Darker Than Dusk

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Night had fallen over and the fire that light the sand beside them revealed a plan of how things would be working out. Jay stood over it explaining to each of the group individually. For their raid, he had selected Alex, James, Kitty, Benjamin, and Dawn. As for the others, he wasn't so sure they were completely fine with the idea since it had only been year a since their own captivity but things needed to be done. The opposed group had not bothered to help them even in their time of famine, and their drought. Sine thy had control of the waterfall they could barely get a drink without being caught. Some things just needed to be done. It wasn't as if they had family's. They were doing no one real harm. Yet.
Kitty looked at the boys as she stood up straight. "You know it'd be wiser if we sent someone to check their status before we just go in blindly." She told them.

Nikolai laid in his hammock with his hands behind his head snoozing quietly.

Cece nodded in understanding. It washer own personal preference. "Do you still love Alex?" She asked. It was easy to tell that the two had not shared closeness like they used to in the entire year. He had even avoided the two newest baby's only caring for Nirvana and Jordan. "I don't think he wants anything to do with Diamond and Ciel."

Ben kicked her in the leg and dragged her out.

Once everyone had been captured he immediately dragged them all to the clearing of their camp. Jay looked down at them and crossed his arms. "You guys had control of waterfall and never wanted to share your pure water with us, you've seen is in droughts, and lack of food and have done nothing to support us. During storms, you do not offer hospility nor offer anyway to help us improve our huts or lifestyle to help us survive better or help us with medicine and herbs for the sick or wounded. It's a bit sad we have to force you among us to help after pleading for your help. You will work for us. As for you Nikolai." He said and pulled the man up by his hair. "You harmed my brother. I'll show you what that earns you." He said and tied him up against a tree. He tossed the whip over to Ben. "Give him thirty."

Nikolai turned his head to the side and glanced over at the first person he saw. Jacki before looking away and pressing his forehead to the bark of the tree. A he felt a sudden lash against his back he let out a large breath. By five his entire back had become red. At ten gashes begun to appear. He laid against the tree digging his finger nails in and screamed out in pain each time the lashes broke through his skin.

"detenerlo!" Samee shouted and tried to move to go help him. "You are sick, sick animals. You call yourselves people." She said and spat at each one of them. "I hope you and your families burn in hell." She hissed. "el diablo vive en todos ustedes! maldiciones sobre sus familias."

Jacki looked at the men in disgust and picked up her children without responding to Cece, taking them away from the unhuman-like conduct.

Roman looked at his sister. "callarse Samee por favor! yo no quiero que te hagan daño!" He begged his sister while trying not to watch Nikolai get lashed. Even this poor guy didn't deserve this and he hated him.

Nikolai cried against the tree silently and exhausted. The only thing not keeping him from collapsing was being tied to the tree but his entire body was limp. His back was on fire. He didn't want to see how badly he was wounded but the lashes overlapped one another.

Benjamin dropped the blood stained whip and crossed his arms after Jay had told him that was enough. "What do we do with him now?"

"Leave him there I don't care." Jay responded walking away to put food to cook.

Alex rested in a hut holding his bleeding wound quietly.

"They are filth brother." Samee snapped. "We helped them to our land and this is how they repay us. We should have left them there to get raped and die."

Dawn walked up to Jay and slapped him across the face before turning around and leaving, grabbing the hands of her children who stood and watched with wide eyes.

Jay wasn't phased by her slap. "What were you expecting for me to get out of that Dawn?" He asked seriously. "We'd been going over this for months."

Roman stared at his sister understanding her words. He knew from the beginning they should have been more cautious but was it wrong on their part not to help them out at all? Oh well it was too late for them to decide now. He looked over at Nikolai. His wounds were critical, they were disgustingly gory.

Cece had brought her children into their huts and settled them down away from the violence.

Kitty looked over Nikolai sympathetically.

"I hope you are ok with knowing your children are afraid of you." Dawn said to him, feeling utterly ashamed to have ever wanted this.

Emery stared at her father in pure terror and tugged on her mothers sleeve to be picked up. Afraid her father would do to her what he did to the other man.

Samee shook her head. "I hope they all burn to death. And burn some more in hell."

Genie remained behind her mother attempting to be hidden.

Nathan only remained silent. He wasn't afraid of his father but he was still trying to process everything he had saw. He was confused and it bothered him.

Jay looked at his kids studying their expressions and looked up at Dawn. "What's done is done, if we let them go now they'll turn around and kill us with no sense of remorse." He told her honestly. "I don't know about you but I do want our children to become adults."

Kitty walked over to Nikolai and slowly got beneath him doing her best to carry him away but had a hard time with his height and weight.

Roman watched as the girl took him away into a hut alone.

"Why don't you give them a chance." Dawn growled.

Samee watched Kitty and narrowed her eyes, thinking she was going to hurt him more.

Benjamin grabbed Samee and untied her. "You are allowed to care for your child here in the camp on free will but if you leave I will hunt you down and kill you on sight. Ashlee, will kill you. Alex will kill you. The reason why I give you these names is because us three have murdered for the pure joy of it. Should you try anything, your brother will get lashes, your husband will get more lashes." He warned. "You are allowed to roam the camp in and out of huts as long as you are in sight and you harm no one." After finishing with her, he untied Roman and pointed over to an area where they had started a hut but couldn't really get it right. "You start there and some others will join you."

Roman obediently began to work without any further questioning. Nikolai had been made an example of and at this point no fool would question numbers. His sister was safe as long as she did not act up and that's what he cared about.

"It isn't that simple." Jay responded sharply. "I understand you had bad experiences but we need their help eve after we begged at their feet they refused we need help and they can give it."

"You asked one person for help, not all of them." Dawn snapped. "I will not teach my kids to enslave other people when they do not get their way. I hope you are happy by yourself."

Samee glared at Ben, if she ever got the chance he'd be the first one she killed with no questions asked. Or maybe she'd torture him for a bit.

"By myself Dawn?" Jay asked in disbelief. "So now it's you making all these decisions? That we're over and I mean nothing huh?" He asked and shook his head. "You do whatever you want Dawn I can't stop you. I'm doing what I'm doing for a better life, we have a difference in perspective and if that is too great for you to return the I love I feel for you then you go ahead and leave me I can't stop you." He sighed. "I'm sorry Dawn. I will have you know I didn't only ask one person but many." He balled up his fists.

Nathan stared at his parents confused. He could pick up on the part of their wanting to split up but that was it. He only held onto his mother.

Nikolai laid on his stomach panting heavily as his lashes burned his skin. Each time he felt Kitty try to put water on the swollen wounds he groaned loudly in pain. He wanted to know if his family was okay but the pain

Kitty frowned each time he groaned in pain. "I'm so sorry." She told him softly running a hand though his hair to soothe him. "I'm going to try to convince Jay to let Samee come to you when she can. I don't know what he wants her to do right now." She gently dabbed at the wounds again.

Samee had been listening to the conversation and narrowed her eyes. "You never asked me." She told him.

Dawn raised a brow. "I never said I didn't love you. Don't put words in my mouth. But like I said, I'm not going to have my children around this bullshit."

Jay looked over at Samee. "One girl can't take care of an entire family. I asked many other about it who refused including your husband." He responded. "If you didn't get word about it it was because others didn't share the details about it with you." He looked at Dawn and sighed. "Then don't have them around it they don't have to be but if you want to end this it's on you."

"Because I'm a girl?" Samee scoffed. "Well now at least I know your ignorant and sexist." She huffed.

Dawn shook her head. "No Jay, it's on you." She scowled and walked off with the kids.

"I'm not sexist." Jay snapped. "If you want me to be by request let me know and I'll gladly act on it. Go see your husband before he drops dead." He said and began to walk off to talk to Cece.

"I hope you drop dead." Samee growled under her breath and immediately went into the tent to see Nikolai.

Kitty turned and looked over as Samee walked in just as she was applying the water that made Nikolai groan loudly in pain. She gave a small nod to her in greeting.

Nikolai panted heavily and tightened his fists as he whined.

Samee didn't return the nod, as far as she was concerned this girl could rot in hell too. "Nikolai." She said sadly and crouched next to his face to run a hand through his hair

Nikolai barely opened his eyes as he heard Samee. "Samee." He managed in a hushed tone reaching for her hand. Even the slightest movement made him sneer and whimper in pain.

Kitty slowly pushed the bow of cold water and rag to Samee for her to take care of his wounds then walked out.

"I'm so sorry Nikolai..." Samee whispered and gently tended to his wounds as tears poured from her eyes.

Nikolai yelped in pain each time she touched the rag to his wounds and tightened his fists. "A-Alisa..."

"She's fine." Samee told him and continued with his wounds.

Relieved, Nikolai finally passed out due to the pain having been fighting it for his family.

Alex walked over into Jacki's hut holding his wound. "Jacki."

"What?" Jacki murmured.

"What are you doing?" Alex asked as he sat beside her.