When my mother first brought me to a public market when I was a child, I almost got lost to a stranger. People would approach me wanting to adopt me. Fortunately, my mother found me before they took me away. Since then I have been terrified of crowds.
Growing up, I'm always accompanied by my siblings, we're like glue to each other. We always stick together during school years. It was only after I entered high school that I became a little independent.
Anyway, after my college graduation, I never really found it hard to find a job. I had a backer in the company. It was my uncle. He offered the job to me and I accepted because it was near home. Only one ride away.
Monday to Friday is nothing but work. Saturday is cleaning day. Sunday is family day. Sometimes if I have more free time, I spend time reading books in a coffee shop with my nerd and normie friends. Or go watch Netflix with my father. Gossip with my mother. Have a friendly, annoying, and unnecessary fight with my siblings.
All in all, my life is nothing that extraordinary. You know, a boring life where nothing extra happens. Go to work during the day, go straight to home after work. Watch cartoons or read a book at home.
It was something that most people would refer to as boring, but I like it. I love that life.
Now that I remember it I never really experienced a hard life. There's always people taking care of me unconsciously and unbeknownst to me. However, after transmigrating in this world, I found myself outside my comfort zone.
I stood there in the middle of the crowd not knowing what to do. My brows pulled up together anxiously.
'How do I find professor?'
With a deep sigh, I turned around and bumped into a small young girl. The girl stumbled, falling on her butt, and the heavy pouch in her hand dropped on the ground, scattering gold coins around her.
My eyes widened as I hurriedly helped. "Sorry, I didn't notice you were there, little kid, are you okay?"
I bent my knees and squatted down helping the young girl stand up with one hand as I held Pula with my other hand.
"Uh…are you hurt anywhere, kid?" I said, checking if the girl got injured.
The girl ignored me and didn't respond; she instead hurriedly picked the scattered gold coins on the ground.
I soon notice that her face is covered in snot and dirt, but I could tell with her rounded chubby cheeks that she's probably only 9 or 10.
After picking up the scattered coins on the ground, the girl hurriedly stood up, turning around as she attempted to leave.
"Wait," I said, stopping her.
The girl glared at me cautiously.
I grabbed the gold pouch that the little girl forgot to take, then I gave her a cordial smile, handing the purse in front of her face. "Here, you forgot your purse," I said.
"Stop right there!"
I looked behind her and saw burly men and women wearing leather armour, running to us with swords on their hands.
The young girl ran past me, leaving the purse in my hand.
I stood up straight as I tried to run after the little girl. "Girl, you forgot your purse…*aacckk!*"
My hair suddenly got pulled hard by someone behind me, and what came next is the cold metal blade threateningly coming in contact with the choker on my neck.
"Hand over that coin purse, ye thief!" The silver haired man yelled at me, yanking my hair hard.
I yelp feeling shocked from the sudden aggressiveness.
"Men, take the pouch in her hand!" The silver haired man yanking my hair, commanded.
"Aye, captain!" One of the soldiers replied, then the soldier came in front of me taking the pouch in my hand in an aggressive manner.
My brows furrowed as I opened my mouth and said, "I think there's a huge misund…"
"Shut up, ye thief!" The silver haired man cut me off, slapping me in the face with his rough hand.
My face snapped sideways, feeling my left cheek burning in pain.
I looked at the silver haired man again as I tried once again to explain, but he slapped me again on the other cheek. Now both of my cheeks are burning in pain.
I took a deep sigh, looking at the silver haired man with furrowed brows. "Let me explai…"
The silver haired man slapped me hard again, yelling, "I said shut up!"
I swallowed the anger in my heart, telling myself that this is all just a misunderstanding; that I can still resolve this peacefully through persuasive discussion.
With another deep sigh, I looked at the silver haired man once more.
"What are ye lookin at?" The silver haired man said, glaring at me.
Before I could even react, the silver haired man punched me hard in the gut three times in a rapid motion. Things happened so fast that I didn't even have the chance to retaliate or to shield myself against it.
I hissed in pain, gasping and heaving for air. I felt a violent intense cramping sensation in my stomach. I hugged the sleeping red rabbit in one arm as I folded the other one on my stomach, groaning and grimacing to myself.
I felt nauseated as I vomited nothing but saliva. I haven't eaten anything yet, so of course I would vomit nothing. Which made the burning pain in my stomach worse.
My body dropped on the ground as I felt weak on my knees; I moaned, groaned, and wept in pain.
'I can still do this, soon this matter will be resolved peacefully.' I told myself as I tried to endure the aching pain in my stomach, looking up to the man.
"I…I'm not a thief, you're mis…"
Somebody threw a rock at the side of my head, making me shut my mouth as I wince. One by one, everyone in the crowd started picking small to large rocks, throwing them at me, mocking me as they called me names like: weakling, trash, filthy thief, and any insulting words they could think of.
I crouched my body together on the ground as I held Pula's sleeping body closer to me, protecting Pula from being hit. I sniff, feeling my nose turning sour as I protected the sleeping rabbit in my chest, so she wouldn't get hurt from the flying stones thrown at us.
The silver haired man who slapped and punched me squatted next to me. "Thief, stop cryin, will ye?" He sneered, spitting on the ground next to me.
My brows creased. 'How can I resolve this peacefully if these people won't even spare their ears to listen?'
I didn't respond as I hugged Pula closer to me.
The silver haired man clicked his tongue, then he grabbed my hair, pulled me up and said, "Get up, thief!"
The silver haired man yanked my hair so hard, forcing me to stand up.
"Let go of me!" I cried, pulling myself away from him.
"Tie this cunt to my horse, and get that red rabbit," the silver haired man said, pushing me to his soldiers, smirking as he stared at me with disdainful eyes.
My eyes widened as I scooted away, yelling at the approaching men and women. "Stop! I'm not a thief!"
"Not only a thief but also a liar!" A boy in the crowd yelled, throwing a stone at me.
"I'm not a thief! I swear!" I yelled back, defending myself as I covered Pula with my hand. "Believe me! I didn't steal anything!"
However, no matter how much I tried to explain, they threw rocks at me; forcibly taking the oblivious sleeping rabbit in my arms.
I struggled against them as I tried to run away with Pula, but someone threw a dagger on my left leg, and I fell on the ground.
One of the armoured men took advantage of that and snatched Pula in my arms. "No!" I cried as I pulled his legs. "You're not taking away Pula!"
However, the crowd started to kick me in the gut, on my back, in my legs, and everywhere over and over, making me slowly release my grip on the legs of the man who took Pula away.
I feel so angry. I have never been so angry like this. My blood boils with rage as my body suffers in pain.
'I just hope they won't do anything to Pula,' I prayed in my heart as my body grew numb, raising both my arms above my head, shielding myself from the bombarding rocks.
After that, the soldiers tied a rope on my hand and on my feet, then they linked the rope to the horse of the man who slapped and punched me whom they refer to as their captain.
"Giddy up!" Their captain yelled, cracking his whip.
The horse started galloping, pulling my weak body like a sack potato; the rocks on the bumpy road hit my body, making me grimace in pain.
I looked up, searching for Pula, and I saw her inside the cage tied on the rear of the captain's horse.
My eyes narrowed at her small figure, checking if Pula was hurt.
"Pula…" I called in a low hoarse voice, blinking the heavy lids of my eyes, feeling dizzy and drained with energy.
Fortunately, Pula seems unharm. I heaved a sigh of relief as my heart slightly relaxed.
For a while, I got pulled like a sack of potatoes for what felt like an eternity, but soon afterwards, the horses stopped next to a huge building that seemed similar to the roman's coliseum.
"Bring her inside the Dregs Arena!" The captain yelled, ordering his men. The silver haired man then took Pula with him as he went inside on to the next building, and slowly, his silhouette slowly disappeared before my sight.
The soldiers then untied the ropes on my feet, bringing me inside the building that looked like the roman's coliseum.
"Hey," I called to both of the armoured men beside me.
The two men didn't listen as they remained focused on their job. Which is to drag me inside the building they call Dregs Arena, and as soon as we entered the building, I could already hear the loud chaotic noise inside echoing in the walls of this building.
I turn to look back and forth at the two men dragging me. "Hey, talk to me!" I yelled repeatedly over and over.
However, they pretended to be deaf and mute as they remained quiet. I sighed in resignation. These guys wouldn't even spare their ears to listen.
'Whatever, I'm still gonna talk to them until they listen.' I told myself in my head as I became more resolute.
With another sigh, I opened my mouth and said, "just so you know, I'm not a thief, I didn't steal anything, you're bringing me injustice by doi…"
"It doesn't matter what you did or did not do," the man on the right side said, interrupting me.
"Oh," I replied, then I turned my head to the right as I stared at him inquiringly. "What do you mean by that, sir?"
"Captain Jabez knew that the general's pouch was stolen by a young girl," the man on my left answered.
I frowned hearing what the man said.
"Aye, because he was the one guarding the general's treasure box at that time," the man on my right nodded in agreement.
My brows furrowed. "Then why are you detaining me?"
The two armoured men didn't say anything more as they both remained quiet again.
"Hey, talk to me!" I yelled.
However, no matter how much I yelled, they remained silent like a rock again, and my throat grew tired.
I closed my mouth as I decided to save my energy for the worse. While the armoured men held my arms, pulling me by force as I limped trying to follow their pace.
I clench my jaw feeling the pain on my left leg
As I got dragged wherever by these two armoured men, I could feel that my legs were slowly growing numb; the dagger was still stuck on my left thigh. What's more, I feel sore all over my body from the beating earlier.
Still, I endured the pain with a clenched jaw as I looked ahead of me.
The pathway is narrow and a little dark. There's only about four lamp posts on each side of the walls. It barely lit up the passage.
As the men led me deeper inside, the loud noise slowly became more audible to my ears, and along with that noise was my own anxious beating heart.
They said that the man who slapped and punched me knew who the real thief was. If that was the case, why am I being accused of something I didn't do?
My brows knitted as anxiety grew further in my heart. I could feel that there's something more that they aren't telling. Shortly afterwards, we turned the corner, and light appeared from the other end of the tunnel. Slowly, the loud cheering noise of a dozen thousands of people entered my ears as a vast arena welcomed my eyes.
The armoured man on my right untied the rope in my hands. "If you survive the battle to come, then you'll be welcome as one of the gladiators, may the gods and the goddesses bless you," the armoured man said.
"Wha…"
They didn't listen as they immediately turned around, closing the entrance with what seemed to be a metal gate.
My brows pulled up together feeling worried.
They said if I survive this battle, I'll become a gladiator. So are they saying that I'm going to fight someone?
My heart thump, drumming in my chest. I gulp feeling nervous.
Slowly, I cautiously walked limping forward looking around me. My eyelids squinted, blinking from the glaring sun. Based on its position and my growling hungry stomach; it's still probably noon.
I then stared at the walls made out of stone and concrete, then down at my leather boots standing on the floor that seemed to be made of sand or dry soil.
Overall, it appears that the building stands four stories tall at its highest point in its oval shape structure.
I stood there in the middle of the arena as the crowd cheered and booed, assaulting the arena with rocks and calling me a thief.
Taking a deep sigh, I swallowed nervously as I stared around me in disbelief. "What the hell am I doing here?" I mumbled to myself dumbly.