“How long has she been here?”
“A little over a year.” He brings me a bowl that has some kind of stew-like substance in it. After he places it in front of me, he walks over and kicks at her with his foot.
“He’s been forcing himself on her for a year?!” I can’t help the disgust and shock in my voice.
He ignores me and kicks at her again. “Get up, you need to eat before he gets here. He’s expecting to see you both up and well today. I’ll bring in stuff for you both to clean up with soon.”
He places a bowl near her and then he leaves, just like that. Doesn’t even look to see if she is awake or if I can reach my food, which is barely the way that I am chained up.
I lean forward sniffing the contents of the bowl. It definitely has something in it that smells wrong, but I can’t place what it might be.
“It’s wolfsbane and belladonna mixed together. It makes it easier to r*pe someone when they are half unconscious.” She sits up like Scarface wasn’t just kicking her like a dog. “It’s also less exhausting if you pretend to be asleep. Talking to them is like talking to brainless zombies. Everyone who works for the Jackass believes what he is doing is right. He’s good with his words and to the right people his actions are admirable, but they don’t see what is going on behind the scenes.”
She leans forward and pulls her bowl towards herself and starts poking around with her finger.
“No utensils? Does he think we’ll use them as weapons?” I half joke since that was my first thought when I saw the food in the first place. She just looks at me, a knowing, slightly demented look on her face. “Ah, well at least tell me you took someone out with your skills.” I say in response. At least she is a fighter and not some damsel in distress.
“Of course I did. I also gave Josh his new look.” She tilts her head towards the door.
“Well I get why Scarface doesn’t like you now. Is there anything edible in the bowl?” I tilt my head towards hers. She is clearly still alive, so she must be getting nutrients somehow.
“The wolfsbane is dark blue and looks black when they mix it in with the food, almost like large pepper flakes. Belladonna is green or gray and resembles sage. So If you brush off the seasoning, it tends to affect you less, but always look doped up when they come in so they don’t give us more, got it?” She is whispering rapidly.
“You know about herbs and plants? That’s kind of cool actually. I wouldn’t have even thought to separate the food, I just would have avoided eating.” I whisper back, assuming someone is listening outside the large door.
“I tried that at first, but then they just give me an IV and I have no idea what’s in that, so I figured this is better.”
“Who taught you about belladonna and wolfsbane?”
“My aunt was a witch so I dabbled a bit with her. I figure a witch must be helping in the kitchen, because the herbs are sprinkled on top instead of being cooked in. Cooked in would be harder to separate and the effects would be in the food itself, but I have been able to have almost no real reaction in months.”
I began to mimic what she was doing and pick off any flakes that looked like seasoning. It wasn’t fool proof, but maybe I could build a tolerance like I have with silver.
