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Chapter 6 - Spartans

MATTHEW

Where are we going? I looked upwards to the ceiling, where the rocking of the boat didn't cull but added to the confusion I was experiencing, suddenly I felt something move next to me by my shoulder, I flinched, about to scream, but then I saw that it was just a boy sleeping, no it was the boy I was sitting next to during the ceremony!

"So you're still alive..." I whispered.

Around the room there were more children who had survived, maybe around 25 of them. I'm glad there are still people that survived.

I tried to stand up but my legs wouldn't move, I looked behind me to see my hands strapped to the mast protruding through the deck, as I was thinking of way to get out I heard a loud creaking sound, the hatch to the surface had opened.

"Alright, come on! Everybody wake up!"

Aindrea woke up next to me. "Huh...? Ah! Wha?!"

He started panicking, actually even for the short time I knew him, what else did I expect?

"Shut up!" I told him.

He looked around and saw the man.

"Oh crap, who's that?!" He whispered.

"I don't know, I'm in the same situation as you!"

When no one else woke up the man went back up the hatch, and came back with a bucket of water, and splash the water on everyone else, to which they would reply with coughing, gagging, and screaming.

"Get up, we're almost there."

With that the soldier left and slammed the hatch back down.

"W-what's going on?" A girl's whisper reached my ears.

But none of us could answer, only I knew what happened to us, to Athens, but I couldn't tell them, what would they think if they found out? They would definitely try to seek revenge.

I don't know was the only thing I could say, but Aindrea answered first, "I don't know, but we're gonna get out of here alive, there's no other reason they would have taken us if they just wanted to kill us."

The girl spoke again but this time her voice jittered even more, in fear.

"Then what will they do to us? Sell us? Sully our body's? Make us slaves?"

Aindrea didn't answer this time.

"I knew it, we're screwed aren't we?"

The air was still and silent, the only sounds to be heard was breathing, and a little girl's tears.

AREIOS

"Go and wake them up, we're almost there."

Across the horizon was my homeland, Sparta. I breathed in the cold air, relishing it.

"Enjoying the air, Areios?"

"Far better on Spartan seas, then the Athenians."

"What should we do with the children?"

"Leonidas, do I look like a caretaker to you? We don't raise the children as their parents did back in Athens, if they want to live, they'll join the army, we don't need the weaker ones."

"That's what I was thinking, and their all around 5 or 6 so that fits the criteria, for now get the men to set up the orb in a protected place, preferably underground."

"Consider it done."

As I said those words we arrived in Sparta.

MATTHEW

The soldiers put us all in ropes, and had us walk to the unknown land, a place we didn't know. We walked into the city, and ourselves checked by the people, with looks of disdain, expectancy, and pity.

"Where are you taking us?!"

I looked behind me to see a girl struggling against a soldier.

"Let me go!"

I saw the soldier raise his fist, and punch the girl so hard she flew off the ground, blood sprayed from her nose.

"Shut up woman." The soldier plainly said.

This was to be expected, in Sparta men still stood over women, in Athens it was even worse, this was their way of thinking, the norm.

The rest of us had nothing to say, we didn't want to be hurt, so we kept walking until we reached a field comprised of dirt and grass.

"These are the new recruits."

They pushed the boys in, along with me.

"Take the women to the Camp B."

We kneeled silently, taking the cold breeze, and violet air.

Then a voice sounded out. "Take off your clothes and change into these, they'll be your only clothes for this year so take care of them!"

"B-but these are the gifts I got from M-mother a-and Father!"

I saw a chubby kid in the back of the left side, he had his lips pursed, praying hands, and tearful eyes.

"I don't wanna let them go!"

The man went up to him and kneeled down, "look Athenian, your parents never taught you about how real life is, right? Well we have begun training for you early because of this." The other boys, who are the same age as you long for this chance, now shut up and change."

He trembled in fear, picked up his clothes and started to change, we all did, from our beautiful embroidered silk, to tattered, sullen rags.

After we were done changing the man turned back to us. "Good." He said, "Now who's ready to steal some apples?"