Cil
02-18-2012, 12:31 AM
The slave girl frowned to herself in the pitch dark of the back of the van. Nobody could see it, of course. She was alone, as the driver of the van had stepped out, presumably to have her new owner sign the paperwork that would officially make her his property. As she choked back a sob at the thought of her new life, she reflected silently on how she had ended up here.
Her parents had told her that, 20 years ago, problems with debt in the nation Acirema had grown so far out of reasonable proportion that an emergency law had been passed to avoid widespread disaster. The so-called "Debt Collective Services Department" had been formed to organize payment of the debts. Payment is humans. Those who fell into deep debt became slaves, owned until such time as they had repayed their owners. At least at first. As years progressed, the Department gained more and more power, until they eventually reserved the right to make the heavily indebted permanent property of the government, to be given to their owners until the debt was repayed ,then sold over and again until they died.
Liz had never imagined it would happen to her. Her family had been so well off....at least, until her father had started his business. Needless to say, it plunged, taking the family fortune with it. In desperation he had sought loan after loan form a bank, until their debt had been too high to manage. It all culminated in Department agents stormed the house, taking everyone inside to the training center. That was the last time Liz had ever seen her parents.
After weeks of being trained to submit to her future owner's will, to be a possession, she was told that her parents now belonged to the owner of the bank, but as a child, she was free to be sold. Shortly thereafter, she was informed that she had been quickly sold to a Mr. Robert Grey, wealthy Counselor to the President himself. She was told that she would do whatever he said, or he could beat her, whip her, or do any other number of unpleasant things to obtain her obedience.
Liz was not naive. She knew that a pretty little slave like herself wasn't being sold to help wash the dishes. She only hoped that her owner would at least let her adjust before...before using her. She shuddered and blinked as light flooded the van, breaking her reverie.
Wearing only the short white dress and matching collar she had been given, she was led by a leash to an unfamiliar, but very large house, where a tall, thin man stood in the doorway, expressionless. Once they were close, the Department Deliveryman holding her leash handed his end to the man in the doorway, who held it with two fingers daintily, as if he feared it might be unsanitary.
"Here ya go, Mr. Grey." the deliveryman said. "One slave girl. If your son has any complaints, just call out number for additional training."
A slight spark of hope flared in Liz's mind. Son? Maybe...maybe i'm not going to be...that kind of slave. she thought.
"Very well. You may go." Mr Grey said to the deliveryman.
The fellow nodded and retreated to his van, hurrying off to continue his sordid business. After a few minuted of standing silently in the doorway, Mr. Grey looked down at her, frowning as though she were something he had stepped in.
"Jack!" he called into the house suddenly, causing Liz to flinch. "She is here!"
After a few seconds, another person appeared from within the depths of the house. Liz's eyes widened. It was a boy, about perhaps a year older than herself. An attractive one. Again, hope kindled in her spirit.
"Oh, er..h....I'll take her." the boy, Jack said, taking the end of the leash from his father as he looked from Liz to the tall man.
"Try not to lose this one." Mr. Grey said disdainfully before skulking off down a hallway to the right. Liz almost arched an eyebrow, but she restrained herself. Slaves never showed expression without permission. Jack motioned for her to follow, still holding the leash, but not really tugging it. After a winding maze of white hallways, he led her into a spacious room, closing the door behind them.
He waited for a few seconds, peering through what seemed to be a peephole in the door, then turned, dropping the leash and facing Liz. He suddenly lost the airy, flustered look he had, Liz realized, been faking, looking at her seriously. He was silent for a moment, then asked her a single question.
"What's your name?"
Liz had been flogged for her answer to this question enough times to know what she should say.
"I am Slave, or whatever my Master calls me, Sir." she said, forcing the words out despite how wrong they felt.
Jack sighed, and for a moment she thought she had already dissapointed him somehow.. "They've already gotten to you. Should have expected as much." he muttered. He smiled at her, which was strangely comforting. "I mean your real name, love." he said slowly. Love? Liz thought, puzzled.
"Um....Liz, Sir." she offered, hoping she wasn't about to be punished. Oddly, Jack grinned.
"Right, Liz. Well, listen Liz, because this is very important. I can keep you safe, but I need you to trust me....and stop calling me Sir when it's just us. My name's Jack"
Liz was floored. Who was this guy, and what, exactly did he want with her?
Her parents had told her that, 20 years ago, problems with debt in the nation Acirema had grown so far out of reasonable proportion that an emergency law had been passed to avoid widespread disaster. The so-called "Debt Collective Services Department" had been formed to organize payment of the debts. Payment is humans. Those who fell into deep debt became slaves, owned until such time as they had repayed their owners. At least at first. As years progressed, the Department gained more and more power, until they eventually reserved the right to make the heavily indebted permanent property of the government, to be given to their owners until the debt was repayed ,then sold over and again until they died.
Liz had never imagined it would happen to her. Her family had been so well off....at least, until her father had started his business. Needless to say, it plunged, taking the family fortune with it. In desperation he had sought loan after loan form a bank, until their debt had been too high to manage. It all culminated in Department agents stormed the house, taking everyone inside to the training center. That was the last time Liz had ever seen her parents.
After weeks of being trained to submit to her future owner's will, to be a possession, she was told that her parents now belonged to the owner of the bank, but as a child, she was free to be sold. Shortly thereafter, she was informed that she had been quickly sold to a Mr. Robert Grey, wealthy Counselor to the President himself. She was told that she would do whatever he said, or he could beat her, whip her, or do any other number of unpleasant things to obtain her obedience.
Liz was not naive. She knew that a pretty little slave like herself wasn't being sold to help wash the dishes. She only hoped that her owner would at least let her adjust before...before using her. She shuddered and blinked as light flooded the van, breaking her reverie.
Wearing only the short white dress and matching collar she had been given, she was led by a leash to an unfamiliar, but very large house, where a tall, thin man stood in the doorway, expressionless. Once they were close, the Department Deliveryman holding her leash handed his end to the man in the doorway, who held it with two fingers daintily, as if he feared it might be unsanitary.
"Here ya go, Mr. Grey." the deliveryman said. "One slave girl. If your son has any complaints, just call out number for additional training."
A slight spark of hope flared in Liz's mind. Son? Maybe...maybe i'm not going to be...that kind of slave. she thought.
"Very well. You may go." Mr Grey said to the deliveryman.
The fellow nodded and retreated to his van, hurrying off to continue his sordid business. After a few minuted of standing silently in the doorway, Mr. Grey looked down at her, frowning as though she were something he had stepped in.
"Jack!" he called into the house suddenly, causing Liz to flinch. "She is here!"
After a few seconds, another person appeared from within the depths of the house. Liz's eyes widened. It was a boy, about perhaps a year older than herself. An attractive one. Again, hope kindled in her spirit.
"Oh, er..h....I'll take her." the boy, Jack said, taking the end of the leash from his father as he looked from Liz to the tall man.
"Try not to lose this one." Mr. Grey said disdainfully before skulking off down a hallway to the right. Liz almost arched an eyebrow, but she restrained herself. Slaves never showed expression without permission. Jack motioned for her to follow, still holding the leash, but not really tugging it. After a winding maze of white hallways, he led her into a spacious room, closing the door behind them.
He waited for a few seconds, peering through what seemed to be a peephole in the door, then turned, dropping the leash and facing Liz. He suddenly lost the airy, flustered look he had, Liz realized, been faking, looking at her seriously. He was silent for a moment, then asked her a single question.
"What's your name?"
Liz had been flogged for her answer to this question enough times to know what she should say.
"I am Slave, or whatever my Master calls me, Sir." she said, forcing the words out despite how wrong they felt.
Jack sighed, and for a moment she thought she had already dissapointed him somehow.. "They've already gotten to you. Should have expected as much." he muttered. He smiled at her, which was strangely comforting. "I mean your real name, love." he said slowly. Love? Liz thought, puzzled.
"Um....Liz, Sir." she offered, hoping she wasn't about to be punished. Oddly, Jack grinned.
"Right, Liz. Well, listen Liz, because this is very important. I can keep you safe, but I need you to trust me....and stop calling me Sir when it's just us. My name's Jack"
Liz was floored. Who was this guy, and what, exactly did he want with her?