AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“I haven’t decided if I want to call you slave. You said your name was Clara?”
“Yes.”
Hesitation.
As he began to walk, I followed. Had I expected him to be nice? No…I’d been prepared for death up until the minute the man said hello. It was so strange. All of this was. Nothing was making sense with how foggy I felt.
“What do I call you?”
“Master is fine. I didn’t think to check your file. How old are you, Clara?”
The need to argue over his title was there, but for some reason I held my tongue. I had my name, so what if he wanted to be called a Master. At least I was winning the smallest victory. “I just turned eighteen.”
He winced. “And a virgin I’m guessing from the white robe?”
“Shh. You shouldn’t say such things.” I flicked my wrist, swiping through the air, more trying to wave the bad word away. Not that it was bad, but more something you didn’t say or even talk about unless you wanted to invite negativity or illness. It was that way with anything dirty, and I’d be no part of it if I could prevent myself. He smiled again, but it was quickly replaced by a more serious expression. One that had me swallowing back fear.
“Don’t worry about that, then. You won’t have to bother yourself over it much longer. You speak your mind a lot. Do you like to fight, Clara? Would you say you’re very strong?”
“I…” Silence took over me as we joined others who were waiting on the elevator. I searched my mind, trying to find some way to answer my new Master. Screams immediately cut me off. Warmth splattered over my face causing me to gasp at the surprise. I wasn’t even able to reach for the wetness before large arms were around me, pulling me out of the way. The shrieks were deafening. I wasn’t sure if it was me yelling out or the girl who clutched to my arms, howling from the lacerations stretching across her face. Skin was split above her eye, and a part of her cheek was hanging in a massive chunk, swaying as she tried to get closer. The bone over the bridge of her nose was exposed, and I joined in her screams, not sure what was happening.
“You dare attack your Master?”
The roar that came from behind her vibrated every cell in my body as it got closer. My eyes rose, coming head on with evil. A man stomped forward, scratch marks down his face, dripping blood. He wielded a weapon closely resembling a spiked handheld rake. As he reached back to swing again, me and the girl were spun in the opposite direction. I fell to the floor with her still holding onto me just in time to see my Master slap the weapon away.
“Are you fucking mad, old man?”
“That’s my slave.”
“And that’s mine you’re about to tear into to try to get to her. Keep that shit in your place or watch what the fuck you’re doing.” My Master turned his enraged expression to me. “Get on the elevator.Now.”
“I can’t. I w-won’t. She’s hurt—” Fingers still clawed at me, ripping the jacket from my shoulders as I tried to break myself free, but not so I could leave her. Blood beaded my forearms from her nails as she continued to wrap around me in her panic. She wouldn’t let go so I could try to put myself between her and the man who was no doubt about to kill her.
“Clara.Slave. Now.”
More curses left me in my native tongue, and I couldn’t think clearly enough to find the words in English to try to calm her. My new Master didn’t give me the chance. He grabbed the girl by her bicep, tossing her to the side as he jerked me to stand. Before I could even look back at the girl being beaten again, he was already pulling me on the elevator. That did not erase the cries or thunks of impact from the spiked rake I could hear in the distance. Her screams increased, only fading as the elevator door shut.
“I can be nice all day long but when I tell you something out here, you listen. Do you understand me?”
“You condone murder? You think es’ okay to beat and torture innocent girl?” My words twisted around themselves as I fought through the adrenaline and terror that was suddenly making itself known. My eyes were blurred by tears, and all I could see was the marred flesh on the girl’s face. She had to be my age if not younger. And she was so afraid. Would that be me? Is that what I had ahead of me?
“What I thinkis that was none of our business. What Ithinkis outside of our apartment, you keep your mouth shut and your opinions inside that head of yours before it stirs up even more trouble. Inside, I can deal with it. Out here, you don’t cross me. You obey and listen.” His head shook. “I swear to fucking God, everywhere I go there’s always something.” He reached into his pocket, pulling out a card as the door reopened on the sixteenth floor. We didn’t make it two doors before he slid it in and pushed the barrier. When I hesitated to go in, he flattened his palm on my back, practically pushing me inside.
Darkness.
The sound from his shoes moved further away as I stayed cemented to the floor. When the light filled the space, I still didn’t move.
“You’re bleeding. I should clean you up.”
My lip quivered despite I could barely reach my emotions. I didn’t need to for my body to know I’d been traumatized by what I saw. That girl wouldn’t be getting cleaned up. Maybe she was dead by now. She’d be wishing she was if she survived the night. Hadn’t this been what we’d been warned about now for months? Prepared for? My stomach turned as I grasped at what I could decipher through the oil.
“Clara.” His voice softened as he headed back towards me. “You’re okay. I know you’re shaken up, but this is your life now. I’m afraid from here on out, things aren’t going to get any better. Come...I think there’s some antibiotic ointment in the bathroom. We’ll put some on your arms after your shower.”
I took a step back, hugging tighter to my chest. The action had my new Master’s mouth twisting in disapproval.
“We’ve gotten off on the wrong foot. I find when shit gets complicated to be blunt. How’s that? Are you good with me being upfront and honest?”
“Honest?”
