Falling With Grace

Elias.

He’s coming.

I sat upright, my dirty, bare heels scraping against the flooring. My knees tucked under my chin, my arm wrapping tight around them.

The stench stirred in the air, my body odor pungent to my senses.

My chain rattled, giving away my corner position, and the constant dull ache in my shoulder evaporated with the twist in my gut.

Not again.

The door handle jiggled and swung open, stealing my breath with the motion.

“Buenos días, Grace. Did you sleep well?”

I shook my head, my teeth digging into my bottom lip, and sighed as a cool breeze danced across my damp skin.

“Shame.”

Elias grabbed the back of the chair in my square cell and pulled.

Skreeeech.

The chair grated against the floor, echoing in the tiny room.

He stopped, placed the chair in the center, and sat.

Throwing his ankle off his knee, he sat upright as though he were in a proper meeting, his hands pooled in his lap with fingers laced together.

“Where’s Andrés, Grace?”

A man walked in behind him and grabbed my bucket of filth, and replaced it with another before leaving.

I frowned, the heat scorching my warm cheeks.

Javier slipped into the room, a bottle of water clutched in his hand, just like he did every morning.

I drew in a deep breath through my nose, taking in the earthy aroma of damp grass—my singular moment of fresh air.

Javier dropped the drink at my feet with a plasticplop.

Lunging, I snatched the warm water bottle and twisted the stubborn lid. A whimper poured from my lips, my arms weak, my belly gurgling. “I can’t tell you.”

Javier marched forward in two strides.

I dropped the water bottle, flinching back into my protective ball, my face buried in my knees, my hands covering my head.

Crack.

“Here.”He nudged my arm with the bottle, and I lifted my head.

Javier stood with the bottle outstretched, the lid tossed to the floor.

I snatched it without thought and downed the first gulp. “Thank you.”

“How long do you think you can continue this?” Elias narrowed his gaze at me which left me as parched as the arid desert.

I shrugged as I lifted the water to my lips again and guzzled it down.