The Travelers of the Tree

Chapter 33 - The Confrontation

Tommy sat huddled in the corner of a cell in the basement of the Hard Labor Camp. He couldn't believe what had happened. Just when he thought that everything was going to work out, the rug had been pulled out from under him, and everything was worse than it had ever been.

The others were never going to be allowed to go home. Had he decided to choose to stay with Ramsey, they would have been Servants for the rest of their lives. Even though he had not chosen to do that, this was their fate anyway. And his along with them. He felt ashamed that he had even considered for a moment staying with Ramsey, and betraying them. Katy had never been anything but kind to him, and Matt and David had voluntarily come with him to try to rescue her.

He also felt hurt that his brother, who he had been so happy to have found, had turned out to be such a bad person. The happiness of finding him had blinded Tommy to some of the bad traits that his brother possessed. When Tommy was being honest with himself, he also knew that it was the prospect of all the money and power that Ramsey promised him that really had blinded him. There was a short while where Tommy had been able to convince himself that this world's system of slavery was just.

He could see how Ramsey, even though they were identical, could be so different from him. This was the way that he had been raised. Had he never been kidnapped, Tommy was sure that they would have grown up together as a normal family, and been best of friends.

The thoughts of his friend's bondage, as well as his own, coupled with the fact that he had for all intents and purposes lost his brother, again, was too much. Tommy started to weep lightly. Then the door opened.

Tommy was shocked to see who was on the other side of the door. "Ms. Fripp," he exclaimed. Ms. Fripp came into the room and slapped Tommy with the back of her hand.

"That is Director Fripp to you, you lousy punk," she yelled.

"Director?" Director Fripp smiled.

"Yes, thanks to the kind and great Master Ramsey." She shoved Tommy again, and he was afraid she was going to slap him again. He put his hand up to block, but she didn't strike.

"In a weird way, I guess it's thanks to you. Master Ramsey blamed the now ex-Director for finding you in the first place. He sentenced him to twenty years in a Hard Labor Prison." She laughed. "Me. He seemed to have a new appreciation for how I handled you. He pardoned me, gave me my "mark" back, and gave me the Director's job." Tommy couldn't imagine how much more horrible the Hard Labor Camp would be with Fripp in charge.

"Get up," Director Fripp commanded. "Master Ramsey wants to see you." Tommy stood. As he began to walk towards the door, Director Fripp pushed him down to the ground. Tommy's face hit the side of the door.

"Now listen, boy. You're mine now. You'd better be less clumsy!" She started laughing uncontrollably. Tommy exited the room. He saw that a large Grunt was waiting. To his left, he saw the rooms where the other three kids had been put. Ramsey had not had them all put in their separate camps for some reason, and Tommy wasn't sure why. Director Fripp led him down the hallway, and she began to speak.

"Oh, we are going to have so much fun together, you and I. Ramsey has assured me that you will be staying here. I have so much planned for us." Tommy thought about the room in the basement with the two tables. "I'm sure you're imagining that room that we've already been to. Yes, we'll visit it again. But there are so many other rooms that we have not been to yet." Tommy saw her smile and lick her lips. "Yes, so many other rooms." A shiver ran down Tommy's spine. The nightmare that was reality continued to get worse and worse.