Chapter 1: The Unexpected Twist

Alasia's POV:

“What do you mean I am to be sold off?” I asked as the shock of the very words he spoke to me took the breath out of my own lungs.  "To whom!?"

 

"To who is not of the highest importance to me right now," my overly wicked stepfather spouted at me as he turned to face me with his favorite hand raised up in the air as he walked towards me at the same time.  "The most important question you should be asking yourself is if you will fetch me a high enough price.  One that will allow me to leave this place for good."

 

"What are you talking about!" I asked again with shock still evident in my voice, as I could not help to control my words due to his earlier statement that still caught me off guard.  "What happened to the large trust left by my mother before she died?  There was plenty of money in the trust for us to live on for many years!"

 

As I spoke this last statement, my eyes were now filled to the brim with tears.  He, now standing over me with his hand still raised high above me, made sure to threaten me with his evil eyes, threatening to drop his hand with great speed at any given moment.  I knew I crossed the line with my questions.  I knew what had happened in the past when I spoke back to him in a manner in which he did not like.  He told me what the consequence would be if I spoke out of turn.  

However, I did not care about any of that right now.  I was too scared of what the future would hold, that I did not care about the present.  What more could he do to me than he has already done in the past?  I knew the punishment for my past mistakes.  I wanted to know the true gravity of my current situation.  I wanted to know what was going to happen tomorrow or the days beyond that.  Was there a crime in wanting to know my own fate?!

"The amount of the trust is no longer your concern," he said as he lowered his arm, turning to walk away from me.  

Why did he refrain from the punishment I knew I was surely to receive?  Did he somehow think that another mark on my face would lower the said price for my now being sold?!  I collapsed onto my knees with my legs buckled up under me.  I wrapped my arms around my shoulders as I lowered my head.  I did my best to hold back the tears.  I knew what would happen if I did that.  He would wash them off in the water tub outside the door again.  However, the part that I cared most about was the part where he said he was about to sell me.  

I knew what that meant.  To be sold, was to be sold into slavery, where one would be tortured and made to do heinous acts for whoever viewed themselves over the slave.  That is what I cared about more than speaking back to him.  That, and the fact as to what would happen to my younger brother, who was only 6 years old at the time.  

 

"Wh-when will this happen?" I asked with a quivering tone, lifting my head to see him sitting down in his place once more.  

"First thing in the morning," he said as he grabbed his bottle beside him, taking a long swig of its brew.  

After a moment, I collected myself off the floor without another word, dragging myself along back to my room.  The walls in this hut were very thin, but at least my brother was still sleeping.  At least he didn't hear what was said.  As I crawled up next to him on the grass pallet on the floor under the blanket, I made sure he was still covered as I slowly rolled over on my back.  I have to say, this was an unexpected twist in my life.  I knew things were bad but honestly, were they actually this bad?  I never knew my stepfather would stand to this level in his treatment of me, as he always favored my brother over me.  As I lay there, fears of tomorrow haunted my thoughts.  Before I knew it, I passed out from much worry and fear.

"Get up girl," was the first thing I heard being shouted at me in the early hours of the next morning.  "I am not going to be late dropping you off for my payment."

I rose quickly, and to my surprise, my brother was already out of bed.  When I got up, I rushed outside and he was already sitting there, waiting for me in the back of the wagon cart.  Everything was already done and waiting on me?!  Did my stepfather actually let me sleep while he did all this?  Was he really that ready to be rid of me by doing all of this without complaining for my help?!  Was this all part of his elaborate plan to sell me?!  I stood there in shock as I looked at the situation before me, till my eyes settled on the innocent face of my brother with tear filled eyes.  My stepfather finally broke my concentration as he shouted at me.  I did not waste another moment and rushed to climb in the back as the cart had already started moving. 

"What are you waiting for child, climb on!" He shouted at me from his position at the head of the cart.  "I am not waiting any longer, or you will be forced to walk the whole way there."  

After a decent and quite bumpy ride along the road, we were almost to our destination.  As I turned around to see where some other voices were coming from, I saw other carts pulling away from a small opening in a very large and very tall fence.  Could this actually be my final destination?!  This couldn't be where he was taking me, could it be?!  As he pulled up to the opening in the fence, four very tall men walked out of the opening.  Then a fifth man walked out with a leather pouch and gave it to my stepfather.  While I was watching this happen, two men came up from behind me, each grabbing one of my arms and pulling me off the back of the cart.  Was this how it started!?