Zino!" Zaviel called back.
But they were pulled apart as the door slammed shut behind them.
When the door finally opened, the boys were dragged back in.
They were barely recognizable.
Weak. Shaken.
Broken in a way that went beyond what the eye could see.
They were thrown onto the floor without care.
Zino let out a small cry as he hit the ground, immediately crawling toward Zaviel and clutching onto him tightly.
"Bro…" his voice trembled.
Zaviel winced but pulled him close, his arms wrapping around him despite the strain in his body.
"It's going to be okay," he whispered, though his breathing was uneven, each breath a struggle.
Zino shook against him, holding on as if letting go would make everything worse.
Across the room, Sandra watched.
Her chest tightened.
Her gaze lingered on them the way they clung to each other… the way they tried to stay strong.
Something in her sank deeper.
"Oh God…" she whispered under her breath.
Silence filled the room again.
Heavy. Lingering.
After a while, the door opened again.
A man stepped in, carrying two plates of food.
He dropped one in front of the brothers and placed another near Sandra before leaving.
Silence lingered.
Slowly, Zaviel reached for the plate. Zino stayed close, watching him before taking a few bites himself.
They ate quietly.
Carefully.
After a few moments, Zino frowned slightly, his voice low.
"Bro… is it just me, or does this food feel… unsatisfying?"
Zaviel gave a faint shake of his head. "Yeah… but there's nothing we can do."
Zino nodded slowly, though he still looked unsure.
Sandra hadn't touched hers.
"You can have mine," she said softly.
The boys paused.
They exchanged a glance.
"It's okay," Zaviel said gently. "You should eat."
"Take it," Sandra repeated.
There was a quiet firmness in her voice now.
Zino hesitated, then stood and walked toward her.
He picked up the plate carefully.
"…Thank you," he said.
Sandra didn't respond.
She leaned back against the wall, closing her eyes briefly, letting out a quiet breath.
Time passed.
The brothers eventually drifted off, exhaustion overtaking them. Zino rested against Zaviel's shoulder, his grip still tight even in sleep.
Sandra remained awake.
Still.
Silent.
Then—
The door burst open.
Zino jerked awake.
A henchman stepped in, his presence filling the room.
"The boss wants to see you, sweetheart."
No one spoke.
He walked straight to Sandra and pulled her up roughly.
She didn't resist.
She didn't have the strength to.
As he dragged her toward the door, Zino's voice broke the silence.
"What do you think they'll do to her?"
Zaviel swallowed hard, his eyes fixed on Sandra.
"I don't know…" he said quietly. "…Let's just pray she'll be okay."
The door slammed shut.
Sandra was brought before the boss.
"Ah… my darling," he said, a slow smile forming. "It's been a while."
He stepped closer and lifted her chin.
She turned her face away.
A brief pause.
"Take her to my quarters."
"Please…" she whispered, her voice barely audible.
She sat on the edge of the bed, her arms wrapped tightly around herself, her fingers digging into her skin as if trying to hold herself together.
Her breathing was uneven.
Shallow.
The room felt wrong.
Too quiet.
Too still.
Her eyes moved slowly around it the large bed, the dim light, the shadows stretching along the walls.
No windows.
Nowhere to run.
Her chest tightened.
A tear slipped down her cheek.
Then another.
She pulled her knees closer, curling slightly inward, as if making herself smaller could somehow make her disappear.
The sound of the door handle turning made her freeze.
Her breath caught.
The door creaked open.
She flinched violently.
The boss stepped in.
Slow.
Unhurried.
Like he had all the time in the world.
The door shut behind him with a soft click that echoed louder than it should have.
Sandra's heart pounded harder.
Each step he took felt heavier… closer.
Too close.
She shook her head weakly, her body already shrinking away.
"Please…" her voice trembled. "Don't…"
He didn't answer immediately.
That silence made it worse.
He just stood there for a moment, watching her.
Then he moved again.
Sandra tried to pull back, but there was nowhere to go.
Her hands tightened around herself, her shoulders trembling.
"Please…" she whispered again, barely holding onto the word.
But it felt like the room swallowed it.
Her voice.
Her fear.
Everything.
And all that remained…
was the sound of her breathing.
When she was brought back, she didn't even steady herself.
The moment her body hit the floor she collapsed.
A weak sound escaped her, and suddenly she turned to the side, her body convulsing as she vomited, her strength completely gone.
The door shut behind her.
Silence filled the room.
For a second, no one moved.
Zino froze, his face tightening as he instinctively looked away, shaken by the sight.
Zaviel's chest rose slowly, pain flashing across his expression.
Then he moved.
Carefully.
He walked over and knelt beside her.
Sandra's body trembled violently, her hands weak against the floor as she struggled to hold herself up but couldn't.
Tears streamed down her face, mixing with quiet, broken sobs.
"Mom…" she cried, her voice cracking. "Mom…"
Zaviel gently lifted her, supporting her as best as he could, and rested her head on his lap.
"It's okay…" he said softly, his voice unsteady. "I'm so sorry."
She shook her head weakly, her cries growing heavier, more desperate now.
"Mom… please…"
Zaviel's jaw tightened, his eyes glistening, but he held her carefully, not letting go.
"It's okay," he whispered again.
Even though he knew it wasn't.