CHAPTER 6

As the weight of Captain Orion's words settled in, the slaves stood in stunned silence, their faces etched with fear and despair. The air was heavy with tension, and the only sound was the distant howling of wolves, a haunting reminder of the brutal fate that awaited those who failed to comply.

Aria's heart seethed with bitterness towards Benson, she wondered what would happen again as Benson has proven to be evil and cruel. She wished silently in her heart that he would not dare come near her again.

She knew that he delighted in her fear and that he could use that to manipulate her but she was not going to let her guards down when it came to him.

As she stood there, her wrists and ankles bound by heavy chains, Aria felt a creeping sense of dread. The slave barracks was a place of unspeakable horrors, where the value of human life was measured in terms of strength, beauty, and obedience. She knew that she had to be careful, to keep her wits about her if she was to survive this place.

But as she glanced around at the other slaves, Aria saw only fear and resignation in their eyes. They were all trapped in this desperate, hopeless world, with no escape in sight. And as the minutes ticked by, Aria felt her own fear growing, threatening to consume her very soul.

As the reality of her situation sank in, Aria's mind became fixated on a single, all-consuming goal: survival. The desire to escape, to flee this wretched place and reclaim her freedom, still burned within her, but for now, it took a backseat to the more pressing need to stay alive.

With each passing moment, Aria felt the weight of her mortality bearing down upon her. She knew that in this brutal world, one misstep, one miscalculation, could mean the difference between life and death. The memory of the slave girl who had been killed earlier still lingered in her mind, a grim reminder of the stakes.

As the guards began their inspection, Aria's anxiety grew. She watched with a mixture of fear and disgust as the guards roughly examined each slave, their hands probing and poking without regard for modesty or dignity.

As she scanned the scene around her, Aria's eyes widened in horror. Some of the guards were fondling the breasts of the female slaves, their faces leering with lust. Others were inspecting the slaves' teeth, poking and prodding with callous disregard.

Aria felt a surge of hatred towards the guards, her heart burning with indignation. How could they treat human beings like this? Didn't they have any shred of decency or compassion?

As the inspection continued, Aria's fear grew. She knew that she would soon be subjected to the same humiliating treatment. She steeled herself, trying to prepare for the worst, but her heart was still racing with anxiety.

As Benson approached the line of female slaves, Aria's heart sank. She watched with the corner of her eye as he began to inspect the women, his hands roaming over their bodies with a familiarity that made Aria's skin crawl.

She heard some of the women moaning in pain and discomfort as Benson's inspection grew more invasive. Aria's hatred for him grew with each passing moment, her anger and resentment simmering just below the surface.

As Benson made his way down the line, Aria felt her anxiety growing. She knew that she would be next, and the thought of his hands on her body made her feel sick to her stomach.

Benson's eyes locked onto hers, and Aria felt a jolt of fear. She tried to look away, but his gaze held hers, his expression a mixture of cruelty and lust. Aria's heart was racing now, her mind racing with thoughts of escape, of fighting back, of anything to avoid his touch.

As Benson approached her, Aria's heart seemed to stop beating altogether. She froze, her body rigid with fear, as she waited for the inevitable. But to her surprise, Benson merely looked at her, his eyes lingering on her face for a moment before he moved on to the next slave.

Aria's heart began to beat again, pounding in her chest with a mix of relief and confusion. Why had Benson skipped her? Had he simply overlooked her, or was there another reason?

As Benson continued down the line, Aria couldn't help but feel a sense of gratitude that she had been spared the humiliation and pain that the other slaves had endured. She watched as Benson finished the inspection, his face expressionless as he turned to leave.

The sound of a gunshot echoed through the air, making Aria jump. She looked around, seeing the guards relaxing their stance as Captain Orion stepped forward.

"The inspection is over," he announced, his voice carrying across the field. "Those of you who have been selected will be taken to the next stage. The rest…we'll find out what happens to them.”

As Captain Orion's words hung in the air, Aria's heart skipped a beat. She wondered who among them had passed the test, and who would be subjected to the unknown fate that awaited those who failed. And then, like a punch to the gut, it hit her - she hadn't been inspected at all.

Aria's mind racing, she thought back to Benson's brief glance in her direction. Had he deliberately failed to inspect her? Had he somehow marked her for rejection, or worse? Fear crept into her eyes, and her body began to shake with a tremor she desperately tried to hide.

She glanced around, hoping to blend in and avoid drawing attention to herself. But her eyes betrayed her, wide with worry and darting back and forth as she searched for some clue, some hint of what was to come. Aria's breath came in short gasps, her heart racing with anticipation, as she waited for the guards to announce the next step.

The guards moved methodically through the crowd, their eyes scanning the slaves as they singled out individual after individual. With a curt gesture, they signaled to some with two fingers, pointing them in the direction of a separate group. The slaves, already on edge, trembled with fear as they were herded towards their unknown fate.

As the guards continued their selection process, the atmosphere grew increasingly tense. The slaves exchanged nervous glances, their eyes wide with fear and uncertainty. Some whimpered softly, while others stood frozen, paralyzed by the terror that gripped them.

Aria watched in horror as the guards worked their way through the crowd, her heart pounding in her chest. She had no idea what the two-finger signal meant, but she knew it couldn't be good. She held her breath, her eyes fixed on the guard approaching her, as she waited for her fate to be decided.

Benson walked towards her, his boots scraping against the ground. He came to a stop in front of her, his eyes fixed on hers. Aria's heart skipped a beat as she stood frozen, her fate hanging precariously in the balance.

He looked at her for some seconds, his gaze seeming to bore into her very soul. Aria's heart skipped another beat, then another, as she waited for him to make his decision. She closed her eyes, as if to shut out the reality of her situation, but her fear was too great. She reopened them again, her gaze locking onto Benson's, searching for some hint, some clue, as to what he would decide.

Benson's expression was inscrutable, his face a mask of indifference. Aria's mind racing, she wondered if he would signal her to join the other group, or if he would spare her. The silence between them was oppressive, heavy with tension, as Aria waited with bated breath for Benson's decision.

Benson's gaze lingered on Aria's face for a moment, and then, to her surprise, he winked at her. Aria's mind raced, she wondered what that meant. Was it a sign of reassurance, or a cruel joke? She couldn't decipher the meaning behind his gesture, but it only added to her confusion and fear.

Her heart continued to beat faster, pounding in her chest like a drum. Aria's eyes locked onto Benson's, searching for any clue, any hint of what was to come. But his expression remained enigmatic, his face a mask of secrets and intentions. The wink seemed to hang in

the air, a cryptic message that only Benson understood.