I woke up, head thumping, in total dark. I couldn't see - thought I'd gone blind. My hands wouldn't move, tied tight behind me with soft fabric, knots biting my wrists. I felt around with my elbows - small, hard space, like a box. I was naked except for a tiny thong - Naree's, pink, cutting into my skin.
I tried to stand, but my head banged the top. A coffin-sized box. Panic hit. "Help! Let me out!" I yelled, voice bouncing back. I screamed until my throat burned. A knock came from above, then Naree's voice, sharp. "Awake, thief? Thought we wouldn't see you stealing?"
My gut sank - they knew. "I'm sorry! I'll stop! Don't fire me!" I begged. They laughed, harsh and loud. Amir growled, "Firing? You should fear this." I'd forgotten - tied, naked, boxed. "Please, let me go!" I cried, shaking.
Naree's tone iced over. "Amir's from Egypt. Thieves there get punished bad." Amir said, "Beaten, cut, enslaved - that's mutilation. You'll feel it." I didn't know the word, but it scared me. A hiss filled the box - spray, weird smell - and my body went limp, heavy. My mind stayed sharp, though, trapped in fear.