(From Ashes to Hope) Chapter 32
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Jackie shuddered at my words, covering her mouth tightly with her hand,
holding her breath, afraid of making the slightest sound.
A moment later, a faint sound came from the hole, so soft it could easily be
mistaken for the rustling of wind through dry grass.
The young beggar’s small figure squeezed back through the hole.
I rushed over and saw that he had several scratches on his body from the
branches outside, the wounds still bleeding slightly. His hair was also tangled
with dry grass.
My heart ached for him. I gently brushed the grass from his hair.
“Did you send the message?” Emma asked eagerly.
The young beggar nodded firmly.
We all sighed with relief.
Emma held out her hand.“Give me my phone back,” she said.
But the young beggar shook his head.
< <From Ashes to Hope…
He continued to shake his head, his hands gesturing frantically.
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I watched his hand movements carefully, deciphering his meaning. “Did you
hide the phone outside?” I asked softly.
He stared at me and nodded vigorously.
“You’re so smart!” I exclaimed.
Emma, however, was unhappy. “Hidden outside? What if they didn’t receive
the message? What are we going to do? Send it again?” she asked, exasperated.
I frowned slightly. “Sending it again isn’t the problem,” I said. “I’m worried
that if we bring the phone back and the guards find it, the consequences will be
dire…”
Emma’s face paled. “You’re right, I didn’t think of that,” she said, scratching
her head. Then, she turned to the young beggar and said, “You are indeed very
smart.”
The young beggar smiled sweetly at her, his smile innocent and pure.
His smile touched my heart, bringing to mind Lily’s lovely smile.
Hearing the guards talking outside, we quickly covered up the hole, lay down,
and pretended to sleep, hoping for a swift rescue.
< <<From Ashes to Hope…
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As evening descended, the sky grew dark, a chilling atmosphere settling
upon us like a heavy blanket.
Several more women were brought in.
Their hands and feet were bound tightly with rough ropes, the ropes digging
into their skin, leaving deep red marks.
They were treated like animals, their bodies thrown onto the cold, hard
ground by the guards, the impact echoing through the warehouse.
A guard with a scar on his face approached, a sinister smile playing on his
lips.
He roughly brushed the hair from the face of a voluptuous young woman,
exposing her features.
state.
Her face was like a dew–kissed flower, still beautiful despite her current
The guard’s eyes lit up. He swallowed hard, his Adam’s apple bobbing, then
he scooped her up, carrying her over his shoulder like a trophy, and swaggered
out.
Emma and Jackie huddled together, their bodies trembling uncontrollably,
like frightened birds seeking shelter from a storm.
< <<From Ashes to Hope…
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They covered their mouths tightly, afraid of making the slightest sound that
might attract the guard’s attention and lead to their own abduction.
I watched this unfold, my brow furrowed in confusion.
Why would he deliberately do this in front of us, when he could easily take
her away unnoticed? Was he trying to intimidate us, to make an example of her?
After a while, the women on the ground started to wake
- up.
They looked around in confusion and fear, then realizing they were bound,
they began to struggle desperately.
The ropes cut into their flesh, but they seemed oblivious to the pain,
twisting and turning with all their might.
One of the women, seeing that our hands and feet weren’t bound, tried to
wriggle towards us, whimpering softly, her voice filled with pleading and
helplessness.
Emma’s heart softened. She wanted to get up and help, but I stopped her.
“The guards didn’t untie them,” I whispered. “If we try to help, what if they
catch us and…”
I didn’t finish my sentence, but Emma and Jackie understood my concern.
1:13 PM Tue 3 Dec
< «From Ashes to Hope…
Earlier that day, I had a nagging feeling that something was wrong.
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The effects of the drug should have worn off by now, but my body still felt
weak and limp. I suspected they had drugged our food.
Soon, the girl who had been taken away was brought back.
Her clothes were wrinkled, as if hastily put back on.
She was awake, but her spirit seemed broken, her face etched with despair
and hopelessness, her vacant eyes heartbreaking.
The guard with the scar, his eyes glinting coldly in the dim light, scanned the
girls on the ground menacingly.
Terror washed over them as they met his gaze, like a predator eyeing its prey.
They tried to shrink back, but their bound bodies could only wriggle
helplessly on the cold, hard ground, unable to escape his chilling stare.
The guard frowned and glared at us, his gaze piercing, as if seeing through
our souls. “You’re smart,” he said, his voice hoarse and gruff.
He stomped his foot and turned to leave.
A while later, our dinner arrived.
22% O
< (From Ashes to Hope…
Earlier that day, I had a nagging feeling that something was wrong.
Menu
The effects of the drug should have worn off by now, but my body still felt
weak and limp. I suspected they had drugged our food.
Soon, the girl who had been taken away was brought back.
Her clothes were wrinkled, as if hastily put back on.
She was awake, but her spirit seemed broken, her face etched with despair
and hopelessness, her vacant eyes heartbreaking.
The guard with the scar, his eyes glinting coldly in the dim light, scanned the
girls on the ground menacingly.
Terror washed over them as they met his gaze, like a predator eyeing its prey.
They tried to shrink back, but their bound bodies could only wriggle
helplessly on the cold, hard ground, unable to escape his chilling stare.
The guard frowned and glared at us, his gaze piercing, as if seeing through
our souls.“You’re smart,” he said, his voice hoarse and gruff.
He stomped his foot and turned to leave.
A while later, our dinner arrived.
<<<From Ashes to Hope…
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To our surprise, the food was considerably more substantial this time, a mix
of rice and vegetables, still steaming, a vast improvement from the watery
porridge we had been getting.
The guard who brought the food muttered to himself as he roughly untied
the ropes binding the girls.
eyes.
Although they were granted temporary freedom, fear still lingered in their
< (From Ashes to Hope…
