Playing the Game

Chapter 3: Synchronized Failures

My eyes flashed wide as the blow to my jaw knocked the back off my head into the steel bars.

"WAIT!" Evander pleaded, "He's awake!"

I rubbed the back of my head with one hand and my jaw with the other, focusing on the scene before me. The scruffy man was kneeling in front of me with his fist raised, dropping it to his side when he noticed my movements. The rest of the gladiators flanked him with concerned expressions. Evander remained at my side, replacing my hands with his own to inspect the damage inflicted.

"We tried waking you up gently, but it was like you were in a self-inflicted coma or something! I was against the idea of hitting you," he gave the scruffy man a sharp look, "but it seems to have done the trick."

I was dazed, but I understood enough. "Right. Thanks." I spoke directly to the scruffy man, but he brushed it off as he turned to manoeuver back to the back of the wagon.

Still not a single word from him. He'd hit me, no problem. But apparently conversing was out of the question.

I tried to ignore the ache I felt, but I had a feeling that it would soon build up to something unbearable. My sin was only committed the previous day, so he had every right to still be mad... but in my mind, every minute lasted a day. I wouldn't be able to sit idle much longer, but I had to let him come to me first.

I pushed down everything I wanted to blurt out to the scruffy man, distracting myself with the others still around me.

"What's going on? What time is it?"

The carriage was slowly rolling along as the moon took shape in the sky.

Theo pointed forward, "Tiberius mentioned a secluded area up ahead, surrounded by forest to provide us with cover in case of a Galacian attack."

"Galacians?! How did they manage to get this far south?"

Evander explained, "Tiberius heard word from the Capitol during his last visit. Apparently, Emperor Maximus' defenses were broken along the border and a couple of legions got through. The warriors might not be as far south as this, but it's rumoured that some undercover Galacian hoards have taken this sign of weakness as encouragement to be bolder and travel further south for recruits."

I wondered if we would encounter the same hoard that attacked Kent. That all seemed so long ago, but I would have no problem taking my revenge.

I gave an involuntary shiver at the thought, suddenly afraid. Something inside me was trying to push the reminder of my recent sins. I was thankful that part of me could still differentiate between right and wrong. I just had to keep this spark alive if I wanted to remain a good person.

"So what's the commotion all about?"

"The Dominus is putting us to work once we reach the spot." Theo explained, "You know, doing menial jobs such as fetching water for the horses, cleaning the joints in the wagon wheels to prevent damage for the rest of the journey, building a fire for the Mistress, and the likes."

"Had to wake you up before our Dominus decided to wake you up himself..." Newt added with the tiniest warning in his voice.

I nodded. "So when do we eat?"

Bash shrugged, "After work is done, suppose."

In defiance, my stomach gave a growl. "Great."

~*~*~*~

Our work was made harder by the added shackles to our ankles and wrists, and it wasn't any less humiliating with a guard assigned to each gladiator, barking orders and taunting us whenever we stumbled. But we muddled through, sadly rewarded with a small chunk of stale bread to be washed down with the leftover water from the horses. I was so hungry, I took whatever I could get. Even the scruffy man seemed satisfied with the lackluster meal.