Coming to my senses, I'm able to make out voices but all I can see is darkness. Who are the voices coming from? I listen to my surroundings as my world comes back together like puzzle pieces in my previously jumbled mind. I don't believe I recognize any of these sounds or voices. Suddenly, my last memories come cascading back to me, crashing into my head with a roar. Opening my eyes, I try to jolt up but my efforts are in vain. Where am I? What happened after I was picked up by that ugly brute on horseback?
Piece after piece, floats into place as the world builds in the darkness around me. My eyes seem to be covered with a dark cloth of sorts and my hands and ankles are bound by some kind of scratchy rope, though it feels more like thorns or barbed wire against what used to be my soft, delicate skin. I can only imagine what I must look like now, covered in sweat and dirt, bruises and blood. As my captors come to the realization that I've awoken, I hear footsteps coming in my direction and I tremble, curling into the fetal position and covering my head as best as I can.
"Well, well, well, look who decided to join the party!", a man's voice says.
As the footsteps cease, the floor creaks beside me, and without notice, I'm yanked up onto my knees. The pain hits me like a ton of bricks and I let out a yelp. My head seems like it's going to explode and I feel myself go limp against my will. My entire body feels like I've fallen from a rooftop and none of my muscles can be convinced to work. The man in front of me lets go of my arms as I fall to the floor, the darkness spinning all around me. I feel as though I'm going to be sick!
"Alright, fine then! I suggest you take advantage of this time to rest now.", he says, almost whispering. "Tomorrow, you'll be auctioned off to the highest bidder. If I were your owner, you surely wouldn't be getting any rest in my company."
A grubby finger traces from my chin down my neck, across my collar bone and stops at the strap of my dress. The footsteps start again as the repulsive touch pulls away, this time sounding more rushed and heading away from me. I hear a door close, not far away. As soon as all the noises fade and the blackness stops whirling in my head, tears form in my eyes and the hot liquid falls over the bridge of my nose and down the side of my face, soaking the cloth that's covering my eyes. Why are they doing this to me? What exactly did I do to deserve this mistreatment? I just wish that someone would explain to me exactly what's going on.
None of this makes any sense at all. How could anyone treat their fellow humans in this manner? Do they not fear the wrath of the heavens? Even though we rarely met a visitor, I was still taught to treat people with hospitality. This room is so cold. I can't even tell whether it's day or night. How far am I from home, from the city, from where I was captured? How far did I run? My legs ache like never before and this deep hunger feels like it's eating my stomach from the inside out. The craving I have for water alone is nearly unbearable. I'm just so incredibly thirsty I can hardly stand it! But I can't even move.
The thought comes to me that maybe I should try to scream. Maybe someone will hear me and come to my rescue... Or maybe my captors will come back and beat me or kill me. No, I have to play my cards right and get through this if I ever want to see my father again. For now, I will just stay silent. The last thing I want to do is to anger the ones who hold my life in their filthy hands. I can get through this! I'm going to try to do whatever I can to stay alive. They have to give me water and feed me some time. I just have to hold on. Things will all work out in the end. They have to.
For hours, I lay there, unmoving. I keep myself occupied by thinking of happier times. Memories of growing up comfort me and I play through some of the most precious moments of my life in my head. Father has always raised me well. And he's never made me yearn for Mama. Not that I can even remember her. She died from pneumonia when I was only 2 years old. And since then, it's always just been me and my father and the animals on the farm. He taught me everything I know. When I wanted to learn something, he would sit right down and make sure to teach it to me. We're happy on our own. He works so hard to make sure I never miss out on having a mother.
And we've always kept to ourselves except for the occasions when we need supplies. Rarely do we mingle with any other farmers and we live so far from anyone else that we never have an accidental meeting. There have never been any cousins, no grandparents, no aunts, and certainly no uncle like the one that the brute man mentioned. Father and I are all each other have ever had! We're all we've ever needed. As long as we have each other, we'll be okay. However, I do have one desire. I've secretly dreamed of meeting a handsome man who works as hard as my father does to marry and take some of the load off of him. I've read books of romantic princes sweeping ladies away to castles, but I'd rather stay on the farm and be happy all together.
I want things to stay how they've always been. Since I was young, every morning, I would wake up, milk the cow, and make breakfast for the two of us while Father fed the animals and tended to other important matters. We'd eat together and he always tells me that I make the best biscuits this side of the Euroan River. In fact, I was named after that great blue river. On the day I was born, he told Mama that my name would be Euroah, because my eyes were the color of the river's beautiful, calm waters. I always loved it when Father would tell me that story as a little girl. Never have we double crossed anyone or caused any trouble. I just can't understand where things all went wrong.
The sound of a woman screaming shatters my happy thoughts like a stone barreling through the window into my past, breaking the glass forever. The horrific sound of wailing followed by moans and smacking goes on for what seems like an eternity, until she makes no more sound at all. All that remains is a faint grunting sound and a bumping on a distant wall. Is whatever happened to her going to happen to me? Am I going to be tortured like that too? Why am I even here? What is the point of all this? I remember that the man said something about a highest bidder. Am I going to be sold like livestock?
Father would send the merchants to auction with a list of our needs and maximum bid. Is someone going to buy me? Am I to be farm labor? If someone takes me far away, how will Father ever find me? How will he ever clear up this misunderstanding and how will I ever get home? I lay there wondering where my father is and why he hasn't yet come for me. Why isn't he here telling these thugs that they've got it all wrong? I just want to go home, back to the simple life I led before this nightmare invaded my sweet dreams. The tiny farm house I've lived my nearly 18 years in isn't much, but it's where I've always imagined I'd be forever. I's cozy... It's home.
I've always pictured my eternity there, building a home next to my father's. I thought of having my own little children running around and messing with the goats, just as I grew up doing. I'd envisioned growing old there with my own lover and we'd sit together under the willow tree while I sang sweet tunes to my little family. We'd live happy days together until the end of time and then be buried on the hillside overlooking the meadow, right next to Mama and Father, when it's time. It appears as though that has all been ripped away from me now. And I haven't even had a chance to find my love yet. This thought makes the pain so intense that the tears come even harder.
The death of all my sweetest childhood dreams is finally too much for me to bear. No longer do I have any control, nor any desire to hold back my devastation or put on a brave face. Taking a deep breath in, I let go of all my pent up emotions and sob unashamedly until any further tears refuse to fall. Though I'm fearful of what tomorrow will hold, I am only human. Eventually, fatigue creeps through my body like some kind of twisted lullaby and I give into the exhaustion. I slip into bitter sweet, much needed sleep.
Updated 3/31/23 Thank you so much for your patience. I'm doing my best to finish up book 1. I will do much better with book 2! I will try not to let pressure to update a certain amount of words daily get to me, and instead, I'll work to meet a weekly goal to update with a good quality chapter. -Sultry Sky
"Get up!", I hear as I'm being nudged in the side by a heavy boot. "We haven't got all day to wait on you to get ready! The stands are just full of stallions chomping at the bit for the chance to get at a fresh new pony." Stands and stallions and ponies? What is he talking about? I'm barely awake and we're already talking about animals? Ah, the auction. I guess I'm being sold with livestock. Have I been sold to a farmer? Perhaps he breeds horses. Before I'm even fully coherent, I'm taken by the arms and pulled up to a standing position. This time, I can feel that there is one person on each side of me. I do my best to gain an understanding of my situation. The hands on my arms aren't as large or rough as the brute man's. Perhaps they belong to women? And I sense another presence somewhere behind me, so there are at least four people here. "The knife.", the same voice calls out from his position in front of me. Knife? Wait, what knife? What's happening? He doesn't need a knife!
The blood pulsing through me freezes upon seeing the ugly man in the doorway. Now is not the time to make a run for it, though the thought briefly flashes through my mind. As though somehow sensing the possibility of my resistence, the woman who had given me water and helped me to dress, comes close to me. Her trembling hands reach out to tidy some stray hairs that the older woman seems to have missed before. Hardly audible even to my own ears, she leans in and whispers to me, her voice shaking with fear. "Go now. Don't fight back, whatever you do. It will only make things more difficult for you." She steps away, without another word, only giving me a nudge from behind to coax me forward. Having grown impatient, the gruff man huffs into the room and grabs me, clamping down heavy metal cuffs onto my wrists. He yanks me so hard that I nearly fall into him, but he stops me short and attaches a chain to my cuffs. They're so heavy that I feel like I'm going to drop to the floor with a
People in the stands begin to get up and bustle about, off to meander until the next object of interest goes up for bid. The smell of something delicious lingering in the air is probably tempting them to go and spend their money for a taste of it. My stomach growls and I wish I had my father here to buy some food for us to eat together. Now isn't the time to think about food, Euroah, focus! The gruff man starts cranking a lever and the tension that had been pulling on my wrists lessens. An idea pops into my head and any thought of filling my stomach leaves me. Here it is! My arms start to lower and I see my only possible opportunity for escape. If I jump off the stage, I can probably run. There's got to be a way out that's just out of sight to the right or left of the stage. I just have to make a bet on which way. Beyond the stands is an entrance somewhere, otherwise all of these people couldn't have gotten in. As soon as the hook holding the end of my chain is low enough, I lower m
A shorter man appears in an identical black suit to the one worn by the man carrying me. He opens a back door on the car, while a third black suited man opens the door on the opposite side. I'm placed firmly into the seat and I glare out the window at the wretched people, walking to and fro, like a person isn't being treated like swine, merely feet away from them. My tears are once again dried up and I can see black streaks down my cheeks in the reflection of the tinted window. The black suit who carried me on his shoulder only moments ago bows to this new master of mine, who then turns and walks around to the other side of the car, settling into the seat beside me. The door closes with a thud on his side too, and the car begins to drive. I can feel the man's eyes on me but I have no more energy left to fight. There's no will left in my weakened, starved body. I dare not look back at him, preferring to travel in silence. Instead, I watch the road, trying to take my mind elsewhere
The slightest hint of satisfaction shows on his once emotionless face, and he asks his next question in a way that gives me shivers. As the sound of his deep voice vibrates in my ear drums, he rests his hand just below my belly button and proceeds to creep his fingers down to rest between my thighs. His firm grip engulfs the entirety of my most sensitive place and I tense up every muscle in my body. All I can do is hold my breath and shut my eyes. "Tell me, Euroah... Have you ever been touched right here?" A warm sensation comes over me, tingling through my core, and while it doesn't feel bad, it utterly terrifies me. Nothing but a thin pair of white cotton panties stands between his hand and my most precious flesh. My whole body trembles and shivers. This is shameful. But kicking and screaming won't help.I have to use my brain, use my words. Inhaling deeply, I attempt to regain my composure. With my fists clenched, I respond with as much confidence as I can muster, "No, Maste
Two identical black cars pull up behind the one I'm still sitting in, and more men in black suits get out of them. Like ducks in a row, they stop in front of my master and bow. This time, I recognize one of the faces. The one who had carried me over his shoulder appears at my door. I let out a yelp as he grabs me by the hips, pulling me so hard that I fall onto my back. With my legs bent at the knees, my feet drop and slam to the ground. What is he doing now? This can't be good! I gasp in shock when I see him start to pull out a folding knife, and I dig my nails into the leather of the seat when he whips it open. Do I scream? Am I about to lose my clothing again? Anything but that, not in front of al these people! I'll just drop dead of shame if every one of them bears witness to my humiliation. Suddenly, I feel a warm touch above my right knee. My master bends down to meet my gaze. "Are you going to be good?", he asks me. Nodding my head vigorously, I reply, "Yes Master!"
Hearing the faint echoes of whispers becoming audible all around me, I try to find my bearings. I can no longer move. What happened? Am I being restrained again? One of the women in a blue dress is cupping my face in her hands, but my eyes refuse to focus on which one she is. Then, a faceless man in a black suit leans down and cradles me in his arms. He scoops me up, and briskly continues down the corridor, following the women into a room. "What happened?" "I don't know, she just fell!" "Are we going to be fired?" "Shut up, Elise! Of course not. We didn't do anything wrong!" "Calm down, Anna! No need for harsh words. Akida will find out what happened and clear everything up." "Hurry up unless you all really do want to lose your jobs! Benny, you get out of here. Marie, go get some water. Anna, towels. I'll get her clothes." A door closes in the distance, and I feel myself being tugged around a bit. The world is a haze and no matter how hard I try to see through it,
Micro... Micro means something very small. Chip? I vaguely recall my master mentioning something about his company making them, but I don't understand the concept, so I nod my head, 'No'. She digs in her case and pulls out a plastic tube with a needle at the end. It's sealed in a plastic wrapper with a white paper backing. Walking over to me, she lays it on the bed and I sit up, pulling the blanket tightly around my chest. I scan the packaging with my eyes for a moment, before looking at the words. "Micro-Claim" I read aloud. "Legally Acquired Slave Identification Device". "This is a microchip. We call them LASIDs, for short. Until recently, we used to brand slaves with a tattoo.", she begins. "But in the cases where they escaped, it was difficult to track them down. It was a dangerous game of cat and mouse. Trackers sometimes resold the slaves or held them for ransom. It often didn't end well. Zion, I mean your master's company came up with a way to both mark and track slaves, a
I watch his back, as he disappears through the door. Forcing myself not to call out and ask him to stay is so difficult, when my heart is being crushed like egg shells, with every step he takes. Before I can feel too alone though, I see some familiar figures, cautiously creeping about. Elise and Marie carefully step into the room, looking as though they've seen a ghost. They seem hesitant to enter."Euroah?", Elise asks, so quietly that her question is nearly inaudible."Of course, it's me. What's wrong?", I ask, as Elise walks over to the bed and kneels beside me, taking my hand in her's."Thank heavens, Euroah, I thought you were going to die! I never imagined that Anna was capable of doing something like that. I'm so sorry that I didn't pick up on something when we talked to her last. I heard the words she was saying, but I just didn't think that she had the intention of actually harming anyone. I thought she was just
As my master and I share a look of mutual excitement, one of the men wearing a white coat releases the hovering bed, and comes to stand beside me. He extends his arms to pick me up, but caught off guard, I flinch and pull away. I know that he merely intends to move me to the floating bed, but I still don't feel comfortable with another man touching me, let alone holding me. Before things have a chance to become too awkward, Master rushes over to help me."I'll move her.", he says, abruptly.The poor man is clearly confused as to why we are interfering with his duties, but he concedes, backing away while acceptingly nodding his head. A pair of comfortable, sturdy arms slide underneath me, one supporting my back, the other tucked behind my knees. He lifts me effortlessly off the bed, flashing me a satisfied grin. If I could capture this moment and put it in a picture frame, I would cherish it forever. Looking up at his weary face, my heart see
I inhale deeply, as I stretch out my arms and legs. Is it morning already? Opening my eyes, the soft light peeps in through the windows, and I realize that the room is empty. I look around, but before any worry has a chance to set in, I hear voices coming from just outside the curtain, reassuring me that my master hasn't left me again. He seems to be having a debate with Akida about the plans for taking me home."Come on, Akida. I have to get back to work, but I can't just leave her here!", he pleads."You definitely do have to work, but that doesn't mean she's ready to go home yet, Zion.", she snaps back."Look, I own every single one of these machines. You have my full permission to just pack up whatever you think she might need, and let me take her home with me! You should know me well enough to believe me when I say that I'm not leaving here without her.""Fine then, you great big, stubborn ass.
"When I was finally brave enough to go for help, the hallways were littered with bodies. Bloody and handprints and splashes of red covered the walls. Even the frost covered windows were splattered with it. I went to my grandparents' room and they were still in their bed with pillows over their heads. No matter how hard I shook them, they wouldn't awaken. While desperately trying to wake my grandfather, the pillow fell to the floor and I could clearly see why. He had a hole, right in the center of his forehead.""His eyes, they were still open, just staring into the nothingness. I searched everywhere for my father and finally, I found him in his study, face down on his desk. His face looked like he had just fallen asleep until I walked behind him. The back of his head was smashed in and blood dripped down into a pool around the base of his chair. From there, I just curled up on the floor and wished I had just let my aunt kill me. Mr. Sherman worked in the kitchen
The next few days are filled with a lot of tests, question, and congratulations from the medical staff. They've all been working hard to look after me since I arrived here. The machine that's been breathing for me has completed it's process and turned itself off. I'm so much more comfortable now. It felt like I was choking when Akida removed the tube from my throat, but with it gone, I can finally speak a bit and finally drink some water.I thought I knew thirst when I took that first gulp of water at the auction house. Nothing can compare to how thirsty I was when I awoke from my coma, though. Let's never do that again! According to the nurse, my vitals look great and my recovery is nothing short of a miracle. Thanks to the technology developed in this hospital, I should be able to return home for care tomorrow morning.Master has spent the days holding my hand, reading to me, and participating in playful banter with Akida and the purple ha
I awaken to light peeping through a black curtain that appear to be floating slowly away from me. The beeping is clearer, the sounds of voices and shuffling feet seems less muffled than before. My left eye opens slightly, then my right follows suit. The light is so bright that I can't help but blink rapidly in response. After a moment, I'm able to focus my surroundings into clear view and fully welcome the vivid colors, revealed after so long in darkness. What a beautiful world I live in.There's a tube in my mouth which seems to be pushing air into my lungs at a steady rhythm, something I hadn't noticed before. On my legs are some mechanisms that vibrate, making my muscles flex and relax regularly. There are wires connected to sticky pads on my chest, arms, legs, head, and places underneath my body, which I can not see. Another smaller tube in my nose is connected to a bag on one side of a pole and a final plastic tubing runs to a bandage, on the inside of my a
So, it looks like I'm an adult now. I guess that must be right if I've been sleeping for nearly three months. I've missed my birthday, I've missed my master's return, and I've missed a lot of what's happened in between, it seems. I hear the curtain begin to close as the sound of footsteps, coming slowly closer makes me feel anxious. I can't see the person making them but still, I know the owner of these feet."Look at you.", his voice flows through my dark prison, like water through a valley. "Just like that day, when I first laid eyes on you at the auction house, I'm seeing you in this vulnerable state, all over again. Where's the feisty girl who gave a dozen grown men a run for their money? Aren't you going to pull some kind of trick and run away this time? I promise i won't get angry this time. Are you just going to lie there, looking helpless?"Now that I think of it, just the recollection of the look on the auctioneer's face is pretty f
Beep... beep... beep... This incessant beeping will not stop! It started out as a distant ringing, like a high pitched echo from far away, barely even audible. Now, it's close enough to discern that it's a machine of some sort, driving me insane with it's obnoxious, high pitched, hullabaloo! I can't open my eyes, nor can I move to turn it off or get away from it. Have I been reborn? Slowly, I begin to hear the voices of two women chatting back and forth."It's been eighty six days, Akida! You need to consider letting her go. There's been no improvement in her condition, no change, no sign of any activity at all. At this point, there's practically zero chance that she'll ever come back, no matter how long you try to keep her hanging on. We're just wasting time and resources.""You and I both know that, but he won't give consent to pull the plug. You know how Zion is. He blames himself. He feels like if he hadn't been so cruel to that girl, sh
It's been weeks of what feels like the same thing, over and over again. Every day, I've put on a show for the public. I go out and make heart felt speeches and I parade around as though I'm not dying inside. Every breath I take is as painful as the last. I haven't made it through a single night without nightmares plaguing my sleep. My appetite is non-existent, no matter how many local delicacies are served to me.Public relations are improving. The investigation is coming along well, and it seems I'll be found innocent of any involvement in the 'scandal of the century'. Everything is going as well as it could be, in terms of the company's well being. It's true that I couldn't have asked for a better outcome to this situation. I should be happy. I should be overjoyed that things are going to able to be cleared up and smoothed over.But I'm not happy at all. There's no joy in my heart. I don't feel like I can walk through life without putting