Unlike most days, I dreaded going to the Keepers. If the girls were still at the village, which they probably were, I would be stuck in that boring room again. I sighed and stretched a little on the transport pad. It wouldn’t be long before I was stuck to the wall.
Rose’s owners left us inside the Keeper’s area and I saw the girl from yesterday heading toward us. The Keepers must have expected it, they were watching from the side.
“You stupid bitch!” Rose yelled in English and swung her hand out to strike me.
I only had tto flinch before the Keepers were dragging the two of us into the little room. I was put on the wall again and I saw Rose on the opposite wall. The partition rose in front of my face.
“Slaves are not permitted to fight,” the Keeper said before he closed the door.
Follow on NovᴇlEnglish.nᴇt“So,” Rose said brightly, “what did you talk about yesterday?”
“This was your plan?” I asked her feeling shocked.
A N G E L A ‘s L I B R A R Y
“Sure, Fuji and I couldn’t talk the girls’ friends out of leaving you alone, but we thought at least we could keep you company in here,” she said.
“This isn’t a fun place to be,” I told her. “Your arms will be sore and your feet will hurt.”
“Decision’s been made, Ciara,” she answered. “I would Love to hear you talk about Earth, though. Since I am already being punished, I feel now is a good tto ask. My owners have forbiddento talk about my hplanet. It has been so long and I would love to know what it’s Like now.”
“But I guess we have the day to ourselves,” I laughed Leaning my head on the wall.
“Yup,” she said in English, “it’s just us Earth girls.”
We spent the morning talking, part of it in our native Language. Well, I did most of the talking. I told Rose everything about Life in America now. Eventually we found it was easier to talk in our new language. It had been a Long tsince Rose had spoken English.
Rose had been from a small town in Kansas. I couldn’t tell her much about the state particularly, because I wasn’t from there. I kept the discussion general. She seemed to enjoy it.
I told Rose everything I could think to about Earth. We talked about the technology that was there now. I told her about drugs and war. We talked religion and politics. Everything seemed interesting to her.
When the partition lowered I was shocked. Rose’s owners, all of them, had been standing and listening for who knew how long.
Follow on Novᴇl-Onlinᴇ.cᴏm“Basin,” one of the men asked, “do these seem like slaves that are fighting?”
“No, no I don’t think so,” the man named Basin answered. He turned to Rose and stroked her face. “Tell me, my Rose, why are you and your friend standing in this room? Why did you try to strike it after we left?”
“We were trying not to involve you, Master Basin,” she told him in a pleading voice. “There are slaves here angry that my friend told her owners about those who wanted to escape. They have promised to keep it here every day the other slaves are in the village. I thought it would be better for my friend if I was here to keep it company.”
“Do you know what we do to slaves who insist on fighting with one another?” Basin asked her.
“Yes, Master Basin, that’s why I didn’t want to involve you. I will stay with my friend until the other slaves cout of the village There is no reason for you to becinvolved,” she pleaded.
“We do not want to see you whipped, my Rose,” he told her pulling her away from the wall.
“Yes, Master,” she answered hugging him.