Chapter Sixteen: Another hectic day
“Wait, you’ve got to be kidding me. A tomato farm?” I turned to leave but the guys held me and pulled me backwards.
“I can’t work on this farm all alone. The sun is up and the day is still young. Ryan! I get it now!” I yelled even if I knew that Ryan was nowhere around the farm.
“I get it, I could have worked in the rice farm with the other slaves. Is this why you punish me?” The men had no answer to my questions; they only placed me in the fields.
“Can I at least get water and some food? I would do well with those.”
“We are sorry, but the master has given a strict instruction not to give you food or water.”
“What?” I asked in awe as their words struck me. His behaviour towards me was what I suddenly could not fathom, one minute he acted kind and loving and the next he acted without a heart toward me.
It was clear that I would not be leaving the field until it was dusk.
“Ryan, you’d pay for all that you have done to me.” I cursed as the sun weighed on me as I began to work.
I slowly opened the door so that the creaks would not be heard, putting my head through, to take a clear look at my surroundings. The coast was clear, Lady Ana had retired for the day and so had the other men who were stationed to watch me all day. I stepped out, closing the door behind me as I walked into the main building hiding behind a wall as I waited until someone walked out of the door. Without further hesitation, I ran towards the door, smuggling myself through it as I headed up the stairs through the hallway and to Ryan’s chamber.
The door was not locked as I turned the knob. “Who do we have here?” Ryan saw me first as he was behind me.
“Ryan, master, whatever you call yourself.”
“I am your master and you know that I can have your head on a platter if I want to.”
“I have not come for you to tell me who you are.”
“Well, I like it when you call my name.” He chuckled.
“What do you want from me?”
“That question is a little bit too vast.”
“You know what I mean. First you act kind to me and then you send me to work in the most tedious place. I walk from dawn to dusk under the scorching sun in the presence of your guards. In thirst and hunger but they would not give me food to eat or water to drink because of your instructions. The other slaves do not work the way that I do.”
“The other slaves do not make me feel the way that you do.”
“What do you mean, Ryan? How do I make you feel?”
He held his words as he said nothing more. Then moved to his drawer and retrieved a glass and a bottle of whiskey and poured himself some.
I was thrown into confusion by his words. I thought he had sent me to do the tedious work because of the history with my parents and the fact that I had badged into his room on the day of his bath but I knew now that there was more to it.
“I don’t understand your silence. You have to tell me what I need to know.”
Ryan said nothing but moved to the corner of his room and in an instant, the guards rushed in and dragged me out. My head ravaged in confusion even more than when I hadn’t walked into his chambers.
He had signalled the guards on me. I still wondered what I had done to him to warrant such treatment from him.
“Let go of me,” I struggled as the men held me firmly.
“I can walk to my room from here,” I uttered.
But the men did not let my arm free, they pulled me off away from my room.
“Where are you guys taking me to? Please take me back to my room.”
They headed to an underground cell. It had an opening made of metal that creaked loudly as they opened it. The hole was dark at night.
“Please don’t put me in here.”
I begged but the men were stronger, posing deaf ears and so they threw me into the hole.Content (C) Nôv/elDra/ma.Org.
“Get me out of here!” I cried but my plea all fell on deaf ears and they shut it close leaving me in darkness. It smelled of death and rotten flesh, I could not see a thing. I only heard the continuous sounds from the crickets. I stood up from the floor which I had laid and used my hands to trail my way to a wall.
The walls had ridges and holes. I studied the walls with my hands feeling every crack and crevice and then it was time to climb. I had seen how the men had opened the metal cover with a little push, I would be able to get across. The holes were deep enough and so my feet could fit in them. I kept on climbing blindly, studying every part of the wall before I took a step.
As I raised my hand above again, I touched the metal lid. It was time to push it open. I made a first attempt to push it open but the metal lid did not bulge. My hands were already weak and the air was going down. I made a second push and my left foot slipped from the crevice taking me fast to the ground. I fell hard with a crash on a stone as it all went blank.
I woke up in his arms again, the warm arms that I thought had been Ryan’s’. The walls glittered with the yellow light. It was him, the strange guy who had suddenly become her saviour. As I tried to stand up, the searing pain in my head knocked me and as I laid back down. My eyes were partially shut and I could not see his face clearly.
“Who are you?”
I touched his face and he quickly took my hands off. He said nothing which only made him more mysterious.
“Why do you always save me? I want to know who you are. Are you Ryan? The so-called Alpha King? Or some stranger I do not know.” I tried to stand again but he made me lay back on his lap. He had washed my face and hair and dressed my wounds and the pain had gradually reduced. He placed the cup in between my lips so I would drink from it and I did and even drank some more.
“Let me go, I can walk, I am strong enough.” I fought weakly but still could not move.
“What did you put in the drink, I feel… I feel.” The impact of the drink overwhelmed me. He carried me in his arms and gently put me on a bed.
The effects of the drink had finally subsided, as I began conscious. Opening my eyes to find them on the well-crafted ceiling before shifting out of bed.