Xo Novel
77
Everyday some aspect of life on Earth was explored. They made me relive moments from the most mundane to the most exciting. I spent seven day cycles explaining the inside of a supermarket. It was like they wanted to be know my planet inside out.
For the first time in months I had to speak English. They ordered me to teach them the entire language. I was threatened that if they spoke it to another Earth slave and I had lied, they would have me whipped. I did the best I could.
When I wasn’t teaching my new owners, they acted like I wasn’t present. If they weren’t engaging in their Earth hobby, they had plenty to keep them busy. They were always doing something. Often I found myself sitting and watching their family like I was merely a piece of the furniture. I was useful when they wanted me to be and nonexistent when they had better things to do.
When they weren’t talking to me, I was not to interrupt them. I learned that very quickly. Their conversations with one another were complicated and I was chastised if I interjected. The truth, I soon realized, was they only really enjoyed talking with one another.
My owners did things in their spare time like take apart transport pads in the sitting area. They enjoyed difficult time consuming tasks and I was never asked to participate. Unless they were asking about Earth, they didn’t speak to me. For me, it was a lonely existence.
At home there wasn’t ever a visiting slave to speak to. Unlike Master Damien and his Brothers, who spoke to almost everyone, these new men had few friends in the compound. Warriors would sometimes come by to ask a question, but they never stayed long. My owners seemed to talk down to almost everyone and most other men seemed glad to leave their presence.
Sometimes, as the jovial men walked off discussing the chuke game they were late to, I wanted to go with them. I missed walking around the compound with my owners and watching them play. Actually, I missed doing almost everything.
Since I wasn’t really expected to do anything most of the time, I picked up a hobby. With my owner’s permission Rose taught me to sew and knit. My skills quickly equalled hers, because I had limitless time to practice.
The men actually seemed happy I was doing something and bought limited supplies for me. They liked it when I sewed things with complicated designs. When I was able to stitch their symbol onto their shirts they were ecstatic. It was the first and only time I ever really pleased them.Property of Nô)(velDr(a)ma.Org.
Most of the time, I was an annoyance to my owners. Their questions were so complicated. I frequently could not adequately answer them, so they punished me by making me sleep in the little box in the wall. Eventually, they figured out I just didn’t know how everything worked on my home world.
My owners seemed disappointed to have purchased such a stupid slave, but they did not sell me. However, they barely acknowledge they owned me. I had one outfit they put me in every day. They didn’t even name me. I was just ‘slave’. My Masters did the absolute minimum to care for me.
They did make sure all my needs were met, though. I was fed and housed. Reminding myself of how the life of a slave should work, I focused on being grateful. Really there was only one thing the men did that was unpleasant for me.
My new Masters plucked the hair on my stomach to remove my old Master’s mark. They worked on it and kept it plucked daily. Secretly, I was glad they didn’t have it removed by the jelly creatures. Even after they were done, I could still feel my first Master’s insignia and that made me happy.
I often wondered what Master Damien had told these men to make them buy me. It was such a strange arrangement. Slaves here were used for sex, not information. We had names and were covered in ornamentation. Finally I had the nerve to speak to my friends about it.
It took a lot of determination for me to face Rose and Fuji with my questions. I was happy my new owners never touched me, but I felt their lack of interest in me made me weird. Shrugging off the shame of being the only sex slave in the compound not used for sex, I approached my friends.
“They don’t use me,” I blurted out staring at the sand one afternoon.
Rose, Fuji, and I were resting beneath a large shade tree. The breeze blew and I played absently with the edge of a large root.
Both the other girls were quiet for a moment before Rose spoke. “What do you mean they don’t use you?”
“They don’t use me for sex. It’s not that I want them to, it’s just I feel it’s strange. Have there been other slaves the Warriors didn’t use for sex?” I finally asked.
“No,” Fuji said staring at me. “That is why they buy us, Ciara. There is no other use for a slave.”
“They ask me about my home planet,” I told the girls. “I teach them to speak English…”
“We’ve noticed you only have the one outfit,” Rose said softly. “It’s getting frayed at the edges, because you wear it every day.”
Fuji spoke next. “Have you made them angry?” she asked. “Is that why they don’t touch you or ornament you?”
“I make them angry all the time,” I huffed. “They ask questions I can’t hope to answer adequately. I know they must be smart, they understand things at a level I never have. When I can’t answer questions they lock me in the box.”
I pulled my knees up to my chin and looked at the waves.
“Perhaps they did not really want a slave,” Rose pondered. “They are very intelligent men. My owners have gone to them before with problems. I think they were just curious about you.”
“Once the curiosity is gone, I wonder if they will sell you,” Fuji said.
That idea terrified me, but Fuji had said it with calm indifference.
“I don’t know,” I answered her still staring out at the waves.
Being sold again was something I dreaded. I hated the way my fate could be so easily changed and altered. If I continued to obsess about it, I would be upset.
Not for the first time on this planet, I made up my mind I would be happy. There was no point in dwelling over what might happen. In order to survive I just had to make these new men pleased.