Chapter 23

His face was angry as he met my stare. “I know what is best for everyone. That is my job. Trust me when I say that if you were mine, you’d despise it. I’d break you worse than anyone ever could. I’d hurt you and you would come to hate me.”

The last was said softer, but it did nothing to douse my pain.

“Hurt me …? Too late. Nothing you could do would hurt me more than you already have. Are we ready?”

Bram’s hand began to come toward me but balled into a fist at the last second. He turned, eating up the hallway in his furious departure. Two halls later we approached a long line of girls. He waited at the end, not even looking at me as I took my place. The redheaded roommate I used to have, turned and glanced back. Yellow and black were fading, but webbing under her left eye. It was evident she’d been introduced to the hell of Slave Row. The tears that welled at my apologetic expression didn’t fall down her cheeks. Maybe she was already slightly broken. I wouldn’t know since we weren’t allowed to speak.

“Listen up, slaves! This is your tour and you will pay attention or you will wish you had.”

Bram walked toward the front and she quickly reached back. I took her hand, holding tight and stepping in as our main master continued with his speech.

“Tomorrow you will be auctioned off and I am here to tell you where you are allowed to go. City Center is yours. If your master permits, you can shop, you can attend the shows, but you will do so at your own risk. You, alone, are responsible for your well-being here. If you don’t want to get beat or raped, go with your master. If your master refuses to

accompany you, weight the risk very carefully.”

We began to walk and I stayed close.  A guard was further back, but he wasn’t in a position to help me if I needed it. He wouldn’t get to us fast enough. And he wasn’t meant to. The men would taunt us. They would try to scare us. What happened would only be a small dose of our reality here.

Light flooded the space as the walls opened up to reveal a large open area that seemed to stretch out forever. I couldn’t stop my gasp as my eyes squinted and raked over the wonder before me. There was grass around the center, stretching around the circle. And mall of multiple shops in the middle. People buzzed around in the distance, some even lying out on blankets in the grass. But I didn’t care for any of that. My stare lifted, taking in the massive fortress built along the rock that stretched up high above. Some of the stone rooms protruded further than others and there looked to be six floors. Four floors, that weren’t even in use anymore as far as I knew. Above the white stone walls of Whitlock, brown rock led to the circular opening above. The blue sky had me stopping in amazement. We were in a mountain, plain and simple. I knew it to be fact. I also knew there was nothingness for hundreds of miles around us. At least that’s what my old master had told me.

“Move.”

The guard’s voice had me walking, again, but I wasn’t the only one gaping at what was before us. I could feel Julie’s hand shaking in mine. Her eyes were darting all over as no doubt reality was beginning to sink in. If she thought there was hope before, surely that was disappearing now.

“What is this?” She sniffled, wiping her cheek quickly with her free hand.

“Whitlock,” I whispered. “Hell.”

I turned to look at the clusters of buildings that sat in the middle of the lush, green grass. With as pretty as it all was, I was all too aware of the illusion it cast. But I couldn’t deny the lure. Especially after all the white walls and confinement. Here, we had freedom. Scenic beauty. We could be alone to shop and buy things. I’d wanted to go in the past, but my master only took me a handful of times. He didn’t trust the others any more than I did. I was a risk. A light in the dark for the evil ones who were looking for a new doll to play with. Coming hadn’t been worth it. It still wasn’t.

Bram’s hand went to the railing guarding the second floor and he stared off into the distance. Silence filled the space while we all came to a stop and waited.

“The shops have the best of everything. For the ones who are granted the right to live, this doesn’t have to be a bad life for you. The world is not over because you have become a slave. Listen to your masters. Obey their every want and desire. There, you may have the smallest chance at finding freedom.”

He glanced back to me before turning to continue walking. It wasn’t long before we got to a flight of black iron stairs. As I waited my turn, I couldn’t ignore the two masters approaching. My hand squeezed tighter to Julie’s and her head swung toward where I was looking. Seconds stretched out and still the whites went down the stairs.

“Don’t fight them,” I whispered.

“What do we have here?” An older balding man threw an evil grin toward a taller master. He seemed more my age, which was younger than normal. Regardless, there was no hiding the sadistic look on his face as he sized me up.

“Fuck, I don’t know, Harris, but I sure want to find out.” His finger trailed up my arm as the older man rounded around us to move closer to Julie. My eyes lowered to the field ahead and I met Bram’s intense gaze. I knew he was watching every move the men made.

“Looks like you’re in need of new master. I could use a slave like you,” he said, stepping in closer. “I bet you have all sorts of talents hidden up your sleeve. Do you like pain?” Slowly, his touch rose, moving across my chest while I tried to stay still. To fight would land me in the White Room for sure. Especially attacking the master so publicly. “How’s that mouth of yours work?”

“I say we get them and make them use their mouths on each other. Do you like the taste of pussy, Red? I do. Why don’t you spread your legs so I can taste yours?”

A whimper came from Julie and she squeezed my hand tighter as he fondled her breast.

“Why don’t you be a good girl and get on your knees for me.” The boy’s hand settled on my shoulder, pushing down, and I tried to ignore the need to strike him. “Come on. Down you go.”