But it wasn’t fast enough. Impatience flickered in the guard’s eyes. Suddenly, she stepped forward and landed a savage kick, sending them tumbling to the ground.
“Drag them over!” she commanded.
“Understood!” responded her subordinates, swiftly obeying. They seized Lise and Sharon by the arms, dragging them across the rough, merciless floor.
By the time the two were dragged to the work site, their knees were scraped and bleeding. They were flung to the ground. Standing over them, Deborah, flanked by her crew wielding hoes like weapons, sneered, “Playing the victims, are you? Think you can rest while we work?”
The prison’s work system didn’t tolerate laziness. Each woman’s efforts affected the group’s output. Their collective productivity dictated their earned points, points that meant access to food, supplies, and privileges. Thus, every inmate was compelled to contribute or face Deborah’s wrath. Ultimately, whatever perks came from these points also benefited Deborah. Yet, they had no choice but to work.
Seeing Lise in such a miserable state filled Sharon with compassion. She rose, pointing accusingly at Deborah, her voice thick with resentment.
“Do you have any conscience at all? If you kill both me and my daughter here, it won’t gain you anything!”
Deborah remained resolute, her smile cold.
“Nor will it harm me.” Sharon was left without words.
Lise, struggling to rise, panted heavily and said to Deborah, “I am the heir of the Bailey family. Just stop this torment, and I assure you, once you’re free, untold riches and honor will be yours.”
Deborah sneered.
“Who cares? Get back to work, or I’ll beat you to death!” For Deborah, trapped in prison indefinitely, promises of wealth and glory held no appeal.
“You!” Lise was rendered speechless, facing someone impenetrable to reason. With no alternatives, Lise slowly rose to retrieve the work tools. Sharon watched her with concern, asking, “Lise, are you alright? Can you handle this?” Though Sharon herself was severely injured, the grim reality forced her to clench her teeth and press on.
Deborah, observing their slow movements, grew enraged. She pointed at them, angrily scolding, “Gals, handle them for me! This is a prison, not a palace. Who do they think they are, acting so superior?” The other inmates had long noticed the presumed arrogance of Sharon and Lise, stirring dissatisfaction. At Deborah’s command, they grabbed their tools, shouting with passion, “Here we come! Today, we’ll make sure she pays!”
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In that instant, fear washed over Lise and Sharon, paralyzing them. They backed away, pleading, “No, we’ll start working right now!” Despite the pain, they were ready to begin working. However, Deborah and the others were only focused on attacking Lise and Sharon. Their pleas for mercy came too late.
As the hoes were raised to strike, Sharon’s eyes widened in terror, her voice breaking as she begged for mercy.
But just then, a commanding voice cut through the chaos.
“Stop!” A prison guard had arrived just in time to halt the assault.
Deborah and her gang stopped immediately. Bold as they were, they wouldn’t challenge an officer. After all, they had to handle the guards every day of the year and simply couldn’t risk making enemies of them.
At that moment, Lise breathed a sigh of relief, grateful for the guard’s timely intervention, knowing she might not have survived to see another day otherwise. It was only then that she realized, after the overwhelming fear and the brutal beating she had endured earlier, that her body had become so weak that she could barely stand. The guard approached Lise, her gaze cold as she met Lise’s eyes, and said, “Someone’s here to see you two.”
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