I don’t recall falling asleep if what you call lying on hard rocks and dirt a comfortable bed. Waking up to the chain around my neck making noise, I stood up carefully as the pain seized through me from last nights blow to the side of my ribs.
“Get up! Get up all of you now. Times wasting.”
The sun had just brightened the sky, but clouds made the constant cover. I felt a pull as the ‘boss’ stretched his arms above his head. Looking at him, he smiled showing teeth not what I would call pleasant in any hour of the day. His eyes lingering on me for far too long didn’t make me feel at ease. Everyone moved in rhythm following a dirt path to God knows where.
These weren’t the lands I was familiar with. I was the first to join this stupid group. Always running the first chance I got.
I remember being at Nina’s, a women of 60 but never allowed you to think that. Bustle of laughter and questions could be heard as I sat needing dough in a small room. My village was smaller then most and not many stayed for too long. A crowed had formed as the new arrivals spoke. They talked about any unmarried or no family women, and then asked for them to be given, in redeeming for money. I was the only one. I remember thinking that Nina would hold onto me to help her, but the hope I had banished when the door to the room I was in opened and these men came in and took me from the only place I knew to be home.
That was 7 months ago.
