Diamonds Fall Read Free

Annabel to benefit from their warmth. She rolled over to see how far away the stream was. That's when she remembered she had been temporarily blinded.
    The movement caused more pain to flare up all over her body and she stifled a moan. Listening to her attacker's voices, realising they were a few yards away and thus may be unable to see her, Annabel inched away from them. Her progress was not fast for her feet and hands were still tightly bound. However, with her first slight movement the many layers of her expensive outfit rustled, alerting the men to her escape. Their laughter ceased and she could hear them walking towards her. The dry leaves and twigs snapped beneath their feet. Annabel's breathing quickened. She was both bound and wounded.
    She didn't stand a chance.
    She squirmed backwards without gaining any real distance. Her blindfold was wrenched away. Her eyes, now unaccustomed to sight, could only make out the silhouetted shape of a man. The darkness prevented her seeing his features but his breath, so close to her face, was vile.
    His laughter echoed around the forest. Annabel looked around frantically for an escape, knowing it was futile. The man laughed further as she struggled. Yanking her into a seated position he poured water on her face. Annabel coughed, desperately trying to suck the sustenance into her mouth. She only managed a few drops. Laughing again, he threw her back to the ground.
    "I'll watch `er. You sleep," the elder of the two men said in a gruff voice from a few feet away. The silhouetted frame nodded slightly and retreated back to the fire. The hunched shadow of the elder man came quickly into view and Annabel moved back.
    "Was'a matter princess?" he crooned. He ran a finger lightly down her neck. His grip tightened around her enormous necklace. The movement was so fast she jumped, drawing in a hurried breath. The man tugged and Annabel yelped, her head jerking forward. The craftsmanship of the piece was too good to be broken. With an almost animalistic growl he forced her face to the ground and undid the necklace. The gems clicked against each other as he pocketed it.
    Annabel shrank away the second he relinquished his hold on her, hoping beyond anything that the ground itself would take her into its arms and spare her the misery of another touch from this man. As if noticing Annabel's fear he laughed, a deep scratchy sound that filled her heart with dread.
    "Y-you don't know what you're doing. My father will-"
    "Will wha'?" the man jeered, his face mere inches from hers. Annabel swallowed. The lump of bread was still wedged inside her bone dry throat. Her breath racing past it burnt, making further speech impossible. The man laughed again and patted her cheek in an absurd mockery of kindness. He pushed her to the ground so hard she spluttered in shock. She felt her other splendid jewels being torn from her body.
    "Stay `ere or I'll kill ya," he whispered once the last of her finery had been removed. She was left only in her now torn dress and a single diamond hair comb the darkness had concealed. Perhaps Mother Nature was on her side after all.
    That night was the longest of Annabel's life. Her heart continued to beat at double speed, pounding the blood around her body so she could feel it hammering against her temples. It was as if the organ was getting in as many beats as possible, in case they were her last.
    Annabel's limbs were weak and tired beyond belief, yet her brain refused to sleep. It wasn't until dawn was finally cresting the horizon, both men having inched back further towards the fire, that Annabel's eyes finally drifted closed and she slipped off the edge of consciousness. There, at least, the men couldn't hurt her.

Chapter Three
     
     
     
    The minutes grew into hours, the hours into days, until they blurred into one continuous nightmare. Every night they threw Annabel down, forcing stale bread into her unwilling mouth and filling her with water so quickly it made her choke.