Carlos pushed her forward, making Rachel almost stumble as we rushed to her. I could hear the rest of the girls calling after me but I was more concerned about her.
She had a scar on her face, and she limped forward as she stepped into the light.
'Rachael!' I called out to her, finally getting to her. Carlos stared at us with a wicked smile before shoving Rachael forward again, making her fall on her face. I rushed to her and helped her up, feeling rather sad and scared for her.
None of the other guards in the castle seemed to care about what happened to any of us. It was not only disgusting but it was also inhumane. Everything that went on around here was perceived with a blind eye.
When the girls and I pulled Rachel up she was crying. and she kept wiping her tears as she avoided our eyes. I didn't know what to say to her or how to even comfort her to begin with. I did not know what was wrong but I knew that she didn't want to talk about it right now.
' Come on.'' We said to her as we guided her to our chambers. The bright sun shining on the compound made it all feel like the moon goddess was staring down at us. But not with intent to help.
What I felt most afraid of is that Rachel and I had arrived here at the same time. Whatever had happened to her would soon happen to me. How was I going to stop it? How could I handle it?
We lead Rachel into our room. The other girls walked behind us as Cecilia and I held her. She could barely walk properly. She was limping and it wasn't the kind that indicated something good that happened. She was scared. She was genuinely distraught.
The rest of the girls were not as enthusiastic as they had been earlier. They were silent. and they looked at Rachel with such concern in their eyes. As we walked into our room and guided Rachael into my bed and had her sit down. and then Cecilia had Simone bring out their first aid kit. Rachel had a bruising on her knee when she fell down and a small scar on her face alongside that large bruising right across her.
When Simone came back with the first aid kit her hands were shaking. and she could barely hold up their piece of cotton wool over Rachel's face. She was scared. genuinely scared.
Seeing as she was the youngest one among us, I figured that there wasn't a lot of trauma and pain. And so I opted to take the first aid kit from her. The rest of the girls surrounded us as they sat on the bed.
I dipped the cotton into the antibiotic ointment and then proceeded to dab it on her face. When she flinched, I couldn't help but feel sorry for her. I stretched out my hand to touch her face again. She pulled away, grabbed my hand and pushed me off her. I felt rather confused as I stared at her yet she said nothing. The other girls were equally as confused as I was. I got up immediately and persisted trying to take care of that wound again yet this time she pushed me with so much force that I hit the carpet immediately and almost broke my elbow.
' Rachel stop,'' Cecilia shouted as Riley helped me up.
' This is her fault. I'm suffering because of her.'' Rachel said in a broken voice as he pointed at me. Confusion raided inside me as I looked at the other girls.
' What?'' I looked at her as I handed the kit to Cecilia who then proceeded to give it to Haley. while Haley took care of her wounds Rachel stared at me with a certain hint of hatred. and Emily and the other hand didn't even let me get close to her. I didn't understand why they were doing this. Or why Rachel had said that. we hadn't done anything wrong to her. I had not even gotten into an argument with anyone since I came here. I had avoided trouble.
'Rachel please tell me what you mean.''
Rachel remains silent. and she stares back at Cecilia as if hoping she would read her mind. None of this made sense.
' Is it not obvious?'' Emily chipped in. ' She's being punished for your mistake.''
My eyes squint with a hint of confusion as I stare at them.
' What do you mean?'' She is sympathetic to Rachel. She hates that the girl is in pain. They were friends and they had been close ever since Rachel and I got here. but I didn't understand how it was my fault for what had happened to begin with.
I stared at the rest of the girls and they all seemed to be in agreement. I was the only one who was clueless about what was going on. or what Rachel and Emily were talking about. I couldn't help feeling confused, which made me feel helpless again. It made me feel alone. like the rest of the girls knew something I didn't.
' Jessica, honey.'' Haley called out as she touched my shoulder, 'the master, the King, in order to make sure that none of us are selfish and that will help make each other better slaves, we are paired with one another. each person responsible for the other.''
I opened my mouth to say something and the words only collided in my mind as I tried to understand what she was saying. That was something new and certainly something I had not known about before.
' But Rachel she..''
' Before you two came here, the rest of us were already paired. Cecilia and Emily are a pair, Simone and I are one, so it only made sense that when you came with Rachel she was your pair.''
'What are you talking about? what do you mean?'' I asked as I stepped back, getting into my bed and making sure that there was at least enough distance between Rachel and I. I didn't want to make her feel uncomfortable again.
' It's pretty simple isn't it? Don't play dumb.'' Emily Shrugged her shoulders as she looked at me, glaring daggers into my soul.
Rachel is in trouble because of you. Because of your stubbornness and your disobedience towards the Master's orders. When you do something wrong, the master doesn't only hurt you but he also hurts your pair. You get to carry each other's burden. ''
I look back at Rachel and she can barely look at me before she breaks down and cries. ' Is that true?'' I ask her, feeling my heart break. She shakes her head vigorously giving me the answer I had been waiting for.
All I can feel for myself is how horrible of a person I had been. I don't want anyone to get hurt because of me.
'You did this to her! This is your fault.''