The helpless and naked woman lay on the now familiar unforgiving hard mattress within the confines of her small prison cell. She had been stripped of her freedom and dignity as well as her clothes; her wrists shackled by hefty steel manacles that bound her arms securely behind her back. She was uncomfortable, vulnerable and exposed. The darkness enveloped her like a shroud, suffocating her senses. As if the inescapable cell and manacles weren't enough, her head was encased within a heavy leather sensory deprivation hood. Its purpose was clear and effective – to isolate her from the outside world entirely. Not only did it block out sight, but the noise cancelling headphones built into it made her deaf too, leaving her completely disoriented and alone. In this state of silence and pitch-blackness she felt utterly lost, trapped in a void where time seemed to stand still. Her mind reeled as she tried to piece together the duration of her imprisonment, but this was impossible. Time had lost all meaning, one seemingly endless period that had transpired since her arrival; it felt like months but in reality, it was more likely to be days or weeks. The uncertainty gnawed at her and the cruel beating she had suffered just before being locked away leapt into her confused mind. Her once pristine skin now bore evidence of the pain inflicted upon her by the cane. It had left raw, red lines across her bottom and upper thighs, a constant reminder of the sheer power these people wielded over her.