Author's Note: This is my another attempt to write a long term bondage story. Readers, who already are familiar of my previous stories, know that English is not my first language. So please excuse me for grammatical errors. The characters are imaginary, any similarities in real life is purely coincidental. The name of the countries taken in this story are just to make it real and not to offend anyone. Please comment at the end of the story. They inspire me to write more...

Chapter 1

"No, there is no need to go to that godforsaken place" my mother shouted.

"But I won't get a better opportunity in my life mom, besides, the assignment is only for 1 month. I will then get assignment in Europe. " I protested

My dad had always been on my side throughout my life. But he also looked a bit worried.

"Puja, it is still a war zone. It is not safe. I will also recommend dropping this job"

"I will be inside Baghdad city, not in the battlefield. Come on dad. I will be safe, don't worry"

"Do whatever you want" my mom told angrily and left.


I got a job in CNN. It had always been my dream to work for such a big organization. I was sooo happy. Then they gave me my first assignment. It was in Iraq to cover the war between IMIM and Iraq. It was super excited. But my parents were worried about sending me there. I was 24, just got my journalism degree, and they still thought I was a little girl. I finally convinced them. It was a big opportunity and I grabbed it with both my hands.

Finally the day arrived for my journey. My mom was praying everyday since she heard the news.

"come here Puja, and extend your left arm." she told once I came out of bathroom after bath. She took a silver thin chain with embedded semi precious gemstones and some amulets attached to it, and wrapped it on my left arm. She adjusted the end pin tightly. It was snug fit. There was an extra slack of thin silver chain dangling from the pin.

"listen to me Puja, don't remove it from your arm. This will keep you safe. I have approved your journey to Baghdad, now you must obey me. " she told.

I was a firm believer in god. I had seen my friends wearing 'tabiz' or amulets for good luck, but never thought I would wear something like this. It was a bit irritating.

"OK mom, as you wish". I did not want to argue anymore.

The flight took 5 hours to reach Baghdad airport from kolkata, India. I was told that somebody will meet me in Baghdad airport. I saw my name written in a placard. I approached the person.

"Hey, I am Mike, your mentor here" he told in a heavy British accent.

We reached hotel within an hour. The city looked absolute devastated. I could not sleep properly, being in a new place at first night. There were sounds of shelling and flag march from far.

I tried to put my brave face forward but I was actually very scared. Mike understood this. He made me comfortable by telling various old stories from his experience. He was probably 36 years old, but had a huge experience in war journalism. He was well built and muscular.

We started working within a day. I started working as his assistant. I used to prepare transcripts from the interview recordings. I learnt a lot from him. We used to cover stories mainly from Baghdad city, the military campus, and the life of people.

28 days zipped past just like that. Mike was very happy with my work. We thought of celebrating a good story over a good dinner and some scotch.

"you have a good future Puja, and I can see that" he told. He was already down with 8 pegs and he sounded drunk. I was drunk too. I smiled.

He touched my black long hair. "Why all Indian women look so ravishingly beautiful? " He asked playfully.

I laughed. I already had a big crush on him too .

He came near me and kissed on my lips. I did not resist. I kissed him back.

"Care to join me for desserts in my room?" he asked softly.

I nodded. He held my hand and lead me towards his room. I knew what would happen next.

I bit my lips in pleasure as he pushed his manhood inside...


Chapter 2

It was time to say goodbye to Baghdad. My next assignment was in Paris. I was very sad to leave Mike, but he promised that he will join me there within a week. He was suppose to drop me to the airport. I packed my bags and came down from my hotel room. I wore a pair of khaki bottoms, a white full shirt and an olive military jacket. This pretty much had been my attire for last one month. Mike was waiting in a jeep. We drove off to airport.

We had crossed almost 30 km from city when suddenly there was a big blast in front of our car. It was probably 200 meters away but the explosion was so strong that it shattered our windshield. I screamed in fear. Mike stopped the jeep immediately . He was hurt from the impact.

"get your head down" he screamed. I almost lost my mind by then. I did not know what to do. Suddenly around 15 people with gun gathered around the car. I screamed for help as they held me by my neck and pinned me down .I tried to struggle but they were too strong for me. They put a black cloth hood over my head, cutting my vision. My hands were pulled behind my back as I felt rough rope around my wrists and ankles. I screamed again. They hit me probably with a gun butt on my belly. I howled in pain.

"Don't struggle, everything will be all right" I heard Mike scream, followed by more sounds of thrashing.

Somebody picked me up and carried me. They thrashed me in a hard metal floor, I cried in pain. I realized it was a vehicle as it started moving.

"Are you here Mike " I tried to speak, but somebody kicked me on my shoulder.

"mphhhh mphhh" I heard mike's voice. He was probably gagged.

The moving vehicle stopped after a long time. I was carried again. They kneeled me down on a hard concrete floor and removed my hood. There were at least 15 people in this room, all dressed in military attire. I could see Mike beside me, bound as I was.

A man approached mike from behind and kicked him on his back. He fall on his face on the ground.

"American spy, I will not spare any one of you bastards. You will die like dogs " he spoke in good English accent. The man was ugly, middle aged. He looked cruel.

"We are journalists, " Mike was panting. "Please see our cards, we are from CNN".

He was again kicked, this time in his face. I screamed in horror. He turned his attention towards me.

"Oh my my, a beautiful Bitch " he held me by my neck.

"Pleaseeeee, we are not spies. We are journalists, please believe me" I cried. He did not seem to listen to any of my plea.

"I feel sorry for you, you will not be so beautiful once we finish with you " he laughed. My body was shivering in fear.

He gestured at his men. Two men each held us by my arms and dragged me along the floor. They took us to another room. One man held me straight, another man caught a chain which was already dangling from the ceiling. He wrapped the chain two times on my neck and locked it in front of my neck with a padlock. I had to stand straight to avoid being strangled by the chain. I was crying hysterically.

They did the same with Mike in the other corner of the room. One man came back to me again and started removing the rope binding my ankles together. I stood with my legs apart a bit to maintain my balance. The man suddenly held my belt and pulled my pants down.

"Noooo pleaseeeee" I kept on screaming. I could not struggle much due to the neck chain. He pulled it out roughly over my ankles.

I was naked below my waist. My hands were still bound behind my back. I looked at Mike. He was also in the same condition as me. The men left us and closed the door.

"What are they going to do with us? " I cried.

"I don't know" he told. "But I can say one thing, UN will do everything to get us out, please pray and don't lose hope. It won't be too long. " he murmured.

He was so wrong...

Hours passed, but nobody came back. Finally after a long struggle, I could free my hands from the ropes. I pulled the padlock on my neck chain with all my strength. It did not bulge. I pulled the chain with all my strength. It stayed locked firmly in the ceiling ring.

There was a small window over the far wall. When the daylight stopped coming from it I realized it must have been more than 12 hours since we were chained here. Mike was looking at the other way, probably he did not want to see me suffer so much. My mouth was dead dry, my stomach grumbled. I also had to pee badly.

"Please somebody, I need to pee, please" I shouted. Nobody came.

"You need to do it here, just let it go. They want us to suffer like this" Mike told.

I could not held it back anymore. Pee streamed down through my legs.

"Are they going to kill me today? " I asked her in a crying voice? "

Mike did not reply. He just looked at the other way.

A man opened the door and brought some water in a steel bowl. He held it to my lips. I drank some water.

"Please, let us go, please" I begged. But he ignored my plea and closed the door.

Two days, that's right, two days they kept us standing there without food, with just water, thrice a day. My legs gave up and I was just hanging from the chain. Thank god the padlock was in the front, so it was not strangling me, but it was hurting my neck like hell. I was losing my consciousness frequently. I could speak no more.

Somebody held me from the back as I opened my eyes. I had no strength left in my body. I saw the leader in front of me.

We have a good news for you, it seems you are indeed a reporter assistant. He waved a paper in front of my eyes. I could not see anything properly.

And the bad news is, we need time to negotiate with CNN and UN to see if you are worth something. So now you are a prisoner of the state of IMIM. You will stay with us for now, and you will not be killed right away..

I looked at the far corner. Mike was not there anymore. One man unlocked the padlock of the neck chain. I had no life in my hands and legs. They carried my almost limp body to another room. It was a bigger concrete room with nothing in it. They dumped me on the floor.

The leader laughed and started removing his pants. I was not in my proper senses. I could only mutter "noooooo" but I had no power to resist. Two men removed my jacket and unbuttoned my shirt from the front. The leader jumped at my body like an animal. He slapped me hard when I tried to resist. He plunged his huge dick inside my vagina. I could only get out an animal like sound as he raped me in front of five more people in the room. Then they left me there, almost unconscious in pain, and closed the door.


Chapter 3

I opened my eyes slowly. I was still in the same room. I was traumatized. I was shivering in fear. I closed the buttons of my shirt. I looked around, I could not find my jackets. My legs, my neck was still hurting. I was crying profusely. I could not believe I had been raped. I was so scared about my future.

The door opened again after some time, and one man came inside. I pushed myself to the wall, closed my legs over my chest in fear.

"nooooo please" I pleaded.

"I am not going to rape you" he told as her kept a plate on the ground. Then he turned and left, closing the door. I pushed myself towards the plate. I saw some bread and curry in the plate. There was also a strip of tablets. It seems that they don't want me to be pregnant, not yet at least .

I took the food. I had eaten nothing for the past two days. All the muscles in my body hurt. I could not think straight anymore I ate everything on the plate. I noticed two more things in the room in the far corner. One big earthen water pot, another iron bucket. I crawled towards the water pot and found plenty of water inside. There was also a metal bowl on the lead. I drank as much water as I could. Then I washed my legs and vagina. I was still naked below my waist.

It was too cold at night. I slept on the ground.

Two more days went by. I could only see lights from the small window above the wall. There were no team came for my rescue. Nobody touched me after the first day. They only gave me food and water. I used the bucket for my natural needs. I did not dare to ask them anything. I also did not know what happened to Mike.

After a week my legs started feeling strong again. I could walk properly.

"What are you people going to do with me? " I asked the person who brought food in my room. He did not answer. He never answered.

I was really frustrated. I wanted to escape from there. I knew they might kill me any day.

I took the iron bucket and waited behind the door. I knew someone would be coming anytime soon with food. The door opened and a person entered my room. I gathered all my strength and hit him with the bucket on his head. He fall down immediately. I ran out of the door. I could hear him screaming in Arabic from behind. I ran past a corridor. There was the main door right in front of me. I ran past it. There were bright sunlight outside. I could only see miles and miles of empty field everywhere. I just ran in a random direction. I could hear people shouting behind. I kept on running.

Suddenly I heard loud noise from vehicle just beside me. Then someone fired many bullets in front of me on the ground. I stopped, screamed, closed my ears and sat down on the ground. I was so scared. I realized that the bullet could have killed me at that very moment.

I looked back and saw 4-5 people. They had just got down from the vehicle. A fat man came near me and kicked me on my back. I screamed in pain. The pain was unbearable. He held hair and screamed at me in Arabic. I could only cry and scream.

He dragged me by my hair towards the house once again. I tried to push him, but he was too strong for me. He slapped me hard. I fall on the ground, he kept in dragging me by my hair. I got up and tried to match pace with him. I fall again painfully, but he did not stop.

I got cut and bruises as he dragged me back to the stone house. He pushed me on the ground. Two more men held me and dragged me back to the room. There were at least 15 people behind me, all were speaking in Arabic. I felt they would kill me then and there. I was so panicked that I could not utter a single word.

One man brought something with lots of jingling sound. I looked at it and realized it was a coil of steel chain,lots of it. I tried to struggle but two men had already pinned me to the ground strongly. I felt they were putting something metallic on my ankles.

"Noooo " I screamed. I could not see what they were doing with my ankles. I tried to pull my legs free from their grip. But it was too late. I could hear loud jungle of chains as I tried to move my legs.

Next they pulled my hands behind my back. I could feel they were putting some kind of cuffs to my wrists as well. But the cuffs were bigger than my tiny wrists I guess. So each time they locked it, I pulled my hand through it. I did not want my hands behind my back.

The fat guy was frustrated. He shouted something in Arabic and released my hands. He threw the cuffs away and left the room, others followed as well. I got up immediately and checked my ankles. There were two solid D shaped steel cuffs around them. They were heavy and were causing discomfort. There was a thick heavy one feet chain attached between them. From the middle link of the chain, another chain was attached to it, which ran till a ring on the wall. There was a longgg chain between those ankle cuffs and the ring.

I tried to slip it over my ankles, but those were snugly fit. That chain on my ankles dashed all my hopes to get free from here. I was still crying loudly. I knew I was going nowhere with that chain on my ankles.

I tried opening it with force, it did not even move a bit. My struggles made the chain rattle on the concrete floor. It was an awful sound, it was the sound of my captivity. I got up and tried to walk. I could only take very tiny step. Every movement was producing rattling sound. The sound was echoing through this empty room.

It was really hard for me to walk with those chains on my ankles. Because I had to pull the total length of chain with my legs. I picked up the anchoring chain with both my hands. It gave me a bit of relief from pulling the heavy chain by my legs. But it was hurting if even by mistake I took a longer step.

I shuffled till the water pot and drank some water. My knees were cut and bruised due to the dragging and kicking. I poured some water on my injuries. I felt that they stopped considering me as a human anymore. No person with a heart could torture a woman so much.

I was back halfway to my corner, when suddenly the door opened once again. I was really scared now. The fat man was back, with three more men along with him. He grabbed me by my hair and again dragged me to my corner. I screamed in pain once again but no mercy was shown. I noticed another metallic device in one person's hand. The fat man kept his hold on my hair. The other person approached me with that metallic device. There were two circles attached to one big circle of thick metal with short chains. The man opened the big circle or ring into two halves, joined by a hinge. He pushed it in my neck. I immediate realized the purpose of the device.

"Noooo please noooo, I will not try to escape ever again" I screamed. I tried to resist him from closing that ring on my neck. But the two other men held my hands firmly. The metal was really hot, as if it was just made according to my size. He closed the ring on my neck with a padlock behind the back of my neck. Then they pulled my hands in front of the neck ring towards those dangling small rings. By then I realized already that those were there for my wrists. I could only watch helplessly as they locked both my wrists into them and closed them with two tiny padlocks. My wrists were pretty much fixed to the awful ring on my neck.

The fat man kicked me once again, I could not resist him anymore. My hands and legs became pretty much useless thanks to those chains. I whimpered in pain as they left me there and closed the door.

I checked my bondage. The cuffs were tight on my wrists. There were no way I could slip them off my wrists. There were just five solid chain links between the wrist cuffs. A short chain of just 3 links attached the handcuff chain further to the ring on my neck. My hands were stuck just over my breasts, and I could not lower them further. All the cuffs were at least half inch thick, heavy and and two inch wide. The finishing was not good, they probably made those cuffs just now, according to my size. I cried out in frustration. I was felling like a true prisoner now.

I cried and cried. I called them many times, but nobody came. My chains clinked on the hard floor. I could only reach my face with my hands to clean tears from my cheeks. I always had to keep my hands up, as resting my hands on the cuffs was resulting in pressure on the neck ring. I tried to drink some water. But I could not extend my hands inside the water pot. I was felling so helpless.

Finally by evening one person came with some food. I kneeled down in front of him. " please get me some water. I can't take out water due to these" I showed him the cuffs on my wrists. He got up, took some water from the pot in the metal bowl and held it near my mouth. I drank some water from it.

"Thank you" I told him.

"Are you stupid that you tried to escape from here? " he asked me in Hindi. I was very surprised to hear my mother tongue from him. I looked at him. He looked like a boy, not more than 18 years of age. But he was tall, his eyes were sharp.

"I am from Pakistan, I know Hindi" he told as he saw me surprised.

"Please let me go sir" I kneeled and begged .

"Finish your food fast" he told in a cold voice.

I had to bend till the floor to pick up the plate. I held it with one hand while ate with another. It was not easy. Any extra movement was hurting either my neck or my wrists.

"They had killed at least 10 people who tried to escape in last six months. If you want to live at least for some more time, don't do that stupidity every again. " he told.

"Sir, I am not a soldier, I am a journalist. Why are you keeping me here? Please release me. " I pleaded again.

"You will not be released anytime soon. Just keep that in mind. " he told and turned to leave.

"Will I be chained like this from now onwards? Please sir, I will not try to escape again, believe me" I cried.

He did not reply. He closed the door and left. I wept for a long time.

Minutes felt like hours and hours felt like day as I laid on the hard concrete floor, awaiting my fate. I wanted to go back to my parents. I could do nothing except crying and screaming. I heard many stories about killing of journalists by IMIM. I did not know whether tomorrow would be my last day or not.


Chapter 4

"Wake up and eat" somebody screamed near my ear. It was not easy for me to even get up with my hands chained to my neck and heavy shackles on my ankles. I looked at the person, it was the same boy from yesterday.

"Sir please release my hands for sometime I can't take care of my hygiene issues like this. I cannot wash my anus. Please sir, I will die with infections like this. I did not take bath since I was captured" I pleaded.

"I don't have keys for your chains, our leader have them. I will ask for permission, but first you eat the food. " be told.

The new boy seemed nice. All other guards used to kick me or slap me mercilessly whenever I tried to speak to them. I badly needed a bath. I was covered with sweat and dust due to my little adventure yesterday. My old bra and shirt were also torn.

I finished my food. He took the plate and left. I was waiting for him to come back. After a long time the door opened one again and the fat guy entered along with the boy. He held the chain between my handcuffs and collar and pulled me up from the ground.

"Ohhhhhhhhhh" I screamed in pain, but he did not bother. He unlocked both the padlocks from my handcuffs and released my hands. I was expecting him to release the ring from my neck as well but he did not unlock it. The opened cuffs were dangling over my breasts. He kicked me again without any reason on my thigh. I fall down on the ground. He gave the padlock and the solo key to the boy, told something in Arabic and left.

I was weeping. I was hurt. But more than that the behavior was unbearable. He was treating me like an animal.

"Hurry up please" the boy told. " you have just got 15 minutes to take bath. "

"Thank you sir for helping me", I told him as I get up. I held the anchoring chain in one hand and moved towards the water pot. I was taking very small steps. It was so difficult to walk with the shackles, leave alone running. The boy meanwhile left me alone and walked out of the room. I thanked god that he did not stand there to see me naked.

I removed my already torn shirt and took bath. I cleaned my injuries. My body was still in severe pain from last day's beating. I did not have anything to dry myself with. The torn bra was unusable. I wore the shirt over my wet body.

"Are you done? " the boy asked me from outside.

"Yes" I told. I was still standing near the water pot. He came inside and told me to come back near the wall where the ankle chain was anchored. With heavy rattling of chains I went back to my old place again.

I started crying when he took out the padlocks and the key to lock my wrists again.

"Please sir, they chained me already to the wall, you don't need to put those handcuffs. I can't even drink water due to these chains.

"You earned them. Now stop struggling or I have to call the leader. "

I did not want the fat man to come . He would beat me again. I reluctantly placed my wrists on my neck. He closed the cuffs back on my wrists and locked the padlock. Then he took out a small tube from his pocket and started applying some ointment over the cut and bruised area of my legs.

"This will heal the injuries" he told

I almost cried to see the gesture. For the first time after my capture someone is making me feel that I am still human.

"What are they planning to do with me sir, please tell me, are they going to kill me? " I dared to ask him.

"I don't know. I am just a common soldier here"

"I don't want to die here sir, please" I started crying.

"I can only tell you that if our people wanted to kill you, the would have put a bullet through your head the day you tried to escape. " he told.

He got up and turned to leave. I tried my luck once again. "sir, it is too cold here. I shiver at night. Can I get a blanket or something please. "

He left the room without answering my question. I got back to the wall again. I was felling fresh after a long time.

The man came back by afternoon with my food and two blankets. He laid one on the floor near the wall, and kept another one beside it.

"Thank you sir" I told him.

"Call me Ali" he replied.

"Sir, can I get my hands free for eating please. " I asked.

"No, I could only convinced them to free your hands only once in a day to take bath and all daily chores. Besides, I don't have the keys of your shackles." he told.

"Thank you for everything you did for me". I told him. I was genuinely grateful to him. He smiled.

I slept in better conditions that night. The blankets were far more comfortable than the cold concrete floor. I decided to walk for a few minutes every day, else my legs used to get numb by sitting all day. Walking in chains was difficult, but not impossible. Although the clinking sound of chains were very loud. I was getting food three times a day, mostly bread and curry.

"Ali sir please, can I have a shirt or something to wear? " I asked the next day. "my shirt is torn and soiled ".

He came to release me from the handcuffs for taking bath. He thought for a moment.

"let me see if I get something" he told and left. I took bath as usual. Ali returned after sometime with a big size sleeveless grey sweater. I did not mind. It was better than my torn shirt.

"Wear this and call me" he told and left. I removed my shirt and wore that sweater. It was bigger in length, thus covered my vaginal area. The neck was big and deep, so my cleavage was clearly visible.

I called Ali back. He came back and saw the silver chain amulet on my arm. It was previously covered by the full sleeves of my shirt.

"what's that" he asked.

" a tabiz(amulet) given by my mother" I told.

He suspiciously checked it first and then removed it from my arm.

"Ali this is the only thing to remind me of my life before capture. It gives me strength in this torturous time. Please let me have it" I begged.

I have to report this to our leader, he will decide what to do about this. He told.

He put my hands back into the handcuffs.

"Be grateful to god that they allowed this sweater to you. All the other girls are kept naked here" he told.

I was shocked! "Are there other girls too? " I asked.

"Yes. Captured soldiers and some Iraqi girls, total 4 girls excluding you. They use them for entertainment. "

"what entertainment? " I asked in surprise. He did not reply. He looked the other way.

"Please tell me Ali, do they rape them? " I asked again with panic in my voice.

"Yes, they rape and beat them whenever they want. Our soldiers are here for more than 1 year, away from home. They have their physical needs too. " he told.

"Are they going to rape me too? " I started crying.

"No, you have been marked by sajjad sir as one of his own. He is the clan leader. This camp and many other camps are under his command. He may use you whenever he will visit this camp. So nobody is allowed to rape you now." he told.

I realized sajjad is the one who raped me when I was taken to this room. I could not believe how inhuman that men could be.

"Won't I be ever free from here? I asked. "

"I don't know. I believe some negotiation talk is going on. Don't lose hope. " he told.

5 more days passed. There were no further change of my conditions. I was still chained by my ankles, wrists and neck.

Ali became a bit friendly with me. He used to speak to me about his religion and why he believed his religion was the only way to purify the mankind further. I did not want to argue with him. I generally used to listen to him quietly. It was my only time pass during my rather boring captive life. He also gave me back my armlet.

"You look like my elder sister" he told once.

"Is it? I asked, then how can you see your elder sister being tortured like this? " I asked him.

"Do you know how my entire family died? Americans bombed them. I even could not give them proper grave" he told. I could see the fire burning in his eyes.

"But what have I done to deserve the torture? I am not a soldier. Why they have captured me? "

"Common people also gets sacrificed during war. My mother, my sister were also not soldiers."


Chapter 5

I was in deep sleep when someone kicked me on my back. I screamed as I got up. I was horrified to see sajjad in my room.

"Hey beautiful, I heard you tried to escape? " he kicked me again. I screamed in pain, again. It was unbearable.

"Please sir, I won't try to escape again " I screamed as I kneeled in front of him. He held the chain between my handcuffs and collar and pulled me up painfully near his face. I could smell alcohol from his breath.

"Run" he told.

"No sir " I knew I could go nowhere.

"I said RUN " he shouted and kicked me again. I did not know what he tried to do. I did not want to get any more kicks, so I tried to ran towards the door slowly with tiny steps. I knew within a few feet my anchoring chain would stop me.

Suddenly it felt like the ground beneath my feet was swept away .He pulled the anchoring chain so hard that I fall down painfully on my cuffed hands and face. I screamed in pain. I could not stop myself from falling flat due to those wrist cuffs. I was hurt badly.

"Ha ha ha ha ha ha " he laughed like a madman. Then he started pulling me towards him by the ankle chain. I could do nothing to stop him. My skin was abraded badly. He pulled me at his feet, removed his belt and started beating me mercilessly.

I howled in pain. I had never experienced pain like this before. My skin was on fire. I could do nothing to stop him. I almost lost my senses. I tried to get away from him but he was still holding my ankle chain in his left hand. He belted me on my thighs, belly ,hands, legs, back everywhere.

I could not breath anymore. I was almost unconscious. He unzipped his pants and took out his huge penis. He held my chained ankle high and rammed the penis into my vagina. He looked fully drunk.

"how dare you try to escape" he shouted again as he raped me.

He kicked me in my ass once he finished having sex. "Suleiman" he screamed. The fat man came running.

"Put a yoke on her neck, how dare she tried to escape. " he shouted in his alcohol laden voice.

He was obviously not in his senses. I was still shaking in pain and fear. I had no idea what was a yoke. The world was blacking out in front of my eyes.

The fat man ran out and came back with Ali. Ali was carrying a big rectangle wooden plank with one round big cutout in the centre and two smaller cut outs on each side of the big round. It looked heavy.

He kept it beside the wall. Suleiman kneeled down beside me and unlocked my handcuffs and collar and took it away. I had no strength to move any muscle of my body. He held me by my hair and pulled me towards the wall. He made me sit by pulling my hair near the wall. Ali pulled the wooden board and split it in two parts along with the cut outs from the middle. Now both the split wooden plank had three half circles along the edges. He pushed the big circle over my neck and pulled my almost limp wrists to the small cut outs each side. Suleiman pushed the other half of the plank from behind my neck, trapping my neck and both my wrists in the cutout. They locked both the planks together with hinges on the edges. When they left the total weight on my shoulders I hauled like an animal. It was unbearable. There was no way I could sit with so much weight on my shoulders. They rested the plank on the wall but I still had to bear it's tremendous weight on my neck ,shoulders and wrists. I had no idea how long could I hold the weight.

"Nooo pleaseeeeee", I pleaded with tears in my eyes. Sajjad came near me and spitted on my face.

"This is how we treat bitches here" he told. Everybody left me there. I could only held it for five more minutes before I fall on my left side. My neck was bent, and the whole weight was on my neck. I tried to get up again but could not due to the weight of the plank. It was just the matter of minutes before my neck would snap.

The door opened again suddenly as Ali rushed in. He held the plank up again, relieving the pressure on my neck. He held me straight and pushed me towards the corner. He made the wood lean exactly at the corner, so I could get some support.

"Kill me, please" I murmured " I can't take this anymore"

He held the bowl of water on my lips.

"Drink" he told. "It will give you strength".

I lost my consciousness frequently at night. Ali came several times to see me. I could not move much anyway.

By next morning my entire upper half of the body started aching like anything. Ali came with my breakfast. He gently held the bread near my mouth.

"Eat " he told.

"Pleaseeeee Ali, please release me from this. I won't try to escape ever again, I promise. I can't escape due to those chains on my ankles, please make them understand. I can't take the weight anymore. " I cried.

"Eat first, I don't have keys of that yoke " he told me. I ate some bites with difficulty.

The weight became more and more unbearable as the day progressed. My hands were numb. Ali fed me another time but did not release me from that awful device. My backache was killing me.

I heard several footsteps outside and the door was opened by night. The fat man along with several other men entered the room.

"How are you bitch" the fat man asked. I did not answer. I could only cry. He dangled the collar and handcuff set in front of my eyes.

"Do you want your jewellery back? " he laughed.

"Yes sir" I murmured.

"Then answer this questions properly. Then I might consider taking the yolk off your neck. "

I looked at him in tearful eyes. I knew that bastard was having fun. Everybody was laughing at my predicament.

"Are you a whore?"

Ali was standing behind everybody. He signaled me to say yes.

"yes" I told. Everybody laughed again.

"Did you liked the bang bang from our boss"

"Yes" I told, as signalled by Ali.

"Bring me her water bowl. " he shouted. Ali took the water bowl and gave him. He lowered his pajama and pissed on the bowl.

He held it near my lips. "Drink it" he told.

I was felling disgusting. Tears rolled down from my eyes. I knew if I would not drink it, he will not take that awful yock off my neck. I had no other choice. I closed my eyes and tried to drink the piss. I vomited as soon as the worm liquid went inside my mouth. I was coughing violently. Everybody was enjoying the torture.

He threw the bowl to the far corner and unlocked the hinges holding both the woods together. When he took the yoke off my neck, I collapsed on the floor. There was not even a drop of strength left in my body. He took the collar and locked it around my neck. Then he took the handcuffs attached to it and locked it on my wrists. I lost my consciousness at that point.


Chapter 6

I woke you with tremendous pain in my body. It was already morning. The first thing I noticed was I could now extend my arms more. I looked at the handcuffs. The chain between the collar and the cuffs had been extended to almost one foot now. Though the chain looked thick and heavy, I at least got some freedom to move my hands.

I looked at my thighs and arms. I could see purple marks all over them, resulted from the beating I received two days back. I got up and crawled towards the water pot. I did not have strength to walk.

I took the bowl of water. Thanks to the new extended chain, now I could take out water myself. I drank some water and washed my face.

Ali entered the room and came near me. He helped me to stand up. I held his shoulder and came back to my blanket. I laid down on the blanket.

"How is the pain on neck and shoulders?" He asked.

"My whole body is paining Ali" I told

"Try to take rest," he told. He gave me two medicines. One of them probably was an I pill. I took them.

"is sajjad still there?" I asked.

"No, he left yesterday morning"

"When will he come back again? " I asked in a panicked tone .

"We don't know" Ali told" It could be weeks or months"

"I don't want to be a alive till then" I quipped.

"Don't lose hope dear, you did good. Now at least you have a bit more freedom" he told as he touched the new chain between the handcuffs and collar.

"Oh yes" I tried to smile" how they became so generous? " I asked.

"I told them that even at night you call me for water, which disturbs me. I proposed a longer chain so you can drink water on your own. " he told.

I was really grateful that he gave me a longer chain. at least now I could use my hands for some works.

"thank you Ali. at least someone here thinks I am still a human. " I told him.

"but they ensued to put a thick and heavy chain there. They also instructed me to shorten your chain at night with a padlock, so you cannot do anything mischievous. " he told.

"What mischievous thing I will do? Will I break these thick shackles on my ankles and run away? " I asked.

He stopped for a few minutes, then spoke, "They meant masturbating "

"Oh wow, how thoughtful of them. " I told in sarcastic tone.

"Now you sleep, I will bring you some food afterwords. " he told and left.

Next day I had my periods. My stomach was cramping badly. Ali was very surprised. He probably saw periods for the first time. After all, he was just a young boy.

"Are you hurt" he asked.

"No, it's called menstrual cycles. I need a sanitary pad or some clean cloth. " I told.

He came back with some clean cloth. They probably would have never heard of sanitary pads.

"This is all I got" he told.

I wondered what the other captive girls would do during those days.

I kept a thick bundle of cloths under my vagina to soak up the blood. I tried to wash my vaginal area at least three times a day to keep infection away.

At nights Ali used to shorten my neck chain with a padlock as instructed by his leader. He used to sit and chat with me every night.


Chapter 7

It was a bright morning. I had just finished my breakfast when suddenly 4-5men along with Suleiman entered the room. He held my shoulders roughly and pulled me up.

Another man kneeled down near my legs and was about to remove my leg irons when Suleiman stopped him. He was speaking to him in Arabic. I could clearly understand that they were talking about whether to remove my leg irons or not. I guessed Suleiman was telling this guy that sajjad would have not been very happy if they take the leg irons off. I had no idea what they want now. The man then went near the wall ring where the other end of the chain was locked. He unlocked the padlock and brought the free end towards me. He wrapped the whole anchoring chain around my body and padlocked it there. I gasped for breath. The whole chain must had been 20 feet long, and minimum 10 kg in weight. My hands were pinned to my body and I was not been able to move. They started pushing me toward the door. It was just another torture to carry so much of weight around my body. I shuffled along with them. I knew any resistance will result in severe beating.

I was taken to the corridor where I could see four more girls standing between IMIM men. They all wore black overall burquas. I could only see their faces. Their bodies were covered fully with the black clothes. When they took me near them. One man came near me and put another burqua over my chained body as well. The black overall rested on my shoulder. I looked at the other girls. They had no expressions on their face. They were looking at the floor. I was very scared. I did not know where were they taking us.

A long chain then locked around the first girls neck. The same chain then locked to each girls neck with padlocks to make a queue . I was the last person in the line. The girl before me was around four feet apart. Finally they covered our hair with a black scarf, leaving only our face exposed. Then they led us outside.

All were walking slowly to maintain balance. My leg irons were hitting the floor with loud clinking sound. There was a truck standing outside. They lead us towards it . They told us to get up behind the truck. There was a makeshift staircase attached to it. The first girl climbed up followed by the second and third one. I noticed that nobody had chains on their ankles. I could not climb the stairs due to my leg irons . Two guys held me and almost carried me up on the truck. They made us sit in an wooded bench fixed on one side. I was very scared about our future. The truck started moving.

"where are they taking us? Are they going to kill us? " I whispered to the next girl.

"I hope they does. I can't take it anymore". She told in a shaken voice. I looked at her. There were tears in her eyes.

"you are the soldier, right? " I asked.

"how do you know?" she asked in surprise

"I heard about you from one of the captors" I told.

"Who are you? I guess you are very precious to them. That's why they had put those jeweleries on your ankle. " she asked.

"No, I am just a junior journalist. They have put those leg irons because I tried to escape once. Even now beneath this burqua they have wrapped tons of chains around my body. " I told.

" I never got a chance to escape. They had cuffed my hands behind my back since the day I was captured last month. I think they are pretty much useless by now. I can't feel my arms anymore. There is always someone or other in my room,fucking me. The short chain they locked on my neck, does not allow me even to raise my head from the floor. " She was panting. I was shocked to learn about her predicament.

The truck came to a halt. We were taken down from it.

I looked around. I could see two more trucks and many people with gun. IMIM flags were flying high.

We were taken to one place in the desert and they made us kneel on the sand. We were still chained to each other by our neck. There was a video camera pointed towards us.

"You, journalist, look at the camera and read this" he told me. He was holding a big board with some lines written in English. I started reading it.

"You have killed enough innocent people . And now we need to pay for your sins. You have 1 month to remove your camp from Baghdad, or they will kill each one of us, for your past sins.. "

I could not read anymore. Tears rolled down from my eyes.

"No, please, don't kill us, please" I shouted.

A man came near me and kicked me in my breasts. I screamed again.

"finish it, now. " he screamed.

"my blood will be in your hands" I finished the line. I was shivering in fear.

But the camera turned towards the next girl who repeated the same lines in English. She was crying too. They gradually recorded the third girl's statement in Iraqi language.

The last Iraqi girl was next. She read the whole text in Iraq. It was over, I guessed.

A man suddenly walked near the last Iraqi girl calmly. He held her head and suddenly took a big knife and stabbed her in heat. I screamed in panic. There was blood flowing out of her chest. She was screaming like an animal. She fall down, shivered for a few seconds and went limp. We were all screaming. Another IMIM man walked in front of the camera and started speaking in Arabic pointing at the dead girl. I vomited when I saw so much of blood and got unconscious.


Chapter 8

When I came back to my senses, I realized that I was back in my room again, chained by my ankles to the wall, shackled by wrists and neck. I could not erase the memory of the incident. I was sure that I also will be killed like this very soon. I was shivering from inside. I could not stop crying.

Ali came to my room late in the evening. He gave me a new sweater. He unlocked my handcuffs for me to take bath. I was so panicked that I could not get up from my place.

"Get up and take bath, please. "He told.

I kept on crying. He sat beside me and held my hands.

" I don't want to die" I screamed. I could not think straight anymore.

"you will not die, please dear. Take bath and have food. Otherwise they will again get reasons to torture you. "

He helped me to get up. I slowly walked towards the water pot.

I recovered in about a week. After days of crying, I realized that my life is really not in my hand anymore. There is no way I can ever get out of those heavy chains and cuffs by myself and escape. So I stopped crying. I left my life in the hands of god.

Ali gave me praying beads. I started praying to god. Surprisingly Suleiman and group almost stopped beating me once they saw me praying three times daily. May be because they were too a religious group and started respecting me. The praying made me calm.

The chains became part of my life. I knew those cuffs would not be taken off, so I stopped struggling in them. Instead I started understanding my limitations. Now I knew how short should I put my steps to avoid hurting my ankles, or how far I can reach with my shackled hands. They still used to shorten the chain between the handcuffs and collar at night. I stopped complaining about it.


Chapter 9

Sajjad did not visit me for a long time either by gods grace. So I was not sexually abused for almost a month.

" Please get ready, we have been ordered to take you to Jampla" Ali told as he kept a clean sweater and a panty beside me.

"What is Jampla? " I asked him,

It is a place, very far from here. We almost need to drive through the country. It takes 8 to 9 days as the road is not good.

"all the other prisoners are going too? " I asked.

"No, only you. "

I wondered why they were taking me to that place. But I was least bothered. I had stopped worrying about my future.

"are you going with me? " I asked.

"Yes, and Suleiman bhai" he told.

"So both the angel and devil was going to travel with me. " I thought.

He first unlocked the handcuffs from my wrists.

"Take bath. I don't know whether we will get a chance to take bath in next few days. " he told.

I took bath properly and wore the new sweater. I wondered how I was gonna wear the pantry over my leg irons . I called Ali.

Both Ali and Suleiman entered the room. They both looked properly dressed for the journey. Then for the first time in last two months Suleiman unlocked the leg irons from my ankles. I sat down and rubbed them. My feet were feeling much lighter. I could see deep cuff marks on my ankles.

"Wear it, I don't have all day. " he told roughly. I wore the panty. at least I got something to cover my vagina. He reapplied the leg irons on my ankles again.

He then unlocked my wrists. He held the collar on my neck and rotated it, so the chain and the handcuffs moved behind my back. He then pulled my hands behind my back and locked them in those cuffs again.

My hands were held high behind my back due to the short chain from the collar. It was putting strain on my arms and neck. Meanwhile Ali unlocked the anchoring chain from the wall ring and coiled it in his hand.

"move" Suleiman pushed me.

"will I be chained like this for my entire journey? " I asked. nobody replied. Suleiman pushed me again.

"off course I will be chained like this, how stupid of me" I thought.

They lead me outside. There were several IMIM men stood outside. When we came outside the building I saw a white van parked. It was just looked like a delivery van. There were one small window like structure on the back container in one side, which also was covered by a metal sliding window. They opened the huge door behind and lifted me to the rear container of the van. I could see two wooden benches fixed in each side. Ali also got up on it and fixed the anchoring chain to a strong looking ring on the floor of the van. Then he got down and closed the big container door with huge should, leaving me in total darkness.

Soon the the van started moving. The roads were really bad. I started feeling suffocated in that closed container very soon. I was not been able to breath properly. I shouted to stop the van. But I guessed nobody heard me. I tried to bang the side of the van with my cuffs.

Finally after a few minutes the van came to a hold. The window slid open. There was a wire mesh grill from inside and a metal hatch from outside.

" what is it? " Suleiman shouted. He looked pissed off.

"please sir, keep the window open. I can't breath in here. I feel suffocated. " I told with teary eyes. He kept it open. I had put my face on the wire mesh and looked outside. The van started again.

I could only see uneven terrain outside the window. There were no houses, almost no trees. Only rocky field till the horizon.

I tried to find a comfortable position. The new arrangement of chains were really uncomfortable. I was not been able to rest my back on the wall, as it was putting pressure on my arms. I sat on the corner. The wooden seat was very hard too. The chain on my ankle was creating ample sound by hitting the metal floor, whenever I tried to move my legs.

"I need to pee" I screamed as I knocked the wall again with my cuffs. I did not want to soil the panty I got after so long. It was already afternoon, she the sun was right over our head. I was hungry too.

The van stopped after a few minutes. This time near a big tree. The back doors opened with a big sound.

"get down here" he told.

I walked towards the door, and he helped me to get down from the van. He pulled my panty down near my ankles.

Go behind the tree, he told.

The chain was long enough for me to reach behind the tree. I finished peeing and came back. Suleiman also was standing near the back of the van.

"sit in the shade of the tree. We will have lunch. " he told in Hindi.

I was surprised. " you know Hindi?"

He did not reply. He walked back near the front seat. Ali took me to near the tree and made me sit on a stone.

"Can you please release my hands for sometime? My arms hurt. " I asked Ali. He gestured me to talk to Suleiman.

"Suleiman sir, can you please release my hands for sometime. It is really paining "I begged.

"No" he told.

"Please sir, I will still have those heavy chains on my legs. My hands are numb. If you want you can chain them in front." I told.

"Just eat the damn food and go back to the truck" he told. I was frustrated. I had no idea why I became so frustrated, I shouted back at him.

"I won't eat anything until you unlock my hands once. " I screamed.

He slapped me really hard on my face. But I stood my ground firmly.

"hit me all you want. But you can't behave like an animal to me. I am a war prisoner. You cannot be so inhuman to me" I screamed again at him.

He held me by my neck and dragged me to the back of the van. He almost threw me at the back of the van and shut the door. I had landed on my arms, I was really hurt.

The van started again in 2 minutes. I did not know whether I had done right or wrong. This guy was merciless, he could have put a bullet through me then and there. But I knew I might had to die someday very soon. Then why not with dignity.

My stomach grumbled as time passed. I sat on the hard bench and looked outside through the wire mesh. We were on a proper road. Daylight was fading. They did not stop anywhere after that break in afternoon.

They stopped somewhere by evening. I also had to pee. I banged my handcuffs to the metal wall again. Ali unlocked the van door and let me out of the van. We had stopped in the middle of the deserted road. There were no trees this time either. He pulled the panty down and told me to pee there itself. He looked on the other side as I peed there.

"why do you want to get tortured again. Why did you spoke against him. You are his prisoner, not some guest. " he told in a low voice while lifting me to the van again.

"I did what u had to do. I am being tortured anyway. I am not scared of him anymore, he can beat me all he wants. "

"are you hungry? " he asked.

"very hungry" I told with tears in my eyes.

"then apologize to him, he might allow you some food " he told.

"never, even if I die, I won't " I told him

"then I can't help you" he told as he shut the door.

Within a few hours we reached a place with moderate population. I could see IMIM flags flying high. I realized it was once a city. Now there was only ruins left of it. People made temporary campus with plastic sheets and stones. There were camps of IMIM soldiers everywhere.

The van stopped for a couple of times inside the city.. I could see Suleiman getting down from the vehicle and hugging a few people here. I guessed he knew them.

Some children was running beside the vehicle. They waved at me. I smiled. I could not wave back at them for obvious reasons.

The vehicle stopped at a quiet place in front of a building. It was already dark outside and inside. A small bulb lit inside the van. The door opened and Suleiman entered. He was carrying a plate of food. He kept it in front of me.

"I won't have it if you don't open these handcuffs. " I told with tears in my eyes. I did not have anything to eat since that day morning. But I was felling determined.

He quietly came near me and unlocked my handcuffs.

"Ahhhhh" I screamed in pain as I took the hands in front. It was shaking in pain.

"Eat" he told and left.

I was really surprised. I expected another thrashing from him. For the first time he behaved as if I was a human being and not a dog.

I ate the food. Į was simple handmade bread and curry. I liked the taste. I washed my hands And drank some water from the bottle. He was still not back. I sat down on the floor and rubbed my ankles. Those cuffs were there since last one month but I still did not get used to it. There were cuff marks on my ankle skin.

The door opened again and Ali and Suleiman got up in the van. I closed my eyes and presented my arms behind my back again for cuffing.

They relocked my wrists behind my back. Then unlocked the padlock holding the anchoring chain on the floor of the van.

" come" Ali told. He helped me in getting down from the van. They closed the door and locked it. Then they lead me towards the building.

It was a two storied building. There was a hall in the entrance. I saw one man sitting in a dining table. He did not look like from around here. He looked British. A woman in burqua was serving him food.

The room was specious with wooden furniture. Though the walls looked old, it looked royal.

"so she is the prisoner you are carrying?" he asked in English.

He nodded.

" please take her to guest room. Though she is a prisoner, she is our guest for the night. " he told.

The woman lead us towards a room. It was a small room with a wooden bed. There was an attached bathroom as well. Other than the bed, there was only a table and a chair beside the bed. She made me sit on the bed.

"Lock the chain around the pillar of you want. " the lady in burqua told in hindi . Suleiman. He wrapped the anchoring chain around the big pillar, leaving just enough slack till the bed.

"please keep some more slack. Enough for her to reach bathroom."

Suleiman thought for a moment. Then released some more slack and locked the chain there. Then opened the bathroom door and checked.

"don't worry, the room is escape proof" she smiled.

"sister, she is very cunning, she had already tried to escape once. " he told.

"don't worry, she is secure here"

Ali and Suleiman left the room.

"I will come back after finishing my works. Please make yourself comfortable." she told and left.

I was pretty much surprised with their behavior. This room looked like total luxury for me, after what I had endured till now. Though I was still a chained prisoner, they were at least treating me like a human. For the first time in days I saw a proper bed.

After some time the lady came back. She came near me.

"are you OK? Do you need anything? She asked.

"I need to use bathroom. " I told.

She held my arm and gently took me to bathroom. I gestured her to take my panty dawn, as I could not reach it.

She pulled my panty down and made me sit in the toilet seat. She went out to give me privacy. I peed and dumped. When I called her, she came back and cleaned my anus with a water jet.

"how long your hands are chained behind your back? " she asked.

"Since today morning ma'am. Previously it used to be chained in front. My shoulders are really aching badly". Tears rolled down from my eyes as I told her.

"This potheads will never understand how painful it is to be chained. " she told as she settled me down to bed.

"Let me see if I can convince them to get comfortable restraints for the night. "She told and left.

Within a minute she came back along with Suleiman.

"Sister, you don't understand, I don't want to put her hands in front. She is an important consignment for commander." he told her.

"but at least some comfortable restraints for her. Her arms are chained painfully high behind her back. How can she sleep? " she asked.

" what do you suggest sister? " he asked.

"I have some cuffs, you can choose something for her. " she said as they left the room again.

They came back after sometime. He unlocked the collar from my neck and then the handcuffs.

"thank you" I told Suleiman. He did not reply. I rubbed my wrists to ease the pain.

He pulled my wrists behind again. Then he locked another set of handcuffs. There was a chain attached to it which lead to a set of leg irons . He put them too on my ankles above my existing leg irons . The cuffs looked like the ratchet cuffs used by police. at least it was not as painful as my previous shackles. He kept the old shackles on the table and left.

"you can now at least reach your panty and remove it if you need to pee at night. " d she told.

"thank you ma'am for everything " I told.

"call me Maria. I was a prisoner myself, I know the pain of a chained girl. Don't worry. " she told.

"What! " I was stunned " You are also a prisoner? "

"I said I was" now I am John's wife" she told.

" Did he make you his wife forcefully? " I asked.

"No, we fall in love and I joined IMIM too. He had never tortured me, even when I was his prisoner here. "

"why the hell have you joined a group who had forcefully captured you? I don't understand" I told.

" I stared understanding their ideology. Basically what we want to achieve here is freedom, freedom from the tortures of western countries. They have used this land for years and soaked up all our oils and kept us undeveloped. We have our own culture, our own religion. These are much stronger than their culture. We want to go to the path which our religious leaders had shown long back. We want to build our own society. It is our land, not theirs. When we tried to claim what was rightfully ours, they marked us as terrorists. Our brothers and sisters are suffering all over the world" she told.

"then if you have problems with the western countries, why am I being tortured like an animal. I am not even from those countries" I told.

"but you worked for those western companies who showed adulterated news to the world. We had enough, now it's their turn"

I did not want to argue. She was perfectly brainwashed to join the movement. Anything I would have told, might have backfired.

"please, let me go, I am just a 23 years old girl. I have nothing to do with your war. Please convince them to let me go" I begged.

"I can't dear. I helped you as far as I could. " she told.

"your husband, John, is he a leader here?" I asked.

"Yes, he is a technical expert. Now please sleep, you must be very tired." she told.

She switched off the light and left. I closed my eyes and slept.


Chapter 10

"Good morning Puja, please get up, it's time to resume our journey again. "

I got up. It was Ali who came to wake me up. I had a sound sleep despite being cuffed behind my back.

Iv tried to get up. Ali helped me to sit. He unlocked my wrists and also the leg irons attached with it.

Madam sent you this dress. She told you to take bath and wear this. He smiled.

I was still chained to the pillar. But at least now I had no chains on my wrists. I took bath when Ali left me alone.

The dress which she sent looked lovely. It was sleeveless white dress till my knees. I wore it and called Ali.

"oh my god you are looking stunning" Maria told as she entered with a tray of food. I ate the sweet breads given by her. It was heavenly.

"time to go" Suleiman told. He grabbed the collar and a handcuff combo from the table. Tears rolled down from my eyes when I saw that. I did not want to wear it again.

He closed the heavy collar on my neck once again. The wrists followed next. My arms were chained again behind my back.

Maria hugged me. "I hope the channel or the government agrees on all the terms. I would prey to see you go free very soon. " she told.

Suleiman had already unlocked the anchoring chain from the pillar. He gestured me to walk. I started walking. I could not see John anywhere.

We came out of the house and walked to the van. They unlocked the van and helped me in. They closed the door after locking my anchoring chain to the floor ring.

Soon we left the city and started going through highway. They stopped after a few hours for lunch. We were having food inside the van that day. My hands were unlocked before the supper.

"which place is this? I asked Ali, he looked at Suleiman, but did not reply.

As soon as I finished the food, Suleiman locked my wrists again behind my back.

The journey was very boring that day we only stopped for food and nature's call. At night we stopped in front of another big building which almost turned into ruins. It looked like a big tomb. There were no sign of any human habitation.

The van door opened again and Ali entered. He unlocked my wrists and gave me dinner.

"what is this place? Are we going to stay here at night? " I asked.

"yes. The next city is too far from here, you will stay at the van, me and Suleiman bhai will find some place inside this ruined mosque. "He told.

"Please let me have my hands in front at night. It hurts" I pleaded. But Ali again chained my hands behind my back

"I am sorry Puja, I have my orders" he told. He spread a blanket on the floor and gave me another blanket

"Sleep dear, we have a long journey ahead".

I was in deep sleep when suddenly I heard a sound on the roof of the van. It was like someone walking on it. I looked at the window. There were a pair of eyes looking at me. I screamed in fear.

"who is it? Ali? Suleiman? "

Somebody was trying to unlock the door. I expected Ali or Suleiman. the door opened and I saw a bunch of men, probably 15 of them, all had scarf covering their face.

Before I could speak they jumped inside and grabbed my neck. They were speaking in Arabic. I was very scared. I tried to scream, but they held my mouth. They were manhandling me. I tried to struggle but they were to many. There were several hands inside my dress.

"Ali, Suleiman help " I could scream once before the put hands over my mouth again. Someone tore my panty. Then they tried to drag me out of the van when they saw the leg irons on my ankles.

One of the men screamed something in Arabic and within few seconds two more men came inside the van caring a chisel and a hammer.

I could not think straight. I had no idea who were they .I was fighting as much as I could in chains. I tried to scream as they scratched my body while manhandling me. They were holding my legs.

They first tried to break the anchoring chain but it was too heavy and strong. Then they came near my legs and put the chisel on the locks of the cuff and hit it with the hammer.

I screamed in pain. The impact was hurting me. I felt a finger inside my vagina.

BANG! another heavy blow, and I felt the cuff broke.

"ohhhh" I tried to scream but a muffled sound came out of my mouth.

They punched me in my belly as I tried to bite the hand holding my mouth. They were already working on my right ankle cuff.

BANG BANG BANG. The hammer was hitting the cuff. The pain on my ankle bones were unbearable. My dress was almost torn and it was hanging from my body. I was pinned to the floor of the van.

BANG. another sound. But it was not exactly the same sound produced from the hammer. The man who was holding my head, just fall beside me, lifeless.

I raised my head a bit and looked in front. I could see Suleiman and Ali with guns in their hands. There was a quick change of situation. The men who were holding me homes jumped up and ran towards them. Another firing, and another man fall.

They ran out of the van. Ali ran towards the van, got up and closed the door from inside. He was holding the handles tightly.

BAMMMMMMMM!!!!!! a large explosion rocked the van. I covered my ears and screamed. The van stared moving meanwhile.

"hold the doors strongly" I heard Suleiman scream from front cabin.

"fast fast fast" Ali screamed too as second explosion happened near the van too.

"keep your head low and cover your ears. They are throwing bombs at us" Ali told me.

I could not stop crying. I could not imagine what would have happened to me if they would have been successful in taking me out of the van. What would have happened if these two guys would have not come back to save me. My whole body was paining.

I could feel the van was speeding. I clinched the blankets by my teeth to cover my modesty. I was almost naked. The turn dress was hanging from my shoulders. I was still shivering from fear.

The van stopped almost after an hour. Ali was sitting inside the back cabin holding the door. He opened the door. Suleiman climbed in. He unlocked my wrist cuffs and gave me my old sweater.

I took off the shredded dress and wore the sweater. There were scratch marks all over my body. My hands were still trembling. I had nothing to wear below my waist. Suleiman relocked my wrists behind my back.

"who were they? " I asked them.

"highway rubbers" Ali replied.

I was still shivering and crying. Suleiman checked the damaged leg irons . Both the cuffs were broken.

"damn" he told as he threw it away.

"are you hurt?" Ali asked me.

"yes, my ankles hurt" I replied.

"get up" Suleiman told. I tried, but I could not. My legs were hurting badly. He held me firmly and made me stand.

"Ali hold her and take her to the front cabin. The back door padlock is broken, and those leg irons are damaged too. We can't keep her here. I don't have extra padlocks. " he told.

They helped me to get down from the van. I was limping. They lead me to the front cabin. It was total dark outside. There were two rows of seats. They made me sit on the back row.

"keep an eye on her" Suleiman instructed Ali.

I anyway had no strength left. I had no place to go. I could not even think about an escape attempt now. I rested my back on the seat. The sponge felt comfortable. I closed my eyes and slept.


Chapter 11

I woke up with bright sunlight in my eyes. I looked around I was still in the backseat if the front cabin of the van, but there were no one else inside the cabin. The outside terrain looked deserted with nothing around but empty land.

I hurried to my feet. My legs were still hurting. I got into the front seat and tried to force open the door. It was locked. I looked around. Suleiman and Ali was not seen anywhere. They must be sleeping on the back of the van.

This was the only chance I got to try and escape. I looked around a found a small bag. I kneeled down and after several attempt picked the bag from was floor. It was not easy to search a bag when your hands are cuffed high behind your back. I fumbled through the cloths inside the bag and found nothing.

"are you looking for this? " I screamed as I heard Suleiman's voice. He was dangling the key outside the glass windows.

He unlocked the door and entered the drivers seat. I hurriedly got back to the back seat.

"I am sorry , please" I cried. I was expecting another thrashing.

Ali also entered the cabin and sat on the front seat.

"now tell me, have I done any mistake by keeping her in chains all the time? " he asked Ali.

"no boss " Ali replied meekly.

"now, will you please bind her legs together with that rope? " he told.

Ali picked up a coil of rope and tightly bind my ankles together with that. I did not struggle.

By afternoon we reached a small village. It was situated beside a lake. The weather was good.

Suleiman stepped the van in the middle of the village and got down from the van. Ali sat beside me and held a bottle of water on my lips. I drank some water from it.

"my arms are paining really bad Ali. Can you please release them for sometime? " I asked.

"no, not after you tried to escape once again today. I was trying to convince him to let you travel with us in this front cabin, but because if your little adventure he got angry again"

"I am sorry Ali but how can someone not try to escape after such a long captivity?" I asked him.

He did not reply. Meanwhile Suleiman came back and kept a panty beside me.

"Ali, unlock her wrists and ankles and come down. Let her wear it" he told Ali and got down.

Ali unlocked my wrists and unwrapped the rope from my ankles.

"please hurry up and come out once you are ready" he told and got out of the car too.

I wore the panty and came down from the van. They quickly locked my cuffs again on my wrists. They made me walk along the alleys of the village. I noticed Suleiman was carrying my old leg irons and the coil of the anchoring chain attached to it. Men and women were standing beside the roads to see me in chains. I did not bother and kept on walking

We reached a small hut. Suleiman knocked the door. An old man opened it and let us in.

"so this is the prisoner" he asked a he looked at me.

By then I started understanding bits and pieces of Arabic. It had similarities with Hindi, my mother tongue.

Ali made me sit in a chair. I could see a fireplace and some things related to blacksmith on the floor. I immediately knew why I was here.

"I can't repair it. " the old man told. He was examining the broken leg irons .

Then make a new one. How much time will it take? " Suleiman asked.

"A couple of hours" he told." But I can't make any hinges,I don't have equipments, should I make plain rings as cuffs? "

"yes go ahead.

He took a wire and measured my ankles. He then took two round rods . Those were minimum half inch thick. He put that in the fire. Within 10 minutes the rod became very hot. Those became red first and then yellow. He took each rod and hammered it to make C rings each.

He cooled them by putting them in water. Then he approached me. He put the first C ring on my left ankle. It was loose, there were at least 3 inch gap between the ends. He then inserted one end link of a black heavy looking chain through the ring. The chain was mere 1 feet in length.

"There goes my freedom" I thought.

He instructed me to sit near the anvil. He then took my left leg and placed it beside the anvil.

I screamed when he started hammering the ring to close the gap. It was hurting my already sore ankles.

"Slowly please" I pleaded." my ankles are already hurt". He did not seem to bother. He stopped when both the ends met.

The solid iron cuff was snugly fit to my ankle. There was not even a gap for inserting one finger between the cuff and my skin.

He took my right leg too and put the other C cuff over it. By inserting the other end of the chain link he hammered it shut over my right ankle.

There were no locking mechanism for the cuff. But I knew I could not pull those heavy cuffs open, ever.

But the man didn't seem to finish. He inserted thin asbestos sheets between my skin and the cuffs. He then came back with a small pot which was already put over the fireplace since long. I could not see what was inside it. It was very hot.

"hold her legs" he instructed. Ali held my right leg firmly. The old man took a metal spoon and carefully took out some sizzling silver liquid from the pot. He poured the liquid on the gap between two ends of the cuff.

"ohhhhhh" I screamed as suddenly the cuff became very hot. I realized by then that he was permanently sealing off that cuff on my ankle.

"what are you doing? I screamed. I looked at Suleiman. " he is putting those cuffs permanently on my ankles " I told.

"in Jampla camp they will cut it open if they need to" he told.

Tears rolled down from my eyes. Over the period of my captivity I started realizing that I might never escape from those chains. But as the other cuff was fixed permanently on my left ankles too, I lost the tiniest bit of hope of being free. The feeling of helplessness, knowing that there is no keys of those chains on my ankles was heart shattering.

The old man cooled those cuffs down with water.

"can I get some food, we are hungry. " Suleiman asked the old man.

They unlocked my wrists from behind my back when food arrived.

"Ohh, I can't take this anymore" I screamed as the blood rushed back in my shoulder muscles. My arms were paining badly. those were almost numb.

"why do you want to torture me all the time sir. Please let me keep my arms in front. I can't break those shackles sir. And now you have already put those leg irons permanently. My arms really hurt.." I could not finish, I started crying profusely.

"eat your food, or your hands are going back again immediately " Suleiman screamed back. I tried to eat. My hands were shaking.

"you have no humanity left" I cried.

The old man gave me water to wash my hands. He checked the deep cuff marks on my wrists.

"That's nasty" he told Suleiman. " can I help? " he asked.

"I want her hands behind her back" Suleiman told.

"That's OK, I can make the chain a bit longer so she can rest her hands on her buttocks. I will extend the chain till her leg irons so she would not be able to move her hands that much. " he told.

Suleiman agreed. He unlocked the collar from my neck.

"get up and sit on the chair, " he told.

I got up. The new leg iron jingled. It was restrictive. The chain was very short. I could take very tiny steps. It was heavy. Walking was difficult, running was out of question.

I walked with difficulties and sat on the chair. The blacksmith stared working on my new restrains.

I was really tired of everything what had happened since yesterday. I closed my eyes and slept for sometime.

"get up" Suleiman woke me up after sometime. I looked at his hand. My new restraints were ready. It was laden with more chains than I had expected.

"that's a lot of chains" I told him.

He did not reply. He instructed Ali to made me stand. He then locked the collar on my neck first. There was a chains running over my spine. The handcuffs followed next, it was threaded in the same chain, but thankfully it was not so high up behind my back anymore. I could rest my cuffs on my buttock, but could not lower my hands beyond it. The connecting chain continued till the floor. The end link was then padlocked at the centre of my leg iron chain. The connecting chain was thinner than the previous connecting chain between the handcuffs and collar but the amount of chains makes up on the weight. The chain was noisy too.

Suleiman thanked the old man and we left his hut. It was almost evening by then. The sky started to get dark. People started gathering on the street to see me again. I grabbed the chain between the handcuffs and leg irons to prevent it from hitting the ground. But it was so difficult to walk with so much of chains on my body. I felt like a Roman slave, marching along to be sold somewhere. It took almost 10 minutes to reach the van again.

They helped me to get in the van. Then Suleiman locked the old anchoring chain again in the middle of my leg irons .

"How many days I need to be in these chains? When we will reach Jampla? " I asked him.

"Five-six more days," he told.

"What's there in Jampla? Is that a prison camp? Please at least tell me why are you taking me there? "

He did not reply. He finished locking me to the van and closed the door, leaving me alone again.

I jingled my new chains. I don't think there is anything called comfortable shackles, but these were better than the previous set. I pushed my hands in one side and looked at them. Black polished hard iron chains. I touched the permanent joint of the leg cuff. It was seamless.

I sat on the floor. The van started moving. I rested my back on the wall and closed my eyes.

We had dinner at night. Suleiman and Ali slept at the front cabin, locking me in the back of the van as usual.


Chapter 12

I had no idea why, but I really had a very good sleep that night. May be because the cuffs became a bit comfortable. Or because I was too tired.

I woke up and realized that the van was not moving. I looked outside. It was early morning. I could not see either Ali or Suleiman but I could hear some mechanical noises.

Ali opened the door after sometime. He gave me some dry bread and dates. He unlocked my hands from the cuffs.

"Why have we stopped here?" I asked.

"Some mechanical issues, Suleiman bhai is fixing it" he told.

I looked outside, the weather was cloudy.

"Can I walk outside for sometime Ali? " I asked.

"I have to ask Suleiman bhai" he told as he recuffed my hands behind my back.

Suleiman agreed as Ali helped me to get down from the van. There were cool wind outside. I could see Suleiman working on the engine in front. I took two steps, suddenly my legs got tangled with my leg irons as I stumbled on the ground. Ali helped me to get up.

"how can I walk with so many chains dangling from those leg irons . " I pointed at my feet. Tears ran down from my eyes. The connecting chain and the anchoring chain was both hanging from my leg irons . It was impossible for me to drag both, specially the heavy anchoring chain which was still attached to the van floor.

Ali came back with the key and unlocked the anchoring chain from my leg irons . He relocked it in the small ring in front of my collar.

"is this better? " he asked.

"I am feeling like an animal, but still better, thank you"

I walked for a few steps as far the chain would allow. I could see a small water body and a tree not very far away.

"Ali, let me go there, near that pond please. I won't try anything stupid, I promise. " I tried my luck, I knew I would get no for an answer. But to my surprise Suleiman allowed. May be after putting so much of chain on me, he was now confident that i could not escape. He only suggested Ali to hold the anchoring chain on my neck properly. Ali unlocked the chain from the van's floor and clinched it in his palm.

"let's go" he pulled me by the neck chain. I started walking slowly. I wanted to tell him not to drag me like a dog, but at least I got some time off the prison van, so I did not argue.

We reached near the pond and sat beside it. I so wanted to touch the water. But with those chains on my wrists it was not possible.

"What's there in Jampla Ali? Please tell me.i want to know where you are taking me. Please"

Ali paused for a minute.

"Jampla is the base camp of Sajjad Sir. You will be kept there until further negotiation happens. " he told.

I shivered in fear. I did not want to go to the man who raped me twice like an animal.

"Please don't do this to me Ali, I don't want to go to him. He will rape me again. Please kill me if you want to, but don't let me go there. "

I kept on pleading, but he did not reply. I started crying profusely. I did not realise when Suleiman came behind us.

"let's go " he told as he took the neck chain from Ali. He yanked the chain, indicating me to get up. I put my head on his feet.

"Please sir, please don't take me to Sajjad. I beg you" I was crying and crying. But he showed no mercy. He pulled me by the neck chain and made me walk towards the van again.

I was feeling so helpless. I wanted to die at the very moment, but being chained like this, I could do nothing. They locked the anchoring chain to the floor, closed the van door.

I closed my eyes and wept. I was shivering from inside in the thought of being raped regularly by that animal. I had no idea what would happen next.


Chapter 13

Two more days passed. We stopped only for supper. I stopped pleading to them, knowing it would not help. "Whatever would happen in future, I must face it bravely. But i would not let that animal rape me without a fight" I thought.

I stopped looking outside the window as well. May be because there were no hope left for me. Also it was tiring to pull the heavy anchoring chain, which was now locked on my neck. I slept on the floor most of the time.

"BAAAAAANNNGGGGGGG" a huge sound woke me up from the sleep as I was thrown on the side wall of the van. I screamed in pain as I held the wooden bench. The van had rolled upside down. I could taste my blood, tickling from the side of my mouth. There were smoke everywhere. I was hurt.

I looked around. The van door was swinging freely. The impact must had broken the padlock. I crawled out of the van.

It was bright sunlight outside. I was still fully shackled and still chained to the van floor. I looked at the van from outside. It was upside down with smoke coming out of it. I had no idea what had just happened, I had no idea how I survived. I was panting heavily. I only wanted to get free from those chains around my body.

"Aliiiiii" I screamed and ran towards the front cabin. The front cabin was almost smashed from one side. Before I reach till the door the anchoring chain on my neck went taut.

"Ali" I screamed again. I could hear a faint sound from the cabin. I tried to reach the door. I could have opened it if my hands would have not been chained behind my back.

"Aahhh" I screamed in frustration as I banged the side of the van. To my disbelief the front door opened by the impact. I could now see Ali inside the van. His legs were trapped between two steel beams. I could see blood oozing from his legs. He was unconscious.

"Aliiiiiiii" I screamed once again. He got back to his senses and looked at me.

"Please help" he cried in low voice.

"Please give me the keys if my chains, please, let me help you" I screamed.

He reached his pocket with difficulty. He must have been in lots of pain. He took out a key and threw it at me.

I kneeled on the ground and took the key by my hands on the side. I tried to insert it in the handcuffs padlocks behind my back but it was bigger than that.

"what key is this Ali? " I shouted. He pointed at my neck.

It was not easy to reach the anchoring chain padlock on my neck while my hands were still chained behind my back. Finally after sometime I unlocked the padlock which attached the anchoring chain to my collar.

"please help me" Ali told once again. He was in lot of pain. I rushed towards him and tried to pull him out with my hands. But those bound hands were still of no use.

"Where are the rest of the keys? "I asked. He tried to find something on the other side and then handed me a small bag. I opened it and took the bunch of keys out.

I sat on the ground again with huge clinking of chains I tried to remove the handcuffs first.

"What happened?" I asked Ali.

"Rocket launcher, must be American soldiers, the border is very near. " he pointed to far side.

Meanwhile I removed the handcuffs. The collar and the connecting chain followed next. The leg irons stayed in it's place firmly.

I got up and held Ali. He screamed in pain once I tried to pull him out. Her legs were bleeding badly. I put all my power and pulled Ali out. He kept on screaming.

Suddenly the other side of the van caught fire. I looked inside again and saw Suleiman also there. He was unconscious.

The fire increased rapidly. I was in real dilemma. I could choose not to save the man who tortured me so much. But I could not see him die in front of my eyes. I jumped in and started pulling Suleiman out. He was not moving. The fire was very near to the door. I tried my level best. Finally I pulled his heavy body out .

Just then the whole cabin was engulfed by the fire fully. I pulled his body further. I was soooo tired. I was panting heavily.

"Thank you" Ali told. I looked at him. There were tears in his eyes. I looked at the far side where Ali told the American camp would be. I knew this was my only chance to escape. But with those permanent leg irons on my ankles, I was not too sure to be able to reach there.

"what are you waiting for, just go" Ali shouted. I looked at him, surprised. He was trying to sit up. His legs were still bleeding.

"Go, please run, escape " he shouted again. I could see genuine concern for me in his eyes.

" You really want me to go? " I asked him.

"Yes, you saved our lives, we are grateful to you. I don't want to take you to Jampla. Go sister, just go". There were tears in his eyes. I got up and started to walk with loud jingling of the leg irons .

"STOP" I heard a shout from behind just then. It was Suleiman. I looked back. He was awake. He was pointing a gun at me.

"Bhai, please let her go. She saved our lives" Ali told from behind.

"I don't care!!! " Sherman screamed. "she is a prisoner of my state and I won't let her escape. It is my duty to get her to Jampla. I can't be a traitor to my religion. Come back at once and put those chains back on your neck and wrists"

I was devastated, more than that I was angry. How a man can be so ungrateful. I looked straight in his eyes.

"I won't come back. I won't be your prisoner again. I am walking to the American Camp. if you want to stop me, kill me" I screamed back at him. I made up my mind. I was not going back to the hell again. I turned my back at him and started walking with my tiny steps again.

"I will count to three, if you don't turn back I will shoot you" Suleiman screamed again. I knew he would do that, but there were no turning back for me.

"One "

I clinched my fists. Tears rolled down from my eyes. I knew my end was near. I took another step.

"two" Suleiman shouted again. I closed my eyes. I remembered my parents for the last time.

"Three "

"BANGGGGG"

I heard a loud gun shot, I screamed and got down into the ground. Every nano second I was waiting for the pain to enter me and finish everything, once and for all.

It took probably a couple of seconds to realise I was still alive. "had he missed? " I thought. I was breathing heavily. I turned and looked back.

Suleiman's lifeless body was laying on the ground. There was blood oozing out of his skull. I looked at Ali, surprised. He was still holding a gun, towards Suleiman. I could not believe my eyes.

"What have you done? " I screamed at Ali.

"I cannot be so ungrateful sister. Just go from here. Please" he shouted.

"But you are wounded. What will you do alone in this desert "

"I will use his satellite phone to call for help. Now you must go before anyone arrives here. Please sister". He shouted.

I wiped my tears and started walking towards the American camp. I still could not see it. The leg irons were making it difficult in every step. But I had to reach the camp, I had to survive.

The chain jingled loudly as I walked further. I had no idea where the camp is. My mouth was dry, I sat on the ground occasionally to rub my sore ankles. The temperature was very high. My skin was burning in the sun.

"Stop" I heard a loud voice. I looked around and found a troop of soldiers on the far side. I raised my hands and got down in the ground.

"I am a journalist from CNN. I was captured by IMIM. I have escaped. Please don't shoot " I screamed.

They ran towards me and held me. I could not stop crying. I made it.....


Epilogue

I was taken to the camp where medical team took me in. They confirmed my identity. I told them the torment I went through. I was still shaking in fear. They finally cut off those leg irons from my ankles.

Within four days I was transported back to India. Mother held me in her arms and cried her heart out.

Everything came back to normal gradually. I narrated my horrified torment story to the media. CNN acknowledged my efforts and posted me to their India office for the time being.

I still can't believe I escaped from IMIM. I still sometimes feel those shackles on my ankles in the middle of the night in my sleep. I know it will hunt me all my life.