THE CHOSEN ONE, crazycora39 [electronic reader .TXT] 📗

THE CHOSEN ONE

Esobel woke up cold and hungry. She looks around and finds that she is in a cell. And for the life of her, can't remember how she got there. The last thing she remembers is telling her grandmother that she was going for a walk, in the woods behind their house.
Esobel sees two others in cells next to her shivering and scared. "Where are we?" Esobel asked the young woman who is huddled in the closest cell to her right. She notices that she has long brunette hair, that if brushed would dazzle all that saw it. She wore a once cream colored top that accented her breast, and a corn silk blue skirt. The young woman looks at Esobel and crying says, "We are in the slave quarters, waiting to be sold to the highest bidder."
She said the last part with a hitch in her voice. The girl in the cell to her left looked up and asked, "Don't you know why they have brought us here?" Esobel turns and sees that the girl that had spoken was no older than 15 years of age. Beautiful jet black hair that was once pulled into a braid that reached her waist. She was wearing a maroon top that was simple, yet also very flattering for one so young. Her skirt was a deep brown and flowed freely like her own.
"I don't remember anything after enterin' the woods behind my Mema's." Esobel says. The girl scoots closer to Esobel and whispers, "The slave driver believes we are one of the magical ones his buyer is lookin' for." The girl said upon a sob. Esobel turns to the older woman and with a wild expression ask, "What does she mean magical one? That is but a myth, and told to scare us to obey our ma and pa." The older woman looks up and stares at Esobel in disbelief. "You are one of the few that believes that. Some people will go to any length to find her, and we are one of many who have disappeared because of them."
Esobel takes in a breath and prays to Gaia for guidance to say the right thing to these frightened women. "Where is it we are being held, and do you know when someone will be here to check on us?" Esobel prays she has enough time to come up with a plan to get them out. "The older woman leans towards Esobel and whispers, "Two men come and check on us every two hours, I think." Esobel closes her eyes and thinks of a way to get out of her cell, and help the other two get away. "How long till they come check on us?" She asks. But just as she said that a tall scruffy looking man, walks through the door to the far left of the five cells.
Following him is a skinny looking boy, no older than 17 years of age. The scruffy looking man stops in front of the cell the girl is huddled in. The girl looks up and gets a frightened look upon her face. The man looks pleased and then comments to the boy, "If we didn't have to sell this one, I would show her what a man could do for her." As he laughs at the stricken look on the girls face.
He then moves to Esobel’s cell and looks at her. She is a blonde of the lightest shade and is wearing a forest green free flowing skirt. Her top is a light tan, long sleeve V-neck. Not too risky, but just revealing enough to show her voluptuous breast. She has eyes, that if you look into them, they would see your soul. They are a light green, with gold flecks in them. Esobel looks to the man and lifts her chin in defiance. Not letting him see the fear she has inside. She prays that they will not see that she is scared to death. The man then grins and elbows the boy and says, "She is going to be a fun one. Full of spunk this one is." The boy looks closely and studies her for a few minutes, before looking away and turning red.
Esobel notices he is different than the older, and thinks she might have a chance of talking him into letting her out. If she plays her cards right, and he returns without the older man, that is. They then move to the last cell, which holds the older woman. She hides her face and starts to cry. The older man looks her over and looks to the boy and comments, "She has no back bone, master will not be pleased with this one, and she is too old. The men who brought her, outta be whipped for this." The boy looks her over and bows his head.
At that moment, an older plump faced woman walks in. In her hands is a platter holding three bowls, and some burnt bread, with stale ale in cracked mugs. "Why bother Ash, they will be gone soon enough." The older man laughs. Not bothering to be quiet about what is to come of the three. Ash looked to the man sternly and huffed. "If you would pay attention Christophe, you would know that the master wants these three in good condition. Even if they are not the one that the wicked one wants. He can get a price on them, but only if they are in good condition."
She then turns to me and winks. "Now why don't you run along and raise hell somewhere else, and let me feed and clean these girls up. Think you can handle that all by yerself dear?" The boy chuckles and then stops as Christophe gives him a dirty look. "I would if I thought these girls wouldn't run the first chance they get." Christophe says sarcastically. "Ha, look at these girls, they are scared outta their minds and have no clue where they are. Do you think they are goin' to run; not knowin' which way is safe. Please."
"That one right there looks to be a little smarter than that." She nods her head my way and smirks. "Pretty sad to think some lil' chick is smarter than you huh?" She giggled a hearty giggle, and slaps Christophe on the chest. He huffs and rolls his eyes. "As if that is possible Ash." He scoffs. Then as if in dismissal he starts walking away. He then turns and looks at me once more. "I am goin' to let you do what you need to, but, James here is going to stay right over there," he points to the far right corner, "just in case they get any funny ideas bout runnin'."
Christophe then looks me over once more, and turns on his heel and leaves the room. Ash turns to James and nudges him. "Be a doll and unlock that cell," she points at my cell and begins puttin the tray on a nearby table. "I am goin' to get these darlins' fed and then cleaned up for the auction this evenin'." James looks at Ash and then shrugs. "Are you gonna try ta run, cuz i would hate ta have ta chase ya down, and hurt ya in anyway." He says to me as he pulls a set of keys out of his tunic. I just sat there with my chin up and trying to think of a way to do this while helping the other two.
"She is fine James just open the door before she starves to death, will ya." Ash said sternly. James takes one of the keys and unlocks my cell. I just sit where I am, and wait for the right time to jump Ash, and surprise James enough to get the other two out. Ash looks at me and then gets the bowl of what I hope is stew. She looks at james and huffs as he tries three different keys before finally getting the right one. He turns and looks at her and shrugs his shoulders as if telling her he couldn’t be right all the time. Ash steps into my cell and leans down to me. She then looks towards James and chuckles scruffly. “Do these girls really look as if they are goin to leap at you and run James?” He looks at me and the other two and then turns red when he notices the clothes by the table with the steaming bowl of water and rags. “You had better behave and not get it into yer pretty lil head to try anything stupid. I am goin to be just outside the door.” He turns away and walks towards door and then turns around. “Ash don’t let yer guard down for a sec or they might try something.” He then throws her the set of keys. Ash catches the keys and looks at James shakes her head and starts feeding me. The stew tasted bland but was better than I had thought it would be. I watched James leave the small area and sighed. Ash looked at me and turned to make sure James was gone. She turned and looked at the other took as if seeing if they were paying attention or not. The older woman was hunkered down and sobbing into her knees and the younger was alert waiting to see if there was any way we were going to get out of here.

Text: Tami S. Morris
Editing: Scotty Price
Publication Date: 10-01-2012

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