Trigger Warning: Rape

Part One || Part Two

The Castle guards watched in awe as the car approached the wall. Most of them were young, fourteen, fifteen years old. They’d never seen a vehicle before. As Maggie brought the car to a stop, they crowded around to inspect.

“Stand aside,” a man shouted from the distance. The guards jumped into formation. Lieutenant Drake came to the forefront sucking his teeth. His clean-shaven face revealed the birth of wrinkles and a horizontal scar that ran the entire length of his neck.

He tapped on the window with the back of his hand. Maggie, who’d been frozen with fear from the crowd of soldiers, came back to her senses. She rolled the window down.

“Where’d you get the car?” Lieutenant Drake asked.

“I- I found it,” Maggie stammered.

“And you didn’t report or surrender it to authorities?”

“Well, I– I didn’t think it worked. I tried for the first time this morning so that I could…” Maggie looked towards the wall. “Construction wasn’t supposed to begin until tomorrow. How is it finished today?”

“The safety of the Castle is the top priority. These people are a hazard to themselves and others, therefore, had to be quarantined.”

Maggie put her hand to her head trying to stop it from spinning. Her breathing grew more labored.

“No. I have to get to the other side!” She began to panic. “These people aren’t hazardous. They’re fine.” Dropping her head and covering her eyes with her hands, she released the tears she’d been holding for too long. ”This isn’t right.”

“Not right,” Lieutenant Drake snapped. The tone of his voice brought Maggie back to reality. Wiping her face she held her head up.

“I didn’t– I didn’t mean that the King wasn’t right. I only meant…”

“Get out of the car.” Her chest went cold.

“Sir?” The guard fingered the pistol at his side.

“Get out of the car now.”

Maggie obeyed. The Lieutenant filled his gray eyes with her sights. Her legs were bare under the black dress that had become too tight over the past few months. Wishing she’d worn pants, she pulled the dress below her knees for modesty.

Then again, her pants were getting tighter as well. The doctor had said something about thyroids but had not explained what it meant. Maggie wanted to ask, but a woman’s body was not her own in the Castle. The doctor said he’d discuss treatment options with the property authorities. That had been the end of it.

“Show me your citizenship papers,” the officer demanded.

“They’re in my purse,” she swallowed the lump in her throat. “Can I get them out?”

“Don’t move.” Reaching inside the car, he yanked the purse away.

“There, in the blue fold.”

He poured the contents onto the ground and tossed it aside. Picking up the blue fold, he read through the papers and handed them back to her. “You’ve wasted the Castle’s time.”

Maggie remained silent. He followed her growing waistline to her spreading hips. “You know, I have orders not to let anyone pass through the wall, but you seem desperate enough. I’ll let you pass.”

Maggie looked at him surprised. “You’d do that?”

“Follow me.” Drake led Maggie to a small corridor on the side of the white brick wall. He waved his hand, signaling clearance to the soldiers posted about. Inside the tunnel, her eyes fought to adjust to the dim light. The smell of tar filled her nose. “The exit is just ahead. Can you see it?”

“Yes! I see it!” Maggie went for the exit. “Thank you!” Something grabbed her, pulling her back.

“Wait one minute. You can’t walk through Castle walls and not pay a fee.” He pushed her against the cold, damp brick. His hand went casually under her dress.

Maggie closed her eyes.