Foxed [1st/2nd Draft]

Chapter 9: Kendal

"Show me where forever dies," -I Will Not Bow by Breaking Benjamin

The knock against the window came again, this time more rapidly. Now? It was happening now? This was too fast. The thought of one last begging episode with Hayden crossed my mind, but I bit my lip to keep my mouth shut. It wouldn't do any good.

A hand clamped on my arm and jerked me out, pulling me to my feet. "Having your owner's brother drop you off must mean he really enjoyed you," a female's raspy voice spoke in my ear. She quickly pushed me aside. "How is your brother, Starling? Do be sure to tell him that donation was much appreciated and that we understand he'd like us to take good care of what's his. Is that him in there?"

The female guard started to bend down to peek inside, but Starling shifted and cut her line of sight off. "No, it's my bodyguard. He insists on going everywhere with me."

"Ah."

The sun was just peaking in the sky. It must've been around six-ish because there was enough light that I could see fairly well. The ride here must've taken all night.

"She's a cute one." The blonde guard nodded towards me, her hands still clamped on my shoulders. The thick material of my black tuxedo jacket with a white lining couldn't stop the steel gripe from biting into my flesh.

With my expression schooled, I turned my head away and looked at the menacing ten foot gate topped with barbed wire. It surrounded a brick building, covered in browning ivy. Patches of yellowing grass and mud seemed to be the walkway in. Clearly the other donations Baton received didn't go to maintaining the facility. It looked like the joke of a horror story, where the house is really haunted but nobody believes it until they spend a night in it and end up dying.

I clamped my hands together and remained quiet, but the sudden pinch on my shoulder tore my attention from the building.

"Kendal!"

Who the fuck is Kendal?

"A little spacey, isn't she?" the guard asked.

"That is exactly why we want her in this program to begin with. She just doesn't pay attention to what she's doing and Magie's wife is afraid she'll be prone to jay-walking."