Chapter 7 Giving In

• Nine felt like her body did not belong to her. It felt like her body just rebelled and now she could not stop the nausea swelling within her combined with the extreme hunger and weariness. She had not even been eating well and she was dropping weight fast. She could not focus at work and she could not even think straight.
• She had missed shifts and no matter how much she tried, she found it impossible to go to work. She was scared. She knew Mom would not take it lightly, she would hurt her, she would find some kind of retribution and the worst thing about it was the only thing she could do was wait.
• Her room, unlike most of the other kids in Petal, held nothing too memorable, or expensive which was obvious with the absence of cloths or anything that could make a room comfortable. Plus, whatever money she managed to earn went straight to Mom, and the others who had come in, unlike her, had managed to pay off their debts.
• Mom always demanded thrice of the initial payment she bought them with and those working in most of the whorehouses could afford to pay for their freedom, but Nine, who couldn't due to how she looked, had to settle with juggling so many jobs all at once so she could earn hers faster.
• Yet, no matter how many jobs she did, it was never enough.
• An hiss escaped her lips as she curled herself more under it. It had been six weeks since the hotel incident and though it still tormented her, making sleep impossible, something else troubled her since then..
• Nine had reduced drastically in weight which wasn't even much to begin with, and the areas around her eyes had sunken. Worst of all, she never got enough food to eat a day so anything she got was always appreciated but all of a sudden, she suddenly became more selective with whatever she ate, causing her to lose more strength than she already had.
• There was nothing left in her to even go over to the bar, or do anything else. Except shiver and hope in her solitude, that whatever it was that had gotten to her, would go away just like the other times.
• But Nine knew not to put so much hope on things.
• "Look at who we have here,"
• She could recognize that voice anywhere, even if it spoke to her from the depths of hell. She opened her eyes, staring at the person who had spoken.
• Eight stood at the door with a mocking grin on her face. There was an obvious resemblance between them, which Eight once terrorized Nine with but unlike her soul sucking black eyes, Eight's were a soft brown, with pink heart shaped lips, the same dark long hair that glowed like the night sky and a lean figure that she kept perfect and trim with the money she earned for herself since she had been able to repay her debt.
• She had even gotten a new name, but Nine was too busy to actually find out. Plus, Eight and her were never on friendly terms so she didn't exactly care to know either.
• Eight walked closer, nudging her feet into Nine's side hard enough to make her wince but not yelp from the pain. "All you ever do is stay in this hole of yours, but when Mom asks for one thing. Just one. You can't even be nice enough to do that."
• Nine looked up at her. Her throat felt like every swallow of saliva she took was fire when she spoke, "I don't feel so—"
• "Excuses." Eight cut in, eyes glimmering now. "That's all you're good for anyway."
• "This isn't fair. You came to have fun and didn't invite me?"
• Another person walked in, a cheerful look on her face. Seven, unlike Eight, was thicker. With curves that Nine knew would never be in her reach. Her hair was a rare shade of blonde, with full lips that gave her an always pouting appearance that Nine heard many men couldn't help resisting.
• She paid off her debt as well, and had her name changed.
• "Would you believe it, darling sister?" Eight asked, turning to Seven with a roll of her eyes. "Mom called me over and told me how this little thing here, hasn't been to work for some weeks now, and when I got here, she was sleeping."
• Seven shook her head, feigning a disapproving look on her face. "Oh no. That won't do."
• "She did give an excuse though," Eight turned back to Nine, a grin on her face. "But she always has excuses. One being the fact she's so ugly, she can't even get one man to look at her."
• Seven let out a giggle at the words.
• This was all fine to Nine. Their jabs and insults at her did not hurt as it used to at the beginning, as long as there were no physical hits involved, she would be fine.
• But again, she had hoped too soon.
• "What's this I hear about the little bitch refusing to do anything?"
• Four.
• She had a butch like figure, but her face was exquisite. Breathtaking to most. And Nine knew from experience that when all three were in her room, it was never a coincidence.
• Mom must have told them to do something about her, and there were no other people who would loved to hurt her than them.
• Eight turned to her and made a face. "Excuses."
• Four grinned now, showing them the blanket in her hands. "Good thing I brought this then,"
• In the past, Nine would scream as loud as she could and try fighting them off but fighting off three well fed healthy women when you were only skins and bones was a task that could only happen with magic, so eventually, she gave in.
• She said nothing when they roughly ripped her cloth off, ignoring the way she cried at the sudden cold.
• She said nothing when she was wrapped into the blanket and thrown to the floor.
• She said nothing when she felt their legs kicking every part of her body that still hurt, even though the bruises had faded away.
• Nine stayed in her fetal position. Tears rolling out her eyes as she tried telling herself that it was okay. Even though her bones cracked. Even though she felt like screaming as loudly as she could. Even though the pain made her want to die.
• And when the darkness came, she welcomed it with open arms.
• "Stop!" Eight yelled and they all stopped. Four looked down at Nine then chuckled.
• "The little wimp already passed out? Honestly, I expected she'd be stronger. Maybe it would have made this a little more fun," Four said.
• "I think she's bleeding," Eight whispered, peering at Nine who lay unmoving.
• "Bleeding? How can she be bleeding? We used the blankets and the—"
• "I think Eight is right. She is bleeding," Seven said, then unwrapped her and they saw that Eighy hadn't been lying.
• "What the actual fuck? Was she on her period or something? Why didn't she wear some—"
• "It does not matter. Point is, she is bleeding and we have to tell mom," Eight said. Seven nodded in agreement and they both looked at Four who sighed deeply then nodded as well.
• "Alright then. I will go talk to mom," Four muttered then walked away.
• ‡******************
• "Madame Dalia, I would need your complete sincerity. What really happened to her?"
• "I already told you. She's been missing work for some days and I didn't set my eyes on her so I sent my girls to check on her. They found her all bruised and bleeding, told me, and I brought them here. That's exactly what happened."
• Nine heard the beeping of the monitor before her eyes opened. An IV tube was connected to her hand and she had on a white gown with her in a white bed.
• She was in a hospital.
• A small grunt of pain left her lips as she tried sitting up. Her head hurt and body throbbed, but she ignored them. No matter how badly she was hurt, the three of them never hurt her enough to get her sent to an hospital, and bleeding?
• That was new to her.
• "Well then, if that's what happened. I ran some tests on her. She's got some bruises here and there, but there's nothing broken. She was breaking into a fever as well, but we've given her enough drugs to get her on her feet again."
• "Oh, good." She could tell now it was Mom talking. That pissed, scratchy voice couldn't be replicated by anyone else. "Gotta get out of here to work then. Brat still owes me a lot of money."
• "And she's pregnant."
• There was silence for a while before the other voice said, "What do you mean? This girl has not fucked any man I know of. I mean... No one even wants her. Isn't that the main reason she is a bartender and not doing the work she is meant to do? I am sure there is a mistake somewhere,"
• "Madame Dalia, I assure you, Nine is pregnant. Maybe it is someone you don't know if but these tests do not lie. Nine is pregnant,".
• Nine sat there quietly, staring at the floor, and, to her, it seemed like the world broke in two.