Once thiswas done I started to refill my backpack. In it I put a jar of peanut butterand a tin of pineapple chunks, two tins of beans and a tin of tuna. I grabbedfour small bottles of water and a powdered milk and moved onto the medicines. Iput in two cold packs for bruises, children's and adult paracetamols, plasters,a small travel first aid kit, co-codemol,anti-histamines and penicillin. Then shampoo, toothpaste, two packs of tamponsand some birth control tablets. I still had more room so I also stuffed in someenergy bars. I quickly grabbed Will’s pack and added in more of the same andstored it in the corner of the room, out of sight. The gun room was locked soWill would have to take care of that. I slung my bag over my shoulder and tooka deep breath. I had to seem confident now as I left with my backpack full ofstuff.
I openedthe door. “Thanks for that,” I said to the guard who didn't even notice me, hewas too busy talking to a very attractive woman with long red hair. Irecognized her as Kandace, she worked in the kitchen with Nia and was one ofthe good ones. She smiled knowingly at me and I had a feeling that Will hadsent her up to distract the guard.
I walkedquickly to my room, none of the people I saw on the way paid me any attention,I was invisible and I liked it that way. I opened the door, stepped insideclosed it and locked it behind me. The sight of Nia lying on the mattress onthe floor broke my heart. Her face was black and blue where the bruising wascoming through, her arms had finger marks on them where she had been held sotight. Her arm was still in the sling from the first time she had tangled withDeacon. She had shorts on and I could see small bruises on her thighs.
“Nia?” Iasked softly afraid of waking her.
She openedher eyes and immediately they filled with tears.
I droppedto my knees in front of her. “I'm so sorry, I will not leave you again.” I hadonly known this girl for a short time but I felt responsible for her.
“I'm ok,just a bit sore. Good news is I get the rest of today and tomorrow off.” Shetried to joke but winced when her smile caused her pain.
I quicklygrabbed my back pack and got out the painkillers. I got a glass and the largebottle of water from our room and gave her two tablets along with a drink ofwater. I then gave her the bump packs which she put on each eye and lay back onthe pillow. I held her hand until she fell asleep then tore open an energy barate it and washed it down with water. I hated Deacon and he would pay for whathe had done to her.
I was faraway in daydream land when the knock came at the door, I jumped, startled andso did Nia. She quickly put the bump packs under the mattress as nobody wasallowed to have medicines in their room. Every single tablet or medical aid hadto be signed out by Deacon or there would be trouble.
I got up toopen the door and was relieved to find Billy there. He smiled at me and Ireturned the smile.
“Can I comein George? Will asked me to bring up some food for you seems as you had such ahard day.”
Food wasrabbit stew today and smelled delicious.
“Uh yeahok,” I replied moving backwards for him to enter the small room, the door swungclosed behind him. I was looking forward to food. I took the tray off him andplaced it on the desk. I took a few spoonful’s of thestew and it was as delicious as I had hoped. I held out the spoon offering someto Nia but she shook her head no.
“Will saidhe is still in a meeting with Deacon and he will see you tonight at the timeyou agreed.” He looked at Nia and seeing the bruises covering her body helooked angrily at me and started to clench his fists.
“Before yousay it Billy, it was Deacon, not me,” I said knowing what would come next. Helooked at Nia wanting her to confirm what I had said as the truth and she justnodded at him, too sore and tired to do much else.
“I knew itwasn't you George. God, wish I could kill him!” Billy said through clenchedteeth.
“You mayjust get your chance Billy. Did Will tell you the plan?” I asked.
“No hedidn't have time. Just asked that I brought you a snack, ask if you wanted anyproper food and give you that message. But I thought after a long day I wouldbring you some stew,” Billy replied.
“ThanksBilly. Can I request that you bring me up a coffee and some tomato soup aboutnine tonight?” I asked, looking at Nia for confirmation that she liked tomatosoup. She nodded.
“Of courseGeorge, it's five now, so eat your stew and have a rest and I’ll see you atnine,” he said leaving the room, but not before taking another look at Nia. Hiseyes said it all, he loved her and was going to get payback for everything thathad been done to her.
Once thedoor was closed, Nia got the cool packs back out. I knew they were not brilliantas we had no way of cooling them at the moment.
“He caresabout you, you know?” I asked her, just finishing offmy stew and wishing I had some fresh bread to dip in it.
She gave ahuge sigh and was quiet for a few moments. “I know, I care about him too, butthis is not the time or the place to be thinking about love. We just need tosurvive first getting out of here first,” she said her voice was barely above awhisper. I got back down on the mattress with her.
“I knowit's going to be hard, we may even lose some people
