I was running faster than I thought I could ever run, but they were faster they had caught me. Their rough hands over my eyes and mouth forcing them shut. A sudden sharp pain runs through my neck and then everything goes black...
I wake up on the hard ground of my cell, a cold sweat soaking my body. 'Shit! Not that dream again!' Almost every night since I got captured and forced to come to the slave establishment i've had the same nightmare, over and over. I slowly sit up, my body shivers from the cold, it should be mid-winter now. I have long lost count of the days I have been here but I know it's more than just a few years. I bring my knees into my chest and hug them. That has become my favorite position while here when ever i'm scared or feel alone I tuck my knees into my chest sometimes when i'm standing up I just hold my hands over my stomach. It's weird but it gives me a comforting feeling.
"Breakfast, all you maggots head to the dinning hall!" Well time to get food! Although I know I won't be eating. I slowly wobble my way to the dinning hall. ' Shoot it's getting harder and harder to walk!' I guess that's the affect of not eating for almost two weeks. ' Calm down you can eat tomorrow that's the two week mark you have to give it to the children before then.' On my first year here my cell mate was a little five year old girl, it was obvious the food she was getting was not enough. Soon she died she was not the first kid to die of hunger here and most certainly will not be the last.
I grab my tray and get my food. WOW an apple and a whole potato!! The cooks are being very generous today, I wonder if something is happening? I slowly make my way to my usual spot and sit down. The kids are already there digging into their food.
" Ok everyone remember to split this evenly there is a lot of food today so you should all get a decent amount." I explain to the kids pushing my tray to the middle, although they already know the drill there might be some new comers. I watch as all of the kids take little pieces of food from my tray. I hear the occasional "Thank you Mary" from the ones who have been here long enough to know my name.
" Hey! If you always give us your food what do you eat?" A little boy named Timothy speaks out. I hear little murmurs in reply to him others also want to know the answer.
"Well this is purely a secret but I am friends with the kitchen staff so they give me a little extra food after everyone leaves the dining hall." I explain. I am met with replies of "Wow you are so lucky!" and "So Cool!" I softly smiled at least they believe me. We continue the rest of our 'meal' in silence until a guard speaks out, "Everyone time to return to your cell! Quickly!" He shouts so everyone can hear us. We all slowly make our way out but by the door a guard suddenly grabs my arm, when I look at him in surprise he says, " Come with me" His face is cold but I am quite used to that.
After a little bit of walking, well the guard dragging me because I can't keep up, I am brought to a bright room that the guard shoved me in and closed the door behind me. As my eyes adjust to the light I see a man walking over to me, I don't recognize him because I have seen the warden of this 'prison' and many inspectors but I have never seen this man. He has dark black hair, and golden skin. His eyes are red like the color of blood. To most people he would be the definition of handsome, but I could care less. He's at least half a foot taller than me as I have to crane my neck to look up at him.
"Name?" He says. "Mary" I quickly respond I have no idea why I am here but I learned here if you respond quickly to the first questions harder ones won't come, and the harder ones are the ones I refuse to answer. "Wrist" He says. "What?" I answer, hiding my wrists behind my back. "Give me your wrist." He states. When I refuse to move, he steps closer to me, the smell of pine fills my nose, he reaches around me and grabs my wrist. I squirm and try to pull it back but is grip is tight, yet I continue squirming.
"Stop moving." His glare is one of the coldest glares i've seen, his bright red eyes penetrating right into my sole, a shiver goes up my spine and I go stiff and stop moving. He shifts his gaze back to my wrists and wrap his thumb and pointer finger around it.
"Fuck, it's worse than I thought!" I hear him mumble. He lets me go and walks back to sit behind a desk I didn't notice was there before. I can't help but wonder if I can leave. Just when i'm about to ask he says, "When was the last time you ate?" "This morning." I lie effortlessly. " Tell me the truth I saw you give your food to them." SHIT! I think, should I just tell him the truth? "two weeks..." I whisper quietly. His eyes widen in surprise, well I imagine most people's would. I look down at the floor and wrap my arms around my stomach.
"Come with me." He says while standing up and walking towards the door, and also towards me.
" Where are we going?" I reply I can't leave the slave establishment because if I do I might never be able to come back, then what would happen to those kids?
"I thought slaves weren't supposed to ask questions?" He states back, inpatients clear in his tone.
I get down on my hands and knees touching my forehead to the cold ground, "Please I don't want to leave the slave establishment." I say while still bowing to him, he is clearly of a high class.
"Shut up, and come with me what you want is not of my concern." His indifferent voice tell me there is no use trying to persuade him, I will have to escape. As I slowly get up from the ground I hear him say, "There is no possible way for you to be able to escape from me so get those thoughts out of your mind now." THE FUCK? It's like he can read my mind! While I am deep in thought I hear him chuckle, "What's that face for little bunny, you look like a toddler that got denied dessert?" I must have ended up glaring at him when I was thinking, but still the remark about the toddler just how stuck up can one person be! Not to mention the 'Little Bunny' WHAT THE HELL DOES THAT MEAN! Immediately I wipe my face of all facial expressions and with great effort stand up, it feels like my legs will give out any second.
" I am sorry I did not mean to glare." I apologize to the man once I stood up. I slowly raise my gaze to look at him, best to get on his good side now to make it easier to escape later I think.
"Can you walk?" The dark hair man asks me, he kind of reminds me of a raven I think now that I can get a good look at him. "Yes" I reply swiftly although I doubt if I still can, standing here for this long has taken a lot of energy out of me, maybe I should have eaten today.
"Ok then can you go and grab that quill that I left at my desk?" He asks me, I realize as long as i'm able to grab the quill maybe he will leave me alone although he probably won't I can still try.
As I slowly make my way step by step, each one sending an excruciating pain up my muscles I keep moving. But on one of my steps my knees buckle and I end up falling downwards. Suddenly almost in a flash Raven Man, that's what I am calling him now after that bunny remark, and I am yet to know his name, appears in front of me, catching me just before I hit the ground.
"Ugh honestly you should have ate more there is no use starving yourself to save other people if you die along the way." I hear him mumble before he slings me over his shoulder. "HEY! I can walk just fine put me down!" I say to him.
"I will when we get to the carriage until then i'm carrying you. Honestly what do you weigh like 60 pounds, your lighter than a ten year old!" At that comment I went silent, I mean how much of you think someone that barely eats will weigh! Still I feel so tired right here maybe ill just shut my eyes for a little...