Page 4 of Ensnared

“Best not cry, darlin’. You’ll ruin your makeup, and I don’t think the boss would like that.” The man holding my skirt says. Suddenly, I feel his fingers brush against my pussy, and I squeal from the sudden touch. He pushes his fingers inside, pumping while his thumb brushes my clit. The feeling is so foreign, I can’t help but suddenly moan at the intrusion.

“That’s it, love, I knew you’d like it. You are not as sweet as you seem. Ain’t that right?” He takes his hand away and licks his fingers clean. “Hmm, you taste like sin, princess. And unfortunately for you, you seem to be surrounded by sinners.” He says, suddenly pushing his cock inside of me, then there’s a sharp pain that makes me scream. I know people have told me before, that your first time will hurt. I have always hated knowing it would only hurt the women. Why do men get to have all the pleasure and fun? They don’t get periods, they don’t have to give birth, and they sure as hell don’t get their hymen ripped open. It’s not fair! I’m ripped from my thoughts when he moans, fucking me hard and fast. The pain starts subsiding, and it’s starting to feel like something else, something I don’t want to feel. The man holding the knife against my throat uses his other hand to knead my breast, and the hand holding the knife loses its grip. I don’t think, I act. I grab the knife from his hand, and start stabbing him in his neck. I pull the knife out, his blood pouring out of him, and he moves away from me, holding his hand over the wound, as if that will do anything. The other man pulls himself out of me with a curse. I don’t wait for him to pull back more; I kick him hard with my foot. He topples over, falling with his back against the hard floor. I jump to my feet, standing above him, then I lift the knife, and start to stab his crotch. He’s screaming so loud, the sound is coming out animalistic. It kind of reminds me of a pig, how ironic. I stab his cock, and balls, until they are unrecognizable. Then, I grab him by the throat, stabbing him right in his eyeball. I hated how he had looked at me; now he won’t be looking at anything anymore.

Both seem to have stopped their shouting, and both are laying on the floor, blood still dripping out of their stab wounds. I wonder how long it will take for it to stop, but I don’t have the time to wait and find out. I search them for any kind of weapons, and thankfully, I find two more knives I can use. I rip off pieces of their clothing, wrapping some around my leg beneath the dress, tying the knives there in a makeshift holster, so it’s hidden like I’ve seen people do on TV. I then rip some more fabric from the dead men’s clothes, it’s not like they still need it anyway, and use it to wipe off the crap on my face. I hope it will be enough to get the blood off, but I definitely can’t just get the blood out of my dress. I can’t stay here any longer, waiting for someone to happen upon us all here. Honestly, after all of this, I don’t care how I look anymore. I just want to find a way out. I sneak out of the tent, quickly looking around to make sure no one will notice me, but unlike the part where we entered, it seems fairly empty in this area.

I walk out as casually as I can, until I see a bigger crowd, and just follow behind them to find a way out. This place feels like a maze, and I have no idea where a way out is. But even after I get free, what will I do? Where will I go? I don’t have a home anymore. I can’t go back to my father. He would just drag me back here. I take a deep breath. Overthinking it won’t do me any good. I need to focus.

* * *

Apparently, people here don’t really care if you walk around covered in blood. Based on how most people are dressed, they probably think I’m a part of the act. I’ve been walking around for a couple of hours now I think, and it just feels like I’m going in circles. This place is so confusing, yet I can’t stop feeling like I want to discover this place instead. It’s as if the need to get out has slowly disappeared from my mind, and I don’t understand why. Big purple and pink lights pull me away from my thoughts, and I take a step closer; it’s like something is pulling me forward. My head says to stay cautious, but it’s also telling me I need to go there. That it’s my destiny.

I look up at the lights, and in big, bright, bold letters, ‘ASTERAL ARCADE’ stands there, with a pinup girl holding a token in her hand. She has black hair, and beautiful curves that her short dress hugs tightly. I walk into the tent, and strangely, it looks bigger inside than outside. There are so many people of all ages standing in here, trying to use the machines, and right in the middle of the tent, is the most beautiful woman I have ever seen. She makes my breath catch in my throat, soI walk a little closer. She has shoulder-length, wavy black hair, like the pinup girl on the sign. She’s wearing a short black and white striped top that barely covers her full breasts, paired with a short black and white striped skirt to match, and fishnet stockings underneath. Her lips are painted a bright red to complete her look. Her eyes are such a bright blue, they look like stars, pulling me forward with such intensity, as if she was a siren and I am a sailor, ready to plunge into the cliffs just so I could see her one last time.

Chapter 4

Penny

“Hello there, cutie. I am Astra. Would you like a cookie?” It takes me a couple of minutes before I realize she is talking to me. I look down at her outstretched hands, holding a plate filled with cookies in the shape of tattooed hearts. Some are pierced by arrows, others look broken in two. She looks up at me in anticipation, waiting for me to answer her.

“Huh, oh! I-I’m not very hungry right now,” I quickly answer. She pouts her plump red lips at my response.

“Are you sure? They are made with love,” she says, pouting in the most adorable way. I laugh awkwardly and grab one from the plate; a need to make her happy grows.

“Alright then, just one.” She smiles and watches me take a bite, staring at me with her big eyes. I moan, and take another bite from the cookie. It tastes like what I would imagine love would taste. It warms my chest and makes me feel so light as if there is nothing for me to worry about anymore, and everything is going to be alright, as long as I stay with her.

“It’s so good!” I moan out, and Astra bites her lip, pushing her thumb against her lips, giving it a kiss, and then moves her thumb and presses it against my lip. The gesture makes me blush, and I can feel my body sway forward towards her in a pull so intense, then suddenly, I am standing right in front of her.

“I’m glad you like them, my sweet. What might your name be?” She flirtatiously asks me. I open my mouth, but no words come out. Oh crap, my name? What was my name again? Damnit!

“T-uh It's eh, P-Penny!” I finally get out. She smiles and opens the small wooden box that she’s standing in, opposite of me. “Hmm, Penny,” she says, popping the ‘P’ with her beautiful lips. “I love that.” She steps away out of her stand, stepping towards me, extending her hand. “Come on Penny, want to play a game?” She says, biting her lip. I nod at her, and grab her hand. It feels soft and perfect. Like home. Why did I come here again?

She pulls my hand, guiding me further into the back of the tent, right in front of a grab machine filled with stuffed bears with all kinds of colors. They look a little off, but in a beautiful way, like everything here does. I look back at Astra’s face, seeing her smile up at me in such a kind way. I smile back, seeing her grab something from underneath her bra, and set it in my hand.

“Our little secret,” she whispers. I look at the object in my hand, seeing it’s a purple token with the pinup drawing of her on it. “It’s a gift, even though I shouldn’t.” She quickly explains. I nod at her, and for some reason, I can’t stop staring into her beautiful eyes.

“Come on now! Let’s see what you’ve got, my pretty Penny.” Every thought that filled my mind disappeared the moment she called me hers. God, everything I have ever wanted was to be loved. I put the token into the machine, and the lights flicker on, so I hold the controller, my finger ready to push the red button. I need to find the most perfect bear for her. Ah, perfect! I place the iron grabber right above a black bear with a red glow in the center, darkening toward the sides. Its eyes are bright red, and it has a black fading to red ribbon around its neck. I press the red button, and the claw drops to grab the bear, taking it to the winner box of the machine, and drops it. I bend to grab the bear and turn to her, seeing her smile in delight.

“Here,” I say, holding out the bear to her. She widens her mouth in delight, and claps her hands.

“For me? Really?” She smiles, I nod, still trying to hand the bear to her. She bats her eyelashes at me and takes the bear from my hands.

“It’s so beautiful! Thank you, my sweet.” Her words make me feel light headed, and my body feels like it's floating in the air. Nothing has ever felt as right as it does right now, with her. Though, I can’t help but think that I’m forgetting something? Well, whatever it is, must not have been important if I can’t remember.

Chapter 5

Astra

Penny, her name alone means she’s worth something, something I want. Call me selfish, but the moment I saw her enter my tent, her dress bloody, her eyes holding such fear, with delicious pain, I just knew I had to have a bite of her. No one can resist my games, and when they take a bite of my delicious cookies, it’s all game over for them. I am a Carnie after all, one no one could ever win against. And she will be my fairest of prizes, my most delicious game.

I watch her beam with happiness. The moment my visitors take a look into my eyes, lust takes over, making them want to fuck me, desperately. But not her. No, she wants to make me happy. It’s sweet. It’s different. I think I’ll keep her. No matter what darkness has clouded her, she will never think of it ever again, as I will be all she’ll ever need. I shift, giving her a kiss on the cheek, and my red lipstick stains her pale skin. How beautiful she would look laying down with my lipstick all over her naked body.

I give her some more tokens. I know the boss would be upset if he hears of me giving money away like this, but what he doesn’t know won’t kill him. She smiles at me. “I-I can pay for these if you want,” she offers. I smile and shake my head. “No, my dear. It’s a gift from me to you, my sweet Penny.” I smile, and her cheeks and neck turn redder than they were before, then she bites her lip, the action so innocent. What I wouldn’t do to be the one to bite her lips instead.

“I have some work to do, but you will stay here and wait for me, won’t you, my sweet?” I ask her, batting my eyelashes again. A pang of sadness fills her eyes, “I’ll be back, I promise.” I add to my question, making her smile back, and she nods. “O-of course!” She says. “That’s my girl.” I wink at her; if she could turn into liquid, she would have done so right then at my words. She stumbles on her own feet, causing me to smile. Yes, she is perfect. My perfect little game.

With some remorse, I walk away from her. I really don’t like making her wait, but it’s not like she will leave; she could never resist me. I won’t let her. I walk back over to my desk, grab the tray of cookies, and start offering them to everyone here. No one ever wants to leave after one bite, and the moment the whole cookie is gone, and I give them more, they don’t even remember a life outside of the Carnivale. Which is exactly what we need. There is no better way to harvest souls. And the souls I no longer need, those will be given up and sold. We have a couple of sectors in those, but that’s not my problem. We have a couple of sorters to give them to, and they decide to whom, for what, and for how much they get sold for. All I do is deliver those that seem sellable, and devour the ones who aren’t.

I look behind me to the corner, seeing my sweet Penny walking over to a pinball machine. She doesn’t even notice the blood on her clothes anymore. The moment she walked in, I felt it. She has a darkness inside of her, one that speaks to mine. And I want it. Every wretched thing, I need it. I need her soul connected to mine and mine alone. And I don’t care who tried to keep her before me. She now belongs to me.