Chapter 28 Aria

• The days drag on, each one longer and more torturous than the last. I have completely lost track of time; without a clock or any reference, the only way to measure the hours is by observing the small slits in the boarded-up windows, through which sunlight enters and exits, tracing a cycle of light and darkness. Five times I have seen the sun rise and disappear again, and with that, I conclude that I have been trapped in this hell for five days.
• Meals are scarce and insubstantial. When food comes, it’s just a dry piece of bread that almost crumbles to dust at a touch, accompanied by a single glass of water, barely enough to keep my body functioning but far from satisfying my hunger or thirst. With each bite, the bread scratches my throat, and the water seems to evaporate as soon as I swallow it. Bathroom trips, a basic right, have become a luxury, limited to once every two days, and even those few occasions are humiliating, as if every aspect of my dignity is being slowly stripped away.
• My body is in constant agony. My arms, bound with rough ropes, not only restrict my movements but also cause excruciating pain. The skin around my wrists is raw, the ropes digging into my flesh with every movement I make, like invisible claws holding me captive, always reminding me of my helplessness. I can’t find a position that eases the pain, and exhaustion sets in, but sleep does not come. Fear overrides fatigue, and even when my eyes close for a few minutes, the constant terror keeps me in a state of feverish alertness, where nightmares and reality blur together.