All Novel Sweet
61
“Christof told me you will need to relieve yourself in the middle of the night,” he said stretching out next to me. “You will wake me by tapping on my arm and I will take you.”
I lay quietly as they brought Rose back and tucked her in on the other side of the bed. She sounded like she was already asleep. The men all lay down and got comfortable around me. I was used to the nighttime routine.
I closed my eyes and tried to sleep. I wasn’t all that tired. Frankly, I’d done a lot of nothing all day, except stand. My feet were sore and I was restless. Suddenly, warm breath was on my cheek and I opened my eyes.
“Why don’t you sleep, slave?” Karis asked quietly.
“My feet are sore, Keeper. I apologize for keeping you awake.”
The man grumbled a little and got off the bed. I went to follow him and was pulled back down by the man on the other side of me. My insides were all bunched up wondering what they were going to do to me.
Rose was sound asleep. I could hear her steady light breathing from the other side of the bed. Why couldn’t I do that?
Karis returned into the bedroom and sat on a stool by my feet. I had horrible images in my head of what they were going to do to me. Hopefully I’d just pass out from the pain.
Taking my right foot in his hand, he started to rub it. Massaging gently and slowly the dull ache from standing in one position all day got better. When he finished with the right he moved to the left. I was almost asleep when he rubbed the healing cream over both of them.
I didn’t wake up at all the rest of the night, which was weird for me. It was surprising when I opened my eyes and the sun was up. Rose walked into the bedroom and sat on the bed beside me.
“Fuji said you were a deep sleeper,” she laughed.
I expected the morning routine from this time, so it wasn’t a surprise. I still didn’t particularly like it that I was being touched like that by anyone but my owners. At least they were quick and efficient about it.
Unlike most days, I dreaded going to the Keepers. If the girls were still at the village, which they probably were, I would be stuck in that boring room again. I sighed and stretched a little on the transport pad. It wouldn’t be long before I was stuck to the wall.
Rose’s owners left us inside the Keeper’s area and I saw the girl from yesterday heading toward us. The Keepers must have expected it, they were watching from the side.
“You stupid bitch!” Rose yelled in English and swung her hand out to strike me.
I only had time to flinch before the Keepers were dragging the two of us into the little room. I was put on the wall again and I saw Rose on the opposite wall. The partition rose in front of my face.
“Slaves are not permitted to fight,” the Keeper said before he closed the door.
“So,” Rose said brightly, “what did you talk about yesterday?”
“This was your plan?” I asked her feeling shocked.
“Sure, Fuji and I couldn’t talk the girls’ friends out of leaving you alone, but we thought at least we could keep you company in here,” she said.
“This isn’t a fun place to be,” I told her. “Your arms will be sore and your feet will hurt.”
“Decision’s been made, Ciara,” she answered. “I would love to hear you talk about Earth, though. Since I am already being punished, I feel now is a good time to ask. My owners have forbidden me to talk about my home planet. It has been so long and I would love to know what it’s like now.”
“But I guess we have the day to ourselves,” I laughed leaning my head on the wall.
“Yup,” she said in English, “it’s just us Earth girls.”All content is © N0velDrama.Org.
We spent the morning talking, part of it in our native language. Well, I did most of the talking. I told Rose everything about life in America now. Eventually we found it was easier to talk in our new language. It had been a long time since Rose had spoken English.
Rose had been from a small town in Kansas. I couldn’t tell her much about the state particularly, because I wasn’t from there. I kept the discussion general. She seemed to enjoy it.
I told Rose everything I could think to about Earth. We talked about the technology that was there now. I told her about drugs and war. We talked religion and politics. Everything seemed interesting to her.
When the partition lowered I was shocked. Rose’s owners, all of them, had been standing and listening for who knew how long.
“Basin,” one of the men asked, “do these seem like slaves that are fighting?”
“No, no I don’t think so,” the man named Basin answered. He turned to Rose and stroked her face. “Tell me, my Rose, why are you and your friend standing in this room? Why did you try to strike it after we left?”
“We were trying not to involve you, Master Basin,” she told him in a pleading voice. “There are slaves here angry that my friend told her owners about those who wanted to escape. They have promised to keep it here every day the other slaves are in the village. I thought it would be better for my friend if I was here to keep it company.”
“Do you know what we do to slaves who insist on fighting with one another?” Basin asked her.
“Yes, Master Basin, that’s why I didn’t want to involve you. I will stay with my friend until the other slaves come out of the village. There is no reason for you to become involved,” she pleaded.
“We do not want to see you whipped, my Rose,” he told her pulling her away from the wall.
“Yes, Master,” she answered hugging him.
One of Rose’s owners faced me and crossed his arms. I was still stuck to the wall and panting with fear. I hated the whip with a passion. Once had been enough for a lifetime.
“Did you hit our Rose?” the man asked me.
“Never,” I gasped.
“Did you hit the slave yesterday?” he asked.
“No, Keeper,” I answered.
“Ciara did not try to touch either of us on either day,” Rose pointed out. “She was attacked and did not fight back, Masters.”
“If we leave the slaves here they will end up getting whipped,” one of Rose’s other owners said.
“I do not wish to see our Rose taste the whip,” Karis said.
The men looked at one another and then took me off the wall.
“Follow,” they ordered.