But none of that mattered anymore. My body was unbearably itchy.
After three hours of relentless scratching, the red rashes finally began to fade, but I was completely unrecognizable. Clumps of my hair had been torn out, leaving a bald patch on my scalp.
Now, a burning pain covered my entire body. I dropped to my knees, desperately bowing to the men surrounding me.
"I was wrong! If you want money, I’ll give you anything! Please, just stop torturing me! I’ll do whatever you say!"
I couldn’t even begin to imagine how much worse the next two trials would be.
At first, I had hoped to hold on until Albie returned. That was my only chance of survival. But now, I wasn’t sure I could last that long.
"Haha, let me tell you something about our tribe’s rules. Once the Three Trials begin, they can’t be stopped under any circumstances. It’s been our tradition for a hundred years. You should’ve behaved from the start. You brought this on yourself!"
A man spat in my face before ordering two others to throw me into a pile of cacti.
"Ah!"
My agonized screams echoed through the valley.