The Dark Journey
Chapter 21 - Slavery: Second Run
Part 2



Quietly slipping through the door
and down the midnight lonely streets
making for the highway once again
cars pass, I hide my face
pace quickening wanting to run
turning corners blindly fearing
him on the other side waiting
grinning, hauling me back
hanging, wrists in agony
gloomy basement mildew reeking
body cringing, blow by blow
tears running freely
making traces down my naked body
head hanging, toes touching
not enough to ease the pressures
on my wrists, he comes again
another day another punishment
three days hanging from the ceiling
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I stayed hidden until after nightfall, and then went about the task of looking for something to eat. Other peoples' garbage wasn't nearly as distasteful to me now, I had eaten worse things and still survived. I decided to stick to the highway as it was easier going than trying to follow the little logging roads and dirt tracks through the mountains. I was still heading somewhat northeast into the Cascades. I followed 62 towards Crater Lake. It was rugged country and I was forced to stay on the highway most of the time.

As I climbed, the vegetation changed from the lush green clutter of the lower elevations to the bare floored pine forests. At times I was able to parallel the road, but for the most part I was stuck with trusting to chance. My days were spent resting as well as I could wherever I could find a place, and my nights were long wearying walks and games of hide-n-seek with headlights.

I felt the wind of the bullet almost before I heard the report. My heart leapt into my throat and I stopped, completely shocked out of my dark thoughts. What the hell was this? I looked around me in the gloom, but didn't see anything or anyone. Then I heard him laughing, a low rumbling chuckle, and my heart sank into my shoes. How the hell could he have found me? How could he have known? I guess it didn't matter, it had happened.

I stood there waiting for whatever was going to happen next. He walked up slowly, I could just make out his outline in the gloom, and commended me on my ingenuity. He said I led him a merry little chase, but it was always just a matter of time ...

He cuffed me and put me in the back of the car. He seemed pretty pleased with himself. He turned the radio on and hummed and sang along with it. I sat in silence in the back seat.

I was taken back down to the basement, but this time he had a more escape proof means of holding me. The chain was wrapped around a large sewer pipe running across the ceiling. I stood on my box while he passed the cuff through the loop. Once I was securely fastened he pushed me off of the box. The pain in my wrists was excruciating. He moved the box out of reach, took out his night stick and proceded to 'teach me a little respect for my betters'. Then he undressed and moved the box back over, stood on it and ...

I hung there I think for about three days. I lost track of time, but I know there were at least three periods of darkness and light. I could stretch my toes down and touch the floor, but that was about it. My wrists hurt abominably and the cuffs were cutting into my flesh. It was worse if I moved so I hung motionless, head down. He came occasionally to 'instruct' me. My whole upper body was a mass of burning agony. My hands had long since gone numb but my arms and shoulders, sides and back were screaming, gibbering, in a maddening pain. I wept until I was emptied of tears. I could see the trails of salt they had left on my chest and I stared at them. I began to wish I could cry again, but no tears would come. I was empty. There was nothing left inside me, desolation.

I don't remember him taking me down. I do, however, remember the burning agony as my hands came slowly back to life. I was lying in his bed with my right ankle cuffed to the bed post. Now the tears came freely, and I thought they would never stop. I tried to sit up but my body said 'no' and my hands screamed at the effort. I lay there weeping for hours until he came home. He asked if I had learned my lesson about running and I said that I had. It would never happen again, I made promise after promise that I would be good. I would do anything he wanted as long as I didn't have to hang anymore. He smiled. His sex drive that night was very strong, and I welcomed it. It was far better than the alternative.


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